Wednesday, February 24, 2016

Week Six Reading Diary Continued: " The Mahabharata" R.K. Narayan

In the last part of “The Mahabharata”, Yudhistira and his brothers are joined by their faithful friends and followers.  The Panava’s would like to continue their lives the way it was before they were exiled by their cousin Duryodhana.  Duryodhana wants to continue to isolate his cousins and start a war with them.  He continues his attitude of wickedness and shows his insolent ways by refusing to acknowledge that they have successfully completed their twelve years and was able to live incognito without being noticed.  His father King Dhritarashtra, as always, wants to play a fickle role between his nephews and his sons.

Yudhistira thinks of a solution that would be favorable to both the Panava’s and the Kaurava’s.  He asks for his half of the kingdom back, and if not half at least be given five villages.  Each village will represent the land that his he and his four brothers will rule.  They will continue to lives their harmony and without interfering in the lives of the Kaurava’s. Krishna leaves to Hastinpura on the behalf of Yudhistira to negotiate.


King Duryodhana is not sure how he can please Duryodhana without him being upset.  He lets Duryodhana continue his plot against his cousins without interfering.  Seeking help from his faithful friend and adviser Vidura, Dhritarashtra understands that his nephews should be treated fairly but he feels perplexed about the issue.  Duryodhana finds many to back him in the war that he will commence against his cousins.  His jealous brothers too want in on the action and are ready to become the only heirs to the throne. 


All ends tragically because one human being was not stopped and corrected of his selfish ways.  



Bibliography: "The Mahabharata" written by R.K. Narayan (1978) 

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