Reading Notes: Pattanaik's Jaya, Part A

Reading Notes: Pattanaik's Jaya, Part A

(Pururava and Urvashi)

Story Source: Jaya: An Illustrated Retelling of the Mahabharata by Devdutt Pattanaik (2010).

What Ganesha Wrote

• Rishis first told Veda
• Veda revealed the idea of past lives
• Ganesha said narrate without pause to Vyasa
• Kauravas were Vyasa's grandchildren
• Vyasa talked and Ganesha wrote down

Structure of Vyasa's Epic

The Start of the Snake Sacrifice

Ancestors: Chandra's Sons

• Tara and Chandra
• patriarchy

A Wife of Budh

• Buddha was neither a man nor woman
• Ila isn't man or woman
• Sudyumna cast spell in forest that switched genders

Pururava's Obsession

• Pururava is a Chandra-vamsi
• fell in love with nymph
• 
  

Shakuntala's Innocence

• Dushyanta wasn't interested when he saw she was pregnant, but found out she was already his wife
• Bharata is the son

Bharata's Heir

• Bharata became a king with 3 wives
• For Bharata, criteria for kingship was worthiness, not bloodline

Yayati's Demand

• Note: on nature of karma. What seems like bad luck (Devayani being pushed into a well, Sarmishtha being reduced to maid) ends up as good luck (Devayani finds husband, Sarmishtha finds love). No one on earth can foretell the consequences of any action, however wise they may be. (23)

Madhavi's Forgiveness

• Note: Merit and demerit can pass through generations. Yayati's curse is endured by Yadu and his descendants. Madhavi's sons are able to restore him back to heaven (25)

Parents: Mahabhisha Becomes Shantanu

• Note: law of karma says "nothing in this world is spontaneous. Everything is a reaction to the past." Shantanu's heartbreak is due to past events, Ganga kills her children because of past lives. By interfering with the course of karma, one ends up causing more harm than good.  The epic constantly reminds us that what is apparently a good deed need not really be a good deed, for every moment is governed by factors that are often beyond human comprehension. (31)

Bhishma's Sacrifice

• Note: Mahabharata shows "what happens when older generations sacrifice the happiness of younger generations for their own pleasure" (34)

Daughter of a Fish

• Satyavati, rejected by king Uparichara, adopted by fishermen

The Three Princesses

• Amba, Ambika, Ambalika
• Shiva appeared to Amba and says in her next life she will be the cause of Bhishma's death (38)
• Amba killed herself in fire to hasten the process, and was reborn in fire as Draupadi. 
• REBIRTH story

Birth of Vichitravirya's Childrens

• Dhritarashtra born blind because Ambika closed her eyes from Vyasa's ugliness
• Ambalika grew pale from his ugliness, and the pale weakling born was Pandu
• Vidura, fit for king but born of maid. Vidura was Yama, the god of death, living out a curse (39)
• When hermit sage Mandavya died, he appeared before Yama, ruler of the dead, and demanded an explanation for his suffering. Yama said Mandavya used to impale tiny insects with straws and his death was karmic debt. Mandavya cursed Yama.