Reading Notes: PDE Mahabharata, Part D
Taken from The Mahabharata, A Summary by John Mandeville Macfie.
61. Bhishma Falls
Poor Bhishma. They got swept up in their emotion, but at the end of the day, death is death. And the death caused by members of your own family - what can be more cruel? I guess this is the fulfillment of Amba's threat/curse/promise? Because she blamed him for her not being able to marry anyone, at the beginning of the story.
64. Ghatotkhacha
Another son dies. Who's next?
65. Death of Drona
It's Drona, but only because the Pandavas tricked him into believing his son had been slain. Controversial! His son was the only reason he continued to hold on to life. The irony makes his death all the more sad. What will his son think? He doesn't even know his father is dead.
We met Drona in the beginning of the story; he acted as a tutor and mentor to the Pandavas and the Kauravas, and now, he dies at their hands. Terrible.
67. Arjuna and Karna
This is the supposedly the climax of the story, but not the end of all the death. Arjuna and Karna duke it out, archer-style. Arjuna's bow is torn by Karna's arrow, and according to the rules of battle, Karna should allow Arjuna to restring - but he doesn't! Eventually Arjuna restrings and returns with a fury, but they're still even until one of Karna's chariot's wheels gets stuck. He implores the rules of battle, which Arjuna complies with, until Krishna reminded him of how Karna didn't respect his restringing, shamed his wife, and killed his son. So Arjuna snaps, and shoots Karna's head off. Another death added.
69. Night Raid
Then all the children of the Pandavas were killed by Drona's son, Ashwatthaman, as vengeance for them killing his father. The cycle of hatred and death continues.
61. Bhishma Falls
Poor Bhishma. They got swept up in their emotion, but at the end of the day, death is death. And the death caused by members of your own family - what can be more cruel? I guess this is the fulfillment of Amba's threat/curse/promise? Because she blamed him for her not being able to marry anyone, at the beginning of the story.
64. Ghatotkhacha
Another son dies. Who's next?
65. Death of Drona
It's Drona, but only because the Pandavas tricked him into believing his son had been slain. Controversial! His son was the only reason he continued to hold on to life. The irony makes his death all the more sad. What will his son think? He doesn't even know his father is dead.
We met Drona in the beginning of the story; he acted as a tutor and mentor to the Pandavas and the Kauravas, and now, he dies at their hands. Terrible.
67. Arjuna and Karna
This is the supposedly the climax of the story, but not the end of all the death. Arjuna and Karna duke it out, archer-style. Arjuna's bow is torn by Karna's arrow, and according to the rules of battle, Karna should allow Arjuna to restring - but he doesn't! Eventually Arjuna restrings and returns with a fury, but they're still even until one of Karna's chariot's wheels gets stuck. He implores the rules of battle, which Arjuna complies with, until Krishna reminded him of how Karna didn't respect his restringing, shamed his wife, and killed his son. So Arjuna snaps, and shoots Karna's head off. Another death added.
69. Night Raid
Then all the children of the Pandavas were killed by Drona's son, Ashwatthaman, as vengeance for them killing his father. The cycle of hatred and death continues.
(Draupadi and the Pandavas, from Wikipedia)
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