Narayan's Mahabharata
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| Shantanu pursues Ganga |
Plot: Shantanu spots a woman near the river, and he marries her. He has no idea what he is getting himself into. She ends up drowning the babies in the river and when the eighth one comes along, he begs her not to. The wife confesses she is actually THE river, disappears and then agrees to let the eighth child live (Bhishma) and plans to reunite the child with his father later in his life. Shantanu finds love for another woman, Satyavati. They have some chaos happen when her father won't allow the relationship to continue. They end up having two children, Citrangada and Vichitravirya. Chitrangada is appointed king and tragically ceases to exist. Another king actually puts his daughters out to win a suitor. Bhishma takes all of them for Vichitravirya and even still Amba promises herself to the Shalwa king. Amba doesn't want revenge but Ambika and Ambalika still marry Vichitravirya, both women. Here's where it gets a little twisted and a little strange, but there is a happy ending! After a series of fish, Pandu shooting at a deer and the deer cursing Pandu, many sons are conceived and the boys conceived are trained by Drona. An escape is made from a fire. There is hiding, another attempt from King Drupada to get his daughters married off, and more husbands and wives getting married.
Character:
Shantanu-King of Hastinapura
Ganga-river and wife of King of Shantanu
Vasus-the eight gods begot from Ganga
Devavrata/Bhishma-the eighth child of Ganga
Satyavati-second love of Shantanu
Chitrangada-king but then dies
Vichitravirya-other son of king
Amba, Ambika and Ambilika-daughters of neighboring king
Neighboring king
Setting: city of Hastinapura
Bibliography: R. K. Narayan, The Mahabharata, Narayan's Mahabharata Reading Guide
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