Reading Notes, Mahabharata Episode 6

Since I'm currently taking a course in playwriting, I had the idea to turn Satyavati's Secret into a script. These stories are such dramas, why not dramatize one? I'll specifically address Bheeshm and  Setyawati's relationship and I want to address the secrets, like how he actually has a brother, Vyas.

In my mind this is actually very contemporary, and quite a funny scene. I think the concept of a mother having to literally beg her son to sacrifice his abstience is hilarious, at least in our society. And, of course, "you have a half brother, he was before you, and actually.... he's a better poet than you'll ever be. And I got stuck with you?". Classic mom line!

Setting: Kitchen
Possible name changes? Ben/Bheeshm
                                        Sara/ Setyawati

I think that this will be a really interesting exercise in storytelling. As a playwright (I don't feel justified in referring to myself as a playwright....)

As a person who writes plays I include a lot of explicit and exact stage directions, referring to scenery, character psyche, environment, movement, etc. so for this assignment I'm going to write much more of that, so I'm still writing within the word count!

I'm learning to practice a growth mindset, which is what
inspired this concept!
Here's to a new challenge!
Google Images, carriekeeple.com

VIDEO REFERENCE: Begin at 1:00
Youtube- Mahabharata Episode 6
Epified

Growth Mindset: Gratitude

GRATITUDE
The Amazing Effects of Gratitude

So, I just closed my first play of my senior year. Let me tell you... it was a real challenge, this play. It started off a little weird, because I was put in the position of having to make a choice. Either accept a role offered to me (Which was Oskar's Mum in Let The Right One In) or be up for two really great shows in the fall, where I could definitely fit into either one. (Children's Hour and Vinegar Tom)
I'm not a strong decision maker.... so this was like, my own personal hell for a week. Do I take the main stage? Or do I take the opportunity for a larger role which would probably stretch my acting ability and allow me to break from the mold of always playing the role of a mother? 

Long story short, I took Let The Right One In. And I immediately felt like I made the wrong choice.
Something inside of my body didn't feel right about it, but I dislocated from that because I "knew" I made the smart, safe choice.

Fast forward to the actual rehearsal process... I was doing a pretty good job, but I was bored because all of my scenes were so short and the script was pretty freakin' bad, so there wasn't much to work with. I was jealous of everyone else.... everyone got to be in movement pieces, or be killed by a vampire, or play in the SNOW on stage! And me? I drink colored water from a wine glass and smoked an e-cig. I didn't even get to die... Oskar's Mum didn't even get CLOSURE in the play! What was I thinking?! And then my director stopped working with me, because he trusted my process and "was the last thing he was worried about". I grew frustrated and by the final night of dress rehearsal I was done with the whole experience. I felt like my senior year was off to a shit start and I was having none of it. Unfortunately, I was stuck in that rut for the majority of our run.

Then one night, after what was a really good show, I made a comment to one of my good friends and cast mate. "It's almost over."
Walking to my car that night, I thought about how this play was her university debut performance. I thought about how freaking cool the show was, even if I wasn't part of the "cool" factor. (It was SO technically driven... it was taken from the novel/movie of Let The Right One In, which is why it was very cenimatic/poorly scripted.) I decided that I needed to shift my mindset. There were two more shows left, and I was going to make it count.

The next night we had our best audience, and that night an alumni found me so he could share about how I (as Oskar's Mum) reminded him of his relationship with his mom. There's a high stakes scene between Oskar and his mum, in which she slaps him across the face and has a short monologue, "You think I shouldn't drink? Just look at you! A savage, a hooligan, I produce this and I shouldn't drink?"

He took me by the shoulders and explained that his mom had a drug problem while he grew up, and that we (Oskar's Mum and I) captured that moment perfectly. He cried, even.

That singular moment, that connection, made the whole run worth it to me. To know that my character made a difference to at least one person was really all I needed. I allowed myself to really change the way I played Mum for the rest of the run. Since I was feeling less bitter and victimized, so did she. And the audience stopped laughing when the officer told her to "fuck off". Instead they found sympathy for her.

There's even more stories of what changed, but I won't go into further detail. How does this relate to the Growth Mindset prompt? I just started finding gratitude. I checked my stupid ego at the door and decided to be grateful to be in such a cool production. I decided to be grateful for all of the underclassmen and the opportunity they were getting. I decided to be grateful towards my director who really left it up to me. I was grateful for feeling like shit so I could learn how to get over it. Most of all, I was grateful towards Mum for finally letting me figure her out. I always felt unsatisfied after a show, because Mum doesn't get a resolve (okay, a lot of that has to do with poor playwriting) but I'm usually always able to figure it out. While I was never given that sense of resolve, I gratefully learned how to live with something that made me uncomfortable.

It was a challenge, because I didn't feel like I reached my own expectation with this specific role. I could be sitting on my couch right now, feeling very bitter but relieved to be done with said play. But instead, I took a breath of gratitude and I'm now happy for the experience. I learned a lot of lessons that I wouldn't have if everything went the way I planned. It's been tough, but I'm so grateful.

A personal picture from Let The Right One In
(Costumes by Lloyd Cracknell)
A crew member caught a picture of Mum while I was waiting for my first scene entrance.
(E-cig and water!) 

Reading Notes C

I'm thinking about writing a story from the POV of those mentioned in Yudhishthira's comment, that would include...

•  thou art the creator
•  thou art Indra 
• thou art Vishnu
•  thou art Brahma
•  thou art Prajapati
•  lord of creatures
•  father of gods and man
•  thou art Mind
•  thou art lord of all, the eternal Brahman

(links left in tact for easy access)

I'm thinking along the lines of Big Brother OR like in Mulan, when all the ancestors are in one place? Kind of like a hub. I also want to personify the Mind, "the Creator", fire, etc. It's a lot of characters so if it becomes too much to handle I'll cut out one or two, but I intend to include all.

Definitely a contemporary feel with lots of common vernacular and slang!

And there will definitely be witty comebacks and lots o' sass
Mulan's Ancestors

pde mahabharata life in the forest

Reading Notes B

Rhima and Hidimba

I love this story. This might be my favorite one I've read so far!

I'm going to remount the story by telling it through Hidimbi's perspective.
(Surprised?)

• begin from Hidimba's entrance 
• cover the conversation between the siblings 
• explore their relationship- are they close?
• Hidimbi's discovery of Bhima.
• explore the rakshasa's transformation into a beautiful woman.
• Rakshasa rejection 
• wrap up with Hidimba's entrance 

scenes from the play, Hidi

-----------
PDE Mahabharata: Bhima and Hidimba

Storytelling with Satyavati

Dear Alice,

 So, a truly weird thing is happening to me. In fact, it's always happened to me. I guess before I get to the matters at hand, I'll have to provide a little bit of backstory. I'm adopted, which isn't really that big of a deal because my parents are awesome, and they definitely stick close to my roots. My adopted father is a fisherman, but before I became basically his right hand girl, I spent a lot of time with my mother. It's kind of crazy because my stupid brother (I have a brother, by the way.) he lives with a king. You see, the king didn't want me because.... well, I'll get to that. So anyway, my real dad is named Uparichara. He's a king as well. What's all of this about me missing out on royalty? I don't even- whatever. I had the most natural of water births, and that's when my current father, who's definitely not royalty, found me and my brother. He took us to the king, who clearly didn't want me but took in my brother... who is now royalty. I'm not really bitter anymore, I guess, that's just how the cards fell for me. I honestly really love working with my father on the river. Being born of the water, it feels like home. I don't want to like, brag or anything, but when it comes to looks... well, let's say that I'm not lacking. Only it doesn't matter how beautiful I am, when I have this overwhelming... this... this problem. You see, I really want a husband. I know, I know what you're thinking... how about a boyfriend? That's just not how things work around here. Anyway, I really want to get married! I just can't seem to find a mate.... because...

well, I smell like a fish.

It's completely chronic! It's not because I work with my dad by the river, not at all! I work by the river so people won't think I just so happen to smell like a fish, but it's the truth! I SMELL LIKE A FISH! I've tried everything. Mudbaths, tonics, perfumes, bath bombs... nothing seems to work.

Please, please help.

Sincerely,

Fish Out of Water






Dear Alice,

 Well, I never did hear from you. Which was pretty disappointing because I was really beginning to lose hope. I was about to deem myself lost forever when, I'll tell you what, just the craziest thing happened. And trust me, I know crazy. So, I'm working one day for my dad. Rowing the boat across the stream. It was a very hot day, and those days are the worst because... I sweat a lot. And it smells like... well, I'm sure you remember, smells a lot like fish. A man approached the boat, got in, I asked where he was headed, across the way (he said), and we were off. I wasn't really thinking about much, just, you know, rowing the boat, when he started (to my surprise!) hitting on me? He said, "A woman so dark and beautiful didn't deserve to row a boat all day long in the hot, hot sun." Do you know what he did then? Of course you don't, but I'll tell you. He took my hand! I was actually shocked, and I hate to say it but my palms sure were clammy. He's trying so hard, like so hard for me! It was... well, really nice. Much deserved and a long time coming... but hold on. Things get even crazier. So we get to the other side of the bank and he's trying to... well, you know, move along really quickly in our relationship. Listen, I'm not a loose girl. But he was just so.... oh! I forgot to mention. He's a sage, right? And he promised me some really, really great things. There's kind of a list, honestly, but I'm THRILLED to say that, with no help from you, I solved my fishy situation! I got him to grant me the most beautiful smell of musk. In fact, you can smell it for MILES! It's incredible! Besides that, I've secured ever-lasting beauty, infinite virginity, and (all in ONE day!) I had a baby.

Anyway, Alice, what should I name him?
I'm thinking Vyasa.

Sincerely,

Satyavati

moving on to bigger ponds, am I right?
Jonathan Perez

AUTHOR'S NOTE: I had a lot of fun writing this one! I found my inspiration to write this story as a letter from some of the other blog's I've visited over the past two weeks. This story comes from one of the very first in the Mahabharata, Vyasa and Ganesha. I thought the story of Vyasa's mother was just so interesting and absurd. There seems to be a theme to my writing, I've written a lot about mothers and female figures of Indian literature. I love taking them down from their size and attempting to create something modern and realistic. Sometimes it feels like a crime... but a creative crime?

I also used addition research from, the most reliable, wikipedia

Reading Notes, Mahabharata Part A

There's something fishy about this...
Wordpress

I've decided to go with the first story from the Mahabharata, because I almost died laughing whilst reading about the children who were born to a fish.

I'm going to write a letter from the pen of Satyavati.

First of all, I'm very interested to see where she is taken within this story. What a strange character! Since I imagine her to be a teenager, I think I'm going to have her writing a letter to something like a Cosmo mag along the lines of, "Why do I smell like a fish? and other needs for advice."
I see a lot of people writing letters as their form of storytelling and I have habitually stuck to writing new, general, stories. Writing a letter will be a much different pace and I think it will provide challenges I didn't expect.


"There was a king called Uparichara, king of Chedi, so devoted to asceticism that the gods feared he was seeking to rob them of their power. They accordingly sent Indra to bribe him with the offer of a crystal car capable of carrying him through the sky, a privilege designed for him alone of all mortals. One day in spring, as he was flying through the sky, his semen fell into a river. It was swallowed by a female fish with the result that ten months after, when the fish was caught by a fisherman, two children — a boy and a girl — came forth.

The fisherman told the king of his wonderful find. The king took possession of the boy but left the girl to be reared by the fisherman’s wife. The girl was very beautiful, but she had a fishy smell. Her name was Satyavati. She often helped her foster father, who acted as a ferryman on the river Yamuna.

One day she was ferrying across the river the rishi Parashara. The rishi persuaded the girl to yield to his embraces by promising that she should remain a virgin. She also made a condition that she should lose her fishy smell. She became so sweet-smelling that the fragrance could be smelt seven miles away.
A child was born, and because he was born on an island, he was called Dwaipayana or Island-born. He is called Vyasa because he arranged the Vedas"

















mahabharata PDE

FEEDBACK FOCUS

focus freely

I'm pretty used to reading out loud for class. Majority of times we are assigned a list of plays to read each week, and in effort to actually complete the list, a few classmates will get together and read the script out loud. I like reading out loud a lot, it helps me put the words into my mouth, I hear them, and therefore recall what I've read a lot easier. But I need to read the text alone as well, or else I'm apt to misreading.

I like the copy and delete technique! It reminds me of K.I.S.S (keep it simple, stupid) and the idea of Work smart, not hard.  I normally take in a story (or research) all at once, rather than bit by bit. I allow my thoughts to build and build while I read, and then I expect myself to remember everything by the end. Which, in a way works for me (since I've always worked that way), but using the copy/delete allowed me to take a chunk of ideas, pop them out, and move on. I didn't have to keep the information or ideas I was collecting because they were all right there! I think this will be really effective for me when it comes to commenting back on stories within the class. I tend to simplify what I have to say, but this technique will allow me to do that while still remaining completely discriptive.

I didn't really love the timer. I definitely see the advantage, and I think using the timer could be a good exercise for me to work with. I personally take a little bit longer to process information; I'm dyslexic so putting a timer on my process is very stressful. It makes me feel rushed, and instead of thinking of the material I'm thinking of the clock ticking and how much left I have to read and will I have time to comment and I can't think of how to phrase this sentence am I running out of time? It just doesn't work for me. I like thinking of the timer as a focus counter, though. I try to budget in bathroom breaks/ opportunities to switch focus so I don't get too bored or restless, so I think putting a timer on my breaks would be helpful. It was a good, challenging exercise that made me think too much about timed math quizzes in elementary school.