Skip to main content

Reading Notes: Mahabharata, Kincaid Version, Part A

This week, I read an alternative version of the Mahabharata by C.A. Kincaid. This served as a more informative version of the story, for me personally.

To start, it really clarifies the lineage that the characters face. It sets up well the reasons that the two families dislike each other, but I thought that the best set up difference was when they compared how the five sons were all related to a different divine being. In addition, we get a better insight into how Krishna gets her name, and why she is thought of as so beautiful. One thing that causes issue (that did not before because I did not pick up on it) is that she marries five people at once. This is somewhat of an issue because in the Ramayana, Sita is banished to a test of fire and then to the forest over questions of her purity. But if all five are married (and it's not simultaneously, they clearly state it is one after the other), then why could people not believe that Sita marries Ravana, then Rama, and move on with life?

What is also more clear to me is the bow and arrow challenge. At first, it seemed to me that Arjuna was competing in the contest for land or for a title, but now that I have read this version, it is more clear that he is competing for Krishna. In addition, the author does a good job of setting up for the conflict that follows when Arjuna wins, as earlier, I thought that people were just annoyed for no reason that an outsider that they did not know had won.

Overall, this version of the story is a lot better for me, but I wonder if that is because I have already been exposed to the Mahabharata. I felt the same way about the second Ramayana story that we read,  but I believe it is because I had already seen and read the story to some capacity. One thing that this story does a lot better is how it flows and how it depicts the characters. The first section of the Mahabharata that we read was twenty smaller stories, and this one is only seven. That made the stories seem like less of an island on their own. This was personally an issue for me, because I did not know when a new story began.

In conclusion, it was a great version of the story to read, and I look forward to reading more.


Arjuna and Krishna first meet. Arjuna is the son of Indra, the the character of my project. Source: Wikimedia Commons


Bibliography
Mahabharata from The Indian Heroes by C.A. Kincaid

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Introduction: Getting to know Me

My name is Sean, and I am double majoring in chemical engineering and mathematics. I enjoy mathematics and computations, and the engineering program marries these two very well, while the mathematics program introduces a theoretical side. I hope to learn enough about mathematical modeling and refinery operations to become a financial forecaster for crude training. Favorite Foods: My favorite food of all time is the szechuan chicken with hot chile oil from a restaurant in my hometown called Szechuans. But other great foods include: gumbo, steak, and kettle chips. I had the chance to intern at ExxonMobil in Baton Rouge, Louisiana where I consumed a large amount of cajun food. I had gumbo 3-4 times per week and while there are many kinds of gumbo, the best is by far chicken and sausage. Free Time: In my free time, I enjoy playing soccer, running, and racquetball. Soccer is a sport I've played for the past 15-16 years, and I've played for many teams including intramural and c

Week 5 Story: The Dog and His Toy

Once there was a dog named Kyler, and he was perhaps the best boy in the world. He could protect his owners from all sorts of perils, such as random people delivering paper, visitors that had to pass a rigorous security check, and even cleaning devices that projected so much noise that they could cover up the sound of approaching intruders. Kyler was great at his job, and every time he had done a good deed, he would be rewarded by getting to play with his favorite toy, a little plush reindeer. But Kyler also remembered what happened when he was a bad boy, his toy would be taken away. One day, Kyler was napping, paying little attention to his surroundings when he saw a movement out of the corner of his eyes. He stood up from his shady perch under the tree, and trotted over to the tree, where he saw a squirrel. The squirrel, being up to mischief, pelted an acorn at him. This brought a challenge to Kyler's territory, and he started shaking the tree in an attempt to get the squirrel