Monday, April 24, 2017

Reading Notes: Devdutt Pattanaik Videos, Part E: Devi's Secret

Kanyakumari wanted to marry Shiva. When Shiva was on his way to marry this goddess the sun rose so he went back home. Kanyakumari was upset that Shiva didn't show up so she cried and it is believed that the sands in the southern area of India are multicolored because this is where she cried(She cried with makeup on).

Lakshmi is the embodiment of the earths wealth and bounty. She is depicted in a pot because back then people use to put valuable things in pots.

Kama is the god of desire.

These Devdutt Pattanaik videos are getting really confusing, This part is titled Devi's secret but I have yet to figure out who this Devi person is or what it means. What I do know though is that this video mainly focused on the idea of desire. It is believed that desire is the reason we are all alive to this day. The creator had a desire to create us.

Bibliography: Seven Secrets from Hindu Calendar Art: Part E (Devi's Secret)
Author/From: Devdutt Pattanaik
Link: http://iereadingguides.blogspot.com/2015/11/guide-pattanaiks-calendar-art-part-d.html

Reading Notes: Devdutt Pattanaik Videos, Part D: Shiva's Secret

Shiva is known as the destroyer. He is calm and and composed yet does not really seem like a destroyer. Shiva destroys the one who provokes desire. Shiva's trident represents the self.
The way Shiva destroys is by closing his eyes and not observing what's going on around him. Shiva keeps his eyes shut because he doesn't care about the material world.

Shiva cares for Sati and only acts irrationally when she is in trouble.
Parvati is the one who is married to Shiva.
Shiva is the source of all potency.
The left side is the material world while the right is the spiritual world.

Bibliography: Seven Secrets from Hindu Calendar Art: Part D (Shiva's Secret)
Author/From: Devdutt Pattanaik
Link: http://iereadingguides.blogspot.com/2015/11/featured-video-ardhanaris-secret-god-is.html

Thursday, April 20, 2017

Week 13 Story Planning: What're the rules to the famous "Dice Game"

The gambling match with dice is about to start and it will be interesting to see how different it is in a film rather than in text. The text didn't really explain how the game was played but now I will get to see how the game is actually played.

All of the sons of Dhritarashtra enter the room where the dice game will be held. It seems like a very formal occasion for all to be entertained by. Yudhishthira is getting in over his head and gambling everything he owns. He knows this man is a known cheater but he still plays. Why would his brothers sit by and let him do all this gambling?

After the dice game it is still unsure how this game is played and what the rules are.
(A dice with odd symbols.
Source: Web)

The above are some of the notes I took while watching a film the professor suggested me to watch about the Mahabharata. I'm doing a story planning post because I just do not enough time to write a good story. But for my story next week I want to do something involving the dice game in the Mahabharata. The story I'm thinking of would involve the a few Gods sitting down bored out of their minds and creating the rules for this game. The reason I would like to do this is because in the film version and the book version you never really know what the rules are to the dice game. You just know that Yudhishthira loses everything in seemingly 7 rolls of the a die(is that singular for dice?).

Tuesday, April 18, 2017

Reading Notes: The Mahabharata Movie: Part E

With the battle in full swing Duryodana is trying to blame Bhishma for their woes. He thinks Bhishma is going easy on Arjuna and Karna even comes up to say he will lead the battle. Bhishma is famed to be a great master of battle for he is a stranger to death.

Amba is finally fulfilling her role in killing Bhishma. But it ended up being Arjuna's arrow that pierced his flesh. Bhishma gave his life to that the pandu brothers would have a better chance against him since he couldn't die.

Karna is one of the most understood characters in the entire Mahabharata.  In the readings he seemd like a tough man who was ready to conquer to world. While in this film you can see the emotion that he experiences with each passing scene. You can tell he is truely hurting that he has to fight against his mother and brothers. His only excuse is that duryodanha was there for him when his mother gave him away. All he ever wanted was to have a loving mother but his upbringing filled him with such hatred. And finding out about his true heritage has complicated his life even more. He wants to return to his family but since he vowed to kill Arjuna he wants to take him out first.



Bibliography: Peter Brook, The Mahabharata
Link: http://iereadingguides.blogspot.com/2014/06/film-brook-mahabharata.html

Monday, April 17, 2017

Reading Notes: The Mahabharata Movie: Part D

Watching this 5 hour film has helped me to better understand the Mahabharata. Right now in the film the 5 brothers are spending their last year in exile and have to disguise themselves as people who will never be recognized. Yudishthira is now a master at dice, Bhima is a master of pots, while Arjuna is seemingly a female in a mans body. I get the twins confused but one is disguised as a great musician. One of Duryodanas generals comes to the camp where the brothers are hiding and they give them suggestions where to find the pandava brothers. The general has suspicions they are the pandu brothers but when he learns Yudishthira doesn't lose at dice he knows its not them.

The general wants draupadi to come visit him and he tries to rape her. She immediately runs to Bhima in fear. Bhima lays under a cover and the general thinks it's her. He ends up easily killing him by crushing him with his arms.

The 13 year exile is over and the true game of thrones is about to begin. Yudishthira is going to get an army ready to battle for what is his.

Arjuna and Duryodanha seek out Krishna to help with their side of the army. Arjuna gets the first choice. He can either have a massive fully equipped army or Krishna himself who won't fight. Arjuna chooses Krishna to drive his chariot.

Krishna seeks peace one last time but Durodana tries to kill him anyways.
Krishna tells Karna that he is the son of Kunti. He doesn't care and vows to kill Arjuna anyways.
(Krishna in this film.
Source: Web)

I didn't realize how big of a role krishna played in this story. He is a huge peace keeper but everyone seems to want to fight regardless of all the knowledge he keeps preaching.

Bibliography: Peter Brook, The Mahabharata
Link: http://iereadingguides.blogspot.com/2014/06/film-brook-mahabharata.html

Monday, April 10, 2017

Reading Notes: The Mahabharata Movie: Part C

Exile in the forest
Amba seeks out Bhima to kill Bhishma. Bhima declines and Amba proceeds on her way.

Arjuna leaves his brothers and heads into the forest to go find weapons. He is now on his own journey. At the same time Duryodana is back in the kingdom plotting ways he can get away with killing the Pandava brothers.

While Bhishma is on duty for the night watch he encounters a rakshisa named Hidimbi. She instantly falls in love with him and takes on a human form. She wants to marry him and is confused why his current wife has 5 husbands. While the two are talking Hidimbi's brother attacks and a fairly epic battle ensues. It was surprisingly good and I am ready for the war to come towards the end of the film.

Hidimbi ends up getting her way and Bhima is allowed to be her husband. The two have a son seemingly out of nowhere. Hidimbi is flying Bhima around and suddenly the son just randomly appears.

When Hidimbi and the son flees, Duryodana and his goons sneak up on them with sword. Vyasa seems to be some some great god or something. He randomly appears when the pandu brothers are in trouble and need help.

While Arjuna is out in the mountains he runs into Shiva. Before he finds out who he is though he fires about 4 arrows at him. Shiva grants one request to Arjuna and he asks for the weapon Shiva wields.

(Arjuna taking aim at Shiva.
Source: web)

The last few scenes have been really confusing and I have no clue what is going on.

Bibliography: Peter Brook, The Mahabharata
Link: http://iereadingguides.blogspot.com/2014/06/film-brook-mahabharata.html

Reading Notes: The Mahabharata Movie: Part B

It being about 5 days since I have watched this film I have kind of forgotten some of the characters. But the game of thrones theme is starting. All the sons seem to want to be on the throne. Dhritarashtra wants to stay loyal to his brother who let him be king by letting his brothers children take the throne. But as the sons of the king Duryodana is trying to plot to get the kingdom.

(Dice game.

The gambling match with dice is about to start and it will be interesting to see how different it is in a film rather than in text. The text didn't really explain how the game was played but now I will get to see how the game is actually played.

All of the sons of Dhritarashtra enter the room where the dice game will be held. It seems like a very formal occasion for all to be entertained by. Yudhishthira is getting in over his head and gambling everything he owns. He knows this man is a known cheater but he still plays. Why would his brothers sit by and let him do all this gambling?

After the dice game it is still unsure how this game is played and what the rules are.

Draupadi is given two requests and she wants all her husbands to be freed. Upon their departure they are told to come back and try to play one last game. Yudhishthira plays saying that it is their salvation, and vishnu will punish them if they are truly cheating. He ends up losing again and is banished for 12 years and an additional 1 year in disguise.

Bibliography: Peter Brook, The Mahabharata
Link: http://iereadingguides.blogspot.com/2014/06/film-brook-mahabharata.html