Mahabharata Reading Notes: Part D
Mahabharata Reading Notes Part D
Sources used: Arnold, Besant, Devee, Dutt, Ganguli, Kincaid, Macfie, Mackenzie, Nivedita, Seeger, and Tagore.
61. Bhishma is killed in combat. His dying words call to restore unto Yudhisthira his kingdom and make thy peace with him, and let Pandavas and Kauravas be friends and comrades together.
62. Drona takes command of the army after Bhishma dies. Drona is set on killing Yudhishthir and takes him captive with his bow and sword and shield.
63. Jayadratha, who was sworn to be Yudhishthira's slave, ambushes Abhimanyu (son of Arjuna). The Pandavas attempt to rescue Abhimanyu, but to no avail. Abhimanyu dies. This news is deeply upsetting for Arjuna.
64. Arjuna calls a temporary truce so that he can mourn his son. Drona swears that he will kill Arjuna the next morning or die trying. The truce is lifted at nightfall and combat resumes. Karna, using his one-shot arrow from Indra, kills Ghatotkacha, the rakshasa son of Bhima. The Kauravas rejoice and the Pandavas mourn their loss.
65. In the absolute trick of the century, the Pandavas name an elephant "Ashwatthaman" after Drona's son, kill the elephant, and run around screaming that "Ashwatthaman is dead!". Their plan works, and Drona thinks that his child is dead. Dhrishtadyumna, the Pandava general, kills Drona in his sorrow.
66. Karna takes command of the army after Drona's death. It will soon be time for Bhima to uphold his oath to enact revenge for how they treated Draupadi. Bhima cuts Duhshasana and drinks his blood. Metal.
67. Arjuna and Karna finally face off. Karna plays dirty by attacking when he isn't supposed to. He begs Arjuna to refrain from attack while he is down but then Krishna reminds Arjuna of Karna's crimes and Arjuna kills Karna.
68. Duryodhana, the last Kaurava brother, hides in isolation in a lake. The Pandavas track him down, and he and Bhima enter into a mace fight. After getting rocked a little, Bhima severly injures Duryodhana.
69. Duryodhana is dying and visited by Ashwatthaman (the human), who wants to avenge his father Drona's death. He kills Draupadi's brother and her five sons.
70. The Pandavas want to punish Ashwatthaman, so they steal his jewel that grants him special powers.
71. Aftereffects of the war happen. Everyone mourns the lost. Yudhishthira and Draupadi are anointed with holy water.
72. The Pandavas visit Bhishman before he departs this world.
73. Parikshit is born to Uttara.
74. King Yudhishthira prepares to perform the ashwamedha (horse sacrifice) to claim kingship. His horse is sent away for a year. Meanwhile, Arjuna is beheaded and then brought back to life.
75. King Yudhishthira performs the ashwamedha (horse sacrifice) to claim kingship.
76. This is a similar story to the poor beggar giving a lot of their wealth relatively vs. a rich person giving not a lot of relative wealth.
77. Vyasa conjures up the ghosts of dead warriors on the banks of the river Ganges.
78. Krishna was mistaken for a gazelle by a hunter and was shot in the only location that he could be wounded (on his foot).
79. The Pandavas and Draupadi decide that their time on earth is over after Krishna dies. The kingdom is left to Parikshit, Arjuna's grandson.
80. Yudhishthira is given one last test in the afterlife before he is reunited with Draupadi and the Pandava brothers.
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