Week 13 Reading Notes: Part A of The Five Tall Sons of Pandu

The reading is divided into two parts, Part A and Part B. These reading notes will be over Part A of Richard Wilsons Indian Story Book, The Five Tall Sons of Pandu. 

To start with, Pandu is the father of five tall sons. These sons are Yudhishthira, Bhima, Arjuna, and a pair of twins, Nakula and Sahadeva. As the original plot of the Mahabharata states, when Pandu dies, his blind brother, Dhritarashtra becomes king. He still has a hundred sons in this version of the story. Duryodhana is still the eldest of all of the hundred sons of the king. Drona trains all the young princes in the arts of war. 

After years of training, the princes have grown up and also mastered the arts of war. Drona composes a tournament and all of the cousins engage in mock battles. Duryodhana, the son of the blind king, and Bhima fight so harshly that Drona had to stop their fight to prevent any more escalation. Also, Arjuna is noticed for his impeccable skills in archery. A mysterious unknown man named Karna challenges Arjuna to a duel. A herald proclaims Arjuna's lineage, the Pandava's, but the stranger could not claim his. Duryodhana then crowns the unknown warrior king of Huga. (idk why he did that lol)

Shortly after, a charioteer fumbles upon the tournament pitch and Karna claims that it is father. Bhima was angered that Arjuna's opponent was son of a charioteer and begins to mock and tease him. Duryodhana, of course, defends the unknown warrior, Karna. Everyone realizes that Karna has skills that would give strong competiton to Arjuna. 

When Yudhishthira is named hair apparent to throne, Duryodhana is left furious because it is his own father who is the throne. Duryodhana schemes a nasty plan. He attempts to trap the Pandavas and their mother, Kunti, in a burning house. They are able to escape the house and disguise themselves as hermits. As hermits, they all travel to the swayamvara of Princess Draupadi, daughter of King Drupada of Panchala. Drupada, the king, has heard great things of Arjuna. He wants him to win his daughter in a contest, so he sets up an archery that he thinks only Arjuna can hit. Everyone who attempts fails, but Karna. Draupadi, the daughter of the king, claims she cannot marry a low born husband. Soon after, as a hermit, Arjuna strings the bow and hits the target. Everyone is angry and attacks the group of hermits, but Krishna tells them to stop and bow to the winner. Arjuna can now take his newly wife back home. He tells his mother he won a prize, but she doesn't know what it is. She tells Arjuna that the prize belongs to Yudhishthira, since he is the eldest. 

With Draupadi being the wife of Yudhishthira, the Pandavas have now made an alliance with King Drupada. This causes Duryodhana to divide the kingdom. Duryodhana takes the most rich half of the kingdom along the Ganges river and he gives the Pandavas the poor side along the Yamuna river. The Pandavas are able to build a gorgeous city and perform a special ceremony for Yudhishthira's introduction as king. Everyone attends this ceremony including their blind uncle, Dhritarashtra and Duryodhana. 

Now that Yudhishthira is king of his own half, Duryodhana begins to envy them even more. He decides to trick Yudhishthira in a game of dice with his uncle Shakuni. Shakuni cheats during this game and causes Yudhishthira to lose everything including his brothers, Draupadi, and himself. Dhritarashtra isn't happy with the gambling match and decides the Pandavas will serve time in exile instead of being slaves to them. 

The Gambling Match that leaves Yudhishthira with nothing. 

Bibliography: The Indian Story Book: The Five Tall Sons of Pandu by Richard Wilson. 1914