The Cunning Of Shakuni

The Mahabharata is one of the most significant epics in Indian mythology, and its characters have become an essential part of the cultural fabric of the country. One such character is Shakuni, who is known for his cunning and manipulative nature. While Shakuni is a crucial character in the Mahabharata, much of his backstory and motivations remain untold. In this book, we explore the life of Shakuni and delve into the events that shaped his character. The Mahabharata is one of the greatest epics of Indian mythology, filled with complex characters and intricate plotlines. Among the many characters in the epic, one stands out for his cunning and manipulation: Shakuni. Shakuni is a controversial character whose actions have had a profound impact on the story of the Mahabharata. His story is one of tragedy and deceit, and his legacy continues to be felt in Indian culture and literature to this day. In this book, we explore the character of Shakuni in depth, examining his motivations, relationships, and legacy. Through a combination of historical analysis, mythological interpretation, and psychological examination, we seek to understand the complex nature of this fascinating character. Whether you are a fan of Indian mythology or simply interested in the psychology of complex characters, this book offers a unique perspective on one of the most controversial figures in Indian literature.

Mahabharat is such a great saga, such a great book that has all the essence of life, present in it. This has love, hate, conspiracy, friendship, hatred, loyalty, treachery and all other such emotions. Before the great war of Mahabhrat, the great continent of India was full of brave hearts and warriors, but after the war was over, only a few warriors survived in this land. This war of Mahabharat was the result of two pledges; one that was taken by Pitamah Bhisma and the other pledge that was taken by the ruler of Gandhar, Shakuni. If Bhisma Pitamah had not taken the pledge that he would not sit on the throne, there would have been no chance that this war would have happened and if Shakuni had not taken the pledge that he would destroy the Kuru dynasty, then he would have never left Gandhar and come to Hastinapur; this would ensure that the seed of enmity between the Kauravas and Pandavas would have never grown. The situational pledges that were taken by Bhisma and Shakuni, later on turned into a curse for them. The almighty created such a situation, that both of them started regretting their decisions of taking such pledges. Shakuni never knew that, the sister he loved more that his life would one day be married to the same kuru dynasty, whose destruction has been pledged by him. I have tried to enlighten many unknown facts about the life of Shakuni so that the readers could know more and more about Shakuni. This is my first composition and I would like to dedicate this to, not only my late heavenly mother, but all other mothers too. Since father, brother and other such relations can be formed again, but the selfless love of a mother, once lost can never be found again. The pain of losing one’s mother in childhood and not finding mother like love again, stays with you forever like emptiness. Maybe this pain encourages me to hold the pen and start writing.

The Shreemad Bhagavad Gita is one of the most ancient scriptures in the world. Of all the scriptures, it is said that Gita provides the deepest and most practical knowledge about faith, devotion, surrender, detachment, and a release of expectations and ownership over one’s own actions. But like any teaching, time and unqualified minds can distort scriptures like this and misrepresent what is contained within. It is for that purpose that the Lord continuously takes birth on earth in the form of the Guru to revive the true essence of the Gita and to demonstrate the simplicity and power of the divine message of the Lord. One such Master is Paramahamsa Sri Swami Vishwananda, and this book is his personal commentary on this timeless knowledge. Included here are over 900 pages of verses, translations, drawings for every chapter, and Paramahamsa Vishwananda's extensive commentary. Perfect for the beginner as well as those who have read other commentaries, this is more than just a book. It is a guiding light that can be applied to every day, to every thought, and to every moment.

In this exciting rendition of the renowned classic, Krishna Dharma retells this epic as a fast-paced novel, but fully retains the majestic mood of the original. As the divinely beautiful Draupadi rose from the fire, a voice rang out from the heavens foretelling a terrible destiny. “She will cause the destruction of countless warriors.” And so begins one of the most fabulous stories of all time. Mahabharata plunges readers into a wondrous and ancient world of romance and adventure. A powerful and moving tale, it recounts the history of the five heroic Pandava brothers and their celestial wife. Cheated of their kingdom and sent into exile by their envious cousins, they set off on a fascinating journey on which they encounter mystical sages, mighty kings, and a host of gods and demons. Profound spiritual themes underlie the enthralling narrative, making it one of the world’s most revered texts. Culminating in an apocalyptic war, Mahabharata is a masterpiece of suspense, intrigue, and illuminating wisdom.

Man is a social animal; no man can live in isolation. We are surrounded by people. We have family, friends, social acquaintances, work acquaintances and so on. Since the time of our birth, we add names, relationships and people in our social calendars. They become an integral part of our lives as we interact with them on a daily basis. If a person does not acquire knowledge or does not put their common sense to use, continues to live an ignorant life or chooses to remain blind, it is the worst kind of life. It is a life of misery and ill luck. In Mahabharata Retold Part-1, we saw the reasons behind the war. Mahabharata Retold Part-2 marks the best and worst times of one’s life and the time after such a period. Life never ends. We gain and lose in the same life. Our decisions are right at one stage of life and the same decisions stand wrong on another. Life is a series of changes that are unpredictable by the human mind. It not only covers the greatest war of mankind but also tells us what happened after it—how war changes the world around us. Mahabharata’s war was not the only purpose of this Veda’s compilation.

The rediscovery of the 13 plays of Bhasa Mahakavi and their publication in Thiruvananthapuram in 1912 by Mahamahopadhyaya T. Ganapatisastri was as important an event in the recovery of India's cultural and literary history as was the deciphering of the Ashokan edicts in the 19th century in the recovery of India's political history. Bhasa was known from allusions by other poets and fragments stretching from the time of Kalidasa all the way to the 12th century. Inexplicably, he vanished from India's collective memory since then. At the same time, the reverence in which he was held is amply evident from the regularity of references to him and the unanimity of critics and rasikas on the superb quality of his work. The recovered Bhasa has now taken his rightful place in the stage and is presented again and again not only in Sanskrit but in most modern Indian languages too. It is an eloquent demonstration of his enduring power to move an audience, his undiminished relevance and, most important of all, the stunning stage worthiness of his works, the quality that raises him far above every other ancient dramatist of India known to us.

High above the sky stands Swarga, paradise, abode of the gods. Still above is Vaikuntha, heaven, abode of God. The doorkeepers of Vaikuntha are the twins, Jaya and Yijaya, both whose names mean 'victory'. One keeps you in Swarga; the other raises you into Vaikuntha. In Vaikuntha there is bliss forever, in Swarga there is please for only as long as you deserve. What is the difference between Jaya and Vijaya? Solve this puzzle and you will solve the mystery of the Mahabharata. In this enthralling retelling of India's greatest epic, the Mahabharata originally known as Jaya, Devdutt Pattanaik seamlessly weaves into a single narrative plots from the Sanskirt classic as well as its many folk and regional varians, including the Pandavani of Chattisgarth, Gondhal of Maharastra, Terukkuttu of Tamil Nade and Yakshagana of Karnataka. Richly illustrated with over 250 line drawings by the author, the 108 chapters abound with little-known details such as the names of the hundred Kauravas, the worship of Draupadi as a goddess in Tamil Nadu, the stories of Astika, Madhavi, Jaimini, Aravan and Barbareek, the Mahabharata version of the Shakuntalam and the Ramayana, and the dating of the war based on astronomical data. With clarity and simplicity, the tales in this elegant volume reveal the eternal relevance of the Mahabharata, the complex and disturbing meditation on the human condition that has shaped Indian thought for over 3000 years.

Why did shakuni have to come to Hastinapur? His own gandhara folks believed that he wanted to take revenge against the Kauravas. They, however, knew nothing about shakuni’s disturbing secret and his actual intention. What was shakuni’s real motive? What was the secret he was trying to guard from the world with all his efforts? In Hastinapur, shakuni would get entrapped in an inescapable mesh of the past, the present, and the future. He could have freed himself from the tangle by cracking a particular riddle that he would only be able to solve too late. What was the riddle about? What made him finally realise that he had just been used? This is the untold story of shakti laced with love, desire, envy, Malice, and vengeance. This is a heart-rending chronicle of some grievously wounded people you can never hate, even if you fail to love or pity them.