Reading Notes: PDE Mahabrahata Part A
Vyasa and Ganesha
by John Mandeville Macfie (1921)
This story starts out talking about Vyasa wanting to find someone to write down his stories, but he didn't see any human being as fit to transcribe for him. Brahma told him that Ganesha would write for him, and Ganesha agreed with the condition that he told the Mahabrahata straight through without stopping.
After this, Vyasa begins his birth story. His grandfather, King Uparichara, was given a flying crystal car, and while driving it over the river, some of his semen fell out into a river. A fish in the river ate the semen and became pregnant. After 10 months, a fisherman caught the fish and along came two children, a boy and a girl. The fisherman brought the kids to the King, and he kept the boy but told the fisherman to keep the girl. Satyavati was described as beautiful but smelled "fishy". She spent her time helping the fisherman on the river. While travelling on the river, she meets rishi Parashara, who convinces her to "yield to his embraces", but she'd still be able to be a virgin. She agrees on the condition that he gets rid of her fishy smell, which he does and replaces it with a sweet smell that could be smelt from miles away. Satyavati then births a child who becomes Vyasa.
Drona, son of Bharadwaja
by Donald A. Mackenzie (1913)
This is a story about friendship. Drona and Drupada were raised like brothers both being raised by Bharadwaja, and both having no mother (Drona was born from a nymph). They had a close bond, but when Drupada became King of Panchala, Drona decided to get married, have a family, and learn rites and rituals from sages. One day, Drona gets supernatural powers and heavenly weapons from a sage when he retired. Immediately, he goes to Drupada's kingdom to share them with him, but is met with an attitude. Drupada says that they might've grown up together like brothers, but Drona is a peseant and he can't be bothered with beggars. He also says that because of this class difference, they cannot be friends and to forget about whatever relationship they had in the past. Drona is shocked by Drupada's harsh words and simply turns and leaves the kingdom.
Both of these stories come from the PDE Mahabrahata.
by John Mandeville Macfie (1921)
This story starts out talking about Vyasa wanting to find someone to write down his stories, but he didn't see any human being as fit to transcribe for him. Brahma told him that Ganesha would write for him, and Ganesha agreed with the condition that he told the Mahabrahata straight through without stopping.
After this, Vyasa begins his birth story. His grandfather, King Uparichara, was given a flying crystal car, and while driving it over the river, some of his semen fell out into a river. A fish in the river ate the semen and became pregnant. After 10 months, a fisherman caught the fish and along came two children, a boy and a girl. The fisherman brought the kids to the King, and he kept the boy but told the fisherman to keep the girl. Satyavati was described as beautiful but smelled "fishy". She spent her time helping the fisherman on the river. While travelling on the river, she meets rishi Parashara, who convinces her to "yield to his embraces", but she'd still be able to be a virgin. She agrees on the condition that he gets rid of her fishy smell, which he does and replaces it with a sweet smell that could be smelt from miles away. Satyavati then births a child who becomes Vyasa.
Drona, son of Bharadwaja
by Donald A. Mackenzie (1913)
This is a story about friendship. Drona and Drupada were raised like brothers both being raised by Bharadwaja, and both having no mother (Drona was born from a nymph). They had a close bond, but when Drupada became King of Panchala, Drona decided to get married, have a family, and learn rites and rituals from sages. One day, Drona gets supernatural powers and heavenly weapons from a sage when he retired. Immediately, he goes to Drupada's kingdom to share them with him, but is met with an attitude. Drupada says that they might've grown up together like brothers, but Drona is a peseant and he can't be bothered with beggars. He also says that because of this class difference, they cannot be friends and to forget about whatever relationship they had in the past. Drona is shocked by Drupada's harsh words and simply turns and leaves the kingdom.
Both of these stories come from the PDE Mahabrahata.
Depicted is Vyasa asking Ganesha to be his scribe, and also Vyasa telling the stories and Ganesha writeing them down.
Image Source: MFA Boston
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