Reading Notes: Mahabharata Part D

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Story Idea: Dhritarashtra As The Pharaoh 
-Dhritarashtra is constantly changing his mind
-Even when he makes a decision, he is usually quick to go back on it
     -Ex: Sending Virata away, immediately regretting it, and begging him to come back
-He reminds me of the Pharaoh of Egypt in the Passover story
-In this retelling, plagues would come upon the Kauravas during their preparations for war in a divine attempt to dissuade them

Quote on Page 134
"Even if there is one little baby left in the other camp, it will remain a small smouldering ember of hate, which could kindle later configuration."
-This is a powerful statement on the dynamics of hostility and revenge
-Illustrates the idea that humans have a difficult time letting go of past wrongdoing; we hold grudges that ultimately lead to more wrongdoing and perpetuate conflicts
-Growing up with an enemy breeds a dangerous kind of individual, who is predisposed to hate

Duryodhana's Offer
-Duryodhana invites Krishna to a grand feast in his home
-Krishna refuses, saying that food should only be accepted if one is desperate or loves the person offering it
-Declares that Duryodhana's food appears to him to be "contaminated with evil"
En epic battle ensues between the Kauravas and the Pandavas. Source: Wikimedia Commons


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Bibliography

Narayan, R.K. The Mahabharata: A Shortened Modern Prose Version of the Indian Epic. 

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