Week 6 Reading Diary Continued: PDE Mahabharata

This last section of the PDE Mahabharata was all about the war between the Pandavas and Kauravas. Here is a brief summary of my favorite moments:

I liked the story of Ashwatthaman's Jewel from Indian Myth and Legend by Donald A. Mackenzie (1913). This jewel was really special, in that it could revive people from the dead, and it made an appearance when Arjuna just up and dies out of nowhere. It was really strange that Arjuna is suddenly killed off, but it makes sense for the author to use the jewel seeing as it had been introduced earlier. I would like to know why Indra even let his son, Arjuna, die in the first place.

Ashwatthaman deprived of the jewel.

I also really liked the last two stories The Pandavas Depart and Afterlife both from Indian Myth and Legend by Donald A. Mackenzie (1913). I like this story mostly because it involves my storybook topic, Indra. In these two stories Indra acts almost like a gate keeper and takes Yudhishthira into heaven to show him around. It was interesting that Indra still decided to deceive Yudhishthira even after the entire Mahabharata continually praised the virtuous life that he led. Yudhishthira proved his worth once again, choosing to rather go to hell with his kin than stay in heaven without them and his hound. 

Yudhishthira with Indra in hell

I would have really liked to know what Arjuna did in heaven with Indra. Maybe Indra gave him a place as a god.