The Mahabharata: A Modern Rendering, Vol 1

1114 Pages·2006·3.08 MB·English

by  Ramesh Menon

THE MAHABHARATA
A Modern Rendering

(Volume 1)
Ramesh Menon

iUniverse, Inc.
New York Lincoln Shanghai
THE MAHABHARATA
A Modern Rendering
Copyright © 2006 by Ramesh Menon
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ISBN-13: 978-0-595-40187-1 (pbk)
ISBN-13: 978-0-595-84564-4 (ebk)
ISBN-10: 0-595-40187-2 (pbk)
ISBN-10: 0-595-84564-9 (ebk)
Printed in the United States of America
Contents
Foreword
Acknowledgements
Preface
THE BIRTH OF A POET
BOOK ONE ADI PARVA1
ONE ON THE BANKS OF THE GANGA
TWO A TALE OF TWO CURSES
THREE THE RIVER’S SON
FOUR A SCENT OF HEAVEN
FIVE A SOLEMN VOW
SIX TWO PRINCES
SEVEN THREE PRINCESSES OF KASI
EIGHT BHEESHMA AND AMBA
NINE AMBA
TEN THE SOLEMN OATH
ELEVEN SATYAVATI’S OTHER SON
TWELVE
THE BLIND NIGHT AND THE PALE ONE
THIRTEEN IN THE DARK
FOURTEEN
THE THREE PRINCES OF HASTINAPURA
FIFTEEN KUNTIBHOJA’S DAUGHTER
SIXTEEN THE BLAZING DEVA
SEVENTEEN A CURSE IN THE FOREST
EIGHTEEN PANDU’S YEARNING
NINETEEN
KUNTI’S UNWORLDLY LOVERS
TWENTY THE SONS OF PANDU
TWENTY-ONE THE SINISTER NIGHT
TWENTY-TWO SWEET, DEADLY SPRING
TWENTY-THREE THE PANDAVAS COME HOME
TWENTY-FOUR THE SEEDS OF ENVY
TWENTY-FIVE AT PRAMANAKOTI
TWENTY-SIX UNDER THE RIVER
TWENTY-SEVEN
A MASTER FOR THE KURU PRINCES
TWENTY-EIGHT
DRONA’S STORY
TWENTY-NINE THE BRILLIANT PUPIL
THIRTY AT THE RIVER
THIRTY-ONE EKALAVYA
THIRTY-TWO A YOUNG MAN’S DREAMS
THIRTY-THREE KARNA FINDS A MASTER
THIRTY-FOUR THE EXHIBITION
THIRTY-FIVE THE GOLDEN WARRIOR
THIRTY-SIX DRONA’S REVENGE
THIRTY-SEVEN A FATHER AND HIS SON
THIRTY-EIGHT TO VARANASI
THIRTY-NINE THE PALACE OF LAC
FORTY FIRE
FORTY-ONE THE TRAGIC NEWS
FORTY-TWO FLIGHT THROUGH THE JUNGLE
FORTY-THREE A CHANGE OF HEART
FORTY-FOUR GHATOTKACHA
FORTY-FIVE A SLEEPY TOWN
FORTY-SIX A STRANGE STORY
FORTY-SEVEN ENCOUNTER IN THE NIGHT
FORTY-EIGHT THE SPINNING FISH
FORTY-NINE
‘SHARE THE ALMS YOU’VE BROUGHT’
FIFTY THE UNUSUAL WEDDING
FIFTY-ONE ANXIETY IN HASTINAPURA
FIFTY-TWO THE COUNCIL AT HASTINAPURA
FIFTY-THREE VIDURA IN KAMPILYA
FIFTY-FOUR A DESOLATE GIFT
FIFTY-FIVE MIRACLE IN THE WILDERNESS
FIFTY-SIX NARADA VISITS INDRAPRASTHA
FIFTY-SEVEN ULUPI AND CHITRANGADAA
FIFTY-EIGHT THE CROCODILES
FIFTY-NINE THE RAIVATAKA HILL
SIXTY THE HOLY YATI
SIXTY-ONE THE YATI AND THE PRINCESS
SIXTY-TWO CURE FOR AN ILLNESS
SIXTY-THREE BALARAMA’S ANGER
SIXTY-FOUR DRAUPADI’S ANGER
SIXTY-FIVE
THE YADAVAS COME TO INDRAPRASTHA
SIXTY-SIX THE HUNGRY BRAHMANA
SIXTY-SEVEN
THE BURNING OF THE KHANDAVA VANA
BOOK TWO SABHA PARVA
ONE MAYAA
TWO MAYAA’S SABHA
THREE NARADA, THE MESSENGER
FOUR YUDHISHTIRA’S QUANDARY
FIVE
KRISHNA ARRIVES IN INDRAPRASTHA
SIX JARASANDHA
SEVEN GIRIVRAJA
EIGHT THE BLADE OF GRASS
NINE THE FOUR QUARTERS
TEN THE RAJASUYA YAGNA
ELEVEN A COUSIN’S ANGER
TWELVE DARK OMENS
THIRTEEN THE GREEN MONSTER
FOURTEEN SHAKUNI’S PLAN
FIFTEEN AN ANXIOUS MESSENGER
SIXTEEN THE GAME OF DICE
SEVENTEEN SHAME
EIGHTEEN ‘AM I A FREE WOMAN?’
NINETEEN THE MIRACLE AND THE OATHS
TWENTY DHRITARASHTRA’S FICKLENESS
TWENTY-ONE THE SECOND GAME OF DICE
BOOK THREE VANA PARVA
ONE THE SUN’S GIFT
TWO THE KING’S BROTHER
THREE THE RISHIS’ WARNING
FOUR KRISHNA SWEARS AN OATH
FIVE DWAITAVANA
SIX THE TRIALS OF YUDHISHTIRA
SEVEN VYASA’S ADVICE
EIGHT ARJUNA’S QUEST
NINE THE VETALA
TEN THE LORDS OF LIGHT
ELEVEN AMRAVATI
TWELVE THE WEAPONS OF INDRA
THIRTEEN THE APSARA URVASHI
FOURTEEN THE CURSE
FIFTEEN THE MUNI BRIHADASWA
SIXTEEN TIRTHA YATRA1
SEVENTEEN TO BADARIKASRAMA
EIGHTEEN AN OLD MONKEY
NINETEEN WHERE THE SAUGANDHIKA GROWS
TWENTY ARJUNA RETURNS
TWENTY-ONE ARJUNA’S STORY
TWENTY-TWO THE WONDROUS CITY
TWENTY-THREE HIRANYAPURI
TWENTY-FOUR BHEEMA’S ADVENTURE
TWENTY-FIVE THE RIDDLES OF NAHUSHA
TWENTY-SIX
MARKANDEYA’S LORE1
TWENTY-SEVEN THE FOUR YUGAS
TWENTY-EIGHT THE FOOLISH BRAHMANA
TWENTY-NINE DURYODHANA’S GHOSHA-YATRA
THIRTY THE SHAMING OF DURYODHANA
THIRTY-ONE DESPAIR
THIRTY-TWO THE POWERS OF DARKNESS
THIRTY-THREE THE RISHI DURVASA
THIRTY-FOUR JAYADRATHA
THIRTY-FIVE THE LAKE OF DEATH
THIRTY-SIX
YAKSHA PRASNA: THE YAKSHA’S RIDDLES
BOOK FOUR VIRATA PARVA
ONE THE THIRTEENTH YEAR
TWO KANKA, THE GAMBLER
THREE AJNATAVASA
FOUR THE COOK AND THE WRESTLER
FIVE KARNA’S DREAM
SIX THE BRAHMANA AT NOON
SEVEN THE QUEEN’S SAIRANDHRI
EIGHT THE BESOTTED KEECHAKA
NINE BALLAVA’S NIGHT VISITOR
TEN THE LONG DAY
ELEVEN THE ANGRY GANDHARVAS
TWELVE DURYODHANA’S SPIES
THIRTEEN VIRATA’S BATTLE
FOURTEEN THE PRINCE AND THE EUNUCH
FIFTEEN UTTARA KUMARA
SIXTEEN UNEARTHLY WEAPONS
SEVENTEEN DISSENSION
EIGHTEEN THE KURU ARMY
NINETEEN ARJUNA
TWENTY A GAMBLER’S BLOOD
TWENTY-ONE THE PANDAVAS
TWENTY-TWO A WEDDING IN UPAPLAVYA
APPENDIX
Glossary
About the Author
In memory of my grandparents.