Week 6 Reading Diary, continued: The Mahabharata [PDE]

Mahabharata: by various authors

I got to finally finish the epic today. I am sad to see it end but I loved reading all about how the story comes to a close.

The scene where Abhimanyu dies was such a sad scene! The way he died and poor Arjuna's hearing about it was absolutely heartbreaking. It says that "when it was told to Arjuna that his son was slain, the mighty warrior wept silently and lay upon the ground." This sentence was so powerful because it shows just how much the mighty warrior loved his son and how absolutely distraught he was at his son's death. He did get his revenge and killed the one who killed his son. Sadly, Ghaotkacha, Bhima's son, also loses his life in battle.

As Bhima stated before, he finally gets his revenge on Duhshana for having humiliating Draupadi all those years ago.

The battle of Arjuna and Karna was long-awaited! It was a short chapter but it was so unbelievably captivating. The intensity and suspense was so incredible throughout the fight. It was also a bit sad for me to read because, in the end, it is the two brothers fighting against each other.
even though Arjuna came out the victor, I was so sad to see that it was at his hands that his brother died. Just tragic.

It was a short little scene, but I loved that Kunti was able to reunite with her five sons and Draupadi!

I finally got to read about the battle I've been waiting most for! The battle between Duryodhana and Bhima! The way the battle was described was just great with Duryodhana being in the lake before the battle eventually commences. It says that "the warriors fought like two fierce bulls, and smote one another heavy blows, until their faces were reddened with blood. Once Duryodhana almost achieved victory, for her struck Bhima on the head so that all present thought that the Pandava hero had received his deathblow. Bhima staggered but recovered himself, and soon afterwards he struck Duryodhana a foul blow upon the knee, which smashed the bone so that he fell prostrate. Thus was the vow of Bhima fulfilled." My expectations for this battle were fulfilled as well.

Duryodhana in the lake before the real fight begins (Image Source).

The departure of all the characters was bittersweet. It describes it as them all walking "towards the rising sun, and by the long circuitous path which leads to Mount Meru, through forests and over streams and across the burning plains, never again to return."

Another great epic!!