A excruciating war starts | Mahabharata Paintings

February 22, 2022Pandian Ramaiah Leave a comment

Pandava finished their exile life

Pandava-s sought refuge at Virata's palace — Pandava-s sought refuge at Virata’s palace and completed their incognito life

Gaurava-s sniffed about Pandava-s hiding in Virata. They attacked Virata without giving any opportunity for Pandava-s. There was a small war in which Arjuna fount as Brihannala. Virata-s won the war to save their kingdom with Brihannala/Arjuna’s help. With that, the 13 years of exile life came to an end!

They exposed themselves to Virata. Virata apologized for treating them as servants. In turn, Virata offered his daughter Uttara to get married to Arjuna. As Uttara was the taught by Brihannala, Arjuna said he could not marry her. But he would accept her as his daughter-in-law. Uttara married Abhimanyu later.

The messengers

Pandava-s took temporary shelter. They sent messengers to Hastinapur to ask Duryodhana to return Hastinapur. Duryodhana refused. Messengers came back empty handed. Krishna felt it was the final chance to avoid war. He himself went to Hastinapur as a messenger carrying Yudhishthira’s message.

Krishna meets Duryodhana

Duryodhana understood about Krishna’s arrival. He arranged for food and shelter on his way. But Krishna refused to enjoy his hospitality. Even after Hastinapur, he refused to stay at the palace. He stayed at Vidura’s house.

The negotiation started. Duryodhana was adamant in his claims. He was a good ruler. He rules both Hastinapur and Indraprastha without any concerns. He asked Krishna, why should he return his kingdom, while he offered good governance.

Krishna made it clear that he did discuss the good or bad governance there. The discussion is about his promise to give back Indraprastha after Pandava’s exile. It was a failed negotiation. Krishna asked for five villages, then five houses. Duryodhana refused to give even five inches of land. Krishna warned him not to pave the way for the destruction of families on both sides. It looked trivial argument to Duryodhana. Krishna then warned him that Pandava-s would meet them in Kurukshetra. Let that red soil decide who holds the dharma. Being angry at his statement, Duryodhana ordered his squad to arrest Krishna.

Krishna as messenger. Duryodhana issue orders to arrest Krishna. Satyaki protests. Image (c) Raja Ravi Varma

Krishna asked him, what did he think about him. Krishna transformed himself into Vishvarupa. The kings assembled over there were spellbound.

Dhritarashtra asked Sanjaya what the kings saw there? As there was no reply, He asked Krishna himself if he could get vision to see him. He had been gifted with vision to see the Vishvarupa. He thought he did not want to see anything else with his eyes there after. He continued to be blind as usual. Kings saw Brahma, the creator god, Lord Shiva, the destroyer in Krishna’s Vishvarupa. The eyes, mouth and ears were fuming. They saw all the creatures inside. That was the end of negotiations. The kings dispersed from the negotiation hall one by one.

Krishna meets Karna

Krishna met Karna before he left Hastinapur. As a great warrior, Karna added an enormous amount of power to Kaurava-s. Krishna wanted to divide and rule Kaurava-s. He asked Karna, why did he support Duryodhana, even if he knows his way is against the Dharma. Karna asserted his commitment to Duryodhana, his friend.

Krishna told him the secret of his birth, the information he wanted to know, the information that will bring him out of his low-birth complaint. Krishna told him that he is the ender son of Kunti. By law, he came the son of Pandu, Hence he is the elder Pandava. He can be the emperor supported by all Pandava-s and Kaurava-s. Draupadi will accept to accept to him as well.

Karna was spellbound. But he recalled Duryodhana’s recognition since the day he appeared against Arjuna during a skill display ceremony. It was due to Duryodhana, he had been crowned as King, that helped him to come out of the low-caste derision. Even with that offer, Karna refused to change his camp.

Duryodhana was confident of his success in war because of Karna, Bhishma, Drona, and himself. Krishna’s effort to stop the war (or divide and rule) did not work out.

Krishna meets Kunti

Krishna met Kunti to ask her, if she had anything to inform his sons. She asked them to fight abiding by the law of war.

Kings taking sides

Both parties have started to finalize their alliance with friendly countries. Yadava army joined Kaurava-s. Krishna joined Pandava-s with a condition that he would not fight. Balarama did not join the war. Rukmi was rejected by both parties. The final collection of troops traveled to Kurukshetra.

Aravan kalapali

Both parties looked for an auspicious time to start the war. It was decided as well. Kaurava-s army has more akshauhini-s than those of Pandava-s. So there was a widespread demotivation among the Pandava army. To motivate the force, troop leaders a self-sacrifice to Kali, the goddess of war.

Self-sacrifice is a cruel form of killing a human being and offering him to God. All humans cannot do this. A man with a predefined set of anatomy would be chosen for this. Among the troops there were three persons with such body features – Krishna, Arjuna, and Iravan/Aravan. Krishna and Arjuna cannot be lost. So Aravan became the natural choice.

Aravan was the son of Arjuna through Ulupi, a Nagini during his visit to north eastern part of Bharatha khanda. Arjuna asked if he is ready to do a self sacrifice. He asked for three boons. To make him as a war warrior; to make arrangement so that he can view the war completely; To find a wife to cry after his death.

First option was agreed.

After he did self-sacrifice, his head would be kept in a place, from where the whole war field could be observed from a bird’s- eye perspective. So the second request was also agreed.

The third option was difficult. To find a bride for Aravan, that too in a war field, is not possible. As per the stories, Vishnu took Mohini form and married him. As per Jeyamohan’s Venmurasu, she was assumed as a third gender, and came with troops. The marriage was conducted. Aravan was given as a sacrifice to Kali by beheading him. The transgender woman cried out loud about her husband. This is celebrated as Aravan Kalappali festival in Tamilnadu, Sri Lanka and Singapore.

The war starts

Pandavas headed by Yudhistira and accompanied by Krishna ask Bhishma permission to start the war

The great war of Mahabharata began at Kurukshetra after blowing the conch Panchajanya by Krishna.

References / Gratitude:

The illustrated Mahabharata, Dorling Kindersley India, Penguin Random House, 1st Ed. 2017
The Mahabharata Set Of 10 Volumes, Bibek Debroy
Senna Vengai / Venmurasu by Jeyamohan

This blog post is a part of Blogchatter’s WRITE A PAGE A DAY campaign. (320 words)

Yudhishthira, A Failed Gambler | Mahabharata Paintings

February 19, 2022Pandian Ramaiah 2 Comments

Duryodhana was jealous about Pandava‘s wealth. In addition, he got humiliated when he fell down into water at the palace of Indraprastha. By mistake, he thought Draupadi mocked him with derision. He wanted to take revenge for this. Shakuni – his maternal uncle – consoled him. He ensured him that he can win Pandava-s with the Chinese policy of winning without firing a bullet.

Kunti’s son loves to gamble with dice, but does not know how to play. If challenged to play, that Indra among kings will not be able to refuse. I am skilled in gambling with dice, there is no one on earth, or in the three worlds, who is my equal. Challenge Kunti’s son to a game of dice. O king! O bull among men! With my skill in dice?! there is no doubt that I will win for you the kingdom and the blazing prosperity. O Duryodhana! Tell the king?? all this. And if your father permits, there is no doubt that I will vanquish him.
Shakuni to Duryodhana – The Mahabharata Set Of 10 Volumes

Yudhishthira had been invited to play a game of dice, a gambling for fun! It was considered as a “virtual war”. Whatever lost is lost. Yudhishthira – so called dharma – practiced adharma (sin) here. He risked insignificant things at first, later he lost everything one by one. Explaining the way he lost his wealth is not the motive of this post.

We need to understand the situation of the gambler who lost what he risked. With single game, he wanted to set right everything, he failed miserably again. At one point of time, he risks his brothers, then himself, then his wife Draupadi in the game, even though Vidura advised him to stop the game.

I like the face of Yudhishthira in the above drawing!

When he lost wife, Duryodhana summoned Pandava‘s wife and the queen of honour, Draupadi. Draupadi was mensurating then. Her question was logical. She asked if he lost him first before he lost her. If he lost him first, did he had any rights over her? Unfortunately, none of Pandava-s and Kaurava-s were logical. Kaurava-s acted out of the their suppressed wrath and Pandava-s acted with utter foolishness.

Draupadi's humiliation — Draupadi’s humiliation. Image (c) Keshav

Logical questions of Draupadi irritated Duryodhana – ‘the new possessor’ of the lady, as agreed by the son of ‘dharma‘, Yudhishthira. He asked Dushasana to bring her to court. The young Kaurava broke all the rules of women’s court, trespassed there, pulled Draupadi’s hair as hard as he can. Draupadi resisted, but she was no match to him. She tried to make him understand that she is Panchala puthri (daughter of Panchala) and daughter-in-law of their house. It did not change his mind. It was an explosive situation, everybody was in its flow. She has been pulled, dragged in front of public and brought to court with improper attire.

Jeyamohan used to call it as ‘male-evil‘. It worked at its best. Duryodhana abused her to sit on his lap, as she is his slave, then. Kaurava-s told that slaves – Pandava-s and their wife – should not wear royal clothing. They made them undressed, including Draupadi. It was the greatest mistake to allow Dushasana to to disrobe Draupadi and challenged the modest of a woman, who was a queen, who was his own sister-in-law, who was a daughter in law of the greatest family of Bharatakhanda.

I do not believe the story of Krishna to issue the endless saree which made Dushasana to become tired. It was clean violation of modesty of woman in typical Indian way. Jeyamohan handled this piece in a more practical approach in his Mahabharata novel series, Venmurasu. It was Lakshmana – Duryodhana’s daughter – and other females of the royal family cover Draupadi with cloths by chanting the name of Krishna. ) I got into tears with much emotion when I read chapter 87 of Panniru Padaikalam novel of Venmurasu series.

The male evil will not stop its assault on female. We see that everyday. An innocent female get a rude husband and a soft male get an impudent wife. This seems to be naked truth.

I can point out several examples for such behavior from contemporary world as well.

A lady chief of a party was humiliated and disrobed in Tamilnadu assembly hall by the ministers of ruling party.
Lakbima – a popular Sinhalese daily printed vulger cartoon about a prime minister of India and a lady chief minister of Indian state
Acid was thrown at A lady IAS officer for being rough and tough by another political party in Tamilnadu

So, when a woman can not be won, a male will manhandle her habitually.

Except Bhima, every one in Kuru clan – including Bhishma, Dhritarashtra, Yudhishthira, Arjuna, Nakula, Sahadeva kept quiet. Even after such grave incident, Yudhishthira accepted to gamble. We can understand how addicted he is. He lost it too. In turn he needs to live in exile for thirteen years. With deep distress in mind, hiding his face from his own people, the great adharmi Yudhishthira, left the city.

Abusing Duryodhana and Dushasana for disrobing Draupadi is not new. But do we have a soft corner for Yudhishthira to escape from this crime?

Did he ever realize his mistake?
Never. Even after this incident, he agreed to gamble. He lost that game also, in turn, entire Pandava-s were forced to live in exile for thirteen years.
Did he has any rights over Indraprastha on his own?
No. Although he is a king, he can not be a dictator. Kingdom is made of people. A gambler who risks his own people is not a good king. Calling himself as a dharma is inappropriate.
Did he build the city in his own money?
No. He is a beggar. The land belongs to his ancestors. Money to build the city came from Hastinapur, Panchala and Dwaraka. He did not give it back. Rather, he lost all of them to his addiction of gambling.
Did he discuss with Draupadi about gambling?
No.
Did he love Draupadi, at least?
IMHO, he is not a loveable man. He expressed himself as a pure opportunistic through out Mahabharata. He tried to find justifications from veda-s or smriti-s to cover up his selfish behavior. He is not skilled archer or wrestler or he did not excel in any martial arts. Draupadi was wife of Arjuna, by right. Yudhishthira shared among all by quoting so called Dharma.
He might have felt inferior because of these reasons. This might have forced him to take extreme decisions during gambling, to prove himself. Alas, he miserably failed.

Mahabharata text shows he used to praise Draupadi during different discussions. They look like a mode of public conduct – nothing else. I doubt if he loved his own wife Devika. No girl will love such a bored creature!
Did he respect advices of Vidura?
No. Remember – he is the reason for Pandava-s to return alive from the house of lac.
Did he understand the effort in building Indraprastha?
No.
- It took many rounds of negotiations to get a land from Hastinapur. Pandava-s could not get it. It was Krishna who lobbied for them.
- Khandavaprastha was a dense forest. Krishna and Arjuna put their effort in converting into a habitable land. They need to go on a war with Indra before doing it.
- If Yudhishthira put any effort to build it, he might have given a second thought, before risking it on gambling.
If Draupadi married Karna, would he gamble her like Yudhishthira?
- Krishna points out (during Pandava-s exile) that she too, reasonable for her own misery. As per his opinion, a great warrior like Karna will never gamble her away. But Draupadi rejected him during his Swayamvara on the basis of caste. Draupadi chose a priest in disguise over a charioteer. Unfortunately Arjuna, the priest in disguise, shared her among his brothers and gambled her. This is convincing for us.
Whom do we worship? Pandava-s or Yudhishthira?
- Draupadi is the goddess for our society.

It is not Dushasana to be blamed first, it is Yudhishthira, the gambler!

References / Gratitude:

The illustrated Mahabharata, Dorling Kindersley India, Penguin Random House, 1st Ed. 2017
The Mahabharata Set Of 10 Volumes, Bibek Debroy
Panniru padaikalam, Jeyamohan

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Indraprastha | Mahabharata Paintings

February 17, 2022Pandian Ramaiah Leave a comment

After Pandava-s married Draupadi, they could not hide any more. They exposed themselves to external world. They stayed in Panchala for sometime. Accompanied by Krishna, they reached Hastinapur.

Khandavaprastha became Indraprastha

They appeared before the blind king Dhritarashtra. He blessed him. The bilateral negotiations about the ownership of the throne was started. Krishna lobbied for Yudhishthira through Vidura. Vidura advised Dhritarashtra to give up this throne and return it to Yudhishthira.

Dhritarashtra refused as per the story. He admitted to Vidura that his sons may not work under Pandava-s. This sounds logical to me as a reader. After negotiations, Dhritarashtra accepted to give some land from Hastinapur dynasty. It is Khandavaprastha.

Khandava means forest. As named correctly, it is a dense forest, an abode of all creatures, situated in the banks of Yamuna. Krishna ordered Pandava-s to burn the forest completely. All creatures were destroyed including the naga-s (serpents). The affected Naga-s sought Indra’s help. Indra accepted to help. He came up with in the form of thunderstorm. Probably, a worst rain might have lashed. Arjuna formed a shelter of arrows, so that rain does not disturb the fire. Finally, the forest is destroyed, so are the animals and rakshasa-s , except the Asura architect Maya. Maya sought refuge. In turn, he constructed a beautiful city – INDRAPRASTHA – for Pandava-s.

Khandavaprastha on fire. Krishna and Arjuna fought with Indra — *Khandavaprastha* on fire. Krishna and Arjuna fought with Indra

The wealth of Yadava capital Dwaraka (on which I named my blog!!) poured into the construction of Indraprastha. Panchala and Hastinapur might offer their own share as well. Finally there comes a beautiful – may be luxurious – city. It had ports in Yamuna river. It became abode of new dwellers, who came in as Indraprastha picked up. It became a market hub under the rule of Pandava emperor Yudhishthira and empress Draupadi.

Krishna in Indraprastha. Image (c) art-ma

Pandava-s with Draupadi, Raja Ravi Varma — *Pandava*-s with Draupadi, Raja Ravi Varma

Duryodhana’s humiliation

Many kings were invited to Indraprastha for Yudhisthira’s Rajasuya yagna. Kaurava-s were invited too as they were cousins. As per the text, Duryodhana was jealous at the wealth of Pandava-s while gazing at the palace.

The evil eye of fate turned to this beautiful city. Duryodhana did many mistakes there as the building used illusion to deceive someone’s eyes. He fell down into a water by mistake. Servants laughed by themselves and on the instructions of the king. Pandava-s – except Yudhishthira – laughed at him, instead of helping him. The unbearable Duryodhana left that place with humiliation. His mind was full of grudge and wrath. He was jealous at the wealth of Pandava-s and the way they showcased their luxurious life there. Evil thoughts were seeded into the mind of Duryodhana.

‘O extender of the Kuru lineage! On seeing the happiness of the Parthas, the submission of the kings, the love the worlds had for them, from children onwards, and the supreme splendour of the great-souled Pandavas, Dhritarashtra’s son Duryodhana turned pale. As he travelled, he thought intently about the sabha and the unrivalled prosperity of the intelligent Dharmaraja. Dhritarashtra’s son Duryodhana was so inattentive, that he did not respond when Subala’s son repeatedly spoke to him. On seeing him so distracted, Shakuni responded, “O Duryodhana! Why are you travelling with all these sighs?”

‘குரு வழியில் வந்தவரே! பார்த்தர்களின் மகிழ்ச்சியையும், அரசர்களின் பணிவையும், குழந்தைகள் முதல் அனைத்து மன்னர்களும் அவர்கள் மீது கொண்டிருந்த அன்பையும், பேரான்மா கொண்ட பாண்டவர்களின் உன்னதப் புகழையும் கண்டு, திருதராஷ்டிரனின் மகன் துரியோதனன் வாடிப் போனான். அவன் செல்லும்போது செய்யும் போது, அந்த சபையைப் பற்றியும், அறிவார்ந்த அரசன் தருமனின் நிகரற்ற செழிப்பைப் பற்றியும் ஆழ்ந்து சிந்தித்தான். திருதராஷ்டிரனின் மகன் துரியோதனன் மிகவும் கவனக்குறைவாக இருந்தான், சுபலரின்வின் மகன் அவனிடம் பலமுறை பேசியும் அவன் பதிலளிக்கவில்லை. அவன் மிகவும் கவனம் வேறு பக்கம் இருப்பதைப் பார்த்த சகுனி, “ஓ துரியோதனா! ஏன் இத்தனை பெருமூச்சுகளுடன் நினைவுகளில் நீந்துகிறாய்?”
Vaisampayana to Janamejaya – The Mahabharata Set Of 10 Volumes

References / Gratitude:

The illustrated Mahabharata, Dorling Kindersley India, Penguin Random House, 1st Ed. 2017
The Mahabharata Set Of 10 Volumes, Bibek Debroy

This blog post is a part of Blogchatter’s WRITE A PAGE A DAY campaign.

Varanavata palace | Mahabharata paintings

February 13, 2022Pandian Ramaiah Leave a comment

The feud between Pandava-s and Kaurava-s reached a stage where both will not gel any longer. Duryodhana did his best to justify his right over the throne. Vidura justified the right of Yudhishthira on the same. To stop any further escalation, Dhritarashtra suggested building a dedicated palace for Kunti and her sons.

He discussed this with Vidura. He agreed as well. The palace is built at Varanavata, which is far away from Hastinapur. It was near to forest and river Ganga. But the palace was made of lacquer, which is an inflammable material. Vidura understood the conspiracy behind the kind gestures of Kaurava-s.

O scorcher of enemies! From the smell of fat and ghee mixed with lac, it is clear that this house is made of inflammable materials. The evil Purochana has used trusted and well-skilled artisans to build a house with straw, bark and cane, sprinkled all over with ghee. After winning my confidence, he wishes to burn me to death. O Partha! This is the danger that the immensely intelligent Vidura foresaw and warned me about earlier.

எதிரிகளை எரிப்பவர்களே! கொழுப்பும், நெய்யும் கலந்த அரக்கு வாசனையிலிருந்து, இந்த வீடு தீப்பற்றக்கூடிய பொருட்களால் ஆனது என்பது தெளிவாகிறது. பொல்லாத புரோச்சனன், நம்பகமான மற்றும் திறமையான கைவினைஞர்களைப் பயன்படுத்தி வைக்கோல், பட்டை மற்றும் கரும்பு ஆகியவற்றைக் கொண்டு, நெய்யைத் தெளித்து ஒரு வீட்டைக் கட்டியிருக்கிறான். என் நம்பிக்கையைப் பெற்ற பிறகு, அவன் என்னை எரித்து கொல்ல விரும்புகிறான். ஓ பார்த்தனே! வெகு அறிவாளியான விதுரர் முன்னரே முன்னறிவித்து எச்சரித்த ஆபத்து இது.
–Yudhishthira to Bhima, The Mahabharata Set Of 10 Volumes

Vidura warned Kunti about this. He asked them to escape through a tunnel, which connects the house of Lac to the nearby forest. It was built by Vidura to save Pandava-s. Kunti accepted the gift from Dhritarashtra as planned. As expected, the palace was burst into fire as soon as Kunti moved in with Pandava-s.