Famous Last Words

This past week went by pretty smoothly and I didn't have that many things to do so it was good. However, because it was one of the better weeks I had (since I didn't have as many things to do), I was a bit lazy with other assignments. On top of it being a nice week with homework and assignments, it was also a beautiful week with weather so just relaxing outside on a bench was pushed to the top of my list of priorities. The other big thing that happened this past week was the Medieval Fair! For all of you who go to OU, you should definitely know what this is since they have it every year at the end of March and it is pretty much right in your face. They start set up about a week prior to the event and the event itself lasts three days. Even if you don't like these kind of things, you should go just to see all that they are selling because everything is so cool. It's even more cool how they all dress up and talk as if you were in the medieval times. The absolutely BEST part though, is the jousting! That is one of the main reasons I go. I always had a love for "medieval-ish" kind of things, being a Game of Thrones and Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit fan, I immerse myself into these things completely.

That was all in terms of my life outside school. For this class in specific though, I enjoyed this past week's reading assignments. They were definitely some of the more fascinating reads and also, because I love the Pandavas, I enjoyed it even more. I was a bit sad at the ending though. I didn't really like how everyone just one by one died. It made things appear a bit depressing, but still, I did love the whole story!

Mine is definitely the latter... or is it?

Source: Becuo

Storytelling

Reading Diary B (Kurukshetra War)

Narayan's Mahabharata
Pages: 133-179

• Yudhishthira tries for peace one last time and is sending Krisha to do so at Hastinpura. Over there, Dhritarashtra is eager to see Krishna. Duryodhana, though, is ready to capture Krishna. Always making trouble, that kid. Tsk, tsk.
• Before leaving, Krishna spoke to Karna and tried to convince him to leave Duryodhana but Karna didn't budge. 
• He promises his mother, Kunti, that the only one he will hurt in the battle is Arjuna (her son from Pandu).
• At Krishna's urging, Yudhishthira makes Dhrishtadyumna, Draupadi's brother, the supreme commander of his troops. 
• The old warrior Bhishma is the supreme commander of Duryodhana's troops. 
• The battle is to take place on the field of Kurukshetra.
• Arjuna is having a hard time with this war, not wanting to fight his family. Krishna helps him here and gives him a bit of a pep-talk and afterwards Arjuna is ready to fight.
• Arjuna shoots Bhishma from behind and he falls.
• Drona is now made the commanding general of Duryodhana's armies. At Duryodhana's urging, Drona attempts to capture Yudhishthira alive and sets up a diversion to lead Arjuna away from the main battle.
• Karna uses the invincible weapon that he was to use on Arjuna to kill Ghatokacha. 
• Drona gets killed by Dhristadyumna.
• Karna, in the fight against Arjuna, gets killed by Arjuna.
• Duryodhana is finally the last one left and is still defiant up until the end where he calls out Krishna for being deceitful.
• The Pandavas return to Hastinpura but no one is happy with the deaths. 
• Yushishthira becomes king.
• The Pandavas die slowly one by one, until Yudhishthira is left who goes to heaven in his bodily form. The son of Arjuna's son becomes king and continues the Pandava line. 
• Kind of a sad ending...

Kurukshetra War

Source: Elatrip

Reading Diary A (Pandavas exile continued)

Narayan's Mahabharata
Pages: 85 - 131

• Dhritarashtra has people here and there watching the Pandavas to keep check on where they are and what they are doing. Meanwhile, Duryodhana is still plotting against the Pandavas. He really doesn't know how to let go...
• He comes up with a plan to humiliate the Pandavas though that completely backfires when he gets captures. 
• In the end, the Pandavas are the one freeing Duryodhana from captivity.
• *Storytelling* Pandavas vs Kauravas? 
•  The Pandavas are currently living in the forest.
• Nakula goes to a stream while in search of the deer the brahmin sent the princes out to capture. Being so thirsty, he drank the water and ignored the message of the voice saying not to because the water is poisonous. The rest of his brothers do the same except for Yudhishthira who answered the questions and the brothers were brought back to life.
• Thus began their thirteenth year of exile in disguise at the court of King Virata.
• **Possible Story**
• Yudhishthira is the King's companion.
• Sahadeva is a cow herder.
• Nakula is a stable boy.
• Arjuna lives as "Brihannala" and lives as a eunuch with the women.
• Draupadi is Sairandhri, the hairdresser of Virata's queen (Sudeshna).
• She is raped though by the general and the queen's brother Kichaka.
• Bhima avenges her by squeezing the man to death.
• Susharman proposes to steal Kichaka's cattle... along with Duryodhana. They go on a cattle raid and end up capturing the King Virata and stealing his cattle. Bhima rescues him though and captures Susharman. 
• Now Krishna proposes that half the kingdom be given to the Pandavas, though war is urged for amongst both sides. One side (Duryodhana) gets Krishna's million soldiers while the Pandavas get Krishna himself (since Anjuma chose him).

Draupadi and the Pandavas <3

Source: Photobucket