Another installment from Myths & Legends of India, as part of #theMahabharata -
The third extract from the Mahabharata deals with the main story of the epic. The five Pandava brothers – Yudhishthira, Bhima, Arjuna, Nakula and Sahadeva – acknowledged Pandu, king of Hastinapura, as their father. (In fact, Pandu had been cursed to die if he had sexual intercourse, and he therefore encouraged his wives to seek other fathers for their children: Yudhishthira, Bhima and Arjuna were born of his first wife Kunti by the gods Dharma, Vayu and Indra respectfully, and Nakula and Sahadeva were born of his second wife, Madri, by the twin-gods, the Asvins.) Pandu’s (elder) half-brother Dhritarashtra had a hundred sons by Gandhari, known (after Dhritarashtra’s ancestor Prince Kuru) as the Kauravas. Dhritarashtra was blind, and therefore gave up the throne to Pandu whne their grandfather King Santanu died. Santanu had, in his old age, married Princess Satyavati, who had at first refused to marry him because any son they would have would be second in line for the succession. Santanu’s son by his first marriage, Bhishma, nobly gave up his clame to the throne so that his father could marry Satyavati. -
Satyavati’s two sons by Santanu died without issue, leaving two widows. She then invited her illigitimate son Dvaipayana (also known as Vyasa, the author of the Mahabharata) to lie with her daughters-in-law. At the sight of Dvaipayana, when he approached them, the elder one shut her eyes, and the younger one turned pale. That was why Dhritarashtra was born blind, and Pandu was pale (the name means ‘Pale’).
Dvaipayana was originally a weird-looking demi-god who had acquired special powers by living a life of asceticism in the forest: that was why he was able to father the father of the hundred Kauravas. -
Pandu abdicated from the thrown while his five sons were still young; so Dhritarashtra succeeded to it after all, despite his blindness. When Pandu died, Dhritarashtra adopted the five Pandavas...
-
The War-skills Battle
-
Insideasoul.blog -
#insideasoul #wordpress #bloggersofinstagram #blog #blogger #indianmythology
Myth & Legends of India
-
Pictuure: #thepandavas
-
#Duryodhana , Dhritarashtra’s eldest son by his wife Gandhari, and thus the leader of #theKauravas , has become consumed with hatred for the Pandavas, mainly because the people of Hastinapura are calling for Yudhishthira (eldest of the Pandavas) to be named as Dhritarashtra’s heir. Duryodhana persuades his father to send the Pandavas and their mother, Kunti, to live in a handsome but inflammable palace which he has had specially built for them in the forest–surrounded city of Varanavata. He then instructs his low-caste spy Purochana to burn the Pandavas alive in the house; but Vidura, the courtier who helped to set up the war-skills contest (see pp. 233-48), tips off Yudhishthira, who devises a plan of escape – though the Kauravasdo not at first know this, and shed public crocodile tears at the supposed death of their cousins.
-
Vidura was the son of Vyasa (Author of #theMahabharata ) by a low-caste slave girl. He is wise, humane and impartial, and does his best to restrain the irrationality and criminality of the Kauravas.
-
The following extract also indicates Kunti’s unflinching character, for she is prepared to sacrifice innocent lives in order to ensure her sons’ escape from the burning palace. -
The Lacquered Palace (pp. 259-90)
-
Sakuni, Duryodhana,
Duhsasana and Karna
Formed a picked plot
(continued Vaisampayana).
With Dhritarashtra’s approval,
They decided to burn alive
Kunti and her sons.
But it so happened
That Vidura, who could read
Men’s hearts in their faces,
Discovered the intentions
Of the four conspirators.
Defectless, Atman-illuminated
Vidura, devoted to the welfare
Of the Pandavas, made up his mind
To devise an escape for them.
He arranged for a boat;
Variously equipped, with strong sails,
Able to withstand wave-beat
And wind-havoc. He told Kunti:
‘Dhritarashtra is bent on insulting
Past and future Kuru glory.
He is obsessed with mischief
And he si contemptuous of dharma.
‘I have a boat ready, sweet lady,
Wind-worthy and river-worthy.
Escape in it with your sons
From the noose of death.’..
-
Insideasoul.blog -
#wordpress #bloggersofinstagram #blog #blogger #indianmythology
When I first began my #Yogapractice I avoided Instagram accounts and Yoga sites promoting advanced balancing poses and handstands with a twist of circus/acrobatic feel. I was lead to #YOGICPHILOSOPHY before I realized how much of a trend/fitness lifestyle it appears to have turned into. The more I looked for Yoga Sequences to begin my personal practice, the more I became drawn to Instagram accounts of pretty photos of mostly blondes who can do seemly perfect handstands on a beautiful beach, or challenging arm balances and splits. This made me feel discouraged, and for some months I was focusing on my #Asana practice rather than the #spiritual aspect, the #meditations , the breath concentration, and intention and subtle meaning of the asana practice and meditation. As I go along, I am learning to be more intune with myself and who I want to be in life, instead of which pose I can do with ease. Once I decided to stop looking at these accounts for specific poses, my life’s perspective opened up and I felt free, the subtle freedom I felt in the beginning of my Yoga practice. -
Article: Yoga Flexibility and Controversy - https://www.ekhartyoga.com/blog/yoga-flexibility-and-controversy
Feature image found in article
-
“Photos of the over-flexible representation of ‘ #yoga ’ give the wrong message to those who don’t have an abnormal #rangeofmotion in their joints or extreme ligament laxity. To practice true Yoga in its purest essence, you don’t have to be able to stand on your hands or head, prie your limbs apart or balance for hours. You just have to be true, honest, kind and present. Aware of yourself and alive in the world.” – Emma-Louise Newly
-
I began my yoga practice in January, 2015, at home. I came to Yoga with a deep yearning to understand myself on a spiritual and physical level. Through my exploration of Yoga, the many paths, and a variety of meditation and breathing techniques, I became truer to myself and life’s purpose. My personal home practice is still important to me, and through the below finding/exploration, it is more consistent and authentic...
-
To be continued... @ekhartyoga
-
Insideasoul.blog -
#blogger #bloggersofinstagram #wordpress #blog
