Tuesday, February 28, 2017

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

Week 5 Storytelling: Misunderstood


Working on a new discovery. Source.

Misunderstood

Rama and his group of friends were walking through the courtyard at their private high school. This group of friends were the popular students at the school that everyone wanted to be a part of or hang out with. The group of friends were about thirty minutes late to class and it did not seem that the teachers or anyone cared because of their status. This was probably because Rama was part of an elite family in the area.

The next day a student named Ravana was running late to class as well. It was a rainy day, so he was completely soaked and splashed by cars speeding through the puddles on his daily walk to the campus. He walked into the same class that Rama was late in previously by a few minutes and the teachers sent him to the principal’s office. The principal gave Ravana a detention for being late. Ravana was the kid that no one liked in this school. It is not that he was a bully or anything. Ravana just seemed different and did not fit in with the other students or the staff.

The popular girl in the school was named Sita. Of course, Sita and Rama were a couple and everyone was jealous of this power couple. Sita was an incredibly beautiful girl and Ravana wanted to be with her more than anything. This made Ravana envy Rama even more.

Every year, this high school has something similar to a science fair where groups compete against each other with invention ideas and it is called the Invention Fair. Rama and his group were on the same team as usual. However, since Ravana did not have any friends he was in a group by himself. Ravana was extremely clever and focused a lot of his time on schoolwork since he never is invited to parties, events, or anything. Ravana decided that this time he was going to come out on top of Rama.

This event lasted for the last two months of the school year and students were allowed to work on the project during class time. Ravana spent at least six hours a day doing research and working on prototypes for his project. Rama was often out hanging with friends and did not really put much effort in, but of course he would have something to turn in during the competition.

Rama ended up paying a small firm to make a prototype of his invention since money was not a problem for him. Rama’s invention, however, was not a very good idea and was actually something that already exists. Rama "invented" a phone case that can be placed on a cell phone and charge it. Ravana had a great idea but he did not have the money to produce it. Ravana made a device that was similar to a breathalyzer where a patient can breath into it. The device then printed out data to find traces of cancer. At the fair, a lot of people liked the fabrication of Rama’s project but they did admit that this item already exists. When they viewed Ravana’s project, it was a great idea that a lot of businessmen were actually extremely interested in.

Ravana was able to start a company based off of his idea and became a well-liked individual in the industry. Even though Ravana had an extremely difficult time in high school, his work ended up paying off and he became successful.

Author's Note:
I wanted to write a story based on the characters Rama and Ravana. I changed the setting to be taking place in a high school environment where Ravana was the nerdy kid and somewhat misunderstood. Even though high school was not a great place for him, he persevered through and became successful.
The person who wins is said to always be the one that tells their version of the story. For example, “only the victors write the history textbooks” and this could somewhat be applied the Ramayana. Since Rama was ultimately the victor, maybe the audience only knows his side of the story and not Ravana’s. If Ravana won, then maybe the audience would tend to agree with Ravana’s point of view because it would be more aimed towards his motives. I am not saying that it is the case for the Ramayana but it is something to think about. In the story I wrote, Rama looked like the cool kid that had everything going to him while Ravana was the nerd that no one really wanted to be around and I feel like this can be seen parallel to the actual story. Even though in this story it was not about Ravana defeating Rama by killing him, it was Ravana defeating Rama by working hard on the project.

Public Domain Ramayana, link to the reading online.

Thursday, February 23, 2017

Week 6: Story Planning: Continuation of Wonder Woman and Rama Series

Wonder Woman. Source

For the story next week, I am planning to continue my Wonder Woman mix with the Hindu gods. I am unsure if I will be introducing any new characters from the Mahabharata just yet. I really enjoyed writing about the clash of the two universes. The last story focused in on the first time that there was a meeting between the Hindu characters, Rama and Hanuman, and Wonder Woman in the metropolitan scene.

For the next story, I want to do either a prequel or a sequel. If I do a prequel, I was thinking that I want to focus in on Wonder Woman and maybe somehow link her to the Hindu gods and that is why the portal appeared near Rama and brought them near her. It would be interesting to almost do a Superman style where he was born on another planet and brought to earth for safety. However, in this story, Wonder Woman would have maybe been born in the Rama era and teleported somehow to this new dimension in the modern-day metropolitan that she currently lives in. Somehow, she might be linked to a Hindu god and that is why she has some of the abilities that she does.

If I do a sequel, I might jump into another action scene with Rama and Hanuman fighting against modern weapons and villains with Wonder Woman. If I do choose to do the sequel first, I want to implement some kind of interaction that would trigger the next story I write to flash back to a prequel similar to what is mentioned above. I like being able to use the comic book pictures that are out there between Wonder Woman and Rama and revolving my story around them.


Therefore, whatever direction I decide to go, prequel or sequel, I think that I will continue on my Week 3 story with Wonder Woman and Rama.

Public Domain Ramayana, link to the reading online.
Pikapost. link to the website.

Wednesday, February 22, 2017

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

Tuesday, February 21, 2017

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

Wednesday, February 15, 2017

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