Week 7 Storytelling: Dying Peacefully

Dying Peacefully 

It was two-thirty in the morning when I received the phone call about my grandfather being in the hospital.  Being away from college had its pros and cons. Pros I had freedom, cons when something happens with your family you’re miles away.  My grandpa Willie was one of the best people I knew.  Actually he was the best guy I know.  I lived 9 hours away from my hometown, so I got home as quick as I could.  As soon as I arrived in town I head straight to the hospital.  The doctors explained to me that my grandfather had had a heart attack, and was in critical condition.  They told me that at the moment he wouldn't be able to talk.  Also that it would be a while before he woke up, maybe even weeks.

My family and I sat day in and day out with my grandpa in the hospital room. We all went around telling our most favorite memories with him. For my brother it was when he took him to his first hockey game, and for my mom it was it was when he told her he loved her like his own daughter.  My father talked about him like he was the wisest man he had ever meet. And my grandmother told us of there one of a kind love story.  For me it was when grandpa Willie would take me fishing. Finally, after four days my grandfather started to open his eyes.

(Source Google) 

We each took our times to talk with him and squeeze his neck.  The doctors suggest that he stay in the hospital for another week to get a little stronger.  It was nice to have him join on with all the great stories we had to tell about him.  It was all going good until a day before he was to be released. He had a stroke and this left him extremely weak, and the doctors didn't feel well about it.  My grandpa started showing weak signs and told us he was ready to go. We told him to not stop fighting and that he would pull through. But he explained to us that it wasn’t that he was done fighting. He explained to that he had had a great life, that he had do his good, and had the love of his life for over 50 years.  He told us that he was ready to let go, and go peace.  And that's exactly how he went peacefully surrounded by family.

Authors note: This story is based off the character Drona, from Public Domain Edition: Mahabharata.  The only way Grandpa Willie and Drona were alike was the way they died.  They both wished to die peacefully and that is how I created this story. 

Bibliography: Public domain Edition: Mahabharata, based off the episode Death of Drona. Myths of the Hindus and Buddhists by Sister Nivedita (1914).

Reading Diary: Mahabharata Part D

Mahabharata: Public Domain Edition Part D

1.Bhishma Falls
-I like how they described Bhishma,, like a lordly elephant and like fire which burns up a dry and withering forest.

2. Drona in Command

-Arjuna is cool to vow to defend his brother even at the sake of his own death.

3. Abhimanyu and Jayadratha

-Arjuna of course doesn't die, but he does get bad news that his son had died.  Kishna and Arjuna seek revenge.

4. Ghatotkacha

-now Bhima losses his san by the mighty warrior Ghatotkacha

5. Death of Drona

- I always liked Drona, I thought it was pretty cool that he laid down his own weapons and sat in the chariot fixing his mind on itself.

(Death of Drona) 

6. Bhima and Dushasana

- Bhima meets his long desired evil hearted son. As they are fighting Dushasana fals on his back and hurts himself.

7. Arjuna and Karna

-I can believe that Arjuna shot Karna when he heard his sons’ name being called.

8.Duryodhaha in the Lake

-Now that Karna is dead, Duryodhana is still alive and he will use supernatural powers to take refuge.

9. The Night Raid

-Ashwatthaman seeks vengeance for the death of Drona. When Duryodhan died in the joy of vengeance his bosom and he died a happy death… I wouldn’t call it a happy death.

10. Ashwatthaman Cursed

-Arjuna of course helped Ashwattaman, and returned with him and the jewel.

11.  Mourning

-Everyone is in mourning of the hundred of sons that have died.  They are always so brutal with there killings.  They want to crush the head of Bhima.

12. The Pandavas and Bhishma

-I thought it was cool that Bhishma had the gift of choosing the way of his own death.

13. Parikshit

-It is confusing that a “dead chilf” could be born… what does that even mean? I thought it was sweet that Krishna told Uttara will be her little son asking if that would confort her.

14. King Yudhishthira’s Horse

-Very srange that the Goddess of Parvati cursed a horse, and that it was bale to turn into any animals. 

15. Horse Sacrifice

-I like how they would only sacrifice if the animal was pure. 

16. The Mongoose

-Interesting twist when a mongoose tells a story.

17. The Forest and its Ghosts

-Seriously anything can happen in these stories. Now Vyasa is conjuring up the ghosts of the dead warriors.

18. Death of Krishna

-I hate that Krishna dies he was one of my favorite characters. Also his death of course was presaged by terrible omens.

19. The Pandavas Depart

-Whoa did not expect that the Pandavas and Drauapdi would end their time on this earth and leave the kingdom in the hands of Parikshit, which is Arjuna’s grandson.

20.  The Afterlife

-I like how this ended with afterlife.  And how afterlife sounds almost inviting with gentle words. 

Reading Diary: Mahabharata part C

Mahabharata: Public Domain Edition Part C

1. Life in the Forest

-I don't know what it is about being sent to exile, but just like Rama the Pandavas will now enter exile. 

2. Krishna’s Visit

-Krishna pays a visit to the Pandavas in exile.

3. Arjuna and Shiva

-Arjuna the adventurous person he is, goes to find weapons for the Pandavas because they will need them.  So that is pretty cool!

4. Arjuna and Indra

-I would want to live in Swarga, because the town seems like it could be a happy place. It’s bright, and flowers are always blooming there with sweet music always playing. 

5. The Himalayas

-The Pandava brothers in exile go on an adventure to the Himalayas.

6. Bhima and Hanuman

-Why are Monkeys always the animals that come around.  I think that it’s cool that it's the same monkey from Rama’s adventures.

7. Duryodhana and the Gandharvas

-Karna is serious about slaying Arjuna he even said that he wouldn't eat meant or wash is feet.

8. Karna and Indra

-Karna is so cool to be born with a clad in golden armor earrings, so I wouldn't want someone to that from me.  But he gets a dart in exchange, a very powerful dart.

9. Jayadratha and Draupadi

-Draupadi is going to see that life is going to get hard in the forest.

10. Riddles at the Lake

-Why would people keep drinking from the pond if people keep falling dead? 

11. The Court of King Virata

- Since this si the final year of exile the Pandavas must spen it in hiding. 

12. Bhima and Kichaka

-My heart hurts for Draupadi as Prince Kichaka tries to rape her.

13. The Cattle Raid

- I think it is funny that they only stole the Kings cattle. 

(Cattle Raid)

14. Preparations for War

-Yay! That the Pandavas brother are out of exile. 

15. Krishna and His Army

-I think it is sweet that Arjuna is glad to just have Krshna by his side. 

16.Krishna’s Mission

-I really like Krishna, because she doesn’t want war, but only peace and love.

17. Krishna and Karna

-I still find it interesting that even though Karna is actually one of the Pandavas brothers, and he has been fighting them!

19. Bhagaved-Gita

-The ‘Lord’s Song”

20. The Battle Begins

-Duryodhana warns Duryodhana of the dom that awaits them.

Week 7 Reading Diary: Mahabharata

Reading Diary from Public Domain Edition: Mahabharata, Reading part B.

(Picture Source)

1. The house of Fire

-Vidura is the brother of Pandu and Shritarashtra, and in fact he is smarter than both of them. Unfortunately for Vidura his mother was a servant so he was never eligible to be king. He is a member of Shritarasthra’s court, but his locality lays with the sons of Pandu. 

2. Bhima and Hidimba

-Since the Pandava brothers lived in the wilderness with their mother Kunto before she brought them to live in Hastinpura, living in the wilderness again wont be so bad to them.  They do face many more dangers while living in hiding.

3. Bhima and Hidimbi

-This is strange but an intreasting twist that the love affair between Bhima and the rakshasi Hidimbi is a happy one!

4. Bhima and Baka

-Bhima fights and wins a battle against the rakshasa Hidimba, and now sets out to battle with an asura: Baka.  It’s cool that Bhima’s preferred weapon is mace, but that he is comfortable using a tree truck as well. 

5. Birth of Draupadi

- Pandavas are still living in hiding until news of Draupadi’s swayamwra brings them out of hiding. 

6. Draupadi’s Swayamwra

-So much swayamwaras going on

7.Wife of the Five Pandavas

- What lucky women Draupadi is to have all five Pandavas become her husbands. This is also very unusual.

8. The story of Nalayani

- Karma always comes around, and for having five husbands karma is bound to find you. 

9. Indraprastha

-Yudhishthira becomes a king in his own right, building a great royal stronghold at Indraprastha on the river Yamuna.

10. Arjuna and Uluop

-I don't blame Arjuna for breaking the rules of their living arrangements, but I don’t agree that he should be sent to exile for that.

11. Arjuna and the Apsaras

-Arjuna’s exile reminds me of a fairy. 

12. Arjuna and Chitra

-They marry and have a son, and he stays in Manipur and becomes king.

13. Arhuna and Subhadra

-Arjuna is cruching on Krishna, and ends up marrying Subhadra, who is Krshna’s sister.

14. The Burning of the Forest

-Famous adventure that Arjuna and Krishna have together.

15. Maya’s Palace

-Always ove when promises are kept, and Mayasura keeps hers and builds an amazing palace for the Pandavas.

16. The Pandavas Victorious

-Yudhishthira is now going to declare himself a supreme monarch by performing a Rahasuya sacrifice.  You've got to be pretty brave to do this. 

17.  Gambling Match

-I use to play the game Parcheesi when I was a child! Always a great game to play with dice to kill time in the summer.

18. Draupadi Lost

-it always ends with your fate, and Draupadi;s fate is on important and she protest eloquently and loufly about the events that take place in the gambling hall.

19. Draupadi in the Assembly Hall

- Bhima makes some pretty terrible oaths, and not the epic will be driven by the cycle of revenge.

20.  The Second Match

- Swashti- ancent symbol of good luck in India, which later was misappropriated by the Nazie, very interesting to me.