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.

Week 12 Storytelling: The People vs.Kamsa

I was already sitting at my desk waiting for the next trail when the doors opened. Ah, right on time. First, Vasudeva and Devaki, Krishna and Balarama's parents, walk in. Then Nanda, and Yashoda, Krishna's and Balarama's adoptive parents.

Finally, Krishna and Balarama walk in each holding an arm of man wearing an orange jumpsuit. His long black hair and a beard looks tangled. He looks like he hasn't showered in days. This must be Kamsa.Kamsa's arms and legs are chained together as they bring him in. The people glare at him with hatred and disgust. Some people even yell obscenities at him. 

Everyone turns their attention  from Kamsa to their prince, Krishna. They look at him in admiration. He is looking rather stunning with his black, long, and wavy hair. He is dressed in a suit with brown dress shoes. They all look at him with love and adoration. I bang my gavel to let everyone know that the trial is starting. Everyone goes silent.

JUDGE KARMA(Looking at Vasudeva and Devaki): Hello Vasudeva and Devaki. Thank you for coming today. It must've been difficult for you both.

VASUDEVA(Vasudeva and Devaki smile): Thank you, Your Honor. We are honored to be in your presence.

JUDGE KARMA(Looking at Nanda and Yashoda): Nanda, Yashoda, I hope you guys are doing good as well. It must have been so stressful and hard to raise that mischievous son of yours.

KRISHNA: Hey!


NANDA(Nanda and Yashoda chuckle): He was quite the handful, but we loved him nonetheless, Your Honor.

JUDGE KARMA(Judge Karma smiles and then looks at Kamsa): Kamsa, I've heard so much about you! It's finally nice to meet the person that has been terrorizing all of Yadavas and Vrindavana. I hear you held your cousin captive and also killed innocent babies. Care to explain?

KAMSA(Kamsa looking uncomfortable replies): It's actually King Kamsa, Your Honor.


JUDGE KARMA: I will address you as I please. Only a true king deserves such a royal title, and based on your deeds, you are far from it. Now are you going to explain yourself or should I just give you the sentence?


KAMSA: I was only trying to protect myself. They were all going to kill me!

JUDGE KARMA(Judge Karma feigns shock): Kill you? Please do tell.

KAMSA: A sage came to my kingdom and warned me that one Devaki's children would kill me. He never said when or how. All he said was that I would die at the hands of my cousin's child. 

JUDGE KARMA: But that doesn't explain why you wanted to kill everyone else, including your own father, Ugrasena.


KAMSA: If I killed Krishna, my father would've taken the kingdom away from me so I held him captive until I could find time to kill him. All of Krishna's and Balarama's devotees would've been angry and would've come after me. I felt threatened!


KRISHNA(Krishna laughs in mock humor): Really, Kamsa? You of all people felt threatened? By a baby? This is rich! You are such a coward! You got other people to fight your battles for you unless the person was at a disadvantage. Admit it, you just wanted to rule the world and corrupt it.


KAMSA(Kamsa yelling at Krishna): That is not true! I was scared for my life! And that's King Kamsa to you, boy!


JUDGE KARMA: You better tone it down right now, Kamsa. I can make you disappear with a snap of my fingers.


Judge Karma snaps her fingers to make her point causing Kamsa to flinch.


KRISHNA: It's fine, your Honor. We all know what a huge coward he is. He'll probably just go find someone to do the dirty work for him. He did chain my birth parents up after all so that he could personally kills all my infant siblings. I bet if my parents hadn't been chained up and locked in a cell, my father could've beat him to a pulp.


KAMSA: Are you really going to let him talk to me like this, your Honor?


JUDGE KARMA(Judge Karma puts her hand up causing Kamsa to smirk): That's enough, Krishna.


JUDGE KARMA(Looking at Kamsa): It is obvious that you're delusional, Kamsa. Unfortunately for you, you aren't delusional enough. You clearly knew what you were doing is wrong and yet you still went through with it. I have to agree with Krishna, you are indeed a coward. You only killed those innocent and helpless babies after you chained Devaki and Vasudeva up. Krishna, is right. You are weak.


KRISHNA(Krishna's arms are crossed): Don't forget selfish, your Honor.


JUDGE KARMA(Giving Krishna a warning look, Krishna meekly smiles and sits down. Looking back at Kamsa): You know what, Kamsa? I think you're a fool. Did you ever think that maybe your actions is what would lead to your demise?  Or that maybe that the sage was giving you a wake up call to change your behavior? Or even that the sage might be tricking you?


KAMSA(As Karma spoke to him, his smirk slowly falls): Well no your honor but -


JUDGE KARMA(Judge Karma interrupting Kamsa puts a hand up): Enough! Kamsa, your are undeserving of being king. I am stripping you of your royal title and granting it back to King Ugrasena. Furthermore, you will be imprisoned in the dungeons of Yadavas for the rest of your life like you did to your family members. If King Ugrasena decides he wants to do something else with you, he is welcome to but just know if you are set free, I will personally see to it that you do not get to live your life peacefully. In fact, I am designating Krishna to make your life a living hell if you are ever set free.


KAMSA(Kamsa looks at Judge Karma in shock): Your Honor, I know what I did was wrong. But
you have to understand that I was only trying to protect myself. Also Krishna killed people too!


JUDGE KARMA: See now that was your biggest mistake. You were only looking out for yourself. You did not care for your kingdom, your family, or anyone else. You had a dharma as an uncle, and a king, and you neglected it for your own gain. I hope you can makes things right in your next life but for now, all I'm going to say is, good riddance. And for the record, Krishna didn't commit murder. He was using self-defense and it wasn't just for himself. It was for everyone that YOU put in danger.


KAMSA(Kamsa looking at Krishna) : Krishna, you have to stop her, your my nephew. Please, we can work this out outside of the court.


KRISHNA: I'm afraid that's a little too late, Uncle.


JUDGE KARMA: The decision has been made! Kamsa, you will die at the hands of your own nephew.


I banged my gavel in finality. 

Krishna kills Kamsa
Image Source: Wikipedia

AUTHOR'S NOTE: This story is based off the Bhagwat: The Krishna Avatar by Amar Chitra. In the original story a sage warns Kamsa about his death. He is told that one of Devaki's children will kill him. He holds Vasudeva and Devaki captive in a cell and kills all of their newborns but Vasudeva had manages to sneak Krishna out and switch him with his friend's baby, who was a girl. When he threw the baby girl, a goddess had appeared and cursed him. He had eventually found Krishna, and sent demons to go and kill him but Krishna was too powerful. Krishna kills Kamsa in a wrestling match. After he killed Kamsa, he gave the title of Yadavas back to his grandfather.

In this story, Judge Karma sentences Kamsa in way that allows him to live an unhappy life. I did that because I wanted Krishna still be able to have the power to kill him like he did in the original story. I felt like his death was too quick in the original story and that he didn't really pay for what he did.

Week 13 Storytelling: Kamadeva Gets Married

Kamadeva puts on his black tuxedo and dress shoes on. He was a little nervous but also very excited. She was finally going to be his wife. He had courted her for several years but always got turned down but his persistence and determination finally paid off.

There is a knock on the door and a lady dressed in a professional manner walks in. She was the wedding planner. She claps and says,"It's time!

He entered the temple and looks around. Several people are gathered for the wedding including the raksasas, princes, kings, and queens.

He was currently in his dressing room with his best man, Krishna, and his groomsmen, Rama, and Arjuna.


"How come it took long for the god of love to get hitched?", asked Krishna in a teasing manner as he helped Kamadeva with his tie.

"What do you mean? How? I think the real question is Why?, replied Arjuna in a teasing manner.


"Love sure works in mysterious ways, Kamadeva should know that better than anyone. Isn't that right?, Rama asked Kamadeva.

Kamadeva just laughs and says, "I would've been married sooner if that woman wasn't so hard headed." He thought about his soon-to-be wife. The two would always fought because of Kamadeva's mischief with his love arrows. He would often make a person whose already fallen in love, love another, and then she would have to clean up his mess.  

Krishna just shook his head and chuckled. 

Him and his soon-to-be wife had affected many people's lives. Some for the worst, and some for the better but regardless, they were all here to celebrate their big day. Kamadeva slowly walked to the altar. His best man, the groomsmen, and the bridesmaids walked in next, each as a couple. It was Krishna and Radha, Rama and Sita, and Arjuna and Draupadi. Kamadeva and his bride had strategically place the couples together. Even on his big day, he was working his magic.

They were now patiently waiting on the bride. 

The wedding march began playing and everyone stood up and looked at the door as the light shone in with a silhouette of the bride.

The woman put on her black wedding dress. Her bridesmaids, Draupadi, Sita, and Radha, gently grabbed her arms and sat her down in front of the dresser. They were currently in the dressing room getting ready for the her big day.

She smiled at her wonderful friends. Over time, they became very close after their court trials. They were very grateful for what their friend had done for them.

Draupadi started working on the bride's hair while Sita worked on her makeup. As they worked on their dear friend, Draupadi teased her and said, "Wow whoever thought you would ever get married. Your so stubborn and hard headed."

She playfully glared at her friend. 

"Careful, we can't have you messing up your makeup!", said Sita as she applied some black eyeliner on her eyes.

As Draupadi and Sita did the finishing touches, Radha walks over to the bride with a smile and hands her a bouquet of white roses. 

"I'll be sure to throw these at you, Radha. I've seen the way you look at Krishna.", she teased. Radha's cheeks turn red as she shyly looks away.

There is a knock on the door and the wedding planner walks in. She claps and says,"It's time!" As the bridesmaids leave they each look back at her and give her a smile. The door closes.

The bride looks into the mirror. She was a little nervous but also excited. Never in her years did she even think of getting married. She has always seeked advice from Kamadeva during her court trials. He balanced her out. While she was ruthless and all about returning favors, he was about making peace and spreading love around the world.

Another knock comes on the door and the wedding planner walks in and says, "It's finally time! You are looking absolutely beautiful!"

She smiles at the wedding planner. Together they walk towards the doors of the temple. She meets her father who gives her a warm smile. A tear of happiness rolls down his cheek. 

"I am so proud of you darling.", he says to her and gives her a kiss on the cheek. The wedding march starts playing as the doors open. She grabs her father's arm and together they walk to the altar.

Kamadeva watches as his bride makes her way to the altar. His father-in-law gives her a kiss on the cheek and gives to her soon-to-be husband. Kamadeva gently grabs it and helps her onto the altar. The couple gazed into eachothers eyes lovingly.

As the music dies down, the priest begins to speak,"We are gathered here today to watch these two wonderful souls become one. "

"Do you Kamadeva, take Karma to be your lawful wedded wife, to have and to hold, through sickness and in health, until the universe tears you both apart?", asks the priest.

"I do.", replies Kamadeva as he gazes into Karma's eyes.

"And do you Karma, take Kamadeva to be your lawful wedded husband, to have and to hold, through sickness and in health, until the universe tears you both apart?", asks the priest.

Karma looks at the crowd and then back at Kamadeva and replies, " I do."

"If there are any objections please speak or forever hold your peace.", says the priest.


The room is silent.


"In the presence of all the gods and goddesses, I now pronounce you husband and wife! You may now kiss the bride.", says the priest.

Kamadeva swoops in and gives Karma a sweet kiss as the guests start cheering and wolf-whistling.

'Who knew?', thought Karma with a smile.

Karma's Wedding Dress
Source: nafDress

Author's Note: I decided to create my own story and combine all the characters from both the Mahabharata and Ramayana into this story. The groomsmen and bridesmaids were main characters from both the Ramayana and Mahabharata. Radha is the only one who is not in either of these stories. She and Krishna were a couple in a different version of the Krishna tales which I grew up hearing about. In the story I grew up hearing about, Krishna had only one wife instead of several. The Bhagwat illustrates that Krishna had many wives which I didn't really like.

I purposefully chose the title that I created to keep Karma a mystery until the end. From Case 1 of my portfolio, Kamadeva had made a guest appearance as a marriage counselor towards the end. I thought about how the characters were personalities were so different and thought this would make a great story. I decided to surprise the readers by having them get married.

The setting is in a temple since India has temples instead of churches. Karma's dress is black to reflect her personality and demeanor in society. The priest says universe instead of death doing them apart because both of them are immortal. 

I did not mention Karma's name but I explained how the two balanced each other out. By this, I was not only referring to their characters but to the decisions Karma makes in her court. I've made her kind of a ruthless and sarcastic character. I thought it would be a good idea to allow readers to put the pieces together. 

I want to convey the idea that when Karma handles a case, she seeks Kamadeva's advice because of his nature and job as cupid. I also mentioned Karma having to clean up his messes occasionally which was a reference to Draupadi and the Pandavas as well as my story from Week 6. Arjuna was brought to trial because he married three different women. I want to give readers the idea that Kamadeva had done this because he is also mischievous. 

I also said Karma became friends with the bridesmaids after the trial so that people know she isn't bias when making her decisions in each case.

I vaguely mentioned Kamadeva in one of my very first stories with Judge Karma. He had been a marriage counselor for Rama and Sita. Since Karma is all about justice and Kamadeva is about love and peace, I thought they would both make a good couple and created this story about their wedding. In most of my stories Karma's personality seemed cold so I wanted to show a different side of her in this story. Since Kamadeva is an Indian cupid, I thought about all the messy love stories throughout both the Ramayana and Mahabharata and combined it with Karma and made them balance each other out.

The Pandava Bachelors: Meeting the Bachelorettes

Vasuki walks on to the stage smiling. He is wearing a black tuxedo. "Hello again everyone! Welcome to the second part of the Bachelor!", Vasuki greets the crowd. "Today these lovely gentlemen will be meeting their new brides!",  he continues. The crowd roars in excitement.

"But before we bring out these beauties, we're going to have these gentlemen have a seat." The five men exchange looks with one another and then look at Vasuki in confusion. They thought the chairs facing the crowd were for the women.

"What are you guys waiting for? Sit down!", Vasuki happily exclaims. The men hesitantly sit down on the chairs. The stage crew comes out rolling a large wall and places it in between them and the side where the women will be entering. 

"What's going on?, Bheem asks. Vasuki replies, "I'm glad you asked, Bheem! We are going to change things up a bit. Instead of picking your wife, I'm going to introduce them and ask them some questions. If you like the answers, you'll have the choice to pick one the ladies to marry." Vasuki  gestures to someone to come onto the stage.

"Come on out ladies!", exclaims Vasuki. The crowd claps and screams as the beautiful women walk out in a line. There are even some wolf whistles.

"Welcome ladies!", greets Vasuki. "So before we start asking questions, let's introduce our bachelorettes!" Vasuki faces the first lady and says, "First we have the magnificent Ulupi! She is the daughter of a Kourayva, the king of snakes?", Vasuki asks as he looks toward the black-haired woman in confusion.

The woman confidently looks at the crowd and says, "That is correct. My father is a snake charmer. He can get any snake under control just by looking at them."

"Scary, but interesting, and how about you? I'm assuming you've grown up around snakes, surely you've wrestled some.", asks Vasuki.

"I have as a matter of fact. I have also fought a few demons.", Ulupi replies.

"Wow, not only is she brave, but she is strong, like a warrior!", exclaims Vasuki. Vasuki's statement catches Bheema's attention. 'Warrior', he thought. Sounds like my kind of woman.  Bheema smirks at this thought.

"Next, we have the sweet Chitra."

"So tell me, Chitra, what do you look for in a husband?" 

Chitra is wearing a pink, long-sleeved dress that flows out with golden earrings and a necklace. She shyly looks up with her big blue eyes and softly says with a smile, ,"I want a  husband who will love me as much as I will love him."

Yudhistira slowly looks up at the sound of Chitra's voice. He could feel his heart pounding in his chest.

"Very nice!", reples Vasuki. "So what are your hobbies?"

Chitra replies, "I like painting and dancing."

"Well there you have, it! Chitra everyone!", says Vasuki. The crowd claps as they look at Chitra in awe.

Yudhithira tried to ignore the sound of his heart pounding in his chest and listen to Vasuki introduce the next woman but his thoughts kept going back to Chitra. He has never met or seen this woman, yet he felt the need to protect her. 'She sounds so delicate and innocent, not to mention she enjoys dancing and art.', he thought to himself.

"Next we have -", Vasuki is interrupted all of a sudden the red-headed woman takes the mic from him. The crowd laughs. 

The woman says, "No need Vausks, I can introduce myself. The name's Draupadi. My hobbies are wrestling and shooting things with my bow and arrow." She hands the mic back to Vasuki and goes back to her spot where she casually stands.

Arjuna looks amused and couldn't help but laugh along with the crowd. 'A woman who takes charge, I like that', he thought. I bet she's feisty!

"Well then, there you have it! Draupadi everyone!", says Vasuki in amusement. There are some wolf whistles from the crowd which makes Draupadi glare at the crowd, causing them to get quiet. She was obviously not one to mess with.

"Next we have, Subhadra!", says Vasuki. He gestures to the woman with black hair wrapped in a bun. She's wearing a short red dress, with black heels. 

"So what can you tell us about yourself, sweetheart?", asks Vasuki.

Subhadra happily replies with a smile, "I enjoy riding horses, and sword fighting in my spare time."

"Sword fighting? That's crazy! I definitely would not want to get on your bad side", Vasuki grimaced. Subhadra laughed along with the crowd.

Nakula's ears perk up. This whole time he had spaced out not really listening to these women were. He didn't really care and was only here because his parents forced him. Hearing that this woman enjoyed riding horses peaked his interest. Most of the women he's met have never liked horses. They would always yell like banshees at the sight of a horse. 'Maybe this Subhadra chick might be the one', he thought. She's down to earth, and doesn't mind getting down and dirty with the horses.

"Is there anything else you would like to tell us about yourself?", asked Vasuki asks Subhadeva.

"Not really."

"Well then there you have it! Subhadea everyone!", exclaims Vasuki. The crowd claps.

"And last but not least, we've got Nikki!", says Vasuki. He gestures to the woman whose black hair is covering her face. The woman looks up at the crowd. The black eyeliner makes her light brown eyes pop out. She's wearing a black dress with black heels.

The mysterious woman just blankly stares at the crowd.

'What would you like your future husband to know?", Vasuki asks Nikki. She does not reply and looks back at Vasyki with a stone cold face. This intimidates Vasuki a little but he shakes it off with a smile and looks back at the crowd.

"A lady of few words I see. Well it looks like Nikki will remain a  mystery for now.", 

Sahadeva tilts his head from under his black hat and smirks. 'This Nikki girl sounds like a challenge. I like it.', he thought to himself.

"And here we have it! Our five bachelorettes! Who do you think each bachelor will choose? Until next time!", says Vasuki.

The crowd claps and roars in excitement.

Bachelor Show Banner created using Canva

Author's Note: This story is continuing from Week 9. In the original story, Arjuna marries all these women (except Nikki) and the bachelor's are all brothers that end up marrying the same wife. I wanted to change that and give each of them their own wife. I also thought I would the story more interesting by making the Pandavas do a blind marriage. Instead of meeting the women and deciding they liked them based on their appearances.

I ran out of bachelorette's so I added Nikki. I did some research on the women (except Nikki) and found a few traits and created their personality based on those few things. I also considered what each of the bachelor's looked for in a wife. I thought I would also share what the bachelor's were thinking since they wouldn't really say much in this story.

It's really different from the original story but I tried to keep their names the same as the original story. I shortened Chitrangada's name to Chitra since it would be easier. In the original story, I felt like Draupadi was pretty vocal about how she felt, especially when her husband gambled her away. She also openly rejected Karna. I gave her a leader type of role in this story because she was so vocal and determined to fight for her equality. Draupadi took the microphone away from the host to show this and gives Vasuki a nickname.  I also gave her red hair to symbolize her short-temper.

Week 9 Story: The Pandava Bachelors

Vasuki walks onto the stage and the crowd roars with excitement. "Welcome to the Bachelor!  I'm Vasuki and I will be your host for this show! We have five handsome and charming men looking for wives. Each of them are unique in their own way. So let's bring them out! Come on out boys!", says Vasuki.

Five handsome men walk on to the stage in a line. They are wearing tuxes and smiling.

"First we have Yudhisthira! Yudhisthira was dressed in a white suite with black shoes. Not only is he the oldest of all the men, but he is also a man of virtue. He is also known to be very patient. His demeanor will calm who comes in contact with him. Yudhisthira enjoys poetry, music, and art. He's a man of few words but has a heart of gold. He also enjoys riding horses, and taking long walks on the beach."

"Yudhisthira, is there anything else you'd like to add?", asks Vasuki. His sweeps his black hair and looks at the crowd with his grey eyes and replies in a soft spoken voice, "Um, not really."

"Alright then! Next we have the notorious, Bhima!", announces Vasuki as he presents an intimidating looking young man. He is well-built with a nice tan and is dressed in a black shirt, pants, and combat boots. "If your into bad boys, then he is definitely the one for you. He will go against all odds even if it means breaking the laws to ensure your happiness. He is also quite the athlete. Besides causing havoc in society, he is also an MMA fighter and has recently won the world championship. He is always traveling and needs a lady that likes some adventure. Some of his hobbies are cooking, archery, and riding elephants." Is there anything you'd like to add Bheem?"

"I want a wife that is strong in spirit. She also needs to be loyal.", replies Bheem. "And there we have it! Bheem ladies and gentlemen!", says Vasuki. The crowd goes wild in excitement.

"Next, we have the fierce Arjuna!" Arjuna had black hair, and brown eyes. He is dressed in a black tuxedo. He casually stands on the stage and stares at the crowd with one hand in his pocket. "Arjuna is a master of archery and is also an MMA fighter. He is very competitive and likes a good challenge.", says the host. "Is there any-", Arjuna cuts Vasuki off.

"I don't want a weak wife. I want one who will stand by my side and fight with me.", says Arjuna in finality.

"Okay then...moving on! Here we have the charming Nakula! Nakula is a professional horse jockey. His hobbies are sword fighting and reading. He is known to be wise yet fierce. He is looking for a companion that enjoys riding horses and sword fighting just as much as he does. Would you like to add anything else Nakula?", asked the host.

"Nope", replies Nakula.

"Last but not least, we have the mysterious Sahadeva! He is wearing a black cowboy hat that covers his eyes with a black cape and cowboy boots. "Sahadeva is a professional bull rider but is not your typical cowboy. Unlike most cowboys, he has the gift to heal animals with the touch of his hands. His hobbies are....it looks like you didn't write anything down Sahadeva", Vasuki says as he looks at the mysterious man. Sahadeva smirks, and says "I'd rather surprise my lady."

"A man of mystery, I like it! Here we have it ladies and gentlemen! Our five bachelor's!"

The crowd claps in excitements.

Pandavas Brothers and Draupadi
(Wikipedia)

Author's Note: I retold the story based off the Pandavas birth. Each of their characteristics was explained in the story. I wanted to try a new style of writing since my other ones are mostly dialogues. I  had to do a little research to write this story since the Mahabharata is a little vague about their personalities. Each brother is dressed differently to show their unique personalities. The story doesn't emphasize how different each brother was so I thought I would write something that focuses on each of their personalities.

Vasuki is the host since in the original story, he gave each of the brothers their powers when they were born. I made Yudhisthira more quiet since I thought it would fit his calm and patient personality. I assumed that if he's patient, then he must also be a good listener as well. He is also more charming in this story than the original one.

The original story describes Bhima as being born with strength. I made him a bad boy in this story since he went against the law of the gods. His name means also means"of terrible might" so I figured a bad boy personality would fit him. I described him as well-built since he was born with strength. He says he needs a loyal lady because he doesn't want her to get tired of travelling with him and needs to be able to put up with his antics.

I made Arjuna seem aggressive since throughout the story, he's usually the one killing and fighting demons. He cuts off the host which demonstrates that he is also impatient.

I did not write much about Nakula and Sahadeva since there wasn't much about them throughout the story. However, I made them opposites in this story and did not mention them being related because of how different they are. After doing a little research, I learned that Sahadeva rode bulls and could heal animal, so I thought he would make a great cowboy. He is also mysterious and introverted which is why he didn't share his hobbies in the story like the others did.

Week 7 Storytelling: Duryodhana & Karna vs. Arjuna et. al

Several people chattered and argued in the courtroom as they waited for my arrival. As I enter the courtroom everyone went silent. 

KARMA: "Well if it isn't Duryodhana and Karna, the troublemakers. To what do I owe this pleasure?"


DURYODHANA: "Karma, you have to help me, the Pandavas are after me. They're trying to kill me! They need to be arrested."


KARNA: "It's true your Honor, they tried to kill me too, Arjuna broke the rules during battle."


KARMA: " First of all, do not call me Karma, it's your Honor . Secondly, why should I help you of all people Karna?  I watched the battle between you and Arjuna, and saw you break the rules as well. You also let your sister-in-law be ridiculed in public, not to mention you ganged up on and murdered your own nephew. Your the last person that needs to be talking about rules, so why don't you just take a seat and shut up."

"As for you Duryodhana, I believe there is more to this story so I am going to ask you again, are you sure that is all that happened?"


DURYODHANA: "Positive!"


KARMA:"Very well then. Pandavas, why don't you tell me your side of the story?"


ARJUNA: "Your Honor,  Karna disrespected our wife, He also killed my boy! During our battle, I was trying to fix my weapon and he continued to attack me instead of pausing like the rules said. What kind of father would I be if I let all of that go? ""

"Duryodhana has continuously harassed me and my brothers after we asked him to stop. Before we got here he stHe also took away our kingdom. He tricked us and made us go into exile and then sent his men to come kill us.


KARMA: "I see. Duryodhana you this was your chance to take responsibility and yet you still lied to my face. It also sounds like you neglected your dharma as a king in your fit of rage and jealousy. Unfortunately for you, I will not grant the order nor will anyone be going to jail. In fact, I'm going to set both you and Karna free. "

DURYODHANA: "But you can't do this! Your suppose to protect us."


KARMA: "Actually, no Duryodhana, my dharma is to make sure everyone gets what they deserve based on their actions. And it looks like based on your actions, you need to be taught a lesson. Good luck, your going to need it. As for you Karna, you abused your powers so I am taking them away from you. Although what your mother did to you was unfair, that does not excuse your actions."


I banged my gavel with finality.


DURYODHANA: "They'll have to catch me first!"


KARNA: "Me too!"


Both Duryodhana and Karna ran out of the court.


KARMA: "I am ordering the Pandavas children be put in protective custody immediately and keep them in custody until Duryodhana is caught. Pandavas, what are you waiting for? Go after him!"


The Pandavas brothers quickly run out of the courtroom to pursue Duryodhana. I sighed. I knew this was going to happen. I took this case because the children needed to be protected. I know the brothers will slay Duryodhana and his men but he has a whole army after the Pandavas and the children have also come in harm's way. This was the only way to protect them. I know they will catch him soon but for now, I can only wait and watch.  I admit, Arjuna hasn't been the best father but the love he has for his children is obvious. He was nearly broke at the mention of his son. 

 I'm not too worried about Karna since his powers have been taken away. He was also just another one of Duryodhana's cronies. I can't help but feel a little bad for him. I'm sure if his mother hadn't abandoned him and if the injustice of the caste system hadn't limited his abilites , he would've turned out to be a great man. Despite his actions though, I made sure to give everyone who has wronged him their karma as well. Kunti lost her husband and suffered with her sons as a consequence of abandoning him. Drona got his before he even met Karna when his best friend rejected him, and then again when he was killed. It's was the least I could do for the poor guy.

All of a sudden my phone beeped and I smirked at the image. I knew they wouldn't go very far. 

Image sent to Karma's phone
(Wikimedia Commons)

Author's Note: I rewrote the story based on the Arjuna and Karna and Duryodhana in the Lake. Since Karna has been loyal to Duryodhana I thought I would show that in this story when Karna vouches for Duryodhana about the Pandavas trying to kill him. In the original story of Arjuna and Karna, Balarama is the one who confronts Karna about all the things he has done after he says the battle is unfair but in this story I had Karma ask him those question instead. I also wanted to put the Pandava brothers' kids in protective custody because it was never their battle to begin with but they ended being drawn into it.

The I called the brothers Pandavas since that is what they've been referred to throughout most of the Mahabharata and let Arjuna represent them because since he had battled with Karna and Duryodhana.

Duryodhana never directly takes responsibility for his actions which is why I had him lie to Karma. In the story his wife Krupi told him to try and make peace but he did not feel the need to because he had done so many bad things which is why Karma mentions giving him another chance. He had several chances to fix things with the Pandavas but never did. His defiance is demonstrated in this story when he talks back to Karma. Although the theme is the same as most of my other stories, this one is a little different because there were more than two parties arguing, not to mention one them openly defies karma.

Week 6 Storytelling: The States vs. Arjuna

Arjuna has returned from his exile and is greeted with a letter from Karma. He was summoned to her Court. However Arjuna also had this feeling in the pit of his stomach that it wasn't just about the deal. While he was arriving to the court, he tried to think back of his time while he was exiled but came up blank. He hadn't done anything evil or to cause anyone sorrow so why else would she want to meet with him? He was confused but figured it had to do with the deal him and his brothers made with her. 

Karma:"Arjuna, I haven't seen you since I made that agreement with you and your brothers. How is my kingdom doing. Still making sure justice is served?"

Arjuna: "It has been awhile your Honor. As for your kingdom, it is running smoothly. I still don't understand why you chose to hide the fact that true ruler of Indraprastha but I'm glad you appointed me and my brothers to run the kingdom for you. Although it's nice catching up with you, I'm assuming that is not why you called me here."

Karma: "You are correct my dear boy. The reason you are here today is because you have committed infidelity, not to mention abandoned all of your children and wives. From my understanding, you were exiled and ended up marrying 3 women and also having children with them."

Arjuna: "I did not mean for this to happen your Honor, they were just so beautiful and I was frustrated and kind of angry that I had to share my first wife Draupadi with my brothers. It's was not fair to me or my brothers. "

Karma: "So what you're saying is that you did all this as some form of revenge because you had to share your wife?"

Arjuna: "Not at all your Honor. As I said, it just happened. I never meant to leave them. I was planning on going back for them but I had to fulfill my dharma as a king first."

Karma: "Well, I am not going to say that what you did was right, but  I do understand were your coming from. Your circumstance was different from the typical marriages of the gods and goddesses. Although I do not entirely agree with what you did, you have also done some good deeds in the world, so what I am going to do is annul your marriage with Draupadi as well as your other wives but as punishment for your infidelities, I am ordering you to pay child support for each and every one of your children. You need to take responsibility for your actions Arjuna."

Arjuna: "Thank you your Honor." 

Karma: " I wasn't done yet." Karma gives Arjuna a stern look. "Furthermore, when you get reincarnated, you will neither get a wife nor children of your own. You will have to redeem yourself in the next life."

Arjuna: "I accept the punishment and take full responsibility for my actions but how will I redeem myself?"

Karma: "That's up to you but I do recommend adopting some kids and taking care of them. Your a smart boy, I'm sure you'll find a way. I might even take away your punishment and allow you to get married if your prove yourself worthy of having a wife."

And with that I banged my gavel and watched as Arjuna left the courtroom. I could tell he was still trying to figure out how he was going to redeem himself. As for the revelation about the kingdom. Yes, I am the real queen of Indraprastha but I decided to keep it a secret from the people. I did not want them all coming to bother me over little things. I'm a judge, I have tons of cases on a daily basis that need to be resolved. I appointed the Pandavas brothers because to the kingdom to make sure the people are safe and to handle anything that is unjust. 

Despite the fact that he is running my kingdom, I still had to do my job and punish him. I tried to go easy on him considering all the good karma he's collected over the years but what he did was still wrong. Those children deserved to have a father figure in their life.

I know the punishment was a little cruel but he needed to face the consequences of his actions. I annulled his marriage to Draupadi because he was unfairly exiled and still kept his word according to the marriage contract between him and his brothers. Although I told him he will not be married in his next life, little does he know that I have something up my sleeve. If he can prove himself faithful to the woman in his next life, I will definitely allow him to be marry her and have children but if he repeats his mistakes, we'll worry about that later.  All I can say is I don't blame the guy. Love is selfish after all. 

(pxhere)

Author's Note: This story is based on the PDE Mahabharata Part B when he wins Draupadi's hand in marriage but ends up having to share his wife with his brothers. He is then exiled for breaking the rules that he and his brothers made in regards to their marriage to their wife. While he was exiled, he met and married three women and had children with them. He then returned with one of his wives back to the kingdom where he was briefly confronted by Draupadi. 

This part of the story does not mention his wives and children after he leaves them so I got creative and came up with this story. I wanted to see where this story would go and ended up with this. 

Week 5 Story: Rama the Mafia Boss

My brother Lakshmana and I were sitting in our cabin smoking cigars while we discussed how we were going to get Sita back. One of the enemy gangs leader, Ravana,  kidnapped her and is holding her for ransom but what he doesn't realize is that he messed with the wrong gang.

While we were discussing our plans to ambush Ravana and bring Sita back, and man walks in. We looked at him ready to pull out our guns in case he was one of Ravana's men but he put his hands up saying he was here for our help. Lakshmana and I exchanged looks before looking back at him. He said his name is Hanuman and that he was from the Monkey Gang. His leader, Sugriva sent him here to ask us for help and told us that Sugriva wanted to speak with us and the Hanuman would take us to him. This guy seemed pretty genuine so we accepted and got into our black Royce Phantom and followed him to the destination. 

We ended up at this Italian restaurant where a man was just casually by the bar sipping his drink. "Sugriva, I did what you asked. Don Rama and his brother Lakshmana are here." Sugriva looked over at us and told us to have a seat. "Thanks for coming." he said. "I called you here because my brother Bali has throw me out of my territory and claimed it for himself. From my understanding, I hear your wife's been kidnapped and being held ransom so I thought I'd make you a deal. How about you help me get my territory and I send some of my people to help you get your wife back. " 

I thought about this a for a few minutes. I could use some help to get my beloved wife Sita back so why not? "Fine. I'll help but if you don't hold your end of the deal, let's just say my dear brother here will be paying you a visit and not just for drinks." With that, we shook hands and discussed our plan to ambush his brother Bali and his gang. 

Eventually Bali gave up and gave the territory back to his brother. All I had to do was look at him and he looked like he was about to pee his pants. I'm still waiting for Sugriva to return the favor but he hasn't been answering my calls. It looks like someone forgot about our little deal. 

"Lakshman, what do you say we go pay our friend Sugriva a visit. He still hasn't held his end of the deal. We should go remind him.", I slid over the gun to him which he took and put in his pockets.

"Yes Boss." and with that he left the den. A few hours later he returned with Sugriva and threw him in front of me. I took a puff of my cigar before speaking. "Sugriva, long time no see. Did you forgot your friend already?" I asked him in a mocking tone. "I'm sorry I-I forgot  he replied with a shaky voice. "Fine I'll forgive you just this once but we still have a deal. Either you get your men here now or it's lights out for you." I cooly replied. "Sure anything for you Rama." he replied and quickly pulled out his phone. Within a few minutes his men were at my den ready to help. I smirked. 

Let the games begin. 

(pxhere)

Author's Note: So I decided to retell part of the story where Rama meets Hanuman and Sugriva who promises to help Rama defeat Ravana if he helps him fight Bali. Sugriva never fulfilled his promise so Lakshmana had gone to confront him and threatened to kill him if he didn't help them. 

I thought it would be kind of fun to make the characters be part of a mafia since they basically threatened to kill Sugriva if he didn't do what he promised. I wanted to make the story a little cynical to add some suspense to it and thought the turning them into mafia gangs would make it exciting. 

The story is based on Stories of God & Heroes: Rama and Sita by W.D. Monroe

Week 4 Storytelling: Karma is About to Take Over

The couple returned to the kingdom where they were welcomed with open arms after being exiled for fourteen years. A coronation was held for Rama to officially make him king. After he became king, he began his duties with Sita faithfully by his side. Not much happened afterwards until a month later.

A messenger walked into the palace and said "Rama how can you still be with her?" Rama looked at him and sternly asked, "What do you mean? She is your queen, how dare you disrespect her!" replied Rama trying to keep his cool. "Haven't you heard the rumors? People are saying that she was with another man!" said the messenger."She was kidnapped? What do you expect? It's not like anything happened. Did it?" he wondered looking at Sita.

"See even your doubting her. I demand she be tested!", said the messenger. "Are you serious right now? Your going to listen to rumors instead of your own wife?" exclaimed Sita as she looked at him in disbelief. "I have to give the people what they want Sita." replied Rama solemnly. "So if the people tell you to jump off a cliff, would you?" asked Sita. Rama remained silent. Of course he wouldn't, that would be preposterous.

The people of Ayodhya gathered in the royal court to witness the test of Sita to see if she was really telling the truth, while others protested in support of Sita"Fine! You want proof? I'll give you all proof!" she yelled at the crowd. And with that she jumps into the fire. People gasped in shock and worry for their beloved queen. As the flames went up, Sita remained standing in all her glory.  "You see? I'm innocent!" said Sita as she began to sob. "How could you all accuse me of infidelity? I have loved Rama ever since I met him! I wouldn't even let Hanuman touch me when he tried to save me!" continued Sita with pain in her voice. The people looked down in shame, others smiled, while some looked at the messenger in anger. 

Sita steps out of the fire looking as beautiful as always. As Rama steps towards her, she stops him. "Don't! It's obvious you don't trust me." she said with hurt. "I am leaving. I'll be sure to send you the divorce papers. I'll see you in court." and with that she left to go pack her bags to go back to her kingdom. People began mourning at the news of Sita's departure. Rama stared in shock along with the rest of the people as he watched her walk away. He could not believe what just happened. He knew she was innocent but needed to prove it to the people of his kingdom so that he would not be ridiculed. He just watched his queen leave just like that. With unshed tears, Rama decided he wasn't going to let her go that easy. Not if he can help it, but little did he know that karma is about to take over. 

Author's Note: So this is a possible preview of my project. I feel like Sita needs to be stronger and thought I would tell the story in a more modern version. I also feel like everyone's opinions are different and believe some people must have believed her but back then it was a majority rule, not to mention women did not really get much of a voice.

So tell me what you guys think! I would really appreciate the feedback 😃

Week 3 Story: Karma's Court

Dasharatha vs. Kaikeyi

Dashratha files for divorce after Kaikeyi demands Rama's exile. Both parties are now in the court. 

Judge Karma: What is your reason for divorce?

Dashratha: This woman is a vixen! She exiled my oldest son Rama and demanded that her son be king!

Kaikeyi: Oh please! I was only making use of my two wishes that YOU had granted me after I saved your life. You almost died after that battle, had it not been for me, you would not even be standing right now.

Dasharatha: You are the most selfish woman to live this earth! I don't know what I saw in you. As for Bharata, he is no son of mine!

Kaikeyi: Whether you like it or not, he will always be your son. You and I both know that Rama was going to exile Bharata and strip him of his royal status.

Dasharatha: You are nothing but delusional! My dear Rama would never do such a thing. My wife and I had raised him better than that.

Kaikeyi: Don't you mean one of your wives? We both know your a player. Manthara was right, you can never judge a book by its cover.

Dasharatha: Really? I could say the same about you! You acted all sweet and innocent which made me think you were a kind soul but your just a conniving vixen! Your actually took a servant's word? Manthara has hated Rama ever since he was a child!

The two soon to be divorced couple begin to argue vigorously.

Judge Karma: Order in the court! I have heard enough! I will now make my decision. As the eldest son of King Dasharatha, Rama does in fact have full rights to the throne. Kaikeyi, you had no right to exile him and demand Bharata be king. What you have done is absolutely despicable! As the ruler of this court, I hereby strip you of your royal status as queen of Koshala, and grant Dasharatha his wish to divorce you. I hope that you realize your mistake Kaikeyi.

And with that, Kaikeyi runs out of the court room sobbing while the people of Koshala celebrate the return of Rama. A day after the verdict, Kaikeyi was stripped of all her royal belongings and  put into a psychiatric facility by her son Bharata.

Image created with befunky

Author's Note: I noticed a lot of couples separate or disown each other but they never had a divorce so I thought I would add a twist to King Dasharatha's and Kaikeyi's marriage. He had originally disowned her as his wife along with her son but it did not seem official so I figured karma should decide what happens and made her the judge. Judge Karma will most likely be seen more in the stories each week.

Week 2 Story: What Really Happened to the King of the Himalayas

Once there was a monkey named Bodhisatta. He was raised by a single mother. Growing up, he always wondered why his father did not live with them but his mother would always tell him he was too young to understand. Bodhisatta grew up to be a strong and clever monkey.

"Mother, where is my father?" asked Bodhisatta.

"Son, it is best if you do not know." said his mother.

"But why mother? I am know grown up." replied her son.

She sighed and finally decided that it was time he knew the truth about his father. She explained to him about how he was a power-hungry king of the Himalayas. He was so blinded by power that he even killed his offsprings in fear that they will overthrow him.

She went on to explain how she had run away in order to save her son because she was tired of the grieving from the death of her offspring. Bodhisatta did not say anything for a few minutes and finally replied, "I would like to meet him. Maybe he has changed.",

And so off he went on his journey to the Himalayas to find his father. When he finally got there he noticed a big, strong monkey that looked similar to him and approached him.

"Who goes there!" yelled the King of the Himalayas.

"It is I, your son Bodhisatta." replied Bodhisatta.

The huge monkey took a closer look at Bodhisatta and noticed how similar they looked. Recognition flashed in his eyes with a hint of pain and regret. "It really is you!" cried his father as tears streamed down his face.

"Mother says you are blinded by power but I had to come and see for myself." replied Bodhisatta.

"Your here to kill me aren't you?" said his father in worry and fear.

"Although you have sinned a great amount, I will not kill you." replied Bodhisatta. "You have suffered enough by living a lonely life."

The old monkey looked at his son with awe. "Your mother has raised you well my boy." replied the old monkey. "I admit I have sinned a lot and am paying the consequences. After your mother ran away with you, I realized my mistake. Not a day went by where I did not think about you and your mother." said the old monkey with a voice full of sorrow.

"I shall take you home to her if you wish father." replied his son. The old monkey hesitated but finally replied, "Okay my son, but first I need you to collect some lotuses for me to take home to your mother." replied the old monkey with a hint of excitement.

"Of course, father." replied Bodhisatta.

"But I must warn you, dangers lurk within the lake." warned the old monkey.

And so off the young monkey went to collect lotuses for his father. Being the clever monkey that he is, he grabbed several lotuses as he swung across the green vines of the jungle above the lake as the ogre watched in amazement.

"In all my years of living at this lake, I have never seen such a clever animal" said the ogre. "Please let me help you carry these lotuses."

And so off they went, back to the Himalayas where the King awaited. As they approached the old monkey, they noticed the shock on his face at the sight of the ogre carrying the lotuses.

"Son, what are you thinking?" he exclaimed as he glared at the big, green, and ugly ogre. "That ogre is the enemy."

"Nonsense father. He is my new friend." argued the young monkey.

"It is true.", said the ogre. "You have a clever son. He swung across the green vines of the jungle gathering each and every lotus like a king and I knew I had to help such an amazing creature. Anyone that can get past the dangers of the jungle with such cleverness deserves nothing but respect."

The old monkey contemplated, wondering if the ogre was really sincere with his words or if all of this was just a sham to cause harm to both him and his son. His son is obviously clever. No creature has survived the dangers of the lake. "If Bodhisatta says the ogre is his friend then I must trust his instincts" the father concluded.

Without further discussing the friendship of the ogre and Bodhisatta, the old monkey spoke "Come we must go back to your mother."

And so off the father and son went. The old monkey was anxious to see his long lost wife. "Would she hate me?", he asked himself. "Of course she will! I killed our offspring." thought the old monkey.

"Son are you sure this is a good idea. I do not want to upset your mother." asked the old monkey.

"Yes father, I can tell mother misses you.", replied his son as he thought back to all those times he saw his mother's eyes full of sorrow every time he asked about his father.

The two monkeys had finally arrived back to the home where the young monkey grew up.

"Mother! I have returned!" exclaimed Bodhisatta. The female monkey came rushing out to see her son and her long lost husband. She looked at him in shock before speaking, "Son! What have you done? You have brought a monster back home." she replied look at the old monkey with distrust.

The old monkey looked down with guilt and regret. He knew he deserved his wife's hatred after all of the pain he put her through.

Being the determined young monkey he was, Bodhisatta continued to try and reason with his mother and convince her that his father has changed.

"Mother, I am here and I am alive. He is a changed man. Hasn't he suffered enough by being alone?", replied Bodhisatta. The mother looked at the old monkey once again, and noticed the guilt in his eyes.

"Fine, but to prove that he has changed, he must grant me one wish.",replied his mother. The old monkey looked at his wife and replied eager to gain his wife's trust, "Anything you ask, my dear wife."

"Hand over your throne to Bodhisatta."

"Gladly, I am now an old monkey and cannot run a kingdom." replied the old monkey in happiness. He was finally going to live with his family again.

And so Bodhisatta became the new king of the Himalayas and ran the animal kingdom with his father's help and they all lived happily ever after.

Lotus
(Diego Madrigal)

AUTHOR'S NOTE: This story is based off of the Jatakas story "The Monkey Who Gathered Lotuses" In the original story, the characters are monkeys and the son wanted to meet his father. His mother took him to meet him. The father was blinded by power and tried to get his son killed by sending him to gather lotuses but instead, he came back with the ogre who had befriended him which shocked the father to death (literally) and Bodhisatta was chosen to be the new king.

I changed the plot because I felt like there needed to be a happier ending.The father was so blinded by power that he lost the biggest thing that should have mattered to him in the first place, and that was his family.