Reading Notes: Mahabharata: Karmic Revolution Part A

"couple by a river"

~~

After watching the Mahabharata the story of Shantanu was very interesting to me. If I were to write a story about this, I would write a romance. A guy would go fishing and meet a woman by the river. They eventually talk to each other and they decide to meet there everyday. They would eventually fall in love and get married to each other, the only condition is that the man never asked why she was at the river that day. 

Days pass and they would live a very happy life together. They would keep visiting the river after their marriage. The first time they visit the guy would get a little bit curious as to why she was at the river in the first place. As they continue to visit the river his curiosity will grow and grow until it becomes unbearable. After the 8th day of visiting the river, he finally asks why she was there. To his surprise she tells him why without hesitation. It was to kill herself. She never wanted anyone to know because she was so ashamed of herself and what people would think of her. The woman would leave the man out of sorrow. 

Every day the man would wait by the river in hopes she would return. After days of waiting the man would finally see the woman again. One night, the woman would return in an attempt to kill herself again. However, the man would catch her in the act, and reassure her of his love for her. His kind words would ease her pain and open her eyes to what her life holds. Afterwards, she'll realize her mistake and they will live their lives together forever. This plot would differ from the original in some ways, but I think it would be an interesting read.

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Mahabharata: Karmic Revolution Part A - Epified TV

Week 6 Story Planning: Compromise of a Princess

"cartoon kingdom"

~~

I found the story of Nalayani and her five husbands interesting and thought I could write an interesting story about it. The story would be set in medieval times, where there are kings, princesses, and kingdoms. In my story, Nalayani will be the princess of a great king that hopes to unite their kingdom and the neighboring kingdom. He devises a plan of sending his daughter to the other kingdom to wed the prince of that kingdom to join the two together. The name of the princess will be Nala. Familiar right? 

As Nala arrives in the neighboring kingdom she is greeted by five young men. She would be confused as to why these five men are greeting her rather than the prince greeting her himself. To her surprise, she finds out that all five of the men are the princes to the kingdom. The five princes have been tasked to impress the princess in any way possible and it would be her choice to choose who she would like to marry. However, this never happens. Nala feels as if none of the princes have proven their worth by anything they have done. Each prince is equally good or bad at what the others are capable of.

The king decides on a new solution. All five princes will be the husband of Nala. Nala will be very reluctant to this declaration and try to argue with the king, however, it does not fall well for her. She pleas to the king that she believes it is not right to be married to five men at once. The king would hear her out this last time and come up with a final compromise. Each prince will be her husband only during a specific time of the week. This way, Nala could preserve her virtue while still combining the kingdoms. Nala agrees to the proposal and lives her life with five husbands. 

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Public Domain Edition, Mahabharata, Part B Reading

Reading Notes: Public Domain Edition, Mahabharata, Part B Reading

"Kingdom"

~~

I really enjoyed the story of Nalayani and her five husbands. I feel like it would be a very easy topic to expand on and make a very interesting story. I could write a story about Nalayani. She could be a princess. Instead of her finding a rishi, she will be under the control of her father, the king. The king would send her to a neighboring kingdom in order to bring the two kingdoms together by marriage. When she arrives at the kingdom she would be greeted by five princes. Each prince is a son of the kingd that her father is trying to befriend. The princess will be very reluctant of this whole situation the entire time. Acting like she doesn't want to be there and seeing no reason to give them the time of day. Each prince will try to prove to the princess that they are the right one for her, however, they would never reach an agreement to who is truly the winner of her hand. So the king of their kingdom rules that she would be the wife to all five of the princes. The princess would be outraged similarly to the original story. She would protest to the king that this was not right and she believed that a woman of her stature should only have one husband. However, the king would have not hear it and ignored her opinion. She pleaded that she wanted to remain virtuous and having more than one husband at a time would break that virtue. So the king decided she would only act as a wife to one son at a time. They would divide the days of the week to where she would only be with one person at a time. This would convey her feeling like she preserved her virtue. Similiar to the original story where Nalayani wants to remain a virgin for each one of her husbands. 

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Public Domain Edition, Mahabharata, Part B Reading

Week 5 Storytelling: The Businessman

"Businessman"

~~

The year was 1972 and everyone was inside shopping for Christmas gifts. Malls across America were filled with people day in and day out. Some people were there to buy gifts, some people were there to watch the havoc, and some people… well... some people were there to MAKE money. Charles Upari was a man there to make money. Charles was the owner of every major mall chain in America. He had no ties to any religious faith and focused solely on his company. Charles was born into a wealthy family and lived like a king ever since he was young boy. He was the richest mall owner alive. Charles would travel all across the country to meet with many fellow businessmen to further his brand. Like every young, successful businessman, Charles had an affinity for beautiful women. He would spend his days meeting with his fellow business partners and his nights... well... you get the picture. Woman after woman, business trip after business trip it would always be someone or somewhere new. This was the life of Charles Upari. 

Charles was set to sail off on his first business trip outside of America. He always enjoyed boats and being on the water, so he opted for a ship rather than a plane. He was very excited at the possibility of expanding his brand to other nations. On his way to the boat he noticed a women fishing near the docks. Charles being the uncontrollable swine he is, approached the woman and spoke with her. After a couple of hours trying to sway her into coming with him on the boat, she finally agreed to follow Charles and accompany him on his trip. Charles bought an extra seat for her on the ship and they set sail right away. The trip turned from business work , into a honeymoon. Charles had finally met someone who he thought he had truly fallen in love with. Soon after the couple returned from their trip overseas, they parted ways to return to their families for the holiday. Little did Charles know, he would be receiving an unexpected present for Christmas this year. 

The day after Christmas Charles received a letter from his last lover stating she was pregnant with twins. Shocked by the news, Charles rushed to consult her about the situation. Charles devised a plan for the children. He decided he would take the son, and the woman could keep the daughter. Charles needed an heir for his business and two children would be too much of an undertaking with his busy work schedule. The woman agreed to his deal, due to her lack of power against him.

Many years passed since the children were split up from birth. The boy and the girl were in their late teens. The boy was always a very curious fellow and snooped around his father's office pretending to be like him. One day, Charles forgot to lock a box full of legal papers about the siblings. The boy, being the little snoop he is, found the box and discovered he had a sister he had never known. Infuriated by his father's actions, the boy set out to find his sister and rekindle their bond. When the boy found his sibling, he was surprised to find her pregnant and alone. The man she had fallen in love with had left her to take care of the child, just like their father did to their mother. The brother, not wanting to be the same man Charles was, stayed and helped raise his sister's child. Through the help of his uncle and mother, the child grew up to be a famous author.

AUTHOR'S NOTE

I based my story off of the birth of Vyasa. In the original story there is a king who impregnated a fish by flying over a river. His original name is Uparichara, but I flipped it around and made it into a modern name. This fish ended up birthing twins, a boy and a girl. The boy was taken by the king and the girl stayed with a local fisherman's wife. The girl eventually met a sage and they birthed Vyasa.  Instead of a king I made him a rich businessman. I felt like a rich businessman would depict a king in a more modern way. Also, rather than using a fish, I made the mother a woman who was fishing by the docks. I thought the fact the king impregnated a fish was a very odd part of the story. I figured I would keep some aspect of that in my story as well. I also made the story more about the King's life rather than the Vyasa's mother, unlike the original. I went into a good amount of detail with Charles (king) and did not spend as much time explaining his children and the daughter's child. In the original, the brother served no real purpose. However, in my rendition of the original I made him a vital character to the plot.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Public Domain Edition, Mahabharata, Part A Reading

Reading Notes: Public Domain Edition, Mahabharata, Part A Reading

"Vyasa"

~~

There is a lot to write about, however, the first story of Vyasa's birth gave me the idea of a potential story. Instead of Uparichara being a king, he could own a very successful business.  The setting of the story could be in the 1980's, or some time before the present. It could open with a scene of Uparichara and showing how he is a playboy. He could also be a man born into wealth that has no regard for anyone. The scene would show him fooling around with woman after woman. While he is away on a business trip out at sea he could meet a woman fishing on the deck of the boat he is sailing on. This woman would eventually become pregnant with his children. The woman would meet with Uparichara and tell him she's having twins, one boy and one girl. Also, I would change Uparichara's name to something more modern day fitting, or at least something fit to the time. Maybe Charles, kind of sounds like Uparichara? No? Ok. Well.. when the children are born, Uparichara could take the boy and raise him on his own while the mother raises the daughter. Both siblings would never know the other one existed until they meet later on in life. Once the children reach around their teen years they could meet due to the boy finding specific things the father has hidden from him that shows he has had a sister the whole time. Probably like baby photos of her, or legal information. When the brother meets his sister she will be pregnant with a man's baby, however, the man has left her on her own just like their father did to their mother. Her brother, not wanting to be the same kind of man his father was would stay and help raise the baby. That baby would later become a famous author. I think this story would relate in an interesting way to the birth of Vyasa even though it is not exactly accurate to the original.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Public Domain Edition, Mahabharata, Part A Reading

Feedback Focus

"focus aim"

~~

Out of the three strategies I would rank them by usefulness in this order: Copy and Delete, Reading Out Loud, Using a Timer. I was definitely surprised by the copy and delete method. The other two not so much. The copy and delete method felt the most beneficial because my mind stayed on topic the whole time I was reading. I would write down what I thought to be beneficial information and then moved on. The timing method made me feel rushed. Rather than putting all of my focus into reading I was worried more about how much time remained. The reading out loud method was beneficial and counterproductive in a way. I found that sometimes it would really engage me in the story and I would read it as if I was a character. However, sometimes I found myself simply reading the words without truly thinking about the content. It was like reading a teleprompter and not truly knowing what I was talking about. I would definitely try using the Copy and Delete method again. I believe it is a very useful tool to remember information and not lose focus. I have used the reading out loud method before. Almost every time I read I go back to that method some time or another. It was a pleasant surprise to find another tool I can use to help me focus when reading new content. 

Week 4 Story Planning: Regretful Decision

"military couple"

~~

The story style for this topic would definitely be a love story. The tragic ending to this story fits well in a love/heartbreak way. Jay is a military man who has his heart set on starting a family. However, he wants to wait until he is out of the military and is dead set on that dream. Emma is his loving wife that would do anything for Jay. She wants to be his partner through every dream they have together. 

The main topic of my story would be love/heartbreak. A couple will face problems they never could have imagined. The man Jay and the woman Emma have been married for 5 years. Jay is in the military and has been deployed on his last tour before he leaves the military to start his family. While Jay is gone Emma is alone. They will have an occasional meeting every other day by video calling or speaking on the phone. Jay's time abroad will soon come to an end, however he notices that his wife is behaving strangely. He thinks nothing of it and is simply excited to return home. In the airport when Jay and Emma meet. Jay will notice that Emma is not acting like herself. She seems nervous and sick. It is not the happy greeting party that he was expecting from her. Instead of Jay questioning what's wrong he chooses to be upset at her lack of appreciation. Throughout the months he's back Jay keeps noticing Emma's strange behavior. He notices there are random things around the house that were never there before. New foods, new clothes, and some furniture is missing. Jay's suspicions rise as he notices all of these changes. He begins to think the worst of Emma. He believes that the time she spent alone were spent with someone else. Without consulting with her of his findings, he argues with her and leaves without any warning. Emma is devastated. Months later the couple will bump into each other. However, a young boy will be by Emma's side. Jay will soon realize this boy is his son and the all of his suspicions will come to light. 

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Sita Sings the Blues by Nina Paley

Reading Notes: Sita Sings the Blues

"Soldier and his wife"

~~

In this story I think I would tell something similar to what was going on in the video. I would introduce a couple who are madly in love. The man will be in the military. Eventually, he'll get a call letting him know that he has been deployed and is being sent of to fight in a war. While he's away at war their relationship could slowly start taking a turn for the worse. After maybe a few arguments the man feels as if it is his fault the relationship is failing. He comes home early from deployment in hopes to surprise is wife. When he arrives home he does not receive the happy welcome he was expecting. His wife could be acting very strange. He would notice this change in behavior and question what has happened. This is when he investigates the changes around the house. Random things that have never been there and he knows his wife has no use in being involved with. After investigating further into everything he believes that his wife has been having an affair while he has been gone. He could decide to leave her without letting her have her say. He would be so infuriated that he would not want to hear her side. The man believes in order to maintain the small amount of self esteem he has left the best thing to do is leave. He does not speak to her at all during the time he has left. He ignores every bit of interaction with her. After a few years they can eventually bump into each other once again. This time a young boy is with the former wife. Questioning who the boy is the man realizes that it is his son. He sees how everything in the house has tied into what was going on with his wife and he realizes the mistake he has made. This would kind of tie into Rama being exiled and leaving Sita after he becomes King. 

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Sita Sings the Blues by Nina Paley

Week 3 Storytelling: Agent Kai

"Secret Agent"

~~

March 10, 2025, there were multiple explosions heard in the distance. Every agent in P.A.R.K (Private Agents of the Royal Kingdom) heard the explosions and immediately knew of the terror they were about to face. Their archenemies S.E.L.A. (Secret Evil Lair of Agents) were knocking at their doorstep. As the agents headed to their battle stations, one agent was particularly calm lying down in his sector room. His name? Agent Kai. He was as skillful as a monkey in terms of strength and acrobatics. He was also very cunning. After graduating at the top of his class from the academy, he became the agency’s top spy. Kai knew the explosions outside of the base were just a diversion. S.E.L.A.’s true goal was to kidnap a specific agent. Her name? Agent Rita. Under the cover of explosion, they took Agent Rita and escaped without notice. 

After the battle, the executive council of P.A.R.K met to discuss the true intentions of their attackers. There were minor damages caused by the explosions and the base was virtually unscathed. The council was curious about the true intention of the attack. While the leaders bickered about their reasoning, Kai made his presence known in the hall. 

“Why the confusion? It is blatantly obvious what has happened here,” said Kai. The leaders murmured in confusion.

“Please, inform us with your infinite wisdom, agent Kai,” said one of the council members sarcastically. 

“Look around,” said Kai. 

"
Do you notice anyone missing?”

 As the council searched the premises, they finally realized that Agent Rita has been taken right under their noses. After discovering this horrible truth, the executive council ordered Kai to retrieve Rita from the hands of their archenemies.

“Kai, you will retrieve Rita and return her to us.” 

As Kai was preparing to set off on his journey a young agent came and spoke with him. 

“Hi! You’re Kai right? Oh my goodness! You’re THE Kai? I can’t believe this is happening, WOW! You look so awesome in per-“

“QUIET! Who are you?” said Kai. 

The young agent replied, “My name is Jay and I am your partner for this mission!”

 Kai, in disbelief, questioned him, “Why would I need a partner?”

Jay replied, “I specialize in tracking. I am here to assist you in finding Rita.”

Kai shrugged and accepted the help from the young and slightly annoying agent. Soon after their meeting, Kai and Jay set off on their mission to rescue Rita.  

After two weeks of tracking down the trail left by S.E.L.A.’s henchmen, Kai and Jay finally found their secret base. The base was heavily fortified. Turrets were placed on every side and guards stood at every inch of the gate. This infiltration required an agent of great combat skill to enter. Jay stayed behind while Kai snuck his way through the main gate and platoons of agents patrolling each sector. One by one Kai struck down S.E.L.A. henchmen and interrogated them until they spoke of Rita’s location within the base. Finally, Kai found Rita in a location deep inside the base. The sector was the most heavily guarded room in the entire lair. 

Suddenly, Kai had an idea. He decided to end this war once and for all. He rushed into the sector unarmed and outgunned. The henchmen tackled Kai and captured him immediately. Rita could not believe her eyes. She never thought the great Agent Kai could be captured so easily. After having captured Kai, the henchmen were debating whether or not they should do away with Kai then and there. However, one captain spoke and thought it would be best if they took him to their leader. Their leader’s name? Vana. 

The men took Kai in Vana’s own personal chamber to meet with him. 

“Greetings, Agent Kai. I have heard quite a lot about you. It seems you are not as great an agent as everyone believed. You have been captured and now you will stay here forever! HA-HA-HA.” 

Kai replied “Haha, why the confusion? It is blatantly obvious what has happened.” 

Vana replied “What are you babbling abou-?” 

Before Vana could complete his sentence Kai broke free from the guards and began pummeling them down one by one. Vana was in such shock that he froze where he stood. After defeating all of the guards, Kai faced Vana in a one on one fight. Vana, miserably outmatched, cowered in fear. Kai defeated Vana with only one of his lethal punches. After defeating the men in the hideout, Kai retrieved Rita and set explosives throughout the entire base. The two agents run out of the base as quickly as they could. Before they escaped, Kai and Rita reunited with Jay and fled the base. As Kai set off the charges, the three agents looked back in awe at the explosions of the base. After returning to the P.A.R.K. headquarters, Rita thanked Kai. 

“Agent Kai, I owe you my life. Thank you for everything you have done. If there is anything I can do…” 

Kai replied playfully, “It is blatantly obvious what you have to do. Marry me!”

AUTHOR'S NOTE

I tried to keep the plot similar to when Hanuman was tasked with saving Sita from Ravana. However, in my story instead of a magical being, Hanuman is an agent working for a secret company. In the original story, Hanuman is guided by a mythical vulture that leads him to Sita. Instead of a vulture, I gave Agent Kai a nerdy partner that specializes in tracking. Once Hanuman discovers Sita's whereabouts, Hanuman infiltrates the city and is captured on purpose to meet with the leader, Ravana. Similar to my story, Agent Kai infiltrates the enemy's base and is captured in order to meet the evil leader Vana (Ravana). After meeting Ravana, Hanuman escapes and burns the city down. Shortly after, he retrieves Sita and returns her to Rama. In the end of my take on the story, Agent Kai blows up the base and escapes with Rita, similar to what happened in the original story. I figured I would change the ending a bit seeing as I made Agent Kai the protagonist of the story. Rather than Kai returning Rita to the base for someone else, like Hanuman was for Rama. I decided to have Agent Kai and Rita get married. 

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Public Domain Ramayan, Section C Reading