Week 9: Reading Diary A

Points of Interest:

• King Santanu has a thing for girls he randomly finds...
• It was noble of Bhishma to give up his place in order to give his father happiness
• Bhishma stuck to his guns when it came to keeping vows
• Funny how the mother's behavior affected the way her child turned out--made me think of how mothers who do drugs and drink alcohol can have babies with related conditions
• Dhritarashtra is blind
• Pandi is pale
• Vidura is normal
• So many guys are blocked from having kids! 
• "The Mahabharata may be said to be a tale of conflict between the two groups that never ceased except with death" (p. 10) Pandavas vs. sons of Dhritarashtra
• Well... that escalated quickly. The teasing of childhood soon became trying to write each other off
• Like Rama, Dhritarashtra cared a bit too much what his people thought
• Bhima is a super manly man-- caring for his family and sweet in that regard but super tough in facing the demon
• I like how Draupadi was born "Dark and beautiful" instead of fair, like what is valued in India. Not that being fair/dark matters, but it's great that the beauty standard is irrelevant when discussing Draupadi's beauty
• Similar to Ramayana: Draupadi's man must be able to string a bow and then shoot five arrows at moving target above by looking at reflection below-- skills!!!!
• "Draupadi watched the process of elimination with relief" (p. 32)
• Draupadi wanted a good man-- the behavior of the others repulsed her
• Good for Karna! She doesn't want you, so you back off. Women are not something to be stolen!!!!
• So awkward.... how it happened for Draupadi to go from Arjuna's fiance to the fiance of FIVE guys! So.... before there were sister wives.... there were brother husbands?????
• Well, she could never get bored, switchign husbands every year....