Week 13: Reading Diary A - The Becoming Battle

Reading Diary Pg. 191-246
The Mahabharata by William Buck

• This reading begins with the Pandavas in the forest, fetching water from a nearby lake. One by one, Yudhishthira sends them to go to the lake and get some water. When none of them come back he goes to the lake himself to check on them and finds their bodies there. As he approaches the lake a voice begins to speak to him. He is to answer a series of questions before being allowed to drink the water and when he does so he ends up seeing his brothers. The answers were actually a test from his divine father, Dharma. 
• The Pandavas decided to spend their thirteenth year of exile in the Matsya kingdom. Yudhishthira enters Virata's service as a brahmin with expertise of dice and chess. Bhima becomes Virata's cook. Sudeshna employes Drapaudi as her personal maid. Sahadeva gets put in charge of the cattle. 
• The story of Karna and Indra is told. Indra decides that he wants the armor and earrings that Karna has worn every day since he was born. Karna's father, the son god Surya, warns him to refuse Indra but he goes against his father's advice and claims he is honored by Indra's request. Indra dresses up as a brahmin and goes to Karna asking for the earrings and armor. Karna recognizes him and calls him on it. He demands to get the infallible throwing dart in return for the earrings and armor, which he does give him. The dart can only be used once. 
• Kichaka, a general of king Virata, develops this really passionate desire for Drapaudi. She on the other hand resists him. He assaults her and she runs to Virata for protection. She ends up being rescued by the treasure lord, Vaishravana. 
• Sanjaya comes to visit the Pandavas as a mission for Dhritarashtra. Yudhisthira tells him that he wants Indrapratsha to be given back to them, or at least five other villages. Dhritarthrastra wants to give Indraprastha back to the Pandavas, but Duryodhana refuses to give them any land at all. 
• Karna wants a fight with the Pandavas. Karna refuses to fight as long as Bhishma is bearing arms. Kripa on the other hand thinks that the war wold be a really bad thing, but agrees to support Duryodhana. 
• Arjuna and Duryodhana make a visit to see Krishna. They find him asleep, and when he wakes he makes eye contact with Arjuna first and gives two options. The first option would be to he can take Krishna as his ally and the second option would be that he could have all of the soldiers of Krishna's army. Arjuna chooses Krishna as his ally.