Reading Notes: Peter Brook - Mahabharata Online Film, Part B

Gambling Match. Source

Peter Brook - Mahabharata, link to online film.

• Part B starts at the 53 minute mark and goes until the 1 hour and 38 minute mark
• Vishnu takes on human form and descends to play his role (some thought that he came down as Krishna)
• The Ganesha mask is removed from the character and it is Krishna
• Krishna is met by the Pandavas and Draupadi
• Krishna believes that Yudhishthira is the right choice for king
• Duryodhana gives the Pandavas part of the kingdom
• There is a war now and Duhshasana and Karna give advice on how to beat the Pandavas
• Bhishna will be loyal to Dhritarashtra and his sons in the war
• Gandhari's brother, Shakuni, arrives
• Duryodhana was telling Shakuni of his jealousy and anger towards the Pandavas
• Shakuni wants to play a game of dice and will win for Duryodhana
• Shakuni gets into a gambling match
• Shakuni is a known cheater and wins every roll
• Yudhishthira gambles all of his possessions
• Shakuni won everything from Yudhishthira after he gambled his brothers, he even staked himself
• Bhima vows to kill Duhshasana and drink his blood
• Draupadi vows that she will wash her hair in Duhshasana's blood and that Duryodhana will die from a blow to the thigh
• "This will be a terrible war" - Duryodhana to his father

Reading Notes: Peter Brook - Mahabharata Online Film, Part A

The Gods applauded Bhishma's act. Source

Peter Brook - Mahabharata, link to online film.

• Part A goes until the 53 minute mark
• A boy is wandering through a temple
• The boy sees Vyasa meditating
• Vyasa gives a poem 
• Ganesha is a scribe
• The birth of Satyavati is told by Vyasa
• Bhishma cannot become king
• Bhishma's son, Satyavati, will never be able to love a woman but in return, he can choose the time of his death
• Pandu becomes the king
• Pandu marries Kunti
• Pandu also marries Madri
• Dhritarashtra became the king as well
• Pandu wants children but cannot make love to his wife
• Kunti is caring to a sage and he grants her the gift of a Mantra
• Kunti's mantra can summon gods and when they leave, a baby is left with her
• Drona tests the archery skills
• Arjuna is a skilled archer that can focus well on the target
• Drona teaches Arjuna his archery skills, but if they ever come face to face then Ajruna must fight Drona and kill him

Reading Notes: Sita Sings the Blues Online Film, Part B

Sita with her twins, Kusha and Lava

Sita Sings the Blues, link to the online video

• Sita tells Rama she is pregnant. Meanwhile, a laundry man (a dhobi) beats his wife, accusing her of being unfaithful and comparing her to Sita
• To protect his reputation, Rama tells his brother Lakshmana to take Sita into the forest and abandon her. The narrators debate these events
• Sita, now very pregnant, sings the blues again. Lakshmana, weeping, takes her into the forest and abandons her
• Sita thinks it is karma from a past life that is bringing her grief. She would kill herself if she were not pregnant. Valmiki rescues her
• Sita sings the blues on the shore of the river
• She gives birth to twins, Lava and Kusha. From Valmiki, they learn to sing the praises of Rama
• Sita sings the blues again, looking at Rama's picture
• Rama hears the boys singing in the forest. He learns they are his sons, and they learn Rama is his father. He asks that Sita once again prove her purity
• Sita calls upon Mother Earth to prove her purity and take her back into the womb
• Sita sings about her love for Rama one last time, and then leaves them behind
• You see Chandra the moon god, Vishnu rubbing Lakshmi's feet

Reading Notes: Sita Sings the Blues Online Film, Part A

Rama and Sita

Sita Sings the Blues, link to the online video

• King Dasharatha has three wives and four sons. Sita, daughter of Janaka, is Rama's wife. Queen Kaikeyi makes Dasharatha send Rama into exile. He dies of grief after Rama leaves
• Despite Rama's warnings about the rakshasas in the forest, Sita goes into exile with him. The phonograph plays a song while they go into the forest where they live happily while Rama slays rakshasas
• Surpanakha is Ravana's sister. Angry at Rama, Surpanakha tells Ravana about Sita. Maricha tells Ravana to leave Sita alone but Ravana commands Maricha to become a golden deer to distract Rama so he can grab Sita
• Sita is enchanted by the golden deer. Rama suspects a trick, but Sita begs him to pursue the deer
• Sita sings about her love for Rama, while Ravana sneaks up on their forest hut
• Ravana abducts Sita in his flying chariot
• Sita drops her jewelry as a sign; Rama seeks her in the forest
• Rama and Hanuman become allies. Rama sends Hanuman to look for Sita
• Sita is held captive in Lanka, and she weeps for Rama. She rejects Ravana's advances
• Hanuman finds Sita in Lanka while Sita sings the blues. He sets Lanka on fire and then returns to Rama
• The narrators argue about why Sita did not escape with Hanuman. Meanwhile, Nina goes to India
• Sita sings with joy while Rama battles the rakshasas and slays Ravana
• Sita and Rama are reunited, but he rejects her because she lived in another man's house. He sends her away. Sita despairs
• Sita asks for a funeral pyre. The narrators argue about how to interpret this part of the story
• Sita sings the blues while she undergoes a test by fire, protected by Agni the fire god
• Rama asks for Sita's forgiveness
• The narrators discuss the flying chariot, Pushpaka, that takes Rama and Sita back to Ayodhya
• Sita sings the blues again: if you want the rainbow, you must have the rain

Reading Notes: Krishna Online Film, Part B

Krishna and Arjun

Krishna Online Films, link to the online videos

• Brahma tested Krishna's drivine power and all that he sees around him is Krishna
• Krishna was able to tame the wild Hastin (extremely hard for a normal person to do)
• Gargacharya reveals to Krishna the truth of his birth and that is why he could not marry Radha
• Akrur arrived in Vrindavan
• Akrur invited Krishna to Mathura
• Krisnha's farewll left Vrindavan in despair
• Krishna lived in Gokul and Nand Guan
• Krishna's fame spreads in Mathura
• People witness Krishna's deeds, one is a woman called Trivakra
• Kansa makes his last attempt to kill Krishna
• Kansa tries to use an elephant to kill Krishna
• Kansa learns that the 8th son of Devaki appeared and therefore knew that he would die soon
• Breaking the bow -> killing of Kuvalayapida -> killing of wrestlers -> killing of Kansa
• Krishna frees Mathura after killing Kansa
• Mathura fell prey to enemy attacks

Reading Notes: Krishna Online Film, Part A

Lord Krishna

Krishna Online Films, link to the online videos

• Krishna is a very significant character in the Mahabharata
• Krishna would lead the Pandava's into war
• Vasudev is Krishna's father
• Vasudev meets Yamuna
• Durga and Kansa speak with one another
• (Don't really understand what happened in episode 3 too much)
• Yashoda finds a woman named Putana that wants to help her
• Krishna was still in danger
• Krishna was becoming very famous and well-known
• Yashoda looked inside of Krishna's mouth and thought there would be mud in there
• Episode 6 really shows that Krishna is unique and not just a regular child and Yashoda learns this
• Krishna moves from Gokul to Vrindavan
• Kalia the naag is poisoning the lake's water
• The Kansa demon army was growing (but so was Krishna)
• Indra had a wrath on Vrindavan because Krishna's people chose to pay their respects to Govardhan Hill
• Radha had an eternal and unconditional love for Krishna

Reading Notes: The Indian Story Book, Part B

Ravana

The Indian Story Book, retold by Richard Wilson, link to the online reading

• Ravana was told that his foes would take a pathway through the "trackless sea"
• He saw the army coming closer and closer to shore but they were silent
• Ravana then went to the grove where Sita was kept a prisoner
• He told Sita that Rama was dead
• Ravana told his warriors to go get the head of Rama
• Sita then found out that Rama was not dead
• Kumbhakarana was Ravana's younger brother
• This brother was a giant that slept for a long time and went into a hibernation type state, when he awakes, he feeds on people
• Rama wins the battle
• Sita learned that Rama was victorious
• Rama and Sita then saw each other
• At the end of the story, the fourteen years of exile were accomplished
• Rama and Sita were welcomed backed into the kingdom

Reading Notes: The Indian Story Book, Part A

Intro to the Story Book. Source

The Indian Story Book, retold by Richard Wilson, link to the online reading

• The city of Ayodhya seemed like a happy place, plenty of food and water, sweet music, workmen rejoicing in their skills
• King Dasaratha did not have a son to succeed him
• To get a son, Dasaratha would have to do a horse sacrifice
• There were 4 sons born to King Dasaratha
• "Bears and monkeys useful to him in work" said a holy man
• King Mithila had a lovely daughter named Sita
• Arrangements were made between Rama and Sita to be married
• Dasartha eventually started to grow old and wanted to hand the kingdom over to Rama
• Rama went into voluntary exile
• Rama came to the borders of the great forest through which the sacred Ganges flows, this is where the chariot left him and returned to the kingdom
• Bharata, the king's other son, was put on the throne with the passing of his father
• Bharata wanted Rama to be the king
• Rama could not return, but he let Bharata take his sandles back to Ayodhya
• Rama went alone into the forest with his bow and was met with a great shower of arrows, rocks, trees, clubs, darts. and loops of rope
• Luckily, Rama was skilled with the bow, Rama came out victorious
• The Rakshahsa transformed a demon, Maricha, into a beautiful golden deer with silver and horns sets of jewels
• Sita was so fascinated by the deer that she told Rama to go capture it
• The monkey king is called Sugriva
• Sugriva's immediate attendants were Nala, Nila, Tara, and Hanuman, Son of the Wind
• Hanuman went to go and comfort Sita for Rama

Reading Notes: Mahabharata Online Film, Part F

Bheem and Hanuman. Source

Mahabharata Online Films, link to the online videos

• Draupadi gets disrobed
• Draupadi had an oath to only tie her hair once she washed it with the blood and combed it with the bones of her enemies
• Pandavas get sent into exile
• (Pandavas do not seem very smart, in my opinion)
• Seems like the Pandavas do not really ever learn their lesson
• The exile for the Pandavas begins
• Krishna could not help the Pandavas when they needed him
• Krishna met with the Pandavas
• (Krishna seems to never really let anything bother him)
• The Pandavas needed to get support from the gods to fight the war
• Arjun entered heaven in a human form
• Arjun was able to enter heaven in this human form because Krishna used him as a tool to re-establish dharma
• Arjun received Shiva's weapon when he was brought up to Indralok
• Arjun was blessed and received proper training for the upcoming battle
• Arjun was cursed by Urvashi while he was staying at Indralok
• Bheem encounters Hanuman

Reading Notes: Mahabharata Online Film, Part E

Draupadi. Source

Mahabharata Online Films, link to the online videos

• Subhadra wins over Draupadi
• Abhimanya was born
• Abhimanya is the nephew of Lord Krishna
• Abhimanya married Uttara, the princess of Matsya Kingdom
• Abhimanya was the reincarnation of the moon-god, Chandra
•  Abhimanya was trained by Krishna
• Pradyumna was Krishna and Rukmini's son
• Jarasandha was slain
• Krishna seemed impatient with the punishment of Shishupal
• Yudhishthir becomes king
• (Could not really concentrate on episode 40 with all of the background noise)
• "Duryodhan's Humiliation"
• Shakuni was Prince of Gandhar
• Shakuni appears middle-eastern
• Yudhishthir and the Kauravas gamble (Ludo).
• Kauravas were losing the first rounds while Yudhishthir was winning the first ones
• Yudhishthir got overconfident with winning and eventually it did not turn out well
• Yudhishthir gambled his brothers and wife and ended up losing them
• Draupadi was at stake (used her as image for these reading notes)

Reading Notes: Mahabharata Online Film, Part D

A Statue of Arjun. Source

Mahabharata Online Films, link to the online videos

• Karna's participation was left out of the video ;(
• The winner of the archer battle wins Draupadi
• The king tried to compete in the challenge and Draupadi said that he will never be worthy of the hand of a princess
• Arjun and Bheem went to Swayamwar
• Pandavas were in disguise so Brahmin would not be attacked
• Draupadi was destined to 5 men as explained by a sage
• Return to Hastinapur
• Krishna meets Arjun
• Narad visits Indraprastha
• Arjun was sent into exile
• The Pandavas went into exile for 12 years after a gamble
• Arjun was sentenced to 12 years of exile as well
• Arjun left his wife behind on his exile and went on a "Journey"
• Makes it seem like Arjun essentially ran away from his wife
• Bheema was married to Hidimba
• There was an encounter between Yaksha and that Pandavas
• Arjun reached Dwarka
• Arjun was destined to have many wives. 

Reading Notes: Mahabharata Online Film, Part C

Karna, a master archer. Source

Mahabharata Online Films, link to the online videos

• Karna's body born in enchanted armor
• The armor grew with Karna as he grew into a man
• Karna seeked someone to teach him the art of war
• Karna seemed to be destined to be an archer
• Karna got stung by a scorpion's stinger
• The teacher said that there is no way that Karna could have remained quiet after being stung and lost his trust
• Karna appeared before the crowd and wanted to challenge others and prove that he was more skilled in the art of war
• "Karna would have to be royal blood to battle"
• Karna was declared king so that he could challenge the Pandavas
• Drona was invited to train the Pandavas in archery
• People praised the Pandavas after they saw the strength of them
• A large festival was said to happen in honor of Shiva to lure the Pandavas
• There was a plot to set the palace on fire once the Pandavas fell asleep to kill them
• This was planned to make it look like an accident, the walls were constructed of flammable materials 
• The Pandavas were able to get away from the plot and took refuge in the forest
• Bhima kills Bakasura
• Draupadi was born and was said to be the cause of destruction

Reading Notes: Mahabharata Online Film, Part B

The Pandavas. Source

Mahabharata Online Films, link to the online videos

• Wife blindfolded herself to share her husband's condition
• The sage gave her a mantra to summon any god that she chooses
• She tested the gift and called the sun god and she was in shocked once it actually worked and summoned him
• Gave a child with golden earrings and armored as well
• However, she was unmarried and knew that she could not keep the child
• She placed the child in a basket and took him to the river
• She placed the basket on the waves of the river and watched it float away
• Pandu and two others decided to spend some quiet time in the forest
• The tribes in the forest taught the group how to be gods
• Pandu made a mistake and shot a hermit coupled making love
• The hermit cursed Pandu
• The minute that Pandu makes love with a woman, he will die
• Kunti helps Pandu get a son by using her mantra
• Kunti refused to use the mantra to get sons
• Pandu got 5 sons from Kunti
• Pandu forced himself on a woman and it caused him to die due to the curse
• Bheem receives the strength of 1000 elephants
• Drona trains the Pandavas
• The Pandavas learn the ways of the war and use of weapons
• Drona noticed each of his student's gifts
• Charioteer, swordsman, strength (mace weapon), could wield all weapons equally but was the best with archery
• Someone shut a dog up with arrows
• The dog was not hurt but the mouth was sealed shut using perfectly shot arrows
• The mysterious archer said he was taught by Drona
• Drona refused the mysterious forester as a student

Reading Notes: Mahabharata Online Film, Part A

Bhishma. Source

Mahabharata Online Films, link to the online videos

• Story can be said to start at many points
• Account of how karma functions - cause and effect
• Drowned their first child
• The king did not ask his wife any questions
• The queen killed their next 6 children
• The king could not hold silence anymore when she was about to kill the 8th child
• The skilled archer at the river was the kings son (16 years later)
• It was clear that the king was upset after the fisherman's daughter rejected his offer in marriage
• The prince (king's son) met with the fisherman to try to convince him to let his daughter marry his father, even offering to give up the throne when it would be time so her children can reign
• His son will be able to choose the time of his death
• Bhishma kept his promise of watching the throne
• Bhishma acted as a father to his two half-brothers
• Bhishma worried if something happened to his brother, there would be no one to claim the throne
• Bhishma starts the cycle of his death
• Terrible illness killed the king, no one to take the throne
• Bhishma refuses to father the children
• Child would be born pale and with poor health
• Need to create alliances with other powerful kingdoms
• Sister blindfolded herself for life

Reading Notes: Public Domain Mahabharata, Part D

Vyasa summons the ghosts at the Ganges River. Source.

Public Domain Mahabharata, link to the reading online.

• Amba had a vow to seek revenge, bring about Bhishma's death in her next life
• After, Bhishma's fall, Drona takes command of Duryodhana's armies and vows to make Yudhishthira his prisoner
• Arjuna voews to defend his brother no matter what
• Arjuna loses his son, Abhimanyu
• Bhima loses his rakshasa son, the mighty warrior, Ghatotkacha
• Bhima will secure his revenge for Duhshana's treatment of Draupadi
• Karna died
• Duryodhana is alive and uses his supernatural powers to take refuge beneath the waters of a lake
• Bhishma has the gift of choosing the moment of his own death
• Bhishma is wasting for the solstices and before he dies he will instruct the survivors of the battle on how to rule the world that has survived
• Vyasa will conjure up the ghosts of the dead warriors (photo above)
• A hunter mistook Krishna for an animal and shot on arrow at Krishna that killed him
• After Krishna dies, the Pandavas and Drauapdi decide to end their time on earth

Reading Notes: Public Domain Mahabharata, Part C

Cattle Raid. Source.

Public Domain Mahabharata, link to the reading online.

• The Pandavas are in a long period of exile in the forest similar to Rama
• Krishna pays a visit to the Pandavas in exile
• Ajuna went out on his own when he violated Draupadi's private time with Yudhishthira
• Arjuna is the god Indra
• Indra is Arjuna's father
• Arjuna goes to Swarga, Indra's heavenly house, where he meets Urvashi
• Hanuman, from the Ravana, is in this story too
• Bhimna, Hanuman's half-brother, encounters Hanuman
• Hanuman and Bhimna are sons of Vayu, the wind god
• When Karna was bord, his body was clad in golden armor and he had earrings that were a token of invincibility
• Draupadi faces terrible danger in the forest, similar to Sita
• The final year of Pandavas' exile must be spent in hiding
• Bhima defense Draupadi but she will claim that the deed was done by her husband who is an immortal gandharva
• Duryodhana and his allies attack King Virata and steal his cattle
• The Pandavas come to King Virata's defense
• Pandavas' exile is finally over
• Krishna tries to avoid war and make peace between the factions
• Krishna reveals to Karna the secret of his birth and tells him to go to the Pandavas in peace, assuring him that they will not only accept him but regard him as their elder brother
• The Bhagavad-Gita, "Lord's Song," is the most famous part of the Mahabharata
• Bhishma is the general of the Kaurava forces but does not feel the same loyalty to Duryodhana that Karna does

Reading Notes: Public Domain Mahabharata, Part B

Image of Krishna. Source. (beautiful art for Mahabharata scenes)

Public Domain Mahabharata, link to the reading online.

• Pandava brothers lived in the wilderness
• The Pandava brothers will face many dangers while they living in hiding
• Love affair between Bhima and rakshasi
• Bhima defeated the rakshasa Hidimba
• Bhima has to battle an asura known as Baka
• The Pandavas are disguised as brahmins
• It is not uncommon for kings to have many wives in the epics
• However, Draupadi has five husbands (the Pandavas) and that is something that no one would expect
• Yudhishthira becomes a king
• Arjuna breaks a rule and must leave for a period of exile
• Arjuna and Chitra marry and have a son
• Their son stays in Manipur and goes on to become king
• Arjuna and Krishna have a special connection
• Arjuna however marrys her sister, Subhadra
• Yudhishthira declares himself as a supreme monarch by performing a Rajasuya sacrifice
• Bhima swears terrible oaths during the gambling scene that will drive the rest

Reading Notes: Public Domain Mahabharata, Part A

Mahabharata. Source.

Public Domain Mahabharata, link to the reading online.

• Devavrata is the son of King Shantanu and the goddess Ganga
• Davavrata is a human but has the powers of the eight gods, Vasus
• How can he have a human and divine identity?
• Satyavati is Vyasa's mother
• Bhishma seizes the three daughers of the king of Kashi to be brides for his sons Shantanu and Satyavati
• Only two of the women can be brides
• Amba has a story of her own
• Amba becomes a part of Bhishma's life
• Kunti will be King Pandu's wife
• This story parallels a lot of stuff from Ramayana
• Pandu gets cursed by a sage that he killed when he was shaped like a deer
• Kunti raises the five sons of Pandu by herself
• Kunti brings the 5 boys to Pandu's royal city
• The blind king, Dhritarashtra, gives the fives sons a home
• Duryodhana tries to kill Bhima
• Bhima goes down into the underworld king of the mighty serpents called nagas, which causes Bhima to become supernaturally strong
• Drona will be the guru to the Pandavas and the Kauravas
• When the Pandavas and Kauravas are trained as warriors, the will participate in a tournament
• Arjuna appears to be the winner of the contest but then Karna appears
• Karna is the son of Kunti and the sun god
• Arjuna and Karna do not realize that they are brothers

Reading Notes: The Divine Archer, Part B

A girl with a bow. Source

The Divine Archer by F. J. Gould. link to website.

• (Part B is much shorter than Part A)
• Rama kills Vali with an arrow
• Rama gives Hanuman his ring as a token for Sita
• Hanuman goes to Lanka
• Vibhisnaha is Ravana's brother however he is on Rama's side
• Vibhisnaha tells Hanuman where Ravana is keeping Sita
• Ravana is keeping Sita at the ashoka grove
• Sita refuses Ravana constantly
• Hanuman finally speaks to Sita and gives her Rama's ring
• Haunman is then taking to Ravana's court
• Ravana sentences Hanuman to death
• Vibhishana does not let Ravana put him to death
• Ravana sets Hanuman's tail on fire instead
• The fire ends up setting Lanka on fire
• Sita gives Hanuman a jewel to give to Rama
• Queen Mandodari wants Ravana to have peace with Rama
• Kumbhakarna, Ravana's GIANT brother, wants Ravana to give Sita back to Rama
• Both sides get ready to fight
• Rama and his army build a bridge to Lanka 
• Rama shoots off Ravana's crown when he arrives
• The battle lasts all day
• Lakshmana is wounded by Indrajit
• Hanuman goes and gets herbs to heal him
• Rama kills Kumbharkana
• Indra sends Rama his chariot and weapons
• Rama slays Ravana
• Vibhisana becomes king of Lanka
• Rama sends Sita into exile
• Sita comes back and takes her spot on the throne

Reading Notes: The Divine Archer, Part A

A Divine Archer. Source.

The Divine Archer by F. J. Gould. link to website.

• This story begins essentially where King Dasaratha wanted a son to pass on his heir
• There were four sons that were born: Rama, Lakshmana, Bharata, and Shatrughna
• Rama is the god Vishnu in human form
• Vishnu was sent to defeat Ravana.
• Ravana cannot be killed by gods so he needed to be in human form
• Sita and Rama fall in love
• Sita is also a goddess that is in human form
• Rama had to be able to bend the bow of Shiva with his hands to be able to claim Sita
• Parashurama appears and wants to know who bent the bow of Shiva
• Parashurama then gives Rama the bow of Vishnu (which is himself?)
• Rama has no trouble stringing Vishnu's bow
• Three of King Dasaratha's sons get married on the same day (not Rama)
• King Dasartha wanted Rama to become the next king
• Bharata ultimately is chosen to be the King once Dasartha dies
• King Dasaratha dies and Bharata becomes king
• Rama puts his sandals on the King's throne until his exile is over
• Agastya gives Rama weapons that will help him in later battles
• Ravana has 10 heads and 20 arms
• Maricha appears as a golden deer to lure Rama and Sita
• Sita wants Rama to catch the deer
• Jatayu battles Ravana
• Ravana cuts off Jatayu's wings
• Sugriva wants to help Rama
• Sugriva is the leader of the monkeys (Vanaras)