Entries by Srivalli Rekha Mantrala

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The Sabha or Varuna – Stories from Sabha Parva

The celestial courtrooms aka sabhas were radiant, powerful, magical, and glorious. Here, Narada described the beauty of an underwater sabha belonging to Varuna. Varuna’s sabha is present underwater as he is the god of water/ rain. The sabha’s dimensions are the same as Yama’s sabha (hundred yojanas). It looks just as brilliant with white walls […]

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The Sabha of Indra – Stories from Sabha Parva

The celestial courtrooms aka sabhas were radiant, powerful, magical, and glorious. Here, Narada, in Indraprastha, described the beauty of sabha belonging to Indra. After Maya built the majestic sabha in Indraprastha, many kings, rishis, and Narada Muni arrived to see the place. Upon Yudhistira’s request, Narada described the celestial sabhas.  Indra’s sabha is radiant and […]

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Birth and Names of the Upapandavas – Stories from Adi Parva

Draupadi gave birth to five sons, one with each Pandava brother. Her five sons were called the Upapandavas and were born after Abhimanyu (Arjuna and Subhadra’s son). However, more research shows four Upandavas were older than Abhimanyu (who was sixteen when the Kurukshetra War occurred). The Upapandavas (sons of Pandavas) were born a year apart […]

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King Samvarana Marries Tapati – Stories from Adi Parva

King Samvarana was an ancestor of the Pandavas who married Tapati (the river goddess), the daughter of Vivasvat (Surya Deva).  Tapati was the younger daughter of Vivasvat, born after Savitri. She was a mesmerizing beauty with symmetrical features and an unblemished face. She was also known for her devotion to austerities. Surya Deva wanted to […]

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Enmity Between Drona and Draupada – Stories from Adi Parva

The enmity between Drona and Draupada is an interesting situation caused by childhood promises and differences in their approaches to life. After all, Drona was a Brahmin and Draupda was a king. Drona was the son of Rishi Bharadwaja. He studied Vedas, Vedeangas, and Shastras under his father. Bharadwaja had a friend, King Prishata, whose […]

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How Bhima Killed Rakshasa Baka – Stories from Adi Parva

The second Pandava brother, Bhima, was known for his tremendous physical strength. He killed many rakshasas throughout the Mahabharata, though these events took place more during their time spent in the forests.  After escaping the House of Lac in Vanavrata, the Pandavas went into hiding. Bhima first killed Hidimba and had to marry the rakshasa’s […]

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How Duryodhana Poisoned Bhima – Stories from Adi Parva

Duryodhana’s hatred for the Pandavas hadn’t occurred overnight. Soon after the Pandavas came to Hastinapura after Pandu’s death, they became popular with everyone for their good manners and helpful nature. This caused envy and jealousy in Duryodhana, who until then, considered himself a favorite. He poisoned Bhima and tried many other ways to get rid of […]