Reading Diary Part C: Week 6

From where I left off the Pandavas brothers were sent to exile along with Draupadi. In addition, I remember that Yudhishthira gave away many things in his severe gambling rage. Now the pandavas scavenged the forest for twelve years eating what they could and saving portions for the holy men. I have noticed that exile seems to be a big part of both the epics we have read thus far. Exile seems to be the upmost punishment for many of the characters in both stories.

• We see the presence of weapons reoccurring in the Mahabharata again. The divine bow is one given by the Great God to Arjuna. It is only to be used when all other means of battle have been exhausted.
• Finally, after much wait Arjuna reunites with the four other pandavas brothers and Draupadi in the Himalayas.
• We see Duryodhana's jealousy to continue to boil and progress the plot.
• With Karna on the hunt of the Pandavas brothers, Arjuna must go into hiding and disguise himself.
• Karna never figures out that the pandavas are his brothers
• Parallels between the Ramayana and the Mahabharata become apparent. Sita and draupadi show similar fates when in the forest. We also see that Hanuman was in the world at both times that these stories took place



Ghatotkacha.

• Bhishma is not as loyal as Karna and foreshadows the fate of Duryodhana.
• I am excited for what is to come next and am glad that the plot is finally becoming clear.