Week 6 Reading Diary: Part C

Below is a reading diary of Part C of the Mahabharata:

·       Similarly to Rama in the Ramayana, the Pandavas are again exiled into the forest. I think this is very interesting because many of the main characters in these epics have the most character development during these exiles.

·       Arjuna again goes off on his own to find a powerful weapon to help save him and his brothers. This is sort of a parallel with the Ramayana and Rama’s bow and arrow. I wonder how this will help then Pandavas. He is given a chain of gold, a bright diadem, and the war shell. I feel this will be vital in the future of this story.

·       Hanuman makes another appearance so I may want to continue my story from two weeks ago with him and his brother, Sugriva.

·       Duryodhana is again drive into more jealousy. I am curious to see what will happen between Arjuna and Karna. The battles are my favorite scenes.

·       The Pandavas brothers all drink from a celestial water source that kills the brothers. Yudhishthira answers the questions of the celestial being very well, enough to be granted two boons: his brothers get life again and that his brothers will not be recognized for the next year. I find this part of the story to be weird because I feel that the sons of a god should be able to recognize this tricks and avoid this fate.

·       I am excited to see the war between the Pandavas and Kauravas. It has been building up all story so I am curious to see what happens during the climax of the Mahabharata.

·       Krishna is a vital character in this story. I feel that he could be as the same level as Hanuman in the Ramayana. I am curious to see what else he does during this story.

·       I enjoy this story better than the Ramayana because both sides of the battle are family and related. This brings a special dynamic to the battle. I am super excited to read the ending of this battle and I hope the Pandavas win. 

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