Week 9 Story: Dhritarashtra's Vision

Vyasa entered the room and Ambika immediately shot him looks of disgust and remorse. His hair was in knots and he was covered in dirt, his odor could be detected from miles away. Ambika was not looking forward to having a child with Vyasa, so when he took her in his arms, she closed her eyes and plucked her nose. 

Ambika called out, "Vyasa, I cannot look at you nor can I smell you, your utter presence is making me nauseous, let alone your horrid appearance." 

Ambika closed her eyes and and Vyasa told her that their child will be born blind. Ambika could not bear opening her eyes to see the sickening view of Vyasa, so she continued with them closed.

Their son was born blind just as Vyasa had predicted. The son's name was Dhritarashtra. Dhritarashtra later wondered why he was blind, and his mother told him that his father was so unbearably ugly, that she was forced to close her eyes while he was being conceived. Dhritarashtra was upset, as he became self conscious about his own appearance. He feared kids in school would bully him for looking as ugly as his father. Dhritarashtra grew angry with his mother and blamed her for all of his life struggles. For being blind, for not knowing what he looks like, for being bullied in school, everything. 

Later on in life Dhritarashtra became the King of Hastinapur. He hated his mother so much, he decided to banish her from the kingdom. He believed that finally he could get rid of his mother Ambika and punish her for all his hardships. 

Ambika had left Hastinapur deeply saddened. She ran far away where nobody could ever find her again. Never was she seen by another human.

A few days later, a friend of Dhritarashtra named Raj asked him, "Why would you banish your mother?"

Dhritarashtra replied, "She was responsible for all my struggles. She was the reason I was blind."

Raj replied, "You understand she went blind for you too, right? She had her eyes poked with needles to destroy her vision. She did it because she loved you. How could you do this?"

Dhritarashtra, unaware that his mother sacrificed his vision to be like him, was struck with everlasting guilt. He looked far and wide for his mother, but she was nowhere to be found. Dhritarashtra lived the rest of his life in pain and regret about how he had treated his loving mother. 

Dhritarashtra

Bibliography - Mahabharata Episode 7 by Epified

Authors Note: I took inspiration from the Mahabharata Episode 7 where Dhritarashtra is born to Vyasa and Ambika. He is born blind because his mother did not want to look at his father, Vyasa. The ugliness of Vyasa was too much to handle. I tried to retell that story in this piece while adding my own twist at the end. In the original story, Dhritarashtra is aware that his mother has sacrificed her vision for him, but in my retell he is unaware. I believe that it was necessary for bringing a neat twist to the story. 

Reading Notes: Mahabharata: Karmic Revolution Part B

 Reading Notes

One Hundred Sons - 

This was my favorite story out of the Part B videos, probably because of how they portrayed the flesh that Ghandari gives birth to. It was literally just a lump that looked like balled up laundry. The flesh was later split into 100 pieces and then submerged in oil. After that, her sons emerged from the oil and she had a hundred sons. The video portrays them as ugly beings, and that only a blind parent would accept them as they could not see their ugliness. I thought this was humorous but also unrealistic, as a mother will love her son regardless. 

Ghandari with her blindfold on, as she sacrificed her vision eternally

Bibliography - One Hundred Sons

Reading Notes: Mahabharata: Karmic Revolution Part A

 Part A

The drawings in the videos is amazing. It really helps in the deeper understanding of what all is going on and makes it easier to keep track of the characters, as there can be several. The best part in my opinion was how they were able to portray Vyasa as a hairy ugly man, and it definitely made me laugh. The story is pretty in line with the previous readings, so there is not much to note other than the great drawings. I think this is a very resourceful source to use if you get lost in the story as it can clear many things up simply with the drawings.

Vyasa

Bibliography - Mahabharata: Karmic Revolution

Week 8 Progress

 Progress

Overall I would say I am happy with my progress thus far. I think I have significantly improved my writing skills and my level of creativity, things that I was worried about when coming into the course. I have a good weekly routine and like to do work for this course last, as I find it far more relaxing than other courses and it helps me decompress for the night. I probably enjoy the readings the most as I am interested in the history of India and where some of the religious beliefs in Hinduism stem from. I have not utilized any extra credit so far, but I do plan on it. In the next half of the semester, I want to improve the aesthetic of my blog to be more visually pleasing, and I also want to write more quality stories. 

Keep Going!

Week 8 Comments and Feedback

Comments and Feedback

1. The comments that I have received from classmates in my opinion has been helpful, especially when a majority of comments are pointing out the same thing. For example, in one of my stories I lacked dialogue so many classmates let me know that it could be helpful in the story. I kept that in mind for the next story I wrote and tried to incorporate it into my writing naturally. 

2. I think that my feedback to other students has been good. I like highlighting my favorite parts of their work, and try to provide specific changes that I feel could be beneficial. 

3. I definitely think the blog post introductions help in getting to know our classmates. It has made the class feel a bit more personal rather than just random people commenting on other's stories. My introduction does a good job in my opinion of informing classmates about my interests and what I like to do.

4. I want to be more specific on the comments I make on other people's blogs as I believe it can be one of the most helpful things when making edits. Sometimes comments are broad and it does not leave an impact on the person, so I feel it is good to get specific. 

Never Fail Cat

This is my favorite because I live by the idea that you fall down 7 times and get up 8. You can never give up on your dreams whatever it is. Failure is part of any process, what shapes us is how we deal with that failure. I believe that to be great at anything you must fail several times, and that failure is a precursor to success. Failure is the price you must pay to achieve success. 

Week 8 Reading and Writing

Reflection 

Overall, I believe that at first I was a bit unfamiliar with how this whole class would work out because it is so different from anything I had ever done before, but I can say with confidence that this has been one of my favorite classes so far in college. Personally, the reading is really intriguing to me more so than the writing aspect, and I probably feel this way because I have never been a creative type especially when it comes to storytelling or creating your own stories. I definitely have gotten better with my storytelling after reading several stories that have been assigned as well as ones from classmates. My writing skills have progressed and now I feel more comfortable with the writing aspect, something I was weary about before taking the class and in the first couple weeks of the course. I am happy with my blog and website, and make changes depending on my mood. I like to switch or add images and treat it like a sort of mood board. My biggest accomplishment has definitely been the advancement of my writing skills. Never had I written anything other than traditional essays for school, and this definitely taught me how to write stories and be more creative with writing as a whole. My favorite readings were the Ramayana because it was easy to read and there were not many characters unlike the Mahabharata which I found confusing at times. As for my reading notes, I think from here on out I will try to highlight one or two of the stories that were my favorites and I found significant. I find myself only looking at my notes to see which of the stories were my favorite so I could incorporate them into stories of my own. Overall, I am excited for the next half of the course and the adventures that it will bring. 

The mighty Kumbhakarna - 

This is definitely my favorite image as I love him as a character as well as his physical appearance. 

Week 7 Story: Kubera's Tale

The Pandavas then departed for their exile to the Himalayas, a land filled with beauty from the mountain tops down to the valleys, overflowing with life and prosperity. When trying to find a place to rest for the night, they came across an enormous palace covered in gold and jewels that erupted in the middle of two mountains like a hot volcano. The brothers decided to knock on the door, and met the being who lived there - a man by the name of Kubera.

Kubera showed them around the palace ridden with the most expensive and rare jewelry they had ever seen, and offered the Pandava brothers a place to stay. 

He asked the brothers, "For why is it you all have come across this desolate land where nobody has visited in centuries? Not even the Sherpa's that work on Everest stop by to say hello."

The brothers told him the story of their exile, and then asked about Kubera's own history.

Kubera went on to tell them about his life and how it led to where it did.

"It all began when I was born. My father had two wives, one happened to be my mother, but the other woman happened to be the mother to the well-known demon named Ravana. Ravana was a demon and did no good in this world, always causing trouble and ruining lives. He attempted to steal Rama's wife, Sita. A foul act, something nobody could ever imagine doing."

"Ravana and I used to be friends when we were younger, but our mothers having fought over the love of our father had developed a disliking for each other. Ravana's mother and my mother were never happy to see us hanging out with each other, and my mother would often remind me that he is a demon. She told me I should not surround myself with his company, as it can only lead to bad things. Later on I became the King of Lanka, ruling the lands far and wide. A truly beloved ruler. Ravana's mother told Ravana that Gods and demons should never be hanging out together, and that Ravana needed to do something to prove his status."

"Ravana then departed to the forest to pray to Brahma, seeking the throne of Lanka in hopes to overthrow me. I personally do not believe that Ravana wanted this, and it pains me to see my friend and half-brother wish on my demise, but he was being persuaded by his ravaging mother. Brahma, after hearing Ravana's prayers, sent demons to fight me off and take me far away from Lanka. A group of demons came and defeated me, dropping me far away north in the Himalayas. Ravana was now the ruler of Lanka, and I had been exiled from the lands by the commands of Ravana's mother. I then built this palace in these mountains and have resided here ever since, not a soul knows that I am here now, other than you brothers."

The Pandava brothers were in shock of Kubera's life story and how his own half brother could betray him. 

The brothers asked Kubera, "That's cool...but why do you have such a large palace filled with rich jewels and coated in layers of gold if you are the only one here, and why are you considered the God of Wealth?"

Kubera answered, "Oh.....I just have really expensive taste."

Then Kubera along with the Pandava brothers lived happily ever after.

The Himalayas

Author's Note: My story is based on the Mahabharata story titled "The Himalayas" where the Pandava brothers are leaving for exile and come across Kubera. In the original story, the brothers do not spend time talking about Kubera and his origins on how he is the God of Wealth. They merely mention him and then continue on with the story. I wanted my story to focus more on the story of Kubera and his origins as I believe his relation to Ravana is important in the bigger picture. I was also just fascinated with Kubera and wished to know more about him, so writing this story allowed me to do further research on him and his life. Some parts of the story have been adjusted slightly, but a majority of his life's story is accurate. 

Bibliography - PDE Mahabharata - The Himalayas

Reading Notes: PDE Mahabharata Part D

 Mahabharata

• Arjuna says he will defend his brothers life even if it means sacrificing his own
• Drona is in charge of Duryodhana's armies
• "He died like to a forest lion surrounded by hunters; he sank like to the red sun at evening; he perished like to a tempest whose strength is spent; he was spent out even like a fire which has consumed a forest and is extinguished on the plain; Abhimanyu was lost as is the serene white moon when shrouded in black eclipse." 
• Arjuna weeps at the death of his son and seeks revenge
• Ghatotkacha is killed
• Drona was killed by his own sword, the Pandavas had deceived him
• Karna is in charge of the armies
• Bhima now seeks revenge for the unfair treatment of Draupadi; gambling.
• Bhima cuts off Duhsasana's head and drinks his blood in revenge. He claims he has never tasted anything sweeter than his blood. 
• The Kaurava warriors see this inhumane act and flee in fear
• Arjuna shoots Karna and takes his head off, killing him with a bow. 
• "My brother, did not Duryodhana wrong the Pandavas with foul play at dice? And did not Bhima, when he beheld Draupadi put to shame, vow to break the knee of Duryodhana?" says Krishna
• Ashwatthaman arrives to avenge the death of Drona by killing the Pandavas while they are asleep in their homes. 
• "So be it. But Ashwatthamann hath a great jewel which gleams in darkness. Let it be taken from him, for it is as dear unto him as his life." He had a jewel which served him protection. Arjuna goes in pursuit of this jewel. 
• Horse sacrifice
• Yudhishthira becomes the king
• Krishna was killed by a hunter as he was mistaken to be a gazelle. He was then burned alongside his 4 widows. 
• The Pandavas and Drauapdi depart for Mount Meru, never to return 
• "As he spake the gods appeared, and the scene of horror vanished from before the eyes of Yudhishthira, for it was an illusion conjured up to test his constancy." He was being tested by the gods

Bibliography - PDE Mahabharata

Pandavas

Reading Notes: PDE Mahabharata Part C

 Mahabharata Part C

• The Pandavas are exiled into the forest for a significant amount of time. 
• Krishna visits them while in exile
• Draupadi was unhappy that none of the brothers were standing up for their wife
• Draupadi remains unhappy and wants revenge
• does not value forgieveness
• Arjuna gets weapons that will be used to fight with after their exile has been completed
• the Pandava brothers get baptized and then make their way to Himalayas
• Arjuna returns to the brothers after collecting weapons
• Duryodhana is jealous of Karna
• Nakura went to drink water from a river but a voice called out saying to answer to it before drinking. Nakura did not listen to the voice and drank the water, later dying. 
• others who drank the water from the river also died
• The voice that was calling to them was revealed to be Dharma, the god of wisdom and justice
• Draupadi escapes a rape attempt through the help of Bhima
• Krishna tries to stop fighting by bringing the Pandavas and Kauravas together
  
• Failing, Krishna turns into the form of Vishnu and attempts to bring the two together
• When the war is about to begin, Arjun sees his comrades on the other side of the fight and no longer desires war. He is encouraged to go and fight anyways by Krishna

Bibliography - PDE Mahabharata

Dharma

Story Lab: Ted Talk Videos

 Ted Talk by OU Professor Jennifer Barnes - 

I thought that this Ted Talk was extremely cool because I had Jennifer Barnes as my Lifespan Development professor last spring. She was an amazing professor and a better person. In her Ted talk she focuses on the idea of fictional characters and what effects they can have on us as people. She highlights para-social relationships and how we as humans feel about celebrities/fictional characters even though they are unaware of our existence. We feel as if we know that person and everything about their lives even though often times they are fictional characters. She says that this relationship can often times mean more to people than casual relationships that we have with real people. I can definitely agree with what she says because I myself have dealt with para-social relationships. I truly realized this when my favorite person in the world other than my family, Kobe Bryant, passed away. I was struck with immense grief and pain even though he did not know of my existence nor had I ever met him. I was crying my eyes out for weeks and still think about him nearly every day. This is the power of para-social relationships, and Professor Barnes that sometimes these relationships can transform us into more empathetical people. 

Ted Talk by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie - 

This was an amazing Ted talk that focused on the issues that come with telling a single story. Chimamanda talks about the struggles that she has dealt with when coming to America and the stereotypes that she was faced with by her American colleagues, simply because they had only heard negative stories about her home nation of Nigeria. She emphasizes the need to tell multiple stories, telling the good with the bad, rather than just telling the bad. The image that the media portrays about a certain place often times is so one sided that it brainwashes the viewer into believing anything other than what they are told. The issues with telling only one story can lead to stereotypes. She says, "A single story creates stereotypes, and the problem with sterotypes is not that they are untrue, but that they are incomplete." A single story can only tell so much of the entire story, and whoever is hearing the story is not being told the bigger picture. This is by far one of the best Ted talks I have ever heard, and it really opened my eyes about stereotypes and especially the media. 

What is a stereotype?

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