Bibliography: Public Domain Mahabharata. Story: Riddles at the Lake
Notes: Whenever I have read through or watched other versions of the Mahabharata, this is one of the other stories that I have really enjoyed. First of all, I am just always a fan of riddles, especially in books. Golem and Bilbo's competition in Lord of the Rings, Emma outwitting her suitor through the solving of a riddle in Jane Austen's "Emma," the sphinx's riddle in Harry Potter- these are always favorites of mine, and this tale with the Pandava was no different.
I also appreciate that this story allows Yudhistira to get some redemption for the behavior that got them into exile in the first place. I have always wondered about the fact that the Pandava seemed to be ok with him remaining king (albeit king of not very much) after he gambled everything away. I am not saying that I think all monarchs and world leaders always do rational things or are the best leaders, but generally something that phenomenally stupid gets you kicked out. This scene gives Yudhistira a chance to prove that he actually has something that the his brothers do not- he may not have good impulse control, but there is some hidden wisdom there.
I think it might be interesting to play with this concept in a re-telling of the story- to play up the fact that Yudhistira is actually using his time in exile to learn and grow from his mistakes. This could be the first time that he is forced to put these newly learned skills to use to protect his brothers. There could be thoughts of also drinking the water or simply engaging the god of death in a fight, but then memories of the game of dice flit through his mind and cause him to chose to step back, think, and only then to act.
(The Pandav Caves- Hypothesized to be where the Panava stayed during their exile. Source: Wikimedia)
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