(Kunti, Pandu and Prabaha; Hrushikesha Mohanty Sagarika, Vol. 6, No. 2; Feb 2011, Pages 57-58.)
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Telling, I have developed interest in Mahabharat, is naive.
I have listened all about it from my grandfather in my
childhood. Time has flown away. And life has started
asking different questions at me at this junction. I caught
hold of 'Difficulty of being Good' of Gurucharan Das. This
again aroused my interest in Mahabharat. On my visit to
native place, I collected Mahabharat from my mother. She was
looking at me with puzzles in her eyes. At my residence,
Anjali, my wife advised not to keep all full set at home.
This is a stigma of Mahabharat - full set brings conflict;
there is a hearsay. As if there is less of conflict in this world!
Whatever, it could be I started reading
it in evening studiously. Its stories are fascinating. I
decided to look through these stories the past, the human
mind, dharma, issues in society. I will tell, it's a treasure.
I'm in Adya Parba only. I stumbled at the unique story of cursed
Pandu - Kunti and Madri can't have kids from Pandu. Pandu prepares
bed and asks Kunti to make use of the boon - the garland she got from
Rishi Durbasa, and to get conceived. It's baffling - to think. Isn't it?
But, Kunti and Madri did the same. Pandu left house for the nights they
invited Gods and had kids from them. The kids are known as
Pandavas. Imagine, what made Pandu to take such a bold decision.
Imagine, how society took Kunti as one of the Pancha Maha Sati (among the
great woman of Virtues: Kunti, Mandodari, Draupadi, Tara and Ahalya).
It's baffling. In this article, I have taken the help of this story
to show the boldness of continuity,
the way it prevails. It prevails for justice and peace. That is
Pandu, Kunti and Continuity.
I'm glad to say here, the abstract poem I have got from the story
is well appreciated and some said it's a new style. I got few calls
from Odisha, saying that. I'm happy of it. My next article on Mahabharat
will come in coming issue of NabaPatra.
To my English readers: wish me, I will write its English version soon!
regards
Hrushikesha
10 comments:
Bahut bhala lagila. Pandu charitra tiku apana bhalare express karichanti
It reads well, Prof. Mohanty. Please continue writing on this eternal text: about your impressions about the story and its heroes and villains, and the way they lived and died, among others. My very best wishes for that.
I have read Mahabharat when I was a child, and have read stories at different times, even today I get fascinated to read them
about the article ............................really superb.....Please continue this type of mythology related articles and colour them with modern thought
Thank you for your article on Mahabharat published in Sagarika. It is a very thoughtful reflection on the main characters of Mbt and their inner conflicts. It is a definitely new dimension to your literary creativity.
Best regards,
Dear Rushi,
The poetry is very good, very poetic, quite different & interesting.
The prose ( essay) is nice but I think, you can still make it better. The strongest line is..." Mahat uddesya thila, jounata nathila."
Apa
do you find any difference in a man's second marriage and a woman's accepting Khetraja- Santan -Pratha to get children?
My thesis considers second marriage for man, and for a woman accepting a man ( other than husband)both the same. Its continuity matters. Mahabharat has eulogized eulogised its heros and heroines they happen to be kings and queens. Very very few epics have dealt with common people. That way today's literature is different. Now nobody writes praising politicians, rather they are demonized.
It's true Madri didn't get the status of Kunti. This is because Kunti has own the garland and she is centre stage for entire period.
Isn't fascinating to think of many iffs and buts of Mahabharat stories. Probably, that's why it's kalajayee (timeless).
Hrushikesha
You have written so beautifully, it really touched me. Basically characterizing the concept of flowing time and importance of the characters of Kunti and Pandu in the eternity.... How that conscious re-occurs in the flow also has been presented well.
If you see the poems carefully , you will find :
1. I have not really negated the human body and its
naturality in an exception.
2. Second thing, I have touched upon Naxalites' struggle
'barudia jangalaru mula' and I see the struggle for continuity.
3. Shown at a time a male can be at odds and inactive like Pandu
while a female can be powerful like Kunti.
4. May be true, epics take royals as heroes tobe accepted in society.
The point is how revolutionary is the thought.
Hushikesha
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