Week 6 StoryLab: Language

I really enjoyed these spelling and grammar videos as it gave me a lot of insight to the language I am native in, as well as how it can be compared to my second language, Urdu, which I learned from my parents growing up. The videos gave you information on how to better your language and grammar. This was done by telling you what exactly, for example, a semicolon did, how it was used, and when it can be applied. The video also gave background as to how it was developed, which allowed for more insight as to why we use certain punctuation in the first place. I enjoyed the video on how languages evolved, as well. This helped me understand more about my native language, English, and made me curious as to how my home language became a part of the mix.

The video on why grammar matters was also informative on the topic of language. I always believed grammar was important, as it is, in general, the building blocks to getting your point across in any scenario. Whether you are writing a letter to a friend, E-mailing your professor about a question you had, or meeting someone for the first time, it is almost always your method of first-impression. The video reinforced my prior thoughts on grammar and language, and helped me realize even more what a powerful tool it all is. It was also interesting learning about how many verb tenses there are in English, and it also helped me understand how complex the English language is as a whole.

Link to the story lab playlist

Spelling and Grammar 

Reading Notes: PDE Mahabharata, Part B

Vidura is the brother of Pandu and Dhritarashtra and wiser than both. He was never able to become king because his mother was a servant. He is loyal to the sons of Pandu and a member of Dhritarasthra's court.

the Pandava brothers lived in the wilderness with their mother Kunti before she brought them to live in Hastinapura. Now they are living in the wilderness once again, and they will face many dangers while they living in hiding.

Unlike Shurpanakha's ill-conceived love for Rama in the Ramayana, the love affair between Bhima and the rakshasi Hidimbi is a happy one!

After defeating the rakshasa Hidimba, Bhima will now do battle with an asura: Baka, also known as Bakasura.

The Pandavas are living in hiding, disguised as brahmins, but news of Draupadi's swayamwara brings them out of hiding — although they remain in disguise. You will also get to read about Draupadi's supernatural birth in this segment, along with the supernatural birth of her brother Dhrishtadyumna.

You have seen some dramatic swayamwaras so far: Sita's swayamwara in the Ramayana, the swayamwara when Bhishma abducted the three brides earlier in the Mahabharata — and now the dramatic swayamwara of Draupadi.

Things will now take an unexpected turn: Arjuna won Draupadi as his bride at the swayamwara, but in obedience to their mother's accidental command, all five Pandavas will now become Draupadi's husbands. It is not uncommon for kings to have many wives in the epics, but for a woman to have five husbands at once is not something anyone would expect!

This story provides a more detailed account of Draupadi's previous lifetime as Nalayni, and the "karma" that results in her having five husbands. 

Finally, Yudhishthira becomes a king in his own right, building a great royal stronghold at Indraprastha on the river Yamuna

 As you can imagine, making a marriage work with five husbands and just one wife is complicated. Arjuna accidentally breaks the rules established for their living arrangements, and as a result he must leave for a period of individual exile, and during that exile, he has a series of extraordinary adventures! The encounter with the Naga princess Ulupi is one of the most famous of those adventures.

This wonderful episode of Arjuna's exile will probably remind you of a fairy. It comes from Kincaid's retelling of the Mahabharata which you might want to consider as a reading option later on; as you can see, he has a lively and vivid storytelling style.

The king is reluctant for Arjuna to marry his daughter because he needs her to have a son to carry on the royal succession. So, Arjuna and Chitra marry and have a son, but the son stays in Manipur and goes on to become king. There will be a dramatic encounter between Arjuna and his son when, many years later, Arjuna returns to Manipur.

Arjuna has a special connection to Krishna, and in this episode you will see how he comes to marry Subhadra, who is Krishna's sister.

This episode tells about a famous adventure that Arjuna and Krishna have together. The meeting with Maya, the divine architect of the gods, will prove to be a crucial event in the series of events (leading to catastrophe!) that will take place when Arjuna returns home to Indraprastha. About Maya: this is the masculine for of the name , as opposed to the feminine form, Mayā. The masculine Maya is an asura, sometimes called Mayasura, while the feminine Maya is the goddess of the illusion that we call reality.

Mayasura proves true to his promise and builds an amazing palace for the Pandavas, one which drive Duryodhana even more mad with jealousy.

It is now time for Yudhishthira to declare himself a supreme monarch by performing a Rajasuya sacrifice. This will require that he confront a rival king, Jarasandha, and it will also lead to a violent confrontation between Krishna and Shishupala, the King of Chedi.

The coming catastrophe now begins to take shape: just as a kshatriya (member of the royal warrior caste) cannot refuse a challenge to battle, he also cannot refuse a challenge to attend a gambling match.

Draupadi's fate is an essential part of the story here, and she protests eloquently and loudly about the events that have taken place in the gambling hall.

As the scene continues, Bhima in particular will swear some terrible oaths, and the rest of the epic will be driven by the cycle of revenge that has now been set into motion.

There will be a second match, and it will end almost as badly as the first match, with no reprieve. As bad omens occur, you will see people shouting "Swashti! Swasthi" which is indeed related to the word "swastika," an ancient symbol of good luck in India, later misappropriated by the Nazis.


Bibliography:
Link

Vidura is loyal to the sons of Pandu and a member of Dhritarasthra's court.

Reading Notes: PDE Mahabharata, Part A

Explanation of how Vyasa becomes the dictator of the Mahabharata to the elephant-headed god Ganesha. The beginning plot for Vyasa's birth is laid out.

Devavrata is introduced, an important character; is also called Bhisma, son of King Shantanu and the goddess Ganga. He is a human being but possesses the powers of the eight gods known as Vasus. Satyavati is reintroduced. She is the new love interest of King Shantanu after his first wife Ganga had left him. The story also describes how King Shantanu's son, Ganga, got his nickname Brishma. It means terrible oath. It is because Devavrata takes a terrible oath so that King Shantanu can marry Satyavati.

Brishma takes the three daughters of Kashi to be brides of Shantanu and Satyavati. Brishma brings back three women to be the wives of Vichitravirya, but only two will become brides of his. Amba, the third woman, has a story of her own and will return later. Although having two wives, he could not have any children as he dies.

Pandu gets sons, even with a curse on him, and eventually dies. Dhritarashtra is introduces, as well as his sons. The dominant theme is set: Duryodhana, his oldest son, and the rivalry between the Pandavas and Kauravas, led by Duryodhana.

Kunti is described to raise the five sons of Pandu alone. She eventually brings them to Dhritarashtra, a blind king, and gives them a home and raises the sons.

Duryodhana is described to hate his cousins and attempts to kill Bhima, the second of Pandu's sons, and the strongest. Bhima goes down into the underworld king of the might serpents, nagas, and becomes supernaturally strong.

Drona is introduced, who is the guru to the young Pandavas and to the Kauravas, their cousins. The Pandavas are great students of Drona, and this makes Duryodhana, King Dhritarashtra's eldest son, jealous.

Ekalavya, an aboriginal boy wanting to be Drona's pupil is introduced. With Pandavas and Kauravas trained as warriors, they display their skills in a tournament. Bhrima engages in a mock fight with Duryodhana and it becomes very serious. Arjuna is also introduced as having the greatest skills of all the princes. As it seems he may win, Karna appears, the son of Kunti and the sun god, born when she was but a girl before marrying King Pandu. He was abandoned as a baby and was raised by a low-caste charioteer. Neither he nor Arjuna realize that they are brothers, son of Kunti.

After the princes have completed Drona's training, he demands the guru Dakshina a payment. He wants the boys to bring about his revenge against King Drupada, his childhood friend who had treated him so badly.

Pandava becomes more successful, and Duryodhana becomes more jealous. He decides he will get rid of Pandavas and Kunti once and for all.


Bibliography:
Link

The Royal Princes Trained Under Drona