Mahabharata Chapter 06

Welcome to Episode 6 of Bhagavad Gita: Mahabharata.
In this series I outline the epic of the Mahabharata. The events that happened before and after the Bhagavad Gita.

For those that have not watched my Bhagavad Gita series you can find it on https://youtu.be/ZRr0tmRqGgc

For this series I have drawn inspiration from the works of
Sudipta Bhawmik and Avi Ziv in their series “Stories of the Mahabharata” https://shows.acast.com/thestoriesofmahabharata as well as the illustrated “Mahabharata” by Manoj Publications www.manojpublications.com.

Music by ShidenBeatsMusic from Pixabay
Before her marriage to Shantanu, Satyavati met a Sage named Parashar. Their union created a son who they called Vyasa. Like his father, Vyasa was a great sage who had omniscient and spiritual powers.

The kingdom needed an heir and since Bhishma was bound by his oath to never take the crown and to remain celibate, Satyavati summoned Vyasa to help with their predicament.

Vyasa had promised his mother that he would always be on hand to assist with any problems she may have. Satyavati explained the situation with the death of her son before he could produce heirs with his two queens.
As the half-brother of the King, Vyasa had the right to produce an heir to the kingdom with the queens. Vyasa agreed to perform the duties as required.

Ambika was sent to Vyasa’s chambers. But Vyasa appeared to her as an extremely hideous man. Ambika closed her eyes in horror all through the blessing ceremony. Afterwards Vyasa said to his mother. Amabika would produce an heir that was healthy and powerful BUT he would be blind from birth.

Then the second Queen Ambalika was sent to Vyasa’s chambers. When Ambalika saw Vyasa she turned pale white in terror. After the process was complete. Vyasa informed his mother “Ambika will have a valiant son BUT he will be pale white in appearance and suffer from jaundice all his life”
Unsatisfied with the situation Satyavati instructed Ambika to return to Vyasa’s chambers to get blessed again. She was determined that there should be a normal, complete child with no handicaps However Ambika would not subject herself to Vyasa again. She dressed her handmaiden in her clothes and sent the handmaiden to Vyasa in her place.

Unlike the two queens the handmaiden performed her duties without fear and with detachment. After the blessing ceremony Vyasa said to her, you will produce a son who will be wise, artful, diplomatic and a man of great learning. He will free you of your life as a handmaiden. Vyasa, his duties completed, then disappeared.

The first son born to Ambika was named Dhritrashtra and he was blind. The second son born to Ambalika was named Pandu as he was pale white in colour. The 3rd perfect son born to the handmaiden was named Vidura.
When the boys came of age Pandu was appointed as King although he was the second son. Dhritrashtra was not thought capable since he was blind. Vidura was appointed Prime Minister.

Dhritrashtra was arranged married to the princess Gandhari of Gandhar. When Gandhari learnt her husband to be was blind she chose to wear a blindfold from that day forth, so that she experienced the world as her husband did.

Pandu was married to Princess Kunti of the Yadava dynasty. However, Bhishma motivated for Pandu to take a second wife from the Madra kingdom. This would further strengthen the empire. So, Pandu took Princess Madri as his second wife.

Kunti, like the Queens before her, had a secret. One that in the years to come would shake the kingdom of Hastinapur to its very core.

Видео Mahabharata Chapter 06 канала Arjuna Avatar