Q #1: In the end of the story, it mentions that Duryodhana is in
heaven and greets Yudhistera. Why does Duryodhana end up in heaven
after all of the awful things he did to the Pandavas?
A: According to what i have learned from my childhood, i have learnt
that the Kauravas went to hell including Duryodhana. However your
question made me think of another possiblity. They say that Yudhistera
was tested before he was admitted tthrough the gates of heaven, so It
was a test that Duryodhana was there to greet him and Once in heaven
Yudhishthira faced one final test of his virtue: He saw only the
Dhartarashtras in heaven, and he was told that his brothers were in
hell. He insisted on joining his brothers in hell, if that be the case!
It was then revealed that they were really in heaven, that this
illusion had been one final test for him.
Q #2: Why do good people visit hell before they enter heaven, and why
do bad people go to heaven before being sent to hell?
A: I didnt know that the mythology had a concept of good people
visiting hell before they enter heaven, and bad people going to heaven
before being sent to hell. Maybe it is to make the bad people see what
they would really be missing so that in their next birth they would do
better deeds, and the good people are shown hell to remind them how
lucky they are to be rewarded by being sent to heaven as compared to
hell.
Q #3: How do the Pandavas end up dying? That part of the story really
confused me.
A: There is a story about the pandavas death. When pandavas learn of
Lord Krishna's death, the Pandavas believed it time for them to leave
this world too and they embarked upon the 'Great Journey,' which
involved walking north toward the polar mountain, that is toward the
heavenly worlds, until one's body dropped dead. One by one Draupadi and
the younger Pandavas died along the way until Yudhishthira was left
alone with a dog that had followed him all the way. Yudhishthira made
it to the gate of heaven and there refused the order to drive the dog
back, at which point the dog was revealed to be an incarnate form of
the God Dharma (the God who was Yudhishthira's actual, physical
father), who was there to test Yudhishthira's virtue. (Quoted from
http://web.utk.edu/~jftzgrld/MBh1Story.html )
Q #4: What is your opinion of Radheya? He fights against the Pandavas
even after he finds out that they are his brothers.
A: I feel that Raheya is one of the most valliant characters in the
Mahabharata, he is one of the most loyal friend of Duryodhana. He
fights for Duryodhana despite the fact that he discovers that the
pandavas are his step brothers, becasue he had given his word to
duryodhana that he would be by his side. He is forever grateful to
Duryodhana for having given him the title of a prince of one of his
kingdom. SInce he was fatherless, it meant a lot to him.
Q #5: Who is your favorite character in the Mahabharata? Also, who is
the popular favorite Mahabharata character in Bhutan/India.
A: My favorite character is Krishna, not because I have the same name
as him. I feel that he epitomizes the principles of right versus wrong
and our duty as a human being to be able to fight against injustice and
also not to forget his diplomacy skills. He is also the most popular
character in my country too.
Q #6: What are your feelings about Duryodhana? What are the popular
feelings about him/. Do people sympathize slightly with him? Or does
everyone completely hate his character?
A: He is potrayed as a really arogant and egoistical character, I feel
that he was influenced by other people to make many of the bad
decisions that he made. but yes he is not a very popular character.
Q #7: The Pandavas are praised and respected in this story basically
just because of their immense skill in fighting. Is this a common
theme in the literature of Bhutan/India? Is the ability to fight well
emphasized a lot?
A: The pandavas are not respected simply for their fighting skills,
but because of their to be honest and true to their word.
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4 comments:
Q #1: In the end of the story, it mentions that Duryodhana is in
heaven and greets Yudhistera. Why does Duryodhana end up in heaven
after all of the awful things he did to the Pandavas?
A: This is because of the Kshatriya Dharma. Duryodhana died as a warrior ON THE BATTLEFIELD - hence he is in Swarga. He died doing his duty. He was a good king - that is not to be mistaken. Duryodhana was very knowledgeable about Raja Neeti and politics and such, but his only flaw - his ambition and his hatred of the Pandavas led to his demise.
Q #2: Why do good people visit hell before they enter heaven, and why
do bad people go to heaven before being sent to hell?
A: The Good people are sent to hell first so that they can suffer for a little while for their sins and then can reap the rewards of the good life in heaven. Bad people - Vice versa.
Q #3: How do the Pandavas end up dying? That part of the story really
confused me.
A: After the massacre at Prabhasa of the Yadava clan, Krishna rides away from the scene and sees Balarama turn into Adisesha and return to Vaikuntha. Krishna realized that he should do the same. He lies down to rest and a hunter, seeing his holy feet, thinks that it is a deer and shoots an arrow at it. The hunter then finds out that he has shot Sri Krishna, but Krishna thanks him for ending his avatar and blesses him with moksha and returns to Vaikunta. Right before he returns to Vaikunta, he tells his charioteer Daruka to go to Hastinapur and tell Arjun of the tragedy and to round up all the women and elderly of Dwaraka and take them to Hastinapur because Dwaraka would submerge as soon as Krishna left the Earth. As Arjun is riding back to Hastinapur, he is attacked by a bunch of petty thieves. He takes up his Gandiva to fight, but is shocked at the fact that he can't even fight them - the hero who destroyed the Kaurava army - did not have the skills to fight a band of thieves because of the fact that Krishna had left the Earth. All the jewels are captured and the citizens of Dwaraka die. Arjuna returns to Yudhistir and tells him what happened. Yuddhistir decides it is time for the Pandavas to leave the Earth as well. They appoint Parikshit, Abhimanyu's son as King and leave the Earth. As they walk toward the heavens, a dog follows them. First Draupadi dies along the way. Yudhistir explains to Bhim that it is becaue of her vanity of hher beauty and her partiality to Arjuna. One by the Pandavas fall execept for Yudhistira - Sahadeva because of the thought that he was smarter than everyone else; Nakula because he thought he was the more handsome than everyone else; Arjuna because he thought he was a better archer than everyone else' Bhima because he thought he was stronger than everyone else and ate too much. The dog follows Yudhishtir to the heavens and Yudhishtir is let in but the dog is not. Yudhishtir refuses to enter without the dog. The dog, who was actually Dharma Deva, shows his form and blesses Yudhishtir. He is then in heaven and is reunited with his brothers.
Q #4: What is your opinion of Radheya? He fights against the Pandavas
even after he finds out that they are his brothers.
A: Karna is the most sorry character in the Mahabharata. You will always feel sorry for him because of his gratitude toward Duryodhana - for him Dharma was evertyhing and he never strayed away from it UNLESS it was for Duryodhana's sake - which eventually led to his downfall.
Q #5: Who is your favorite character in the Mahabharata? Also, who is
the popular favorite Mahabharata character in Bhutan/India.
A: Sri Krishna is definitely the most important character and should be the favorite character of everyone.
Q #6: What are your feelings about Duryodhana? What are the popular
feelings about him/. Do people sympathize slightly with him? Or does
everyone completely hate his character?
A: Look above at answer for number 1.
Q #7: The Pandavas are praised and respected in this story basically
just because of their immense skill in fighting. Is this a common
theme in the literature of Bhutan/India? Is the ability to fight well
emphasized a lot?
A: The pandavas are not respected simply for their fighting skills,
but because of their to be honest and true to their word. - BINGO
I feel Duryodhana was righteous the entire time.. The throne was rightfully his - it belonged in his lineage. I feel sympathy for his trials and tribulations.. and ultimately he did go to heaven and the pandavas did go to hell. Draupadi deserved her embarrasment for telling Duryodhana "son of blind man is blind". And the Pandavas deservered thier stay in the forest for gambling. I feel no sympathy for Pandavas's action.
I do believe in a God, and if it is Krishna, then tell him to destroy the earth, because too many of his own children are suffering.
I would like to add a point about shakuni and the revenge to kuru dynasty.
As per legend, on the advice of astrologers, to avert a calamity it was said that Gandhari was married to a goat before getting married to Dhritarashtra. And the goat had been sacrificed promptly thereafter. Technically, this made Gandhari a widow and Dhritarashtra her second husband. Many years later when her husband Dhritarashtra learns about this truth, shocked and enraged, Dhritrashtra puts Gandhari’s entire family,including king Subala in prison. In prison, they were served just one fistful of rice every day. Realizing that this was an elaborate plan to starve them to death, Gandhari’s father declared that none but his youngest son would eat the sparse food being served, so that at least one amongst them would survive to avenge the death of the rest. The youngest son of king Subala was Shakuni. He survived and swore not to rest until all of Kuru kingdom is destroyed . He used the bones of his father to make the dice with which he was able to defeat the Pandavas in the gambling match, and thus which eventually led to the war at Kurukshetra and also to the destruction of entire Kuru clan.His father twisted his one leg to give him a permanent limp as a constant reminder of revenge.
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