Presenting the Past. Review on Parva - S.L.Bhyrappa

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PARVA, an auspicious day

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And one such a day I read our dear friend Suyog’s review on this book “Parva – A tale of war, peace, love, death, god and man” by S.L.Bhyrappa that made me rush to Sahitya Akademi at the next possible occasion to obtain a copy for myself. The only regret is I had to contend with the English version brilliantly translated by Dr. Raghavendra Rao, while I was looking forward for the Kannada original.

I did take pretty long time to flip through the book but have relished every single moment of my reading. Though no write-up can ever do any justice to this classic (or even Suyog’s review for that matter), I am only attempting to share some of my own thoughts here. Incidentally, the word ‘Parva’ has several meanings associated and is used in different context, which I am making an effort to employ in my sub-titles.

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PARVA, an episode

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Thanks to certain Mr. B.R. Chopra, all of us at least have some idea about Mahabharata, watching whose episodes on DD every Sunday we have all grown up. Basic story line is simply that good triumph over evil whenever injustice prevails on this Earth. This message however is conveyed through the epic saga of Kuru lineage spanning over several generations involving hundreds of plots and sub-plots.

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PARVA, the chapter

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Story enfolds chapter-by-chapter through narrations and musings of various characters, some as distinguished as Bhishma, Dronacharya, Karna, Vidhura etc. and also through lesser-known entities of Mahabharata like Sathyaki - a dear friend of Krishna, Kripa - a teacher in the Royal Palace, Yuyutsu - a noble Kaurava brother and so on. Though Bhyrappa keeps you riveted all through the earlier chapters, he somewhat lets loose the tempo once the war breaks out. So at places you feel that story is slightly repetitive and off the track. Yet it doesn’t cause any hindrance conveying the essence of what is being told.

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PARVA, an era

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It is an unusual depiction of the bygone era where each and every situation has a rational justification, events following a logical sequence and each of the characters even having a definite age in terms of years.

Generally, in mythology whenever something is correlated to good, it is presented and accepted as “godly” - with full of virtues, morals and miracles - throwing away all sense of practicality. Similarly the evil is depicted as ultra demonic befitted to exist only in the nether lands. Hence in our regular stories, the Pandavas, Krishna and likes epitomize the divine factor while the Kauravas and their ilk embody the fiendish spirits. Parva finely balances out both the parties at par. You delight to interpret that Pandavas are as bad if not more than their cousins. In Kauravas, you shall find that occasional streak of goodwill. The Raksasas, the Gandharvas and even the Devas are all simply human here.

Dharmaraja may be righteousness symbolized but his weakness to gamble, his inefficiency to keep his brothers at bay or his hankering for Draupadi only goes to prove he is just another person. Krishna taking several wives (under the pretext of saving them from social embarrassment) does so without actually imparting justice to any one of them. His runaway escapades to avoid Kamsa’s invasion over his native land, preferred escapism as opposed to confrontations with brother Balarama, blind favoritism towards Pandavas etc., make Krishna a thoroughly human character – sometimes sweet and beguiling, sometimes shrewd and obnoxious. While Bhima is dim-witted, high on adrenaline kinds there is an Arjuna who is self-indulgent flashing a high-handed demeanor. Nakula and Sahadeva have their own marked personalities despite being overshadowed by their more illustrious brothers. But the cream of all characterization is that of Kunti and Draupadi. Their dignity and candid outlook towards life leaves you spellbound.

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PARVA, a section

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Mahabharata is only instrumental here. The real story is all about the basic intrinsic human nature. It’s about behavior and bindings in different sections of society. It’s about the true values and what we perceive is right or wrong and the same perceptions so differently conceived in another person’s eyes. It’s our reactions and responses at different stages in life to several different things, the change in us.. either for good or bad and the effect it has on us. It’s again about the pseudo morality in all of us, the put on bravado, the gnawing fear of failure, the headiness of success, the constant balancing act to be appreciable, the doubts, the confusion, the yearnings and the desperations, the ups and downs and the very life in all its minutest details. In total, it’s all about our very own existence.

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PARVA, a joyful celebration

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Fans and critics alike appreciate S.L. Bhyrappa for his exemplary works that usually forsake convention but are never out of the REAL context of life. It’s that unmistakable touch of human elements that he imparts into each of his characters is what makes them so endearing and true to life. Generally when reading any of Bhyrappa’s works, one is not able to take sides or some particular stance at any time. His heroes/ heroines are so well etched (and most of the times pretty balanced too) with good and bad traits plenty abound.. just like you and me. Hence you are forced to read his books without the clichéd “Good” and “Evil” syndromes attached to the associated personas. But to read one of the biggest epics under such different light is totally a novel experience.

Here is a true celebration of Mahabharata, chapter-by-chapter, in all its human spirits and enormous magnitude brought forth in a highly engrossing way while being delectably afresh in style. Do try to catch it when time permits.