Shyam: An Illustrated Retelling of the Bhagavata

by Devdutt Pattanaik

The talking head A quarrel broke out between Bhima and Arjuna as to who was the greater warrior, the one who killed all the Kauravas, or the one who brought down Bhisma and Karna. In Shyam’s absence, the Pandavas were told to ask the head on top of the mountain, who had seen the entire eighteen-day battle from a vantage point. When asked who was greater, Bhima or Arjuna, the talking head said, ‘Who is Bhima? Who is Arjuna? Who are the Pandavas? Who are the Kauravas? I saw only stupid greedy kings killing each other and the earth drinking their blood. The earth cow, whose udders had been rendered sore by the ambitions of the men who were supposed to be her stewards, healed herself on their blood. Gauri, the cow, had turned into Kali, the tigress. She was Shyama, and Shyam was her cowherd.’