Week 14 Reading Notes: Krishna: The Saviour , Part I

Shalva Attacks Dwarka

Krishna was in Indraprastha when the attack happened. Shalva was Shishupala's friend and wanted to avenge him by destroying all Yadavas. He began penance to summon Shiva and ask for a boon. He asks for a vehicle to attack the Yadavas. The vehicle can travel anywhere. 

Vehicle Features:

• Carries thousands of people
•  Indestructible
• Travel in air, water, and land.
• Disappears/ Teleports

Pradyumna (Krishna's son) took charge and attacked the army along with his brothers and the 

Yadava warriors. They shot a bunch of arrows until they hit Shalva. Shalva's minister hits Pradyumna so his charioteer retreats. Pradyumna is angry when he wakes up because they ran away.

The charioteer does his dharma and protects Pradyumna. 

They go back and continue the battle which was still happening. As Krishna and Balarama return and find their city chaos and their chariot is struck by an arrow and Krishna's shoulder.

Krishna attacks Shalva and he disappears with his magic vehicle. Shalva kidnaps Vasudeva (Krishna's father) and beheads him in front of Krishna but it turns out to be an illusion. 

Sudama Visits Krishna

Sudama is brahmin and one of Krishna's childhood friends. He lived in poverty with his wife. When he visits he takes rice to give to Krishna but is embarrassed to give it. Krishna appreciates it and Sudama spends the night in his palace. When he leaves, Krishna doesn't give him anything because wealth can ruin a person. 

Sudama is understanding of this.

When he returns to his home, he sees a palace. He also has servants. 

Arjuna Marries Subhadra

Arjuna and Subhadra
Image Source: (Raja Ravi Varma)

Subhadra is Krishna and Balarama's sister. Balarama was planning to marry her off to Duryodhana which Vasudeva and Krishna were against.

Isn't it up to the father who his daughter marries? 

Arjuna hears about this and goes to visit Balarama in disguise as a brahmin. Subhadra fell in love with Arjuna at first sight. He kidnaps her with Vasudeva and Krishna's help. 

Week 13 Reading Notes: Krishna: An Ally of the Pandavas, Part B

Dvivda

He is an ape with the strength of ten thousand elephants. Enraged by his friend, Narakasura's death, he goes to get revenge on Krishna by creating havoc in Anarta.

• Throws boulders on houses
• Churned sea with his hands until coastal villages submerged
• Kidnapped & held people captive 

Balarama stops him with his favorite weapon, a pestle.

Samba & Princess Lakshman

Duryodhana holds an event since it's time for his daughter to get married.

It's ironic how Duryodhana's daughter is named Lakshmana.

Samba (Krishna's son) kidnaps her in front of everyone. He tries to, fight the warriors himself and his overpowered by the Kauravas and is held captive. Narada tells Balarama and he goes to Hastinapura to persuade them to release Samba. It doesn't work so Balarama causes an earthquake in their kingdom with his weapon. They release Samba and his new wife to prevent Balarama from destroying the kingdom and ask him for forgiveness. 

 So it looks like Duryodhana did do his dharma as a king after all. 

Narada Visits Krishna 

Krishna, The Pandavas and Narada converse with Bhishma who is on the bed of Arrows
Image Source: (Ramanarayanadatta astri)

He was curious about how Krishna was living after marrying so many women. Each of his forms were doing regular things with their families. 

A messenger comes to seek Krishna's help. Several kings have been held captive by Jarasandha in Girivraja. Bheema is sent to handle the issue while Krishna attends a ceremony for the Pandavas at the advice of  his council. 

They go disguised as Brahmins and declare a fight with Jarasandha. He refuses to fight Krishna and Arjuna because he doesn't think they are worthy enough but he fights Bheema and even gives him a mace. They both fight with maces.

Jarasandha seems to be somewhat fair. 

The fight went on for days because both men had equal strength and fighting skills. Krishna gives Bheema a hint by breaking a twig. Jarasandha could be defeated if he was broken like a twig since his mother put two halves together to create him.

Jarasandha's son, Sahadeva, became king afterwards.

He was the good guy unlike his father. 

p. 224 The Yajna

The Pandavas prepare for the Yajna ceremony. A prince gets jealous because Krishna is given the first worship. Some people get angry and leave while others were ready to fight Shishupala for insulting Krishna. Krishna tries to calm everyone down but Shishupala tries to attack him and ends up getting his head cut off by Krishna. 

Duryodhana is jealous of the Pandavas wealth after the ceremony and thinks the palace built by Maya is in an illusion. Everyone but Yudhishthira laughed at him so Duryodhana did not attend the ceremony. 

Week 13 Reading Notes: Krishna: The Victorious, Part A

Krishna's Visits the Pandavas

Krishna stays with the Pandavas for 4 months during the rainy season. Arjuna meets a woman named Kalindi (daughter of Surya). and learns that she wants Lord Vishnu to be her husband and is undergoing penance for it. She vowed to live in the forest until she meets Krishna. They end up getting married. He then marries another woman who happens to be a sister of Duryodhana's ally.

He tames seven bulls to marry another woman. He tames them by creating seven forms of himself.  The couple leaves with an army behind them to Dwarka.

Krishna' rescues 16,000 princesses that ask to be his wives
Image Source: (Wikipedia)

It looks like Krishna married every girl that wanted him or needed saving.

Seven sons of Mura attack Krishna after Krishna breaks the mountain surrounding a city. Krishna fights them because they stole the earring of Mother Aditi. Inside the palace, he finds 16,000 princesses imprisoned. They had all been captured by Narakasura.

Seven seems to be significant in this story. 

Krishna sends the women to Dwarka and splits himself into multiple versions of himself and marries all of them. He gives each of them their own palace to live in.

Each of his wives have 10 sons each.

Meanwhile Banasura is devoted to Shiva. Shiva finally appears and grants Banasura a boon until Banasura asks for it. He says that his thousand hands are useless and asks Shiva to protect him in his fight against Krishna. Shiva is angered but grants him the boon but tells him his arrogance will be crushed.

Aniruddha

Usha has a dream of Aniruddha (Krishna's son) and Usha's close friend summons him into the palace which is heavily guarded. Banasura is angry. Meanwhile in Dwarka no one has seen Aniruddha in 4 months and its revealed that he'd been captured by Banasura. 

Shiva helps Banasura fight Krishna but is put to sleep by Krishna. Krishna cuts off Banasura arms and spares him. Banasura is  grateful to him.

Week 12 Reading Notes: Krishna: The Enchanter, Part B

Jursasandha is still having a war with Krishna.

The brothers run from him and make it look like they jumped to their deaths. The king of Magadha thinks he destroyed them.

Balarama Gets Married

Balarama marries Revati. Meanwhile Krishna wants to marry a girl named Rukmini because of her intelligence and beauty. She has five brothers, all of who hate Krishna because of their loyalty to Shishupala. She sends a messenger to tell Krishna what's happening. 

The two  come up with a plan to elope.

Rukimini's brother gives Krishna a chance to give up Rukmini and leave but Krishna fights him. When he's about to kill her brother, she stops him. Rama shaves half his head instead. Balarama explains to Rukmini that her brother deserved what he got and not to hate them for what they've done.

Balarama always justifies Krishna's actions.

Krishna and Rukmini get married while Rukmi vows to get revenge on Krishna.

p.159

An Incarnation of Kamadeva Is Born

Krishna's son is born. His name is Pradyumna. He is kidnapped by a demon and is thrown into the ocean and eaten by a fish. Some fishermen catch the fish and find the baby inside its stomach. Mayavati (Kamadeva's husband) finds him, raises him, and trains him to fight a demon.

She takes him to Krishna's palace. Rukmini recognizes him. Krishna is falsely blamed for a crime.

Krishna suggested that Satrajit give his gem to King Ugrasena but he gives it to his brother, Parsena for a day. Parsena is killed by a lion and Jambavan, a bear, finds it and gives it to his son to play with. 

Satrajit wonders if Krishna killed his brother for the gem and a rumor is spread.

A story can be made about the gem and how it travels from person to person.

Krishna investigates what happened to Parsena. Jambavati and Krishna fight for 28 days and finally work out their differences. 

Syamantaka Gem
Image Source: Sarang

p. 168

Ugrasena Court

Krishna explains how he got the gem and proves his innocence. To atone for his crimes, Satrajit gives his daughter to Krishna to marry and also the gem. He is murdered because by two men who wanted to marry his daughter. They killed him as revenge and took the gem. The men are scared when they find out Krishna is after them.

Krishna sounds like a bounty hunter. 

Week 12 Reading Notes: Krishna: The Lord of Dwarka, Part A

The Sons Reunite with their Parents

Krishna and Balrama's birth parents forget that they are their sons and treat them like they're gods so he casts a spell on them to make them forget about his divinity for a little bit.

Krishna also visits his grandfather, Ugrasena, who was also imprisoned by Kamsa and makes him king of Yadavas again and the people return to the kingdom. They had originally fled to neighboring kingdoms.

Krishna and Ugrasena
Image Source: Wikipedia

p. 116 Krishna and Balrama's Guru

The brothers go to the ashram and are taught by sage Sandipani. Based on tradition, they make an offering to their guru. The guru asks that Krishna restores his son who drowned at a seashore called Prabhasa. The boys set out to the seashore and speak to the ocean that assumes the form of a human. The ocean reveals that an asura disguised as a conch shell lives in the ocean took the sage's son away. He kills the demon and takes the shell to the Yama, the Lord of Death and fetch the guru's son. 

p.118 The Messenger

Krishna sends a messenger to let his adoptive parents, Nanda and Yashoda know that he and Balarama are okay. Nanda questions if his son even remembers him. The messenger stays at Vrindavana for several months talking about Krishna with the Gopikas before returning and telling Krishna about what's been going on back home.

Krishna and The Pandavas

Krishna sends his uncle, Akura, to visit the Pandavas in Hastinapura. Their father has died and Duryodhana has taken over the kingdom. Krishna wants to go check on them to make sure they're okay.

p. 120 Krishna and the Pandavas are close friends. 

It looks like someone(Akura) was watching the Pandavas when they were tricked into the gambling match. Akura is Kunti's cousin and talks to her about it. He tries to reason with Duryodhana's father and learns his favoring his own sons (Kauravas) over the Pandavas (no surprise there).

Kamsa's Wives

After Kamsa's death, his wives go back to their fathers and tell them what happened. The King of Magadha, Jarasandha wants revenge.  

Krishna has a small army. He blows his conch shell which scared Jarasandha's army. Jurasandha says he's embarrassed to fight Krishna alone because he is so young and lets Balarama fight with him.

At least he's fair.

The brothers destroy the army and let the king live. The king felt humiliated and was going to atone for it but was convinced by other kings that he could defeat Krishna.

p.133 Krishna vs. Kalyavana

Jarasandha attacks seventeen more times loses each time. On the eighteenth time Kalayavana confronts them because he thought he was as mighty as the brothers. 

The brothers create a fort city to protect the people. Krishna approached Kalayvana without weapons so he puts his weapons away too. 

Kalayvana is also fair.

Krishna makes Kalyvana chase him into a cave. In the cave, he finds a sleeping man that he thought was Krishna and kicks him. The man turns out ot be an asura and sets Kalayvana on fire with his eyes which turns him into ashes.

Week 11 Famous Last Words: So Close, Yet So Far

I can't believe how close it until the end of the semester. At the same time it feels so far! This week I was able to get a head a little on Storytelling and have written stories for all the upcoming weeks which I will be posting soon.

This week I have two midterms. I am really happy with my grades right now. Unlike some of my previous semesters, I've been able to keep them where I want them. Of course there's always room for improvements. Since I haven't had much homework this week, I 've been studying for midterms.

This week one of my professor's wanted to make our midterm review fun and is having a scavenger hunt for us. I'm hoping it isn't too cold since he wants us to run around campus to solve the problems.

My new puppy, Tuffy, finally got his first round of shots so that was exciting. He's also learning how to sit. Shiva has been taking great care of his new little brother and absolutely adores him. It's really entertaining to watch them play with each other. Of course since Shiva is the big brother, he likes to mess with Tuffy by putting his paw on him and taking his toys. Here is a short video of one of their antics:

Despite, finals, I have been able to find some time to relax. This weekend saw two movies with some friends. We saw the Blockers, which by the way was hilarious! We also saw A Quiet Place. That one had a lot of suspense and was very interesting since the people did not talk most of the time in the movie. Below is a trailer of the movie A Quiet Place posted from YouTube.

Week 11 Story: The States vs. Vyomasura

A little boy walks in looking innocent. I rolled my eyes. How dumb do thse asuras think I am? I noticed the horse was missing some teeth. I smirked, serves him right. 


JUDGE KARMA: Cut the crap. I know it's you, Vyomasura.


The boy transforms into a large man. His skin is an ugly muddy brown. He had long, black hair and a moustache. On his ears were golden earrings and around his neck was a gold necklace. He was not wearing a no shirt but thankfully he had on pants. His pants were red with a green cloth and a golden belt. It was not a pleasant sight to see.

He sheepishly smiled at Judge Karma.

VYOMASURA: Well, it was worth a shot.


JUDGE KARMA(Giving Vyomasura a bored look): Do I even have to explain why your here?


VYOMASURA: It wasn't my fault, your Honor. Kamsa told me to do it.


JUDGE KARMA: You kidnapped five boys and then held them hostage in a cave. You say that's not your fault?


VYOMASURA: It was the only way I could get to Krishna.


JUDGE KARMA: So you admit, you were trying to  kill Krishna?


VYOMASURA: What? No!


JUDGE KARMA: It sure sounds like it.


VYOMASURA: Fine! Yes! I did but like I said, Kamsa told me to. He is my king and I could not disobey him. But what about the fact that Krishna knocked me out and nearly killed me?


JUDGE KARMA(Looking at Krishna in amusement): Oh really? Krishna do you care to explain why you did this?


At this point Judge Karma was only mocking Vyomasura.


KRISHNA(Smiling at Judge Karma): Sure thing, your Honor. We were playing hide and seek but then I noticed my friends were disappearing one by one. I went to investigate and found Vyomasura blocking a cave with a large rock while my friends screamed for help. Vyomasura saw me and tried to attack me so I simply defended myself. I may have hit him too hard but clearly it wasn't hard enough.


JUDGE KARMA(Nodding her head in understanding): I see. Vyomasura, it sounds like you were simply obeying your King, however, you still put innocent lives in danger, children nonetheless. As Krishna said, he clearly didn't hit you hard enough but no worries. I've got better plans for you.


VYOMASURA(Smiling gratefully at Judge Karma): Oh thank you, your Honor.


JUDGE KARMA: I wasn't done yet. I am sentencing you to be a rock for the rest of your life as a consequence of your actions. The only way you will be human again is if Krishna decides you can. He will come and tell me and I will make you human again.


VYOMASURA: Krishna! Please! I'm sorry.


And then silence.

Vyomasura's Sentence
Image Source: pixaby

AUTHORS NOTE: This story is based off of the Victory Over Kamsa part of the Bhagwat comic book. In the original version, Kamsa sends various asuras (demons) to kill Krishna. Krishna kills each and everyone of them including Vyomasura.

Krishna and his friends were playing a game which Vyomasura joins. He disguises himself as a cowherd which is a little boy. While they are playing, he takes Krishna's friends and puts them in a cave and covers the cave with a large rock. Krishna figures out that Vyomasura was behind this and kills him,

I changed the part where Krishna kills Vyomasura to him knocking him out of consciousness because I didn't think it was realistic tl summon a deceased person to court. Vyomasura disguises himself as a boy when he comes into the court in an attempt to trick Judge Karma. In this story, he takes responsibility for his actions because as I read the original story, I realized that not all the asuras are bad. They were only following their king's orders.