Introduction to the Mahabharata

Today’s Plan

Introduce The Mahabharata Skit Project Some Notes Going Over the Project Requirements Scriptwriting/Screen Writing vs. Narration Signing Up Groups Groups Assigned a Section of the Story Script Writing Workshop

Topic:

Questions Answers

Summary:

Introduction to The Mahabharata

Some Facts

The Mahabharata has the honor of being the longest epic in world literature, 100,000 2-line stanzas

8 x larger than the Iliad and the Odyssey combined

3 x larger than the Bible Only about 4000 lines relate to the main story; the

rest contain additional myths and teachings. It is said that “Whatever is here is found

elsewhere. But whatever is not here is nowhere else.”

The Title

The name means “great [story of the] Bharatas.”

Bharata was an early ancestor of both the Pandavas and Kauravas who fight each other in a great war

But the word is also used generically for the Indian race, so the Mahabharata sometimes is referred to as “the great story of India.”

Structure of the Epic

The work is divided into 18 books

The main narrative concerning the war is contained in the first ten books.

The Mahabharata resembles a long journey with many side roads and detours.

Some of the Major ‘Detours’

Bhagavad Gita (Krishna instructs and teaches Arjuna.)

Damayanti (or Nala and Damayanti, a love story.) Krishnavatara (the story of Krishna) Rama (an abbreviated version of the Ramayana.) Rishyasringa (also written as Rshyashrnga, the

horned boy and rishi.) Vishnu sahasranama (the most famous hymn to

Vishnu, which describes His 1000 names.)

Concepts from the Mahabharata

In its scope, the Mahabharata is more than simply a story of kings and princes, sages and wise men, demons and gods; its author, Vyasa, says that one of its aims is expounding the four goals of life: kama (pleasure) artha (wealth) dharma (duty) moksha (liberation). Karma also play an integral role in the

Mahabharata.

Our Study of the Epic

Some of the major sections… Will be read Will be turned into skits and performed Will be viewed

Skit Project Overview

Step 1: Get into groups of four Step 2: Choose a section of the epic to turn

into a performance Step 3: Read & Follow the Skit Project

Handout Read/Study chosen section Discuss section Write a script

Parts of the Epic

1. Ancestors of Pandavas and Kauravas

2. Growing Rivalry b/w Pandavas and Kauravas

3. Arjuna wins the hand of Draupadi

4. The Dice Game and Humiliation of Draupadi

5. The Thirteenth Year

6. The Battle Begins

Skit Evaluation Rubric

Individual Participation Scored Time on task Contribution in the areas of discussion, writing, and

performing Group Participation Scored

Communication Fairness

Product Scored Accurate Interesting/Dramatic Captures most major elements School Appropriate

Tips & Suggestions

Use a combination of dialogue and stage directions

Create a narrator role to narrate some of the events (especially what has just happened and parts you do not want to dramatize)

Write your script in proper format Make sure to write with a blue or black ink

pen (so that it photocopies well)