The Pregnant King

by Devdutt Pattanaik

Among the many characters who inhabit the Mahabharata, the world's greatest epic and the oldest, sometimes other stories unravelled from it, such as Shilavati, who cannot be king because she is a woman.

Genres: Mythology, Fiction, India, Fantasy, Indian Literature, Historical Fiction, Queer

360 pages, B

First published February 14, 2008

About the author

Dr. Devdutt Pattanaik (born December 11, 1970) is an Indian physician turned leadership consultant, mythologist and author whose works focus largely on the areas of myth, mythology, and also management. He has written a number of books related to Hindu mythology, including Myth = Mithya: A Handbook of Hindu Mythology, a novel, The Pregnant King, and Jaya: An Illustrated Retelling of the Mahabharata (2010).
He is the Chief Belief Officer of Future Group, one of India’s largest retailers, bringing the wisdom of Indian mythology into Indian business, especifically in human resource management. He also writes a column for the newspaper MID DAY.
He has also written a novel based on a tale from the Mahabharata titled 'The Pregnant King' published by Penguin Books India

Reviews

[Anish Kohli · Rating 1 out of 5]

UTTERLY TASTELESS, TIRING PIECE OF CRAP..!!!

This book shows the lack of imagination in Mr. Devdutt Pattanaik and puts Indian Authors in a bad light. As much I hope that this was not true...it is...!!!

Author has nothing to offer to the reader...absolutely NOTHING. So he comes up with a plan...He takes some of the most famous stories from the MAHABHARATA and contorts them till there is nothing left but Tastelessness. His contorted version of the stories have no moral background and nothing to learn from. He wrote this book I guess because..well because he COULD...!!!
Well guess what Mr. Pattanaik...if I want to read mahabharta stories I'll pick up and read the MAHABHARTA...atleast it wont leave a sour taste in my mouth and maybe I'll learn a thing or two from that great epic of a book.

These are the kind of books that make you want to never read an Indian Author again. It gives a bad name and bad market to all those who have something worth writing.

[Arun Divakar · Rating 3 out of 5]

I can be a broken record at times in my repeated fawning over The Mahabharata . The stories never end and I never grow tired of the retellings from various authors. I had this strange thought the other day that if Georges Perec's choice of name for his book Life : A user's manual would have fitted this epic like a glove. I am yet to see a more human epic and I doubt if I shall ever come across one. This could also be the one reason why stories drawn from the epic always seem to have the magnetic pull on me. So that is the story of the inspiration to read the book !

India's image as painted in the pages of this book is from the timeline of the Mahabharata : one where a woman is not given more value than being a field to sow the seeds of her man. The author does an interesting flip here by smudging a lot of lines that distinguish the two genders. Two principal characters that the author plays with told me volumes of the freshness in Pattanaik's narrative style. One of these is Shilavati, a Machiavellian figure in the royal political arena who has always wanted to hold the royal staff like a man but can never in her lifetime reach that pedestal. The other character is the pregnant king himself, Yuvashnava who ends up giving birth to a child and yearns to be a nursing mother but can never be. In essence it is a story of men and women who are oppressed by a society founded on an unbending code of ethics. The focus is almost entirely on the characters for whom gender is a truth that changes its facial make up each time they look at it. There is Arjuna as Brihanalla and his story which form a vital link. Then there is also Shikhandi, the man who was always mocked as an eununch but ended up being the one who brought down the legendary Kaurava general : Bhishma. Such anecdotes serve to strengthen the colors used to paint this portrait and make for a lot of delightful reading.

There is however, another reason why I tremendously enjoyed the book. Not even once does this tale of the kingdom of Vallabhi get overshadowed by the story of the five pandavas who are but a few kingdoms away. We only hear of the family feuds and the great war through royal spies, bards and general grapevine. The finest scene was when a commoner comes running to the town square shouting that the battle of Kurukshetra had begun to which the public listens and then goes back to their chores. To them, it was just another occurence happening in another corner of the planet. Just as it is in real life ! After reading the book, I did a little bit of reading on the author too and came to know that he is a mythology enthusiast. This is very evident in the way the symbols of mythology from all over India's geography are mixed and mashed to form a kaleidoscope of mythical icons.

[Nivas · Rating 4 out of 5]

‘I am not sure that I am a man,’ said Yuvanashva. ‘I have created life outside me as men do. But I have also created life inside me, as women do. What does that make me? Will a body such as mine fetter or free me?’


First, Double kudos to Devdutta Pattanaik, for writing such an interesting, yet an intriguing story.

Let me start from the tip. The title “The pregnant King”, isn't it bizarre? I guess it is. So I picked up this book for it's eccentric title. After reading, my “GUESS” is turned into “SURE”. Yes, the story is bizarre (read the blurb), unconventional (only few know it’s conventional), intriguing (story longs in your mind even after reading for several days), entertaining (I hooked up till I get the end), interesting (the story is based on Indian myths about which, I know nothing), out-of-the-path (the concept on which story based and the questions, the story is imposing).

To read the whole review, click the link below...
http://booksreviewwala.blogspot.in/20...

[Bhargavi Balachandran · Rating 4 out of 5]

A magician once beheaded a newly wed couple.He then put the man's head on the woman's body and the woman's head on the man's body.Who is the husband now? and who is the wife?.

What is an aberration and what isn't?.Just because a human mind cant comprehend certain things,does it mean that it is unnatural ?

Who decides what is dharma and what isn't?.Why is it that a woman,even if she is the rightful queen not allowed to rule and merely considered a figurehead just because she is a woman.

Is the affection that the mother lavish on a child sweeter than that shown by the father?.

So many esoteric questions Devdutt Pattanaik's The Pregnant King raises. Devdutt has used Hinduism's complex mythology to to weave this tale about Yuvanashva,the king who gave birth to a son.Yuvanashva,Prince of Vallabhi who is blocked from becoming a king by his mother,Shilavati because he is unable to become a father.3 wives later,the king still doesnt' have heirs.Ancestors in the form of crows torture Shilavati and the king urging the procreation of their lineage.When nothing else works, the king turns to other means (like yagnas) for getting children.The King,then accidentally drinks a potion meant for his wives and ends up getting pregnant himself. Yuvanashva's confusion about his maternal feelings for his son and gender identities form the rest of this extraordinary story.

Devdutt,however doesn't just stop with Yuvanashva's tale.He tells us about Shikhandi,the woman who was brought up as a man ,so that her father King Draupada could have a son to avenge his humiliation at the hands of the Kurus.Shikhandi later became a man and fathered a child with borrowed male genitals. Then there is the story of Somvat,who gives up his manhood to become the wife of his best friend and of Arjuna(as enuch in the 13th year of his exile) and Krishna as the wife of a man.

Lines between men and women;father and mother ;husbands and wives are blurred and starts wondering about the strange manifestations of nature.Devdutt finally talks about how neither is the man or the woman more superior and there is both Shiva and Shakthi in everyone.And that is the universal truth most people find it difficult to grapple with.

The book is sensual,potent and absolutely un-putdownable.One issue i found with the book is that the love-making scenes were too drawn-out and the descriptions seemed excessive after a point. Maybe this subject warranted this treatment. It is a treat for people who love Indian mythology, eventhough Devdutt has taken a few liberties in tweaking the time periods and has made Yuvansahva the contemprorary of the Kuru clan.

4/5 for this awesome book.

[Neha Gupta · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Pregnant King.... the book is a fictional sketch of our mythological characters.. some of them so unbelievable but more interesting than they feature in other scriptures.. They are humans bound by dilemmas of social vs. personal needs, evil vs. good, man vs. woman, mother vs. father, stages of life, desire vs. death, stability vs. momentum, death & afterlife, heaven vs. hell, Brahmin vs. Kshatriya. Devdutt has a knack of creating a vibrant stories with all curves & twists of an engaging plot. The characters raise questions, and then they give answers, then there are questions on those answers and further answers.. it’s a vicious circle where everyone is confused and only gets temporary answers to their problems which become bigger every time the answers are found.

To read more:
http://storywala.blogspot.in/2012/11/...

[Preetam Chatterjee · Rating 2 out of 5]

ঠিকই আছে, কিন্তু যুবনাশ্বকে মহাভারতের যুগে এনে ফেলে লেখক সময়সরণীর পাইন মেরে ১০৮ করেছেন আর কি। রামায়ণ এবং মহাভারতের টাইম গ্যাপ give or take মোটামুটি পাঁচ হাজার বছর। যুবনাশ্বর ছেলে মান্ধাতারই মৃত্যু ঘটেছিল লবণাসুরের হাতে, যাকে আবার মান্ধাতার বংশধর শত্রুঘ্ন নিকেশ করে। এসবকিছুই ঘটে যায় মহাভারতের প্রথম শ্লোক রচনার বহু বহু আগে। লেখক বোধকরি দ্রোণ পর্ব ও শান্তি পর্বে যুবনাশ্বর উল্লেখ পেয়ে সময়কালকে সেভাবে নির্ধারিত করেছেন। কিন্তু উল্লেখ্য যে এরও আগে রামায়ণ এবং তারও আগে ঋগ্বেদে যুবনাশ্বর prior reference মেলে। আসলে মুশকিল এখানেই যে এক নামজাদা Whig রাজনীতিবিদ, সেই ব্রিটেনের প্রাক্তন paymaster general, Thomas Babington Macaulay নামক ছোটলোক নচ্ছারের অঙ্গুলিহেলনে বহু আগেই সংস্কৃত আমাদের basic curriculum থেকে অবলুপ্ত হয়েছে। সেই কারণেই, হাল আমলে আমজনতার মহাকাব্য বোঝার জানলা পট্টনায়কের মতো মানুষের লেখা এই ধরণের derivative টেক্সট। আর সেখানেও যদি এমন ভুল থাকে , তা ক্ষমার অযোগ্য। এটুকুই বলার।

[Namitha Varma · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read 3 other books of Devdutt Pattanaik until now - 7 secrets of Vishnu, Shikhandi & Other Stories They Don't Tell You, and Jaya. While I liked all of them, I was not happy with his guide-book sort of narrative, lacking poetic-ness and being preachy in parts. But this one was the best of all. What a blending of narratives, what a wonderful way of looking at the world and its imperfections! This is a tale of acceptance and rejection, of social versus personal truth, of ignorance and enlightenment.

Until the first 40% of the book, I was pissed. I was sick of reading about ripe wombs, barren and fertile fields, sprouting seeds and fresh crops in reference to getting pregnant and having a child. I was outraged at practically everything. Kidnapping of women as wives, sale of women to the highest bidder, marriages solely for heirs. Vesting the honour of a family, of an entire dynasty, of duties towards a whole range of men, of gods and asuras, on women so that they can never have a will or wish of their own, and can be controlled as the men and lawmakers wish.

But as the story progressed, just like Yuvanashva, I started thinking beyond the words of the text. I got engrossed in the tale, in the tales within the story, the philosophical questions it kindled. By the end of it (I finished reading in 2 days!), I loved every word in the book. Well done, Pattanaik!

[Ahtims · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was like a kid listening to exotic, improbable tales. I have read the Mahabharatha a couple of times, and its offshoot stories quite often, but have never come across the man who became a mother. In addition to the story of this unfortunate king, this book was chocful of minor stories which I never knew of. Lots of discussions on dharma and way of living, which is moot. As any other old treatise women are considered far beneath men, and the way they are spoken of is something to be ashamed of , as also, the unminced way of describing human anatomy and physical relationship .
All in all, an engrossing, eye popping read .
All the characters in this book have been minutely described and seem real and human, rather than far off (in time and space ) mythological figures.
This would be a treasure trove for any mythology lover.

[Bhargavi Gopalakrishnan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This marvelous book by Devdutt Pattanaik is about a king who accidentally drinks a magic potion that was meant for his wives, and ends up becoming pregnant. What does that make him? A father? Or a mother? This story so beautifully intersperses the tales of Shikhandi, Arjuna and many others from the Mahabharata - I particularly loved how much detail Pattanaik puts into character outline, and how effortlessly he connects the dots for the reader to appreciate. A fine tale of power, love, identity(or the lack of it).

[Sohini Sarkar · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have no reason to choose this book over Jaya as my first Devdutt Pattanaik's work to be read. Or maybe I got really curious by the title.

The Pregnant King, in short, tells the story of Yadhvanashva, King of Vallabhi kingdom, who sires a child when he accidently consumes a magic portion meant for his barren wives. As much as the idea of a man giving birth to a baby sounds preposterous, Indian Mythology is replete with such stories illustrating implausible acts being made possible by either divination or sorcery.

The book majorly chronicles Yadhvanashva's life from birth to death and the extraordinary chain of events that culminates into the title. The story of Mahabharata also runs in parallel. King Drupada's obsession to avenge the humiliation caused by Drona which led to the birth of his three children and eventually, to the great war at Kurukshetra is described in brief at the starting and is quite similar to the version presented in The Palace of Illusions by Chitra Banerjee Divakruni. Other important events are fleetingly mentioned as and when they occur in time.

The narration is quite simple and straightforward. It also gets boring sometimes. But the author has a way of subtly representing current issues and burning topics in his story telling. I found the story of Sumedha and Somvat/Somvati quite arresting, thoughtful and relevant; I leave it upon other readers to interpreted it in their own way. The tale of Shilavati (Yadhvanashva's mother) who loves power and authority but is reduced to a mere guardian of a kingdom just because she is a woman highlights the unjustified societal vexation associated with women being at the helm.

However, in my opinion, the most important point that the central theme of the book brings out is the following: Who is more important in a child's life? A mother or a father? Why does our society impose the so called "duties" (or Yama as described in our scriptures) differently on each parent? Why does a father have to go out and earn for his family while the mother have to look after household work? What if a father desires to do a mother's duties and vice-versa? Why should the society decide about how to bring up a child? It should be up to those, who brought the child into this world, to decide.

But if there were no standard or rules, there would be chaos. Everyone would act according to their desire (Kama) and free will and there would be no clarity or order in the way children are brought up to be responsible citizens of the state. The book neatly swings back and forth between the philosophical concepts of Yama (duty) and Kama (desire) and their manifestation in the real world of Yadhvanashva which makes The Pregnant King a very compelling read.

Trivia: I really never paid much attention to the word Kurukshetra as I always thought it to be a unique name given to a place. Until now. In this book, the author spells Kurukshetra as Kuru-ksthetra, like a sandhi of two separate words: Kuru & Kshetra. The land of the clan of Kuru i.e. Kauravas and Pandavas. It was less of an awe and more of an embarrassing moment for me!

[Ashok Krishna · Rating 4 out of 5]

After a long time I have finished reading a book in a single sitting. Gripping narrative and wise words. Loved it. ❤️

[Bamini · Rating 3 out of 5]

After reading the shorter stories by Pattanaik, I set out to read the larger volumes starting of course with Sita: An Illustrated Retelling of the Ramayana. Where "Sita..." disappoints as a book is precisely where "The Pregnant King" scores.

The story captures the lives of the central characters along with their fears, struggles and strifes without getting distracted with anything else. Shilavati and Yuvanashva are at the core and the focus never shifts. This unflinching spotlight helps us to understand the author's thoughts on gender lines and the expectations from royalty.

However beyond a point the book does get boring.. kind of predictable because of the redundant expressions... and it has nothing new to look forward to. I had to persist to complete reading the book.

[Anne · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think it is an "ok" kinda book because i didnt like the main protaginist in the story..Yuvanashva..highly confused..and confused me further..!In fact I loved the character of Shilavati,his/her mom who is strong and knows what she wants from life.I couldnt relate much to the debates that arose in the book-man vs woman,mother vs father,son vs king..

[Pankaj Goyal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read my detailed review of this book on:

https://pgalmora.wordpress.com/2016/0...

[Raja Subramanian · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Mahabharata epic, apart from the main theme of the confrontation between the Kurus and the Pandavas, has multiple threads of stories and hundreds of characters - some very popular and well known and some fairly obscure. The story of Yavanashva is one such thread that is not so well known, but Devdutt Pattanaik weaves a magical web around it and makes it engaging reading,

Shilavati, a highly intelligent princess is married to the King of Vallabhi even though it is foretold that the king would die a premature death. Shilavati is widowed early, but gives birth to Yavanashva. She serves as the regent and rules Vallabhi wisely and ushers in a reign of prosperity. Yavanashva grows, marries thrice, but is unable to sire a child. He accidentally drinks a magic potion that was prepared to enable his queens to procure children. Then begins the bizarre episode as Yavanashva becomes pregnant.

Deliberately, Devdutt Pattanaik allows the story of Shilavathi and Yavanashva intersect with that of the Kurus, the Padavas and the epic battle at Kurukshetra ignoring timelines, geographies etc. And this contributes to a wonderful rendering of the story. The story brings out the blurred lines between man and woman and other gender-related relationships. Shilavati emerges as a wise regent, but cannot officially become king simply because she is female. Yavanashva struggles with myriad of emotions and turmoil as he becomes pregnant, bears a son and even nurses him.

The Mahabharata has the well-known story of Shikhandi who was first born a woman, becomes a man and ultimately enables the downfall of Bhishma. Ileshwara, the revered deity in Vallabhi, continuously transforms from a man to a woman and back again to a man synchronized with the waxing and waning of the moon. Arjuna becomes a eunuch with dominant womanly characteristics as Brihannala during the final year of exile of the Pandavas. Krishna transforms into a woman (the enchanting Mohini), marries the doomed Iravana who is sacrificed to ensure victory for the Pandavas, and cries for him as his widow.

Two boys, Sumedha and Somvat are close friends who come to Vallabi as husband-wife, with Somvat dressed as a woman. Their intent is to obtain a cow as alms from the royal family. Somvat becomes a woman (Somvati) and Sumedha-Somvati consider themselves husband-wife. But Yavanashva condemns them to death stating that this is unnatural. Yavanashva, despite the harsh conviction of Sumedha-Somvati, grapples with his own gender-related confusions and aspirations. He wants to remain a man, the ruler of Vallabi. But he also wants his son to call him Mother!

Reading this delightful book, one cannot but think about the blurred lines of distinction between man and woman in modern life. This gives us a chance to empathize with those who actually experience it and face social (and legal) ostracism. The questions remain - what makes a man a man and a woman a woman? Is it birth? Is it the past or the present? Is it one's thoughts and aspirations?

For those who are looking for a story and some food for thought, the book is excellent. We are told not to judge a book by its cover. Well, I did, in this case. There are three things that are the main parts of the cover of a book. One, the name of the author. Here we have a celebrity and contemporary storyteller. Two, the title of the book. The title The Pregnant King cannot be ignored (sounded like an oxymoron to me at first). Three, the illustration. The illustration on the back cover of the book is also by Devdutt Pattanik. What a talented personality! For me this was enough to buy the book. I judged the book by the cover and emerged much happier (and maybe even wiser) after I finished reading it. Unusual, bizarre and extremely lovable! Wonder how many surprising little threads that Mahabharata holds that Devdutt Pattanaik can use to spin great yarns! I am definitely looking for more.

[Utsav Bansal · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book took me by surprise. My experience with mythological stories hasn't been very good and I entered this book a skeptic. However I was pleasantly surprised by Pattanaik who turns out to be a nuanced writer with a good eye for thematic connections. His style of writing a complex story in the dreamy style of the Panchatantra tales also helps greatly.
A fictitious piece set in the time of the Mahabharat, (mythology is itself fictitious, but this story is one of his own imagination borrowing frequently from the plethora of Indian folktales from various parts of history) this story is set on a large timescale (by my guess around 50 years), and features an excellent cast of complex characters. The book deals with themes of gender, gender identity, gender roles, and societal roles in general, and puts them under the lens of Dharma. The concept of Dharma here isn't a rudimentary, fixed set of codes and is discussed in depth by different characters and stakeholders describing a lot of it's necessities and contradictions. All the different characters and their struggles build well into the spiritual narrative of this book which ultimately deals with duality, a recurrent theme in Indian mysticism.
Aside from being interesting in it's story and themes, it should be noted that it is beautifully written and uses it's world and setting beautifully. It doesn't shy away from the weird fantastical aspects of the Hindu mythology (Gandharvas, Yakshas, Vengeful/impulsive Gods, rebirth, heaven, etc..), rather it embraces them to tell a story that feels like an epic in it's own right. In fact reading this has made me question my own understanding of what fantasy literature is and what it can do. Consequently, I have decided to explore and read major mythological epics and fantasy stories from different cultures of the world.
[Edit: It was pointed out that I didn't talk about the plot here. I just felt that with a name like The Pregnant King, the premise becomes intriguing enough that I don't need to supply you with anything more! Plus, as fun as the narrative is, it's the decoration, the world, the characters and the situations that really elevate this book. So, that's that!]
Overall, this is a wonderful book, especially for those who like mythology. It is set apart from other such stories by the fact that it doesn't try to rationalize or justify the misogyny of the epics, rather it sets a path for questioning the aforementioned ideas (Gender, Societal roles, etc.) under the framework of dharma and thus even when disagreements occur the discourse is fruitful.
Recommended for all.

[Manu · Rating 4 out of 5]

'The Pregnant King' is Devdutt Pattanaik's first work of fiction, in which he takes the story of Yuvanashva and distorts the timeframes to juxtapose it with characters in the Mahabharata, whereas in reality, the tale of Yuvanashva is recounted twice in the epic, as one predating it by many generations.

Yuvanashva's tale is special in at least two ways - it involves his mother Shilavati who possesses all the qualities to be a king, but cannot, only because she is a woman and Yuvanashva himself, king of Vallabhi, who accidentally drinks a potion meant for his queens (for them to become pregnant) and gives birth to a son. Is he the child's father or mother, that is the answer Yuvanshva seeks. By bringing in various characters like Shikhandi, born a girl, but who uses a Yaksha's masculinity to become a man, Somvat, who becomes Somvati during the course of a night by exchanging his gender with the yaksha, Arjuna, who lives for a year as a woman courtesy Urvashi's curse, Ileshwara/i whose gender changes with the moon's cycles and Adi-natha himself, seen as a hermit and a nymph, the author manages to not just show the nature of gender roles but also gives profound perspectives on dharma - its rigidity and fluidity, the dynamic nature of matter and the static nature of the soul, its various symbolism, and 'the imperfection of the human condition'.

This is an amazing read, and that's not just because I am really interested in mythology. Ancient in origin, and contemporary in narration, the questions it raises belong to a different era and yet manifest themselves now in another form.

[Shilpi Jain · Rating 4 out of 5]

While reading excerpts of Mahabharata in a couple books, I came across the story of Yuvanashva, the pregnant king who created life within himself and outside him as a man and it always made me mighty curious. The story of Yuvanashva is recorded much before Mahabharata but Devdutt Pattanaik has cleverly weaved it in the great epic itself. The premise is simple- a king with three wives who cannot father a child which is clearly not acceptable as a king or a man until one day he is tricked into drinking the magic potion meant for his wives which makes him pregnant. He gives birth to Mandhata, the heir to the kingdom and yearns for him to address him as mother. He sires another son-Jayant, who loves and accepts everything as they are. Yuvanashva's truth is a difficult one, the society with it's limited vision and vocabulary does not accept a man who creates life within himself. When Mandhata rejects him as a mother, Yuvanshva renounces the world to become a sage and in his search finds the truth- of Shiva and Shakti of Adi-nath, the supreme being. Must read if mythological stories interest you.

[Saravana Priya · Rating 3 out of 5]

I always like reading Indian mythology books as I felt it speaks more about life and soul. It makes me ponder over reasons for rules we create and make us stick to it in the name of Dharma.
I found this title to be an aberration and started reading it. I was judging and was awaiting the climax about whether people will end up accepting a king who has created life both inside and outside him. But story got ended beyond our judgemental human brains with limited wisdom. There are many chanracters like shilavati who has been deprived of throne which is meant for men and somvat who got changed as woman and how was he treated . It speaks of difference about women , men in society which considered men to be superior to women. I felt though we ought to bind by rules, eternal truth is different and one must realize it. I found this book intriguing, interesting apart from the already known pieces about kuru clan.

[Uma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice... Very nice...

The book brings out the wonder of the gender. How much of it is social, biological and mental. Am I a woman by the virtue of having the body of a woman? Am I a woman because society deems me to be a woman because I can give birth? Am I allowed to have a woman's body but a man's mind? Is there something called a man's mind or a woman's mind? Aren't mind and soul gender neutral?

The book looks at these questions and more and gives rise to more questions. Set in the time of the Mahabharatha, with the events in the Kuru clan serving as the time anchor for the events in the story, the issues of gender and the various perspectives of gender are explored.

Loved it...

[Vinay Leo · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book, at first, felt like a chore to read. Too descriptive, too full of preachy societal notions that I hate at times. Yet, as one reads, one also feels a part of this still remains true in current society too. While that isn't something I like, it's not something I can fault the author for showing. He humanises that what we never really imagined before, or even needed to imagine. The characters are familiar, as are some tales, but this story in itself might be more fictional than historical. We can read it thus and see the way it goes against convention, fetters belief. In its own way, this novel does have beauty.

[Rick Goff · Rating 5 out of 5]

This novel is a treasure, a delight. I'm afraid to type anything, lest my pedestrian prose become an obstacle to the prospective reader. If you read novels, then please read this one.

Thank you, Dushyant, for recommending this wonderful book. I owe you one.

[Ashkin Ayub · Rating 3 out of 5]

devdutt pattanaik's the pregnant king is a fascinating and engaging reinterpretation of a story from the mahabharata. this story of a monarch who sets out on a fantastical adventure and who, with the aid of supernatural forces, manages to succeed is told in a way that is both fascinating and thought-provoking.

yuvanashva, the protagonist, is a king who wishes he had a son so that his dynasty would continue. a mysterious curse and a slew of fruitless attempts finally result in yuvanashva's transformation into a female form. yuvanashva must now set out on a quest to reclaim his manhood and fulfill his destiny with the aid of a mystery magical potion and the counsel of the gods.

pattanaik skillfully interweaves elements of mythology, fantasy, and classical hindu philosophy throughout the narrative, making for an exciting and original read. every god and mythical beast is depicted with striking accuracy and depth of character. the author's use of vivid descriptions and symbolic metaphors makes for a compelling read.

gender roles and expectations in hindu society are also examined in depth in the pregnant king. with yuvanashva's metamorphosis, pattanaik questions the long-held belief that men are superior to women and prompts readers to question whether or not gender roles are fixed and rigid. as a whole, the pregnant king is a fascinating reimagining of a classic myth that will keep you entertained and thinking.

[Shashank · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Pregnant King is the story of Yuvanashva, a childless king, who accidentally drinks the magic potion meant to make his queens pregnant. It's an interesting book that is set with characters from Mahabharata in the background but involves a lot of creativity to build a completely new story and yet maintain the links.

The book, my first from the author, is a unique read for the way it combines elements of mythology with his imagination and links the two. It's a very intriguing read bringing up interesting elements of gender bias and how there are clear perceptions and expectations from each gender.
- The queen (mother of Yuvanashva) who is smarter and more intelligent than most other and runs a kingdom but would not be accepted as THE king due to her gender
- The three wives of the Yuvanashva who's KPI was to get the king an heir but they didn't quite succeed for a long time
- Yuvanashva, the king who wasn't really allowed to be so by his dominant and power seeking mother and who also developed stronger maternal instincts than royal ones after being pregnant
- the story of a temple where the deity transforms between the forms of a god and a goddess along with the phases of the moon

A few other side stories in line with the overall theme of the book and having concepts of sexuality, gender equations and dharma all intertwined

My first Devdutt Pattanaik novel and in parts it reminded of me Murakami due to the elements of fantasy and unbridled imagination. Wonder if anyone else felt the same way with this book or others he has written.

[Sundarraj Kaushik · Rating 3 out of 5]

After having read quite a few books of this author it appears that the author has gone through three phases. The first phase was where he took the Indian "mythology" and rewrote it them to appeal the Western audience. These books interpret everything from a sexual perspective which appeals to the Western audience (and to many Eastern ones too).

In the second phase there seems to have been a transformation, possibly a feeling of guilt or genuine realization where the sexual references have been toned down.

The third phase is one where these references are almost absent.

This book falls in the transformational second phase. While there are sexual references one can feel the toning down of these.

As the author himself states at the end of the book, he has taken the story of The Pregnant King from one of the many sub-stories of Mahabharata. He has let his imagination go wild and the result is the book. The book is about a King who is unable to fulfill his wishes through his life. He marries three women but even after 13 years he is unable to father a child. He calls up two yakshas to perform a yagna for him to conceive. Circumstances lead to his drinking the blessed water and he becomes pregnant. After giving birth to a son he is tormented by the thought "Am a mother or Am I a father to my son?". He wants to be a mother, but the society including his son treat him as a father.

The book feels incomplete.

An OK read.

[Yamini · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great book indeed. Kept me engaged until the end. It captivated me through the simplicity of the message it was trying to convey with little stories (interleaved into the bigger story) throughout the book. At the end of the book, the author had a simple message. No soul is tied to a body, so the soul does not have a gender, an educational degree or a status in society. The lives of most of us is a façade for the period of time the soul is bound to a body. While playing this charade, most of us try to fit in and do normal things like everyone else and we shun and cringe at anything that is not close to normal. We should be unjudging of people for what they are born with (which is seemingly hard for many). What one choses to be (so long as he/she is not harming anyone else) should be his/her own business and not anybody else's.

This is a book not just about the pregnant king, but also about relationships between a son and a mother, a husband and wife, a father and a son. The author has greatly captured these different relationships very well. I don't usually re-read books, but I probably will read this again at some point just to understand some of the subtler messages I might have missed on the first read. Hats of to the author!

[Neerja · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story is about Yuvanashva who is childless which makes him ineligible to be kind of Vallabhi. So, he does all he could do to have a child. Finally, he calls siddhas and organize a yagna. They make a potion meant for his queens which later is accidentally drunk by him and he becomes pregnant. The story revolves around the life of Yuvanashva. His sufferings, the pains, his mistakes and finally his journey towards gaining wisdom.

The book is full of wonderful stories taken from Mahabharat and is narrated in a spectacular form.

There are so many characters and what a great characterization has been done by the author. Mother of Yuvanashva, Shilavati in herself is one of the example of great characterization. She is strong and authoritative yet there is a side of her where tenderness and love resides.

Talk about any human emotion and you would find it in this book. It tells us about the time of dwapar yug when it was about to end, where the shadow of kalyug started to appear.

The stories about shikhandi and ileshwar were new to me and I enjoyed them.

The author has illustrated the story in a mesmerizing way and if you love reading about Hindu mythology, no doubt you will enjoy it.

[Vrinda Bhagat · Rating 2 out of 5]

Off late, I have developed interest in reading books on Indian Mythology. The modern day authors have attempted to bring logic to those stories, which might even have included a few modifications.

This one book, "The Pregnant King" is however different. The author has tried to amalgamate the characters from Indian Mythology with new fictional characters, due to which the number of characters in this book are a little too overwhelming.

The story line tends to lose its track at quite a lot of points but by the end of it, the author has pulled back all the stories.

Of Course, there are a few interesting conclusions drawn from the story, like the insignificance of the demarcation between genders, yet I did not specifically like the analogy with Lord Shiva where his blue throat is considered poisonous.

The writing style of the book is quite interesting.

[Iona Sharma · Rating 2 out of 5]

I love the idea of this book: it collects the various stories of gender non-conforming people in the Mahabharatha, which obviously includes Shikhandi and Arjuna in exile but also some minor ones I hadn't heard of previously, and weaves them together into a continuous narrative. But the story itself falls short because I honestly can't tell what it's doing. Is it trying to do the offensive but coherent thing of suggesting these gender non-conformists don't fit with the order of things? Or is it trying to explore the idea of non-rigid gender in myth as something to be celebrated? I honestly don't know, and the result is messy.

[nevada · Rating 2 out of 5]

I want to say that I enjoyed the book but in reality, I really wasn't able to. In the first half, makes you read a lot because you are anticipating something but in reality, it's just actually filling up empty pages. I would rather read Devdutt's Shiv to Shankara, or something more analytical and not just fiction, because this just seemed like retelling Mahabharata from the point of view of another kingdom.

It's an intriguing concept but I wasn't able to enjoy it at all. I would not recommend it.