"I have a solution to your problem, brother."
Vichitravirya immediately stopped crying. He walked back to the door and slowly opened it back up.
"What do you have in mind?", asked Vichitravirya.
"There is a bridal tournament happening in Benares this weekend. The king of Benares has three daughters- Amba, Ambika, and Ambalika, who will be offered as prizes", replied Bhishma.
"Okay...but what's the catch. He can't simply just be giving them away" asked Vichitravirya.
Bhishma then had to explain, "yes, you are right, brother. In this tournament you will be fighting against many other kings and princes. And whoever is noble enough to successfully capture them, and make it out alive, has the privilege of making them his wife."
Vichitravirya then began to yell, "TO THE DEATH?! ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! You know that I am the most un-athletic guy in the family. Thanks for nothing, Bhishma. Get out of here so I can have my pity party in peace."
Bhishma then proposed a plan where he and a number of the other guards helped Vichitravirya with the act of capturing the princesses and fending off the other competitors. Vichitravirya realized that this was better than the zero ideas he had some up with on his own, and agreed.
The next morning Bhishma, Vichitravirya, and three guards set off for Benares in their carriage. The only stop they made was at the Ganges river. They wanted to wade in the water for good luck. After their quick pit-stop, they continued on to Benares and arrived just in time to hear the king of Benares give his announcement. With his three lovely daughters sitting behind him, the king walked up to the front of the stage, and looked around at all of the kings and princes who had traveled to compete in this bridal tournament.
"Attention all competitors," yelled the king of Benares, "we welcome you to the city of Benares. On the sound of the third chime, the mortal combat will begin. The last man standing will win the hearts of the princesses."
Vichitravirya hopped out of the carriage, and began walking towards the massive group of men huddled around the stage. After the second chime, Vichitravirya looked back at Bhishma and they both simultaneously nodded as the third chime echoed through the arena. Vichitravirya pulled out his sword and began to fight of the men to his immediate right and left. Bhishma grabbed the reins of the carriage and raced up the ramp on the side of the stage. He passed the reins to the guards, jumped out, and picked up the first two princesses and put them in the back of the carriage. As he went back for the third princess, he was confronted by the king himself.
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?! This isn't the way this was supposed to go" the king stammered.
With a simple shrug, Bhishma tossed the last princess over his shoulder and put her in the carriage. Bhishma then jumped into the back of the carriage himself and told the guards to go! They raced down the platform and started searching frantically for Vichitravirya. After a few long seconds had passed they found him!! The king of Massri had backed Vichitravirya up against one of the walls of the arena, and looked to be about to deliver the final blow. Bhishma, then pulled out his blow and arrow, and from 50 yards away, he shot this arrow straight into the king of Massri's back. Vichitravirya, who at this point had closed his eyes and wrapped his arms around his head, slowly started to open his eyes. After seeing the arrow in the king's back, he realized that Bhishma was near and it was time for them to leave. He picked his head up and saw his carriage dead ahead. Vichitravirya then immediately dropped his sword and started off into a sprint. The other men continued to fight, until they heard the repetitive footsteps of Vichitravirya. At once, they all stopped fighting one another and began to chase Vichitravirya!! At this point Vichitravirya was so close to the carriage, that he was able to take a big leap into the back. Bhishma bent down and grabbed the back of Vichitravirya's shirt and gave him a final tug into the carriage as he yelled at the guards to go as quickly as they could. As the livid kings and princes descended upon their carriage, Bhishma released a shower of arrows upon them. Vichitravirya whooped and cheered at his brother's side as they rode out of the town of Benares with all three princesses.
To this day, the now King Vichitravirya does everything in his power to help is brother Bhishma with any task he asks. He realizes without his brother's plan and help, he never would have ascended the throne or made it out of the bridal tournament alive.
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| Bhishma shooting an arrow into the back of the king of Massri in order to save Vichitravirya. Link to original image |
Bibliography
PDE Mahabharata: Bhishma at the Swayamvara
Authors note: The original inspiration for the story was the Mahabharata Epic of Bhishma at the Swayamvara. In the original story, after Vichitravirya was set on the throne it was time for him to find a wife. His brother, Bhishma decided to compete in a bridal tournament to win the three daughters of the king of Benares for his brother. Bhishma was an amazing archer, and ended up winning the three princesses and brought them home to the queen-mother, Satyavati. In my story, I gave Vichitravirya more of an active role. By making it so that he needed to be wed before taking the throne, it made him have a personal incentive to fight himself, rather than to just have Bhishma win the princesses for him.
Hi Maddy! I saw you labeled this for Week 5, but I've already set up the groups and the Declaration has expired... but here's what will work great: you can change this to Week 6, and then do the Week 6 Story Declaration (which will tell me to put you in a group next week), and that also means you will have one less thing to worry about as you do the Week 6 assignments! :-)
ReplyDeleteMaddy, this was a great story to read! I could definitely feel the Mahabharata feel throughout your story. I like that you made it where Vichitravirya a role where he needed to fight and win so that he could be crowned king instead of just passively waiting by. I liked your dialogue as well. It was simple yet effective. Good job!
ReplyDeleteThis story was very creative!! I really enjoyed reading it and it was a great twist on the original story. The Mahabahrata is kind of confusing but I like that you just took one section of it and developed it into a mini story on its own. Your dialogue was really good and flowed easily and I loved the personality that you gave the brothers.
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