Mahabharata

I've begun reading the novelized version of the Mahabharata. (which, if you ever get 5 A's in Scrabble...) Why? Google it. The original epic is 10 THOUsand pages long. I'll go to the original for the poetry once I know the story. The novelized version is only 909 pages. Kinda like Infinite Jest, come to think. I'll be dipping in and out as I'm also reading The Future of Theory and Embodied Love and six other things, as usual. I wish there were a novelized version of Proust. Anyway. In Ch 4, Bhima, one of the most virtuous of the half-god sons of Pandu and Kunti, incites the jealousy of Duryodhana (a half-brother) for his strength, virtue, and general likability. D then poisons Bhima, binds his arms and legs, and throws him in the Ganges. Where he flows in a magical current (there's a Lot of this sort of thing in The M) to the den of the Nagas, huge divine snakes, who promptly bite him. Bhima Wakes Up as the poison of the Nagas is the antidote for the poison D knocked him out with. (yep) Bhima then, with lots of Herculean origination, knocks a whole bunch of the Nagas unconscious (Hydra, anyone?), is taken to their king for Blessing ('cuz the Nagas respect), is spotted by a Naga chief (there are tribes it would seem) who happens to be his great-great-grandfather on his mother's side. (Yes, not only is this the founding epic of Vedic and Hindu culture, it's the mother of all fantasy novels, possibly of most "myth".) Naga chief says, "Hey, that's my great-great-grandson. Guys, let's give him the *rasa*," which is the ambrosia of the Nagas of which one drink gives a man the strength of 10,000 elephants, so the Nagas, of course, give him eight drinks. Bhima sleeps for eight days while the *rasa* renders him New and Improved. Bhima is then spirited back up the Ganges to home, where he arrives amdist much grieving to much fanfare and the cold chill of fear runs all over D's wicked body. Bhima seeks no revenge, just goes about being all happy and strong and lovely and hanging out with his cousins (all 102 of them boys, and one girl whose name hasn't been mentionded yet) playing ball and learning archery and getting taught to use the Celestial Weapons, while D fumes and begins to freak completely out. Bhima is a Pandava, and D is a Karuava, and if you remember your Bhagavad Gita, you know where this is going. (the girl is a Karuava, hmmmm) Envy, never works. Nev-ver. Not 100% thrilled with The M, as have already witnessed the sati of one wife, Madri, who argues for the priviledge with the first wife, Kunti, who compassionaltely gives Madri the priviledge of burning with Pandu's (who was a really great guy, really) corpse and loving him in heaven, while Kunti agrees to stay here and raise the five half-god sons of Indra, Vayu, Dharma, and the twin gods Ashvini who impart, yes, twins. Bhima, btw, is the son of Vayu, god of wind, who imparts the ability to "humble everybody". Arjuna is his brother. The sati Creeps this feminist out, but good to know how that was justified and encouraged. Wierd reading it -- just as lovley and magical and gorgeous as the rest.