Wikipedia Trails from Drona to Draupadi

Drona:

In my core and extra credit reading assignments this week, I watched the draw along videos by Epified for parts A through C of the Mahabharata. After being reminded of the conflict between Drona and Drupada I thought I would research more about this character who is so prominent in the story. Some interesting tidbits I learned from his Wikipedia page had to do with the details of his mystical conception and birth, marriage and family, and his talents as a teacher. It also mentions his mistreatment of Ekalavya who wanted to be his student but was refused. There seems a bit of karma in the story of how he stole the potential future for the exceptional young archer in the same way that his childhood friend Drupada revoked from Drona the prospective part of his kingdom that he once offered him.

Drupada:

Speaking of Drupada, I followed to his Wikipedia page to learn more about him. The summary of his history with Drona was similar to that of Drona’s page, but emphasized the wording which he used to humiliate him in their confrontation where he called him a beggar because the difference of status had gotten to his ego. This also went into the back in forth he had with his childhood friend turned foe and how the cycle of vengeance just kept circling since he got his when he was captured by Arjuna of the Pandava clan and taken to Drona who smited him by taking of his kingdom what he thought he was owed. In this it says he did the sacrifice that begot him his twins after the event of him being taken by Arjuna, and that the motive was to have a daughter to marry Arjuna and a son to slay Drona. I’ll have to review and see if this matches my understanding from the PDE and Epified video version of the story.

Dhrishtadyaumna:

Drupada’s first child from the grat yajna (Putrakameshti, a vedic ritual fire sacrifice) was Dhrishtadyaumna. I was interested to see if I could get any more information to do with him and his sister to help me shape a story I could write of them, either of their birth story or something more speculative like how they felt about each other or their identities. Interestingly it said he and his sister were born and immediately grew to adulthood with their full set of skills, his being martial and religious. He was prophesied to bring Drona’s eventual demise but also was his student confusingly. He was the commander of the Pandava army in the battle of Kurukshetra. After he beheaded Drona as predicted, Arjuna attacked him but his attempt was intercepted by Draupadi and Krishna. Lastly, in the analysis it speaks on his mindset regarding his siblings and his lack of respect for them on account of his understand of himself as superior given his godly parentage. That is, the sons Satyajit and Shikhandi.

Draupadi:

I feel like I know already a fair amount about Drapadi from the two versions of the Mahabharata I have read. Mainly here on her Wikipedia page, I wanted to find any new information on her relationship to her brother particularly if it’s available. While this page had a lot of information about her I could come back if I needed a refresher, I didn’t find anything new that really enhances what I have in mind for a story based on her and her brother in my Storybook so I will have to keep on with a different kind of search later.

(Draupadi; Image Source: Wikipedia)

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Extra Credit Reading Notes: More Mahabharata, Part C

Mahabharata, by Epified on Youtube

• Karna learned of his origins of his adoption. He went out to find a teacher and was denied by Drona on account of his not being a kshatriya, which really disappointed him but for the sake of honoring the parents who raised him he never corrected him. In his search for another teacher, he came upon one who in contrast with Drona, would refuse to teach a kshatriya. This teacher is was an avatar of Vishnu, Parsharam and Karna learned the art of war, including the use of the most devastating weapons in the world.
• One day a scorpion stung Karna, but so as not to disturb his sleeping teacher on his lap he ignored it. Instead of impressing Parsharam, he instead was suspicious and accused him of being a kshatriya as no Brahmin’s would have been able to suffer so silently. Thus, he sent Karna away and cursed him saying that he would not be able to use his skills in the future when he most needed to.
• The Pandavas and Kauravas learned from Kripacharya and Drona, they had a tournament to show their skills. Karna out-did Arjuna in his archery skills to Arjuna’s frustration but was refused the title of victor. When the Pandava’s tried to perform against him, their teacher Kripacharya intervened and demanded that they must learn of Karna’s lineage since he had to have royal ancestry to proceed. He told what he knew of his story, and Kunti fainted after hearing it. Duryodhan declared Karna king of Anga.
• The story of friendship turned foe between Drona and Drupad, disciples of the same teacher, tells a story of forking morals and ambitions leading to different paths. Drupad always promised Drona he would give him half his kingdom once he acquired one despite the fact that Drona had never cared much for material things or money except in the case that he need it to care for his wife and son Ashwatthama. Drupad was crowned king of Paanchal, but went back on his childhood promise and humiliated him. Afterward he was invited by Bhishma to train the Pandavas and Kauruvas at Hastinapur in the art of archery and arms.
• Arjun was the best archer, and Bheem was the strongest, and Yudhisthira with his wisdom was up next for the throne at Hastinapur much to Duryodhan’s dismay and jealousy. He devises with Karna and Shakuni to get rid of the 5 brothers.  He planned to set a palace for the brothers at Vanvrat on fire and to burn them to death, hoping it would be believed an accident. Vidura warned them and realized upon the completion of the building that was made of combustible material. The cousins escaped through a contrived passage.  
• Bhima was the pillar of strength for his family while they were in the forest, supporting their weak frames, fetching water for them, and keeping watch in the night. They settle in the city of Ekachakra after wandering far and put on disguises as Brahmins to prevent detection from the Kauravas. This place apparently had a problem with an asura called Bakasur who had an agreement with the city that human sacrifices must be made periodically. Kunti met a man who was scheduled for this duty and said no one had been able to kill the asura, and she assured him her son Bhima would take his place. The son of Vayu ended up defeating him and everyone celebrated.
• Drupad in anticipation of Drona wanted a son who could face him so he held a Yagya and invited sages to offer prayers and grant him a son. From the sacred fire came the fraternal twins, Dhrishtadyumna and Draupadi.

Bibliography:
Author: Epified
Title: Epified: Mahabharata, Part B (Playlist)
Source: YouTube

(Image Source: Screenshot by me of Drupad and his twins in Episode 26, Youtube)

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Learning Challenge: Open Heart + Open Mind = Open Dialogue

“Open Heart, Open Mind” by Jake Morgan and Neal Walia

I chose this video after I realized I recognized a name—Neal Walia. It took me a second to realize this was a video from an event called TEDxOU, and that though my only memory of him was as a teenager who knew a friend of mine, he obviously went to OU at some point! To see him speak here with Jake Morgan in this talk about understanding mental illness through empathetic storytelling was very interesting! It’s so cool to see that this event was held on OU's campus. Their message of connecting with our OU family on more than just the surface is one that should be taken more seriously by our students who so often needlessly suffer alone with the weight of personal problems. They shone a light on the fact that even the most stable seeming of individuals could be harboring a secret that they feel shame or anxiety about- like Neal’s bipolar disorder or Jake’s clinical depression. For two guys who seem on the outside such perfect examples to admit such truths behind the veil of their star-student personas shows how even those who most successfully cover their internal challenges are much like the rest of us who are actually visually a mess.

The stigma behind mental health problems leads to students bearing a load of shame in the shadows. The conditions that arise from chemical imbalances in the brain such as the ones they spoke about are all too common, but as they said are “not usually advertised on a stage.” I can say personally that this is true. They put a humorous spin on connecting through such a sad shared experience, but as Jake stated: “The statistics are there to show we aren’t alone, but the dialogue isn’t.” Their emphasis on how our ability as humans to empathize as not only logical but biological was something I didn’t know, so now thinking back to the many stories that shed light on such conditions I have such respect for the author giving their readers that ability to put on the shoes of someone so affected. As hard as it is, being vulnerable and putting our experiences on “paper” so to speak is key to starting a conversation about mental illness which is so often invisible.It is SO hard to be explicit about mental illness, so I really appreciate this video. Especially knowing these words were spoken in my own community puts my mind at ease and gives me encouragement that the project that they oversaw (whenever this video was shot) might have helped someone. 

(Image Source: Pixabay Stock Photos)

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Reading Notes: More Mahabharata, Part B

Mahabharata, by Epified on Youtube

• Dhritrashtra marries Gandhari, who blinds herself (permanently but without physically disabling herself), Pandu marries Kunti and Madri. Kunti has a secret from her past that ends up progressing the story. [I’m realizing how important flashbacks are to this story.]
• Through speaking a mantra shared with her by Durwasa, Kunti summoned Suryadeva (the Sun god) and after being bathed “in his light” was left with his child. Scared and unwed, she felt obligated to abandon the child. She placed him in a basket and on the bank of a river and asked his godly father figure to watch over him and the waves took him away to her anguish.
• While in the woods, when Pandu was hunting he mistakenly fired an arrow at a hermit couple who were in the middle of a love-making session. After misfiring, the hermit man cursed Pandu before he died since they were more than defenseless but distracted by their moment of passion. The moment Pandu has sexual relations with a woman, because of the Hermit’s curse he would die. In his devastation, he sent word that he would not return to Hastinapur and would stay in the forest forever.
• To give hope to Pandu for his despair that his brother Dhristrashra would be seated on the throne indefinitely without an heir of his own, Kunti revealed to him her gift of being able to summon a god to give her a child.
•  Kunti called upon Yama first, Pandu’s first-born son Yudhishthir who would be known for being calm and collected. Kunti then ushered Vayudev, the wind god, who gave her a son as strong and quick as air—Bhima. Then she called Indra, who gave her a son who would be known as a great warrior and archer—Arjuna. [I thought the videos descriptions of these supernatural births were done very well. The PDE version of these events was more straight-forward, but the way this video set up the scenes with drawings of each character involved with the voiceover of their titles and specific characteristics made it more special.]
•  Kunti, after refusing to use her mantra to have more children herself helped Pandu’s second wife Madri summon the Ashwin twins, who gave her Nakul and Sahdeva. [I thought this was especially touching that Kunti would use her own gift to give another woman a chance at motherhood. It’s almost like a strange form of adoption.]
•  After being cursed with celibacy after what happened in the forest, he forced himself on Madri in a moment of weakness and succumbed to death that was awaiting this abandonment of control. Madri chose to share her husband’s fate by following him into the flames at his cremation ceremony.  [It seems so sad to me that just after he was given children, he was so soon taken away before he could help raise them. Even sadder that the twins’ mother, Madri, who is their remaining parental figure would leave them orphaned. I can’t remember if the PDE mentioned guilt as a motivation for her to sacrifice herself, but I feel like given the circumstances it could have been likely.]
•  Kunti adopted Madri’s children and took the twins’ and her three boys out of the forest where she had lost so much and left for Hastinapur. [In this version, her sacrifice and commitment as a mother seem especially apparent.]
• The drawn-out scene at Hastinapur with Gandari’s pregnancy and birth is a strange one. She gives birth to a lifeless mass of flesh. To bring his prophecy to life and give her the hundred sons she was promised, Ved Vyasa returned and divided the lump into a hundred pieces and soaked them in vats until it was time. The firstborn from the vats, Duryodan was sensed to be demonic to everyone but his mother who on account of her blindness did not sense. [There seems to be underlying symbolism with the parents’ lack of sight and their ability to dismiss the obvious omens that surrounded their children.]
• Duryodhan felt left out since Bhima was favored by his grandfather Bhishma, a feeling that would turn into hate. This along with his mentor Shakuni (Gandari’s brother’s) advice would be the fire behind Duryodhan’s motive to destroy the Pandava children before they could take Hastinapur from him.
•  His first attempt was to put a sleep-inducing substance in the Pandava’s food, which subsequently led him to tie up Bhima’s hands and feet and pushing him into a lake. After fighting off deadly serpents, he found himself in ruler Vasuki’s realm, Naag Lok. He called him a grandson on account of their mutual relative Chief Aaryak, and he gave him a magic potion that would give him matchless strength and that he would become a hero remembered throughout history.
• Bhishma appoints the brahmin Drona as the Pandava’s teacher. Yudhisthira’s skill was as a horseman behind the reins on the battlefield, Madri’s twin’s talent was as swordsmen, Bhima was as predicted an all-around powerhouse with a mace and Arjuna wielded all weapons with utmost precision but preferred his bow and arrow and was likewise perfect in hand-to-hand combat.
• Arjuna and Ashwatthamama, Drona’s son and disciple as well, were shown the use of devastras—divine weapons that control the elements.
• The story of Ekalavya, a nishaad boy who was not a warrior, prince, or kshatriya but a simple huntsman. He claimed his teacher was Drona, but it turned out that he ,was only his teacher indirectly—through the inspiration of looking toward a figure he had formed in his image after Drona denied him as his student on account of his being only a forest dweller. This turn of events of this self-taught archer stunned both Drona and the disciples he had accepted.
• The guru put all justice and fairness aside when he asked the boy to cut his thumb off for him which he did promptly, making him physically unable to hold the title of the world's greatest archer. [This was dumbfounding, how Drona could put his principles aside and disrespect the very person who looked to him as an idol is totally demeaning of all Ekalavya’s hard work and devotion. Totally sickening and against all virtue and good consciousness.]

Bibliography:
Author: Epified
Title: Epified: Mahabharata, Part B (Playlist)
Source: YouTube

(Screenshot by me of Kunti in Mahabharata Episode 9, Youtube)

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Growth Mindset: Beyond School

I can think of many areas that I have a healthier attitude toward the concept of a “growth mindset” outside of the classroom. After giving it some thought, it is indeed incredibly transferrable to just about any area of one’s life. For me, my first thought is toward my many relationships. Whether romantic or familial, maintaining these connections requires just that—maintenance. Somehow, I’m very capable of letting my networks blossom on their own time, but when it comes to my progress in school, I have always had a hard time with the fact that I am a textbook “late bloomer.” With skills in general, it’s easy to see myself as someone who is always slow to start and consider this a failure. I didn’t grow accustomed to speaking for myself so many years after my twin sister that some thought I was mute. I also was second to learn how to bike and swing by myself and took an extra 4 tries to pass my driver’s exam. By these credentials, it’s easy to fall into the trap of a fixed mindset since I have never had a history of picking stuff up on pace with my peers. However, after learning that I am not alone in this struggle (supposedly Einstein never learned to drive, and he’s a certified genius) I have given myself more grace. Another area where I have adopted a “growth mindset” is a little more personal, but on my healthy living journey. It’s not easy to be the epitome of health and fitness overnight, and I have come to terms with the fact that small steps like choosing to do light exercise (walk to work/school) and choosing less fattening options for meals will show results after a while. I know I have done it once, back when I was extremely disciplined and enthused with the process, so I know I can do it again if I just utilize the same “growth mindset” I didn’t know I was using before! 

(Image Source: Pixabay Stock Photos)

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Typing Test Tech Tip: A Little Above Average

I told myself at some point I would try Tech Tip, and I figured now was as good a time as any to try it out. I went to the Typing Test that was suggested on the assignment overview page. The screenshot I took is a little hard to see, but I had 73.46 word per minute with 97.35% accuracy. I was glad to see that even while I'm feeling down and out since I'm sick that my scores were still a fair amount above the average, which can be seen on the upper right-hand corner just below my results.  I liked the little blurb it had me type, it was very encouraging. I then went to Typingtest.com to compare my skills with a different website and found I had similar results with both the short 1 minute version and 3 minute version: about 70 words per minute with about 5 mistakes. I liked that I could choose between about 8 different types of text. It featured "Aesop's Fables," but I went with "Zebra- Africa's Striped Horse" (my favorite zoo animal since I was little) for the first and "The Enchanted Typewriter" for the second.

I have always considered myself a fairly good typer since I grew up with good computer classes. I loved my teacher, Mrs. Fellers. As a staff kid I always got to school early in the mornings, and in exchange for turning on and sanitizing all of her computers, she would allow me to practice my typing on the kid-friendly programs of the late 90s. I don't remember much about it, just that it was like a video game with characters like alien creatures. When another teacher replaced her when she retired, I lost my enthusiasm for putting in this extra effort every morning since I didn't have such a relationship with the guy and also he got rid of the fun typing games that got students enthused about enhancing their typing skills! Really a bummer. I also used to be an avid AIM and MSN Messenger user in the 2000's, so some of my speed and accuracy might stem back to this too.

(Image Souce: Screenshot by me. Keyhero)

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Famous Last Words: When Flu Season Strikes

This weekend while I was with my family, I caught some sort of severe cold, moderate flu, or sinus infection (I'm not sure which). I haven’t been this sick in quite some time. I’ve been so miserable that even making this post and completing other assignments for this and the rest of my classes has been a major struggle. I was actually sent home by one of my professors on account of how bad I must have looked, which was actually a huge relief since I could suffer within the confines of my own apartment without an audience. I didn’t even know that such bad sinus pain could cause my eye sockets and ear canals to hurt. My lymph nodes are swollen, my nose is stuffy, my chest is congested, and I have a little bit of nausea. My fever comes and goes, and I don’t know whether it’s due to my body being imbalanced and inflamed from illness or if it’s the over the counter medicine I’m on, but I can’t focus for anything. I feel guilty about everything I have neglected and I think I need to go back to class tomorrow but considering how little I feel I have recovered even while resting at home I’m not sure I’ll be firing at full cylinders for a while. I also miss having an appetite for food, not to mention the ability to smell and taste. 

In the meantime, between being passed out and awake long enough to take more medicine I managed to do today’s “More Mahabharata” assignment. I have always liked the Epified channel on YouTube. It also reminded me of the other videos I had been meaning to get to in the class playlist and came upon one that was Harry Potter related. With the onset of cooler weather, and my having been a dedicated viewer of this series every Christmas since I can remember I thought it was appropriate to watch this video “Harry Potter Music (Indian Version) | Tushar Lall (TIJP).” It brought back so many memories and I loved the original spin they put on it with the traditional instruments, it was a great tribute to the iconic song. The production of the video was likewise impressive. It also reminded me of a Storybook that I found back in the first week called “Hogwarts: The Loyalty of Brothers.” The link looks broken now, but I remember bits and pieces of it and thought it was such a creative take on the Indian Epics and could really see where the author could draw parallels between the stories. 

(Image Source: Pixabay Stock Photos)

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Reading Notes: More Mahabharata, Part A

Mahabharata, by Epified on YouTube

• The visuals of the narrator drawing along with the descriptions is a feature of this channel’s videos I have noticed and really enhances the viewers understanding of the scenes.
•  Also helpful is a short sentence about the next video in the playlist line up. It makes for a nice transition to the topic of the upcoming video.
• It is an account of how Karma functions; through this lens of karma, each event is more easily seen as a chain of cause and effect.
• Puts in perspective the motive behind Ganga killing Shantanu’s 8 children in the Ganges river in order to “free” the celestial spirits from the curse of living mortal lives for a crime committed at a time prior. This also makes sense why she made Shantanu promise that if they were to wed that he would resist ever questioning her choices.
•  Hastinapur retrieved its long-lost prince Devarat, King Shantanu’s son who was trained and taught by some of the wisest and most skilled in war. At the sight of his father’s romantic advances being denied by Satyavati, he decides to go reason with her himself. When he could not convince her fisherman father, he took an oath that he would never marry nor procreate and was henceforth known as Bhishma—“he of the terrible oath”.
•  His father’s response is what gave rise to his boon that he would be able to choose the time of his own death.
• After Chitrangad dies, Vichitraveerya becomes King and Bhishma goes to Kashi and kidnaps three women—Amba, Ambika, and Ambalika. This story is sad because it shows the sexism of a society that shuns women who are taken like these princesses were. Poor Amba was rejected by the man she loved since her having been taken against her will somehow meant she belonged to Bhishma. No one should be shamed under these circumstances. It’s sad that the Sage Parshuram couldn’t fulfill his commitment of defeating Bhishma for Amba.
•  After Vichitravirya died having had no children to succeed him, Satyavati told her secret that she had bore a child before she met Bhishma’s father, King Shantanu, named Vyasa. He was meant to give the widows of Vichitravirya children, but the shock and grief along with his not so pleasant looks made them hesitant. Due to this fear, it was said that her closing her eyes during the act would result in a child that was born blind. The second sister’s paleness would result in a child born with bad health. The third woman who was sent in the place of Ambalika, a servant, welcomed him with an open mind and heart.
•  Ambika had Dhritarashtra, who was blind. Ambalika had Pandu, who was pale. The servant had Vidura, who grew to be one of the wisest and knowledgeable and was known as an avatar of Yama, the God of truth and death. These three boys grew up under their Uncle Bhisma’s care. The rivalry between the first two boys, Dhristarashtra and Pandu. With this many contenders for the Hanstinapur throne, it of course was sure to stir feathers. Though Dhritarashtra was on the throne with his brothers presiding over the kingdom, who “called the shots” was unanimously understood to be Dhritarasthra’s brothers.
• These brothers (Dhritarashtra, Pandu, Vidura) children would be major players in the war of the Mahabharata.

Bibliography:
Author: Epified
Title: Epified: Mahabharata, Part A (Playlist)
Source: YouTube

(Image Source: Epified, YouTube Channel)

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