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