Reading Notes: PDE Mahabharata B

This is so beyond late, but that! Is! Okay! Anyway, I liked reading B more than A and overall I'm finding it to be more interesting than the Ramayana. I find that the characters have more depth, which was a main complain that I had with the other. I'm definitely enjoying this reading experience!

Arjuna and Ulupi by Donald A. MacKenzie 

Because he broke one of the rules for his marriage arrangement, Arjuna is forced into exile. It is there that he meets with Ulupi. Arjuna was on this exile for 12 years, which seems... kind of steep to me, but okay. He told Kunti and his brothers goodbye and left. Arjuna then traveled to various holy places and bathed in their waters. The most notable of these places, Haridwar, where the Ganges river flowed. This was where he met Ulupi, princess of Nagas. They fell in love, had a child together, it was cute, though a little bit unexpected from Arjuna. 

Arjuna and the Apsaras by C. A. Kincaid

Arjuna leaves the Ganges and comes to a spooky, haunted river. He's told that it is haunted by a man eating crocodile. He's sort of like, 'whatever' about it though, or rather, he's kind of prideful? He laughs and gets into the river because of course he does this. He gets bitten by the crocodile... shocking. Ulupi gave him a blessing that he would not be beaten by any creature of water and he regains his strength. They fight for a bit, but then the crocodile transforms into a fairy

The nymph tells Arjuna a story of her and her four other friends. They used to travel together until they met a man who had given up beauty and the world. They had taken it upon themselves to make him break his vows. In their attempts to break the man, he struck down a curse upon them... they were to be crocodiles for a hundred years. They were to remain crocs until Arjuna was to free them from their curse. Upon hearing this, Arjuna agreed to free the other sisters. 

Indian Gharial Crocodile (Source)