Week 10 Reading Diary: Mahabharata: The Greatest Spiritual Epic of All Time

Part A

The cover

Web Source: Reading Guides

• Dhrtarastra performed 5 sacrifices
• He donated hundreds of thousands of Brahmins and had numerous offerings for the Gods
• The kingdom was thriving and the citizens were more than surviving
• The citizens believed in virtue, sacrifice, and truth. The citizens were empowered with love and loved one another
• The city was covered in wealth. The arches were golden and the cities were flooded with mansions and fountains made of crystals
• The gardens thrived as well and the trees were fully blossomed
• Pandu became cursed and was forced into early retirement, so Dhrtarastra took over to rule the kingdom
• Dhrtarastra was blind, but that did not stop him from becoming the new monarch
• Vyasadeva came to the kingdom and was hungry. Gandhari attended to Vyasadeva who was very pleased with the girl and her manners, so he blessed her with powerful sons
• Gandhari carried this embryo for 2 years with no luck, and became jealous that Kunti gave birth to a son
• Gandhari punched herself in the wound and then flesh resembling an iron ball popped out. She soon discovered it was a stillborn 
• Gandhari sought out Vyasadeva who assured her that he was not lying
• He filled 100 pots and instructed Gandhari to not open the pots for another 2 years
• After 2 years the first pot was finally opened and the baby emerged
• Freakish noises were heard like jackals howling and fire sprung up out of nowhere
• Vidura informed the king that these were bad omens which meant that this child would bring end to the race

Bibliography:

Mahabharata: The Greatest Spiritual Epic of All Time.

Author: Krishna Dharma

Web Source: Reading Guide