Story: Duryodhana's Final Fight

"It's over Duryodhana! Come out, come out wherever you are!", sang Yudhistira.

"It despairs me that you acted so greedy cousin; and have gotten your friends and family killed in this unnecessary war."

Yudhistira and his brothers had all gathered near an old abandoned house where they knew Duryodhana fled to after his uncle had been killed in battle. At that moment Duryodhana knew he had lost not just a battle but the war.

Inside the old, dilapidated house Duryodhana was pacing back and forth in front of a crumbling fireplace. "This did not turn out as I foresaw. After I lost Bhishma nothing seemed to play in my favor. Maybe I should have listened to my father and just gave my cousins the small parcel of land they requested..... Who am I kidding?! They did not and still do not deserve any of my kingdom!"

After a few minutes of waiting for Duryodhana to come out of the dilapidated house, Yudhistira and his brothers became impatient.

"You can hide no more Duryodhana", shouted Yudhistira, "The war is over and your time has come!"

Duryodhana went bursting through the front door making it fly off its hinges. He bursted out, "How dare you disgrace me by saying I am hiding! I simply needed to collect my thoughts and figure out what I have to fight or live for anymore. You, the Padavas have taken everything from me. Not an ounce of desire runs through my bones to have my kingdom anymore."

"You brought this upon yourself!", Yudhistira exclaimed, "I even sent Krishna for a final attempt at peace days before the war began! You are an arrogant one though and refused my offer."

"No the matter!" Duryodhana shouted, "This war is not over for me. I will fight you one by one. Right here, right now, toe-to-toe."

"My track record for betting with you is not very good but I will make one final offer to you,Duryodhana. Pick one of my brothers or I to fight and if you win we will give you a parcel of land to live on, unbothered. If you lose, you will die and we will let Yama do with you what he pleases."

(Final battle between Duryodhana and Bhima)

Duryodhana chose the youngest of the brothers, Bhima to battle.

"I finally get to test my skills on others besides the soldiers  who we just slayed in battle." Bhima eagerly waited for Duryodhana to put on his armor and the fight began.

The fight was evenly matched and what seemed like days later Bhima finally outwitted Duryodhana. In an arrogant moment, Duryodhana got distracted for just a few seconds and Bhima sent his sword crashing down on him.

In that moment, with Bhima still panting over him, Yama descended down from a cloud where he had been watching and waiting to take his next guest to the after world.

Authors Note:
My story begins after Duryodhana has lost the war and everything worth living for.
I kept it very close to the original in that the Pandava brothers find Duryodhana hiding after the war. In the original epic they find Duryodhana under water in a lake where he "Needed the water to cool the fire that is still raging within [him]." Similarly he also has a final battle with Bhima. In the original epic story though Bhima smashes him in the thigh and fatally wounds him.
I wanted to still portray Duryodhana's stubborn attitude even in his moment of death in  my story. That is when I decided to keep to the more original story line instead of completely twisting the story around. The gods still intrigue me so I even made Yama a small role even though he is not in the original story.

(Duryodhana found in the lake)

Bibliography: Narayan's The Mahabharata: A Shortened Modern Prose Version of the Indian Epic.

Reading Notes: Narayan's Mahabharata, Part D

Notes:

• Yudhistira really does not want to go to war but keep peace within the family.

             - Krishna is going to Duryodhana to make one last plea for Yudhistira.

• Out of the 4 brothers, Sahadeva wants war and tell Krishna to provoke the Kauravas. 
• It would be fun to write a song like the 14 days of christmas but instead have the days of Krishna on his way to Hastinapura. page 136
• I could write a story about Duryodhana and a moral of the story is you are not alway right.
• I could write a story about a family fight at like the Christmas table or Easter dinner or just a family gathering

              - one crazy cousin causes all this drama by taking all the turkey legs and not sharing then
                takes all the pecan pie and whip cream. At this point the family is fed up but the dad just
                sits there and does nothing.  page 140

• I could write a story about he preparations for the war. How they chose Dhrishtadyumna as Supreme Commander. page 146
• Arjuna see's his kinsmen on the other side of the war line and losses heart.

              - He cannot kill his kin folk he admits to Krishna his chariot pilot.
              - It was just a lapse of judgement. Krishna gives him a pep talk
               - maybe I can write my story of Krishna's pep talk but this time it would be to the whole
                   army...... or maybe football team.

• War raged for 18 days

         - at sunset each side retreated and recouped, I could write a story about what the troops did in
           the evenings between battles page 148-149

• Abhimanyu, Arjuna's son, targeted his great- grandfather, Bhishma. 

            - Arjuna pierced him with arrows. So many when he fell down he laid in a bed of arrows
              - Bhisma was able to decide when to die. Its kind of grim but I could write a story about
                being able to choose when to die. Like some deadly ill people are allowed to do in a few
                states

Bhisma dying pierced with many arrows from Wikimedia

• Duryodhana thought now that he could have victory if Yudhistira was captured alive

           - I could write a story about how two cousins got in a fight and they never meant any harm but
            someone always gets hurt in the end. page 156

• Arjuna cuts off karna's head with an arrow. 
• Duryodhana has lost everything and goes to a lake with his mystic powers

         - Duryodhana fights Bhima to try to be a King a gain
          - I would like to write a story about this fight and his thought process on choosing who to fight.
              --> kind of like pick your poison page 165
        - Duryodhana lost

• i could write a story about Narada and Vyasa visiting the Pandavas after war

Bibliography: Narayan's Mahabharata: A Shortened Modern Prose Version of the Indian Epic

Reading Notes: Narayan's The Mahabharata, Part C

Notes:

• Dhritarashtra has spies following the Pandava brothers so he knows how well they are doing and about Arjuna's weapons.

           - as always he is torn between his nephews and sons

• Duryodhana wants to keep closer tabs on the Pandava's b/c he knows his father is iffy. 

            - Duryodhana sent a messenger to invite the Pandava brothers to the festivities he was having
                but the messenger was denied passage by a watchman (a gandhrava) sent by the gods

• Fight broke out and Duryodhana was taken prisoner

           - Bhima and Arjuna go and rescue him

• I can tell a story about Yaksha the god who killed Yudhistira's brothers

           - the dialogue between Yaksha and Yudhistira. All the questioning.
           - The Yaksha revived Yudhirstira's brothers after answering the questions
           -The Yaksha was actually Yama
           - He also gave them the power to remain incognito for their last year of exile

• They decide to live in Matsya

           - each of them are taking on an alias
          - but Draupadi was molested by the Queens brother, Kichaka <--The Maury show story
           - Bhima killed him

(The Pandava brothers)

• Duryodhana wants to find the Pandava brothers because he is afraid they will bake the thirteenth year.

         - he figures out the Pandava brothers are probably  in Virata
         - he wants to wage war on them

• Arjuna takes Uttara to the Kauravas but stops to get the Pandava's weapons
• I could write a story about the proud father of Uttara page 110
• Story about the wedding of Uttarai and Arjuna's son, Abhimanyu.

• The Pandava brothers and Duryodhana both prepared for war after the 13 year exile was over

            - I could write a story about how Duryodhana tricks all of Yudhistira's allies into becoming

               one of his pg119

• I could write a story like kids fighting on a playground with the two groups sending messengers back and forth. 

Bibliography: Narayan's The Mahabharata: A Shortened Modern Prose Version of the Indian Epic

         

Reading Notes: Narayan's Mahabharata, Part B

Notes: 

• It is now known the Pandava brothers did not die in the house fire but it must have been another family with 5 sons. 

            - this news made Duryodhana very uneasy
            - Duryodhana fears now that the Pandava brother has married Drupada's daughter they will           find a common enemy in him.

• Drona, Vidura and Bhishma agree the Pandava's come out of exile.

• Dhritharashtra lives with his son Duryodhana in Hastinapura.

             - his cousins are the Pandava brothers who have married a single wife

             - he invites them back to Hastinapura

             - they are given land and they create a city with a palace to live in called Indraprastha

• I could write a story about Narada narrating the story of Sunda and Upasunda.

              - page 45

• Duryodhana envied the Pandava's brothers new city of Indraprastha

                - Duryodhana feared too many people liked the Pandava brothers

                    (Sakuni thinks Duryodhana should leave the Padavas alone because they have a lot of 

                      allies)

• I could write a story about how Arjuna (a pandava brother) was given with his great bow, Gandiva, and with the gift of an inexhaustible quiver.

                     - it was a gift of Agni 

                     - Arjuna is favored by the gods

                     - page 48

• Duryodhana says the servants made un of him while he was at Indraprastha.... but he is just making it up
• Sakuni suggests to Duryodhana that instead of challenging the Pandavas (Yudhistira) to war to challenge them to a dice game in order to humiliate them. 
• I could write a story kind of based on Varooka from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. 

              - Dhritarashtra would give anything to his son Duryodhana. 

              - page 51

• Sakuni (for Duryodhana) plays Yudhisira during the first dice game.

             - the stakes in the game keep getting higher and higher and Yudhisira keeps losing and losing 

             - I could write a story about a rigged dice game

• Voider suggests to Dhanajaya to to kill Duryodhana in order to keep peace.

                 - he refuses

• The wife of the Pandava's (Draupadi) refused to go to Hastnapura. She is forced

             - I could write a story about Draupadi 

              - page 61

Draupadi is presented in the dice game after Yudhisira has gambled her away from wikimedia

• Dhritarashtra feels bad for Draupadi and gives her wishes

1. Yudhistira is freed
2. his brothers are freed 
3. nothing 

          - he gives all their possessions back

          - instead of Dhirtarashra giving them wishes maybe it was a genie like in Aladdin (pg 66)

• The Pandava brothers are summoned again for a dice game and Yudhistira accepted... again!!!

              - he lost of course and they are all banished for 12 years

               - the Pandava brothers all promised revenge in their own way

• Sun god gave Yudhistira a copper bowl that gave him an inexhaustible supply of food

             - maybe write a story about the Sun god and the copper bowl!!! pg 72

• Vidura is banished as well 

             - could elaborate more on his banishment page 73

Bibliography: Narayan's The Mahabharata: A Shortened Modern Prose Version of the Indian Epic 

Story: The Fishing Trip

"Hey Dad! Car's all loaded up. Let's go!"

You see, every year since my mom left us my dad and I go on an annual fishing trip. At first I think it was more of a " I'm sorry this happened to us but now it's me and you against the world" kind of a trip but now it has turned into our thing. The big annual fishing trip to the Ganges River!

The drive is really not that far but I say "big" because my dad happens to be the king of a city called Hastinapura. As the only son I am the heir to the throne and having both the king and heir to the throne gone to the wilderness is stressful for my father's advisors.
Every year the advisors to the throne come up with some baloney excuse as to why we should not go but every year my father and I head to our favorite fishing spot on the Ganges against their will.

This year is different. My dad is usually the one pushing me out of the door so we can get a full day of fishing in but this year I practically packed the car all by myself. I also have noticed the staff attempting to make as little contact with him as possible, even avoiding his eye, as if they are afraid if he catches their glance he will fire them or something extreme.

I guess he has been rather moody and gloomy lately but I have been so busied with matters in preparing me to become king for when my father decides to step down that I have hardly noticed.

"Dad! Did you hear me? Daylight's awaistin'!"

"I heard ya, I heard ya. I just have to finish signing a few more letters and I'll be ready."

The car ride to the Ganges seemed longer than usual.  The limited talking and the no listening to music made the car ride drag on. The silence was a killer.

River Ganga at Hersil Town from Bipin Gupta

After a few hours of fishing I couldn't take it anymore. "What is eatin' at ya, Dad? Even the staff are afraid to glance your direction these past few weeks."

"I will get over it in time, son. I simply want something I can't have."

"What is it??"

"I've fallen in love with a woman but her father will not allow her to marry me because I already have an heir to the throne."

This information took me a few moments to digest considering it has only been my dad and I for so many years and I have never heard him talk of another woman besides my mother.

"Well, does she make you happy, Dad?"

"She does indeed, but you are my son and prince of Hastinapura. You are the future of our dynasty."

"Father, you have sacrificed so much for me. Let me step down as heir to the throne and the next son you father will be king"

"Son, I would never ask this of you in a million moons!"

"My mind has already been made up. I will visit the maiden's father tomorrow and hash out the fine details."

Authors Note:
In Narayan's Mahabharata, how and why prince Davavratha steps down from the throne is skated over I felt like. I wanted to bring that story to a more modern-day father-son fishing trip to really understand the relationship of king Santanu and his son Davavratha. In Narayan's portrayal, king Santanu instantly falls in love with a beautiful fisherman's daughter while hunting in the woods. The fisherman was willing to let his daughter marry Santanu but only under the condition that her son would be Santanu's successor. Santanu knew he could not accept this condition and left them.
Davavratha, noticing his father's gloomy state of mind, questioned him and when he found out the reasoning went behind his father's back to the fisherman to make the negotiation for his father. Davavratha agreed to never have children of his own and from then on took the name, Bhishna.


Bibliography: The Mahabharata: A Shortened Modern Prose Version of the Indian Epic by R.K.    Narayan.

Reading Notes: Narayan's Mahabharata, Part A

Notes:

• Would be interesting to write a story about how Santanu (the Ruler of an ancient kingdom, capital at Hastinapura) met the maiden by the river who turns out to be Ganga the deity of the river. 

                   - do more of a dialogue type of a story

Santanu and the maiden by the river from Wikipedia

• Could write a story about how Prince Devavratha steps down as successor of the throne to please his dad.

                   - there had to be drama with it

                   Devavratha changed his name to Bhishma because he vowed to never marry and have           children. 

                  - maybe base the story on a father, son fishing dream.

• I could write a scene from a soap opera explaining who slept with who and had who's baby.

               - refer to page 5 for further explanation of who is who. 

• I previously wrote a story about Yama and Vayu so it would be cool to write a story about their children
• I could write a story about the Pandava boys

               - it could be from when their dad dies

               - about their quick get away in the tunnel from the fire.

               - One of the Pandava brothers (Arjuna) wins Draupadi as his wife but has to share her with his 4 other brothers.

• I wanted to do a day time drama kind of show with who is married to who since Draupadi is shared among the brothers. It is also very confusing just like a soap opera is about who's child is who's. 

Bibliography: R.K. Narayan's Mahabharata

Feedback Focus

1. Reading Out Loud

The only problem I have with reading out loud is you cannot read out loud in a public place. I often find myself nestled in the Youngblood Energy library and if I read aloud in there other students might give me mean glares. On the other hand if I am at home or a place other people are not near me reading out loud does tend to help me focus on what I am reading. Now that I think about it, when I read a passage or sentence that is confusing or difficult to understand I catch myself reading it out loud to help me comprehend it.  What I acknowledged most while reading "Why Dog and Cat are Enemies" out loud is the language used. Language may not even be the right word but more the arrangement or sentence structure made you think about the sentence a little more.

Focus by Dimitris Kalogeropoylos from Flickr

      2. Copy- and- Delete

This is probably my favorite technique of all three. It seems to take a little longer than reading out loud and using a timer but much more affective, at least for me, when it comes to comprehending what I am reading. I catch myself reading but not paying attention to what I am reading more times than I would like to admit but stopping at the end of every paragraph to jot down notes is a great way to catch myself falling into a habit of not focusing on what I am reading. Even if I do fall into that familiar trap I will catch it at the end of a paragraph and not a few pages in. For this particular reading, "What Makes the Lightning" stopping to take notes at the end of every single paragraph may have been a little extreme but when reading a book I think at least stopping at the end of the page would even be extremely helpful. 

    3. Use a Timer

First, "Midterm Madness" is a hilarious story! Savannah did a great job telling a story based on the Ramayana in modern days. As far as the timer technique goes, it is my least favorite of the three. I found myself constantly looking at the clock to see how much longer I needed to read. This caused me to actually pay less attention to what I was reading than if I just read and did not use any of the three techniques. Maybe this technique would work better with reading novels that I find myself invested in and forget what time it is. It would be nice to have that ten minute reminder to write important events down that occurred in the reading during the allotted time.