L for Love Stories in Mahabharata - Mahabharata Mashup

Namaskar! 

Well, the Mahabharata has some love storieswith varying themes. I’ll do my best to keep it as brief as possible. (This is still a long post!) 

In Adi Parva, we have two stories – 

Rishi Ruru and Pramadvara  

Rishi Ruru is the grandson of Rishi Chyavana.Pramadvara is Menaka and Visvavasu’s (Gandharva) daughter, abandoned by themother after birth. Rishi Sthulakesa found the baby and named her Pramadvara.He brought her up as his daughter. 

Years later, Ruru saw her and fell in love. Heshared it with his parents, who fixed their wedding when Pramadvara consented.However, Pramadvara died of a snake bite when spending time with her friends.Ruru was distraught and said that if his tapasya was pure, his beloved would live.A messenger from heaven told him it could be done, but only if Ruru was willingto share his lifespan with her. Every year added to Pramadvara’s life would bereduced from his. He gladly agreed and gave away half his life to bring hislady love back alive. 

Read it here in detail. 

Shakuntala and Dushyant 

Shakuntala is also Menaka’s daughter but with RishiViswamitra and abandoned at birth in the Himavant valley near Rishi Kanva’sashram. She grew up into a beautiful young woman. One day, when King Dushyantof Hastinapura went hunting in the forest, he came across the ashram and metShakuntala. It was love at first sight, and the couple got married. He left forthe kingdom, after promising to send for her but didn't. When Shakuntala wentby herself with their child, Bharat (first named Sarvadamana), Dushyant deniedknowing her. 

Shakuntala took him to task with her speech. A voicefrom heaven spoke, declaring her truthful. Dushyant apologized to her and saidhe deliberately acted as if he had forgotten her since he wanted everyone toknow the truth from the celestial voices. He said no one would dare to questionher and their child’s parentage now. 

Note:  Kalidasa’sShakuntala is a dramatized retelling and differs from the Mahabharataversion. 

In Aranyaka Parva, we have two more stories – 

Nala and Damayanti 

Nala is a Nishada king, and Damayanti is theprincess of Vidharba. The swans share stories and make the couple fall for eachother even though they don’t meet until later. Though Damayanti’s parentscalled the gods for her swayamwar, she chose a human king, which irked Kala/Kali. After many years, Kala managed to enter Nala’s body and made him lose thedice game with his brother. Nala lost everything and left for the forest.Damayanti followed him. Unable to see her plight, Nala left her and wentsearching for work, hoping she would go back to her father’s kingdom. 

However, Damayanti went to another kingdom andstayed there as a maid until she was discovered by her father’s ministers. Shewent back to Vidharba and continued to search for Nala. Nala was working as acharioteer in the Samsumara kingdom. He learned the game of dice from the king,and in exchange, taught him everything he knew about horses. 

Finally, Nala and Damayanti were united again whenshe cleverly called for a second swayamwara to bring him out of his disguise.Nala played one game with his brother and won back everything. He also forgavehis brother, shared half the kingdom, and lived happily with Damayanti. 

(This story has many parallels with what happened tothe Pandavas)

Savitri and Satyavan 

The story of how Sati Savitri brought back herhusband alive by following Yamadharmaraja into hell is popular and retoldcountless times over the years. Though the story belongs to Devi BhagavataPurana, it is narrated by Rishi Markandeya to Yudhistira in AranyakaParva. 

Savitri was the princess of Madra. When she was ofthe marriageable age, many kings were eager to wed her. However, Savitri wantedto marry Satyavan, the son of Dyumatsena. Though Satyavan was a prince, hisfather’s old age and lack of sight resulted in an enemy conquering theirkingdom and exiling the family. They lived in a forest when Savitri came acrossSatyavan and found his devotion to his parents admirable. 

Savitri married Satyavan, knowing he had a shortlifespan and would die a year and a day after the wedding. Very soon, thefateful day arrived. Savitri accompanied him into the forest to chop wood. Shewas with him when he felt faint and passed away. She saw Yamadharmaraja himselfarrive to collect Satyavan’s soul, as her husband was a nobleman with noflaws. 

Savitri followed Yamadharmaraja, who told her not todo so. She engaged him in a conversation, discussing the qualities of friends,life partners, dharma, etc. Yamadharmaraja was so impressed by her knowledgeand grace that he gave her a boon after boon, and finally, Savitri managed toget a boon to have many children. When he granted the boon, she pointedout the loophole that she couldn’t have children without her husband and wantedhis life back. 

Yamadharmaraja was so impressed by her that herestored Satyavan to life and blessed the couple to lead happy and long lives.By the time they went back home, Savitri’s other boons also began to work. Herfather-in-law’s eyesight was restored. Later, he regained his kingdom. Hisfather had more children to continue his lineage. Savitri and Satyavan also hadkids and lived happily ever after. 

I’m participating in #BlogchatterA2Z.

The AI images are made on Bing.