Reading Notes: Epified Mahabharata, Part A

Image information: Vyasa, Image credit: Wikipedia

         In the Epified animated video: Mahābhārata: Karmic Revolution, my favorite episode is probably episode 5, “Sons of Vyasa.” Before meeting King Shantanu, Satyavati, the adopted daughter of a fisherman, had fallen in love with a sage known as Parashara. With that being said, their secret love created Vyasa. Because he was born out of wedlock and his mother couldn’t keep him, Satyavati had to send her first born son away. Vyasa, growing into a fully grown man minutes after birth, promised to his mother that he would appear to her whenever she summons him.
         After the death of her two childless sons, Satyavati had no choice but to summon Vyasa to ask him to father an heir to the kingdom so that the throne of Hastinapur wouldn’t go empty. Moreover, the queen made arrangements for Vyasa to father the children of Vichitravirya’s widows, Ambika and Ambilika.
         As for his mothers wish, Vyasa agrees to meet with Ambika. However, once the young queen saw the sage, she fearfully closed her eyes as he embraced her, in which the sage predicted that as the result of her fear, the child born to her would be blind. The other queen, Amabalika, upon meeting with the sage turned pale with fear, in which resulted in a child that was born pale and would suffer from bad health. Angry at both her daughter-in-laws, Satyavati ordered that Vyasa meet with Ambalika again, and this time, she would finally have a fitting heir to the throne. However, instead of meeting the sage herself, Ambilika sends out her maid to meet the sage. When the servant girl faced Vyasa, there was neither fear in her eyes nor her heart. She accepted the ugly-looking sage with love and compassion. Later, she gave birth to a healthy baby who would grow up to be the wisest and most learned men in the land.
I think that the servant girl was the character that I found to be the most interesting. Instead of being easily frightened by the sage like the other young queens, she was able to remain calm and composed. Because of her kindness, the sage blessed her with a son that would later be the most intelligent man.