Week 10 Reading Diary: The Great War, Part B

In today’s reading the most fascinating part for me was the story of Jarasandha.  Jarasandha had an intent to sacrifice one hundred kings. He had captured eighty six kings and was waiting to complete his sacrifice. Lord Krishna had an idea in his mind. If Jarasandha was to be stopped from his sacrifice, all the captured kings would bow down to the one who saved their life.  So Lord Krishna, Bhima and Arjuna sets on a road to stop Jarasandha. The three of them enters the kingdom of Jarasandha and picks a fight with the king, Jarasandha. The king was challenged on a fight or to free the eighty six kings that he had held captive. Jarasandha wants to fight Bhima.

The other fascinating thing in this story is the fact that it says Bhima and Jarasandha fought for fourteen days and in the end Bhima killd Jarasandha. With this all the eight six kings were set free. All of the kings who were set free and the son of Jarasandha, who was set to the throne before Jarasandha went on a battle with Bhima accepts Yudhishthira as their king/ lord paramount.

This lays the strength of the Pandava brothers in a very easy way to understand. They all do various stuffs together and by themselves for their elder brother.

Bhima Fights Jarasandha
Source: Link

 Link to the story

Week 10 Reading Diary: The Great War, Part A

While reading through the book I found the story told by Kanika very interesting.  The blind king was stressed because he thought that the Pandava brothers were shining in the kingdom and the Kaurava brothers were being pushed into the shades. Kanika upon arrival tells the blind king clever story filled with cruelity.  He tells the story about a clever jackle. This jackle shared his life with four of his friends; A tiger, A mongoose, A rat and a wolf. One day he wants to asks all of his friends to hunt a deer. After they are done hunting the deer , he manipulates each of his friends and makes them leave the deer and run for various reasons. At the end, he enjoys his deer by himself. The jackle gives a bad example of friendship but for jackle he got what he really wanted. So, I think by telling this story to the blind king Kanika is referring to make the Pandava brother go separate ways and/or make them fight with each other. This might prove to be good for Kaurava brothers. Then jealous Duryodhana makes the Pandava brother to be banished so that he could be the king and fill his jealousy.

I also liked the part where Vidura speaks in Mlechchha tongue with Yudhisthira and warns him of the weapons not made of steel. He also refers to build a house like the house of jackle, meaning a house with many roads out.

Jackle has been mentioned a lot more here and I find it fascinating. One of the mention gives him negative role and the other gives him a positive role. 

Yudhisthira

 

 

 

 

 

  Link to the picture

Link  to the story

Week 9 Back up and Review

This week has been great. I have enjoyed reading and commenting on other's posts. Everyone's post. are great in their own ways. Looks like everyone is doing a good job in class. I have really enjoyed this class so far. My post from announcements I should say is this picture of cat associated with Learning challenges. It is very true that Learning new things requires experimentation. Without trying something you will never know how it goes.

Learning challenges
You can find this post here

Week 9 Learning by HEART: Health

We all know that health is very important. If you are not healthy, you will not be as effective to carry out your daily activities as you could. I have mentioned it before and I have still been trying hard to adapt a healthy lifestyle. As is easy as it sounds, eating healthy and trying to exercise is one of the hardest things to do. I have been trying my best to eat healthy as the days I do, I feel the best. Eating clean, and working out in the morning is the best way to start your day. Even though it is a great feeling, it is hard to be consistent. However, this is something I have been working on and have learned that focusing on yourself and your health is the best way to stay happy.

Health
Source: Link

Week 9 Growth mindset: Appreciation

I am very fascinate the growth mindset concept. The more I dig in the more interesting it gets. I have truly started to believe that our abilities can be better with hard work and dedication. Intelligence and knowledge can be grown by dedication. Students should focus on improvements instead of worrying about how smart they are. I have personally been working a lot on this. I used to think that grades matter the most and strive to get good grades and in that process I would forget to appreciate how much and recognize what all I am learning. I focus more on what I have been learning in different classes and stop getting disappointed if I get a little bad grade. The things we can learn and the ways we can grow is incredible.

Growth mindset
Source: Link

Week 9 Storytelling: Spilling Secret to the Bartender

It was a beautiful Saturday evening, Chitra entered “The Elephant Bar” few blocks away from her mansion in Manipur. She was dresses as usual, like a warrior. There was something missing in her today. It was her smile and her weapons.

She walked straight to the bar counter, sat on the stool and asked for a Manipurian whiskey on the rock.

Mani, the bartender of the elephant bar was shocked at what he just heard because Chitra is known all over the kingdom for her preaching against drinking. However, he could not question Chitra, she is the princess of the kingdom. He presented her the drink.

There was a pin drop silence in the bar beside the music that was playing in the speakers.

Chitra ordered for another glass of the whiskey.

Yet again, there was no conversation between any of them.

One after other it was the tenth glass of whiskey for Chitra. The only words that stroke the wall of the bar till this time was Chitra’s voice saying another one.

**After the tenth glass of whiskey, Chitra to Mani**

You know that one day when I was on my daily tour to the forest of Manipur, I saw him and fell in love with him. Arjuna, the love of my life, my one and only one. As fast as I fell in love with the man of my dreams he rejected me for the way I am. Do you see this warrior’s suit that I am wearing? This was the same suit I had on that day and because of this he rejected my love. I prayed to the god to grant me a day of beauty and feminism that I did not have on me. The god granted me with a year of beauty. I then again approached Arjuna. This time it was the way I wanted it to be. He fell in love with me. He wanted me despite of his 12 years of chastity. He did not care about what would happen to him because of his actions because of me. He was so deep in love with me. We made love with each other and shared an ultimate connection with each other for a year after I was granted the boon. I lived my life as I had never thought it would be with Arjuna. I got pregnant. I did not know about it till the last day when my boon would end. I could not resist and pour the truth about me to Arjuna. He accepted me regardless of the fact that I was the same person that he rejected a day ago when I first approached him. But it was time for him to leave to complete his chastity. It has been a two years since he has been gone. I wish I could see him. I miss him. I miss my Arjuna. I miss the love of my life. I miss you Arjuna!!! I miss you!

** Chitra then walks outside the bar **

Secret
Source:Link

Author’s Note:

In the book Chitra by Rabindranath Tagore it talks about Chitra, daughter of king of Manipur. This story covers the life of Chitra and her love and affection shared with Arjuna during the 12 years of chastity. Chitra was born a girl but lived life of a man. She was a warrior and a prince protecting the kingdom of Manipur. She dressed as a warrior and didn’t have any feminism or idea of feminism in her mind. She falls in love with Arjuna and then has the secret relationship with him because of his chastity. She even gets pregnant by Arjuna at the end of the story. This week I retold the story in a bar setting. I hope you enjoy this story.

Bibliography: Story title> Chitra

book title> CHITRA

author> Rabindranath Tagore

year of publication> 1913

Week 4 Storytelling: When Rama was angry

I am the ocean. Everybody worships me for my deepness and wideness. No one has ever been able to cross me or sail on me. I am against it. No one can rule me and there is no being in this whole planet that can defeat me. I have swallowed thousands of air vehicles and flipped hundreds of boats. Inside me live my worshipers, my family, my friends and all that I can call mine. Every drop of water in me is a part of me. I am home to many of my friends; they are fishes, tortoises, green plants, rocks, sand, scorpions and everything that you can name. Nagas and Makaras are my brothers that I love dearly. I do have my pet dragon who guards me day and night.

Bridge to Lanka

Image link: Picture

We all knew about Sita being abducted by Ravana, because we saw Ravana pass right above us. My pet dragon tried to stop Ravana but was not able to do so because Ravana could not be destroyed, thanks to a boon he had received from Brahma. I could see Rama right on the shore, anxious, stressed and eagerly waiting for a way to cross me to get to Lanka. When my pet dragon tried to stop Hanuman from crossing me, Hanuman killed my pet dragon. I was sad. I cried the tears of blood and the sky could see it. A few days after Hanuman's leap I saw Rama on the shore silently meditating. I felt his love for Sita and him wanting to cross me. I couldn’t let it happen. I am the ocean and no one can cross me. I just ignored his call and went back to nap. A cool and calm breeze was relaxing me and I was silent. 

Suddenly I heard screams; the fishes were hiding beneath the rocks, the tortoises in their shells, the green plants were busy trying to take their roots off from the sand and the sand and rocks were calling upon the wind to create the wave and carry them away. I got up and saw that Rama was threatening to dry me up and pierce me with his god-given arrows. This is not possible. I am so huge and deep. Rama doesn’t have such a power to do so. I stayed calm. Then again there were shafts piercing me.  One of the shafts hit the rock, blasted it and killed the fish hiding beneath it. The other shaft burned the sand and the plants. I still wasn't convinced that I should help Rama. Then slowly the shafts started hitting my palace. It almost killed the Nagas and Makaras. I started to get a little bit worried. Then I heard Rama say that he would now use the Brahma arrow and dry me up. I could not let it happen and by this time I realized his power. I couldn’t let Rama destroy my whole world. I decided to help Rama. I rose up and bowed to Rama. I agreed to bear the pain of the bridge over me and let him and his army cross me to get to Lanka.

I had to use all of my power to carry the bridge that Rama and his army built on me. Sometimes I would not be able to hold up a part of the bridge but then I prayed to lord Shiva and I was filled with so much power that I could hold up the bridge as long as I wanted. Then after a few days all the army crossed over me using the bridge that I was carrying.

I am strong. I am much deeper and wider, thanks to Lord Shiva for the blessings. I will always bow to Rama but no one shall cross me or sail on me. 

I am the ocean. Everybody worships me for my deepness and wideness. No one has ever been able to cross me or sail on me. I am against it. No one can rule me and there is no being in this whole planet that can defeat me. 

Author’s Note:

In the Ramayana by Sister Nivedita it explains how Rama fought with the ocean and threatened to destroy all the animals in the ocean and dry up the whole ocean. This is the story of the creatures living in the sea when Rama wanted to cross the ocean. I do believe that the ocean creatures had a story to tell when all the arrows that Rama shot in the ocean were coming for them. I do believe that the ocean who at last agreed to suffer and hold the bridge firm has a story on his side. In the Ramayana by Nivedita, it tells about Rama’s silent, concentrated prayers towards the ocean for help to build the bridge.  After three days of his prayers Rama was angry and then loosed dreadful shafts towards the ocean which distressed the Nagas and Makaras of the sea. Nagas have a mixture of human and serpent-like traits. Makaras have a mixture of terrestrial animal and  aquatic animal. The pet dragon is described as the mother of Nagas. When Hanuman flew over the ocean to Lanka, The pet dragon tried to stop Hanuman from crossing the ocean. When the ocean didn’t respond to Rama he threatened to dry up the ocean and then only the ocean rose up and spoke to Rama. So, here this week I retold this part of story from the view of the ocean and the creatures living in the ocean during that moment.

Bibliography:

Myths of the Hindus and Buddhist: Ramayana

Author: Sister Nivedita

Year 1914

Source: Ramayana