Week 13 Storytelling: Sikhandini and the Yaksha named Sthuna

I have been bearing something for quite some time now.  I have been hiding something for quite some time now. Something that is a very big burden on me. Something that I can not help my father Shiva had wanted me to be a man my entire life.   I had planned on telling my wife but I just could not find the exact time that fit out life.  Times were so great with us I didn’t want to do anything that would rock the boat.  My life was so happy with me I just knew that telling her that I was truly a woman was really going to upset her and that she would possibly not love me anymore and would more than likely want to leave me. The burden is so hard to bear now days, and it is literally all that I think about. I am going to have to figure out how to tell my wife eventually the truth once and for all. 

“Sweetheart I have to tell you something that you may not love me anymore for, but I have to tell you anyway. I am I fact a woman.” Explained Sikhandini.

Sikhandini’s wife cried and wept with sorrow and disbelief.

“We are going to fix this, I am going to figure out a way to change into a man so we can live happily and be husband and wife forever.” Said Sikhandini.

Sikhandini ended up finding Sthuna who was a yaksha wiling to trade genders with Sikhandini. 

“My Father wanted a boy all of his life and all of my life I felt that I was never good enough for him.  I was depressed for my entire life because I felt that my father didn’t love me for me. I felt that the only way he looked at me was with disgust.” Said Sikhandini. 

“I am willing to help you to see what it is like to be a different gender. I feel deep sympathy for your childhood and want to help you and your wife. I will prepare a spell that will swap our genders.” Said Sthuna.

“Oh how could I ever repay you! I am so grateful for what you are doing for my family!” said Sikhandini.

Once the spell was over Sikhandini’s wife ran over to him and wrapped her arms around him. She told him that she loved him and thanked Sthuna for what he had done.

Yaksha

Bibliography, Buck, William (1973). Mahabharata.
Author's Note- I decided to write about Sikhandini and Sthuna because I thought that it was very interesting reading about the gender changes. I also though it was so sad someone wanting to change genders.  I was also glad that the story ended the way it did because it ended with Sikhandi and his wife living happily. 

Week 13 Reading Diary B: Sikhandini

Reading about Amba was very interesting for me.  It was interesting because Shiva in fact wanted a boy child so dearly that he raised his girl child Sikhandini to be a boy and there was even an arranged marriage.  It’s sad that she was taught to be something that she wasn’t and that she wasn’t good enough that she had to be something that she in fact wasn’t.  I think that all parents should accept their children whether they have a little boy or a little girl. I think that as long as you have a healthy baby that you should be happy because many people don’t get the blessing of having children of their own.

Sikhandini

Week 13 Reading Diary A: The Pandava's

During Part A of the Reading we read about the Pandavas chasing the deer into the forest. They end up not returning so Yudhishthira went to look for his brothers to end up finding out that they were dead.  However, a voice in the lake said that he had to answer questions for the brothers to come back to life.  In the end Yama answers the questions correctly and brings his brothers back. It turns out that the voice that is talking from the lake is Dharma as well.

This was a very interesting read because I could not imagine what Yama was thinking whenever he found his brothers dead by the lake. If it were me I would have been so worried about answering my questions back correctly.

Yudhishthira and the dead Pandava brothers 

Week 12 Storytelling: Savitri & Satyavan

Why can I not find someone to love me for me. I have been alone for so long. I lay in my bed and I long for someone to hold me tight and for someone to kiss me. I have so much love to give but absolutely no one to give it to. I am just waiting for that day that that perfect man comes into my life and I know that he is the one. I don’t want to wait forever, but I know that I am not meant to be alone my entire life. I am meant to have a fulfilling life. I do not think that my life was meant to be lived alone and lonely my entire life. Life is supposed to shared with the ones you love. I am oh so ready, but until then it is just a waiting game.

All of the men that have presented to me have not loved me or they have not been good to me. I know that nothing is wrong with me. Maybe if I go search for the right man that I will find him in places that I haven’t been before.

~~~~~

Savitri ended up falling in love with Satyavan. Satyavan was a wonderful man but he only had on more year to live. Even though Savitri knew this she knew that she wanted to marry him because she had fallen in love with him. Satyavan was her one true love that she had been longing and yearning for. She had finally found the one man that was going to take care of her. She was also going to do her best to take care of him as well. No matter if she had a short amount of time with him she was going to take advantage and love every second she had with him. 

After one year Satyavan the time was up and Savitri was truly sad and depressed. However, she was very thankful for the time that she had. She had been longing and wanting to find her soul mate for so long and she did in fact find her soul mate in Satyavan. Even though it was for just a short amount of time it was the best year of her life. She felt as if she lived the most during that one year and she wouldn’t change it for the world.

Savitri & Satyavan

Bibliography: Narayan, R.J. (1978). The Mahabharata

Author's Note: I decided to write about Savitri and Satyavan but as the beginning it was so saddening because Savitri was so sad and had been longing so long for a husband. I thought that it was great story that true love really conquered all. It was truly sad that she only got one year with Satyavan , however she made the most of that one year and that is what matters. 

Week 12: Reading Diary B: The Lotus Flowers

I really enjoyed the second part of these weeks readings when it told about the Pandavas travels to Mount Kailasa. During the times of their travels they end up disturbing the silence at Rishava’s mountain. Weird thing is that it ends up attacking them. White lotus end up floating down to earth and Draupadi ends up wanting the lotus. In the end, Bhima finds the lotus flowers. Pretty interesting read this week with the lotus flowers.

Bhima, Draupadi, and the Lotus Flowers