Reading Notes: Mahabharata Part C
Although a simpler story, my favorite story was the first story of Part C, "Life in the Forest".
The story begins with the five Pandava Princes and Draupadi in the woods. Yudhisthira stops and vents to his brothers about how they had lost everything and they were now poor and that the woods are very dangerous because there are lots of different animals that could prey on them.
A brahmin heard him and advised him to pray to Surya (sun god). He did so, but he also prayed to Indra, Brahma, Prajapati, AND Vishnu. He must have prayed a lot and with a lot of meaning because then all of a sudden Surya appeared to him and gave him a copper pot that had a never ending supply of food for he and his brothers.
From the food in the pot, the brothers were able to live in the forest for twelve years. They would always set leave the food for the holy men and then eat the rest. They also became very devoted in their faith by bathing in sacred waters and visiting holy shrines. They lived relatively easy going and happy lives; wandering around eating different fruits and seeing pretty flowers and such. However they would struggle during the rainy season. All of the brothers and Draupadi would freak out but Bhima would carry them.
Bibliography:
PDE Epics: Mahabharata, "Life in the Forest"
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