Well, this one starts with an invocation again. I like how it sets the scene and gives it a real mystical, storytelling feel, but at the same time, Narayan's telling gets into the action much sooner.
I do like the story of Vyasa and Ganesha composing the Mahabharata. Ganesha seems to be one of the more well-known Hindu gods in Western society, and so I've heard this story before. It's nice to see a familiar story in its original context.
Oh, and now the churning of the ocean! I've heard this one too, but I don't think I knew it came from the Mahabharata. I like how these fuller versions of the epics include so many stories about gods and such that aren't directly related to the narrative. Like I said above, it kind of slows down the action of the story, but at the same time it's interesting to see all this mythology gathered together. It's nice that there are new things to learn in this version too.
Oh okay, now it comes back around to the snake sacrifice.. the time frame there is kind of confusing, it's like they start with a frame narrative and then loop around to the past and then back to it.. I don't know.
And here's the Ganga story again. Wait, was this in the Narayan version, or did I read this on my own? I don't remember. I think it was in Narayan. Yeah. Anyway.. that's pretty messed up.
Wtf?? Okay, well, the already strange and messed up story of Satyavati's birth gets even more strange and messed up. Like, who came up with this stuff? There's some new stuff here, but basically the same narrative.
Women are shuffled around... god sex... deer god sex... pretty much the same, but somehow I'd forgotten how much weird stuff there is in the beginning here.
Gandhari giving birth -- W T F??????????????? I just... no. I don't even wanna ... no.
More god sex. It's weird how it's not considered cheating having all kinds of children by gods.
What's with ejaculating into inanimate objects and magically making children? Like, what?
Arjuna the jock. Drona the wildly irresponsible teacher. Ooh, new stuff with Karna. That's interesting.
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