THE MAHABHARATAM : (in 18 Episodes) - PRELUDE to the Bhagavad Geeta : Episode 6 :

Chinmaya Mission :

The last week of February, the Chinmaya International Foundation (CIF) campus hosted two camps. 

The first, Narada Bhakti Sutra Camp, was facilitated by Br. Anand Chaitanya for participants from Chinmaya Mission Vellore and Chinmaya Mission Chennai. 

They enjoyed the sessions and also learned more about the history of Adi Sankara Nilayam while visiting various temples in Ernakulam. 

The second camp was an orientation workshop conducted by the Youth Alliance team from Uttaranchal for young participants from the Southern zone. 

Although the CIF campus was always bustling with activity, the serene silence of divinity at its heart remained true for those who tuned in.

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Thursday, March 16, 2023. 07:30.

How the Writing Began :

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Episode 6:

The Young Princes Grow Up Together  :

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The Pandavas and Kauravas grew up together, being cousins in the same household. 

They played together, studied together, ate together, and had many, many fights together 

from childhood.

A common childish prank of Bhima was to irritate Duryodhana and Duhsasana at 

every opportunity. Little Duryodhana was mortally afraid of his cousin Bhima who was of his 

own age. From that early age the two grew up to dislike each other. Duryodhana had 

wickedness running in his blood. While still a youth, he planned with his brothers one day to 

kill Bhima so that he will be king one day. He knew Bhima liked food, so he planned to 

poison his food. Bhima ate the food heartily and became drowsy.

In that condition Duryodhana and his brothers tied him up with creepers and put 

him into the river to drown. Snakes started biting Bhima. The poison from their fangs acted 

as an antidote to the poison he had drunk. Bhima became even stronger than before. After 

a few days Bhima returned and narrated to his mother what had happened. From that day 

Kunthidevi was always wary of the actions of the Kauravas. “Be very careful of your cousin’s 

evil designs,” she warned them. Vidhura was the only other person that knew this.

A side-incident of note at this time was that Dronacharya had befriended King 

Drupada. The latter one day promised half his kingdom to go to Dronacharya at a later date. 

Dronacharya married Kripi and had a son named Aswathama of whom he was very fond.

As Dronacharya was living the life of a very poor Brahmin, Kripi asked him to go to 

his friend Drupada for some financial help. There was hardly any milk to give to Aswathama. 

When Drona went there, Drupada disowned his friendship. “Who are you?” he asked Drona. 

“I am your friend, don’t you remember me?” replied Drona. “Friend? Friendship is between 

equals,” came Drupada’s hurtful reply.

Drona left with the thought, “I will teach him a lesson.”

One day the Pandavas were playing ball when it fell into the water. Yudhishthira’s 

ring also fell in. They could not find a way to take it out. 

At that time Dronacharya happened to pass by. He said, “I know a way to pull the 

ball out.” Yudhistira said, “Sir, if you take this ball out of the water we will get you a good 

meal.” Drona then put many pieces of kusha grass together end to end, making a string of 

grass, as it were, and took the ball out, to the amazement of the boys. Then he took even 

the ring out using his bow and arrow. The boys fulfilled their promise, and asked him, “Who 

are you, sire?”

“Go to Bhishma and tell him what has happened just now. He will tell you who I am,” 

said Dronacharya, still not revealing his identity. To shorten the story, Dronacharya was 

appointed as the trainer for the Pandavas and the Kauravas to teach them the art of 

archery. Thus began another joint activity. As fate had it, it sowed further seeds of enmity 

between them.

An exhibition to display the talents of his students came up. Dronacharya enrolled 

some of his bright students, among them Arjuna. At the exhibition, young Arjuna excelled. 

He was told he was the best.

Just then a radiant warrior stepped in and said, “O Prince, don’t be arrogant. I will 

prove myself to be better than you. Duryodhana was delighted at this challenge – here was 

somebody who dared to challenge Arjuna! Drona said to the warrior, “Arjuna is a Prince. A 

Prince can be challenged only by another prince. Tell me whose son are you?” The new 

youngster had no reply; indeed, he did not know himself whose son he was. He could not 

take up the challenge.

Duryodhana saw a cunning opportunity in this situation. He called the young, radiant 

youth to himself, and offered to make him the King of Angad, a part of the kingdom 

belonging to the Kurus. Whilst the Pandavas thus looked down upon the new arrival, and 

Bhima even began taunting him. The sun was setting. It was time for all to depart.

Duryodhana took the new youth among them with him in his chariot. Indeed, a friendship 

was struck that day that had far-reaching effects for the Pandavas.

That youth was none other than Radheya (Karna)!

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Episode 7:
The Development of Karna :

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