This week, I am continuing to read William Buck’s retellingof the Mahabharata. One detail in this version of the Mahabharata that was left
out of other versions I’ve read/watched was Draupadi’s behavior in the dice
game. In this version, she literally punched Duhsasana who attempted to un-robe
her. I loved it.
Another story included in this version that I was unfamiliar
with was the story of Nala and Damayanti. This was a fascinating love story
filled with unexpected twists and turns. One common thread between the story of
Nala and Yudhishthira is there inability to turn down a gambling challenge.
This frustrates me when I’m reading. Their inability to refuse a challenge (aka
their pride/ego/etc) somehow seems to justify their stupid actions. Basically,
what I’m saying is, I don’t feel sorry for Nala or Yudhishthira when they lose
all of their possessions in a gambling match. In fact, it makes me pretty angry
at their character. If I was their wife or family member, I would find it very
difficult to forgive them.
One thing that confuses me about the references to dice
games in this story is, first of all, how Yudhishthira managed to lose every
single throw and second of all how anyone can learn the “science” of dice. I
find myself craving more details about the dice used… were they weighted? Did
they have magnets in them? Was it an illusion? I think the answer to this
question could make for an interesting retelling of the dice match in a
storytelling assignment.
The ordeal of Queen Draupadi,
Author: Mackenzie, Donald Alexander, 1873-1936; Goble, Warwick, Date: 1913, Source: Wikimedia
No comments:
Post a Comment