Tuesday, October 4, 2016

Reading Notes: Part A of Epified's Mahabharata

Shantanu's despair
(source: YouTube)

I just wanted to begin these reading notes with expressing my excitement with the portrayal of this series. Watching this first series has allowed myself to get a better understanding of the epic through the use of hand drawn pictures. I am very content with this reading choice.

I actually felt bad for Shantanu after watching the first video mainly because of the drawing style of the artist. Shantanu looked so incredibly depressed with his single tear dropping down his face. This effect definitely allowed me to sympathize with him.

Continuing with the details surround Shantanu, I had great joy in seeing happiness bestowed upon him after all this time. He was able to see Ganga again and he was also reunited with his son that was taken from him several years ago. Again, there was a relation of emotion.

The music in these videos was something else. I really enjoyed the start of the epic music that began in the fourth video. There was a sense of suspense as the drawings were happening which mixed in with the music allowed for a more captivating view.

I loved the portrayal of Bhishma kidnapping wives for his half-brother! The art in this was so entertaining for the simple fact that Bhishma looks so determined in his quest for a successor should his brother parish. I love the way he is literally dragging the women out of the court. It's my favorite art piece so far.

I completely forgot about Amba! It was one of the main connections I made between the Mahabharata and the Ramayana as there was a conflict with women spending time in the home of another man. I related Amba to Sita as they were both met by a rejection of sorts.

In this series of videos Bhishma seems like the ultimate operator behind everything. He is out arranging marriages and raising children as if they were his own. He really is the sort of like the father figure of every character we have met and he's trying to make everyone happy. This is very selfless of character.

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Bibliography: Epified's Mahabharata
Link to this reading guide

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