Stories Made Simple

Damayanti woke up to the warmth of the morning sun streaming through the forest foliage. Her beautiful, smooth skin was bruised with thorn pricks, insect bites, and wounds from walking long distances on the rough jungle paths. But she didn't wince even a bit because all that mattered was to be beside her beloved husband, Nala, who she loved more than herself. Damayanti wondered where he was right now, and thought he might have gone to get food or water. Feeling the nip in the air, she tried to bring her upper garment closer to herself and noticed it seemed short. It wasn’t enough to cover her fully, which was strange because it was large enough for her and Nala together last night.  Then she noticed it! The cloth was deliberately torn at one place and she had only half of the original. Now, she panicked. She shouted out her husband’s name. “Nala! Nala!” Receiving no answer except the echoes of her own voice in the stillness of the forest, and chatterings of a few playful monkeys, s

The Pandavas had transformed the barren Khandavaprastha into a flourishing, fertile kingdom called Indraprastha. The newly-built mansion that bested the best in the entire country was designed by Mayasura, an Asura architect par excellence.  The astounding palace was filled with marvellous wonders. In addition to the stunning beauty and intricate embellishments of the structure itself, this palace had illusionary features too. There were floors that looked solid but were actually pools of water, and there were those that looked like pools of water but were actually solid ground. The five brothers spent many happy years in this magnificent home with their mother, Kunti, and their common wife, Draupadi. They revelled in their newfound luxury and prosperity, especially after living in poverty and exile for many years, to be safe from their jealous and powerful cousins, the Kauravas, who were ready for murder to keep the Kuru kingdom for themselves. The enmity between the cousins seemed to

The controlling deities of the nine astrological planets stood trembling in fear. They were in Ravana’s court, a vast chamber designed in a magnificent black-and-gold theme.  The floors were clad in tiles of black granite and gold in a checkered design. The ceiling was covered in intricate gold paintings on a black background. The walls and pillars were of black marble embellished with figurines of pure gold.  The nine planet gods, however, were immune to the splendid beauty surrounding them. Mutely following orders from Ravana, they were moving their respective planets from the natural paths to the most auspicious positions.  The powerful and highly-feared Asura king was waiting for the birth of his firstborn, a son whom he wanted to be invincible in battle.  He had summoned the planet deities and forced them to align themselves in such a way that the horoscope of his son would make him an invincible warrior. The order was carried out and the planets were frozen there, waiting for the

Krishna’s meeting with Chandra, the Moon God went off well. The interaction took place a few years before the Kurukshetra war, and Krishna, the beloved friend and mentor of the Pandavas, was preparing the ground for them. Krishna needed the Moon God’s help to restore fast-eroding dharma on earth. Although Chandra was reluctant to give what Krishna had come for, as a Deva, he was obliged to participate in the annihilation of adharma. So, he agreed to Krishna’s request that Varchas, the son he loved more dearly than anything or anyone else, be born on earth to fulfill certain obligations in the Kurukshetra war. However, Chandra had two conditions before he agreed to part with his son for a few years; one was that Varchas should be born as the son of Arjuna, the mighty Pandava; and two, he should return to his heavenly abode after 16 years on earth, not a day more.  "I cannot bear to be separated from my beloved son beyond that," emphasized Chandra. Krishna promised to abide by

It was a combination of fabulous fascination, unexpected astonishment, and overwhelming mother’s love that created a torturous turmoil in Kunti’s heart. She watched dazedly as the young, strapping, handsome warrior walked into the competition arena challenging her third son, Arjuna, in the archery competition. It was the graduation day ceremony of the Pandavas and Kauravas passing out from Dronacharya’s school.  Kunti had never expected to see him again ever in her life although his memory remained an indelible mark in the depths of her soul. But, here he was, clad in the unforgettable, dazzling armour and matching earrings. She almost swooned in shock. The other women sitting around her in the gallery from where they were watching the competitions rushed to her aid.  For a moment, everyone’s attention was on Kunti, and in that fleeting second, she made eye contact with the armoured lad. While there was no sign of recognition in his eyes, they were clouded with concern, the same concer