Bhima Meets the Old Monkey

Transcript

Evidence labels distinguish sourced context from the episode's fictional story.

1. Hush now. Settle in. Can you hear it? Creeeak... tap, tap... creeeak. It is nighttime in a quiet house in Canada, and the wind is brushing against the windows. Kannan is tucked inside a blanket fort in the living room, with only his nose and one wide eye poking out. Beside him sits his big sister Mira, with a flashlight and a very calm face. Those creaks are only the old house stretching its wooden bones. Mira knows that. Kannan is almost sure he knows it too. Almost. So Mira clicks her flashlight on, and the blankets glow a soft yellow, like a little tent full of sunrise. She says, in her best storyteller whisper, that she has a story about someone who was never frightened of a single noise.

   Evidence:Fictional scene

2. "Who is it about?" asks Kannan, from inside the blankets. "Bhima," says Mira. "One of the five Pandava brothers, from the great Mahabharata. He is big, and strong, and a little bit loud." Kannan giggles. "Loud like me?" "Louder," says Mira. "Bhima is wandering through a forest in the mountains, and today he is going to meet someone he does not expect. Ready?" Kannan hugs his stuffed tiger and nods so hard the whole fort wobbles. "Ready. Go."

   Evidence:Fictional scene

3. So Mira takes a slow breath, and the living room fades away. In its place, there is a cool mountain forest. The air smells of damp earth and green leaves. Somewhere far off, a stream is chattering over stones. And all around, the tall plantain trees stand with their great wide leaves swaying, as if they were whispering a secret to each other.

   Evidence:Fictional scene

4. High up on a mountain, in a grove of tall plantain trees, an old and mighty monkey was resting. His name was Hanuman, chief of the monkeys. And what do you think he heard? Boom! Crash! Bhima, stomping and roaring through the forest, making all kinds of loud noises. Birds flapped up out of the branches. Hanuman listened, and he smiled, because he knew who it was. Bhimasena, he knew, was his brother. Now, just ahead lay a narrow path between the plantain trees, a path that led toward heaven. Hanuman did not want his brother to wander along it and be hurt, or be cursed. So what did he do? He lay right down across the path, stretched out like a great, warm hill. Then he yawned a big, rumbling yawn, and lashed his long tail, whoosh, thump! And the whole mountain shook, and the sound rolled and echoed all around.

   Evidence:Supported

5. Kannan pokes his head out of the fort. "Why did the monkey lie in the way? Was he being mean?" Mira smiles. "Listen to why, and then you tell me. Keep your ears open, because Bhima is coming closer." Kannan pulls the blanket up to his chin, but only a little, and he is smiling too.

   Evidence:Fictional scene

6. Bhima heard the thunderous echo, and he followed it. Swish, swish, he pushed through the wide green plantain leaves, one big step after another. Drops of cool water shook from the leaves onto his shoulders. He was all alone. And was he afraid? Not one bit! At last the leaves opened, and there on a raised, rocky platform lay the monkey-chief. What a sight! He gleamed coppery gold, like a flash of lightning. His tail curled up like a flag on a tall pole. He was as huge as the great Himalaya mountains, and he completely filled the path to heaven. Bhima did not stop to wonder. He walked straight up to the giant monkey with quick, rapid strides, and I think his heart was beating thump, thump, thump.

   Evidence:Supported

7. "Ooh," whispers Kannan, "he is so brave." "Wait for it," Mira whispers back. "Brave is only half of Bhima's problem." Kannan squeezes his tiger. "What is the other half?" Mira grins in the flashlight glow. "Pride. Listen."

   Evidence:Fictional scene

8. "Excuse me," said Bhima, "you are in my way. Please move." And the old monkey slowly opened one eye, and answered in a soft, tired voice, [slow and creaky] "Oh, my child, I am old, and my body is too weak to get up. If you must pass, please just move my tail aside." Bhima grinned. He was very proud of how strong his arms were. "Easy," he thought. "I could do this with my eyes closed." He took hold of the tail with one hand, and pulled. Nothing. He frowned, and took hold with both arms, and planted his feet, and pulled with all his might. Huff, puff, hrrrrnh! And still that tail would not lift, not even a tiny bit.

   Evidence:Supported

9. Kannan bursts out laughing so hard the blanket fort collapses on top of him. "He could not lift a tail?" "Not a bit," says Mira, helping him build it again. "Even the strongest person can meet someone stronger. That is not a bad thing. It is just something to learn."

   Evidence:Fictional scene

10. Poor Bhima. Sweat ran down his face and dripped from his chin. His proud smile was gone. He let go of the tail, and he stood very still, catching his breath, and he felt a little ashamed of how boastful he had been. So he did something very wise. He pressed his hands together and bowed, and he asked the monkey to forgive him. Then, politely, he asked, "Who are you, really? You are not an ordinary monkey, are you?"

    Evidence:Supported

11. Kannan is quiet for a moment. "That was brave too," he says. "Saying sorry." Mira nods slowly. "Sometimes it is the bravest thing of all. Sometimes it is harder than roaring." Outside, the house gives one small creak, and Kannan does not even jump. He just listens, with his head tilted, like a detective.

    Evidence:Fictional scene

12. And the old monkey smiled. "I am Hanuman," he said. He told Bhima that the wind-god was his father, and that his mother was the wife of Kesari. He spoke of his dear friend Sugriva, and of Rama, whom he loved. Then he explained why he had blocked the way. "Ordinary people cannot pass along this path," he said. "I did not want you to be defeated, or cursed. That is all." So the old monkey had not been rude at all! He had been protecting Bhima. And he told Bhima something else: the lake he was searching for lay in that very direction.

    Evidence:Supported

13. See? Nobody was in danger at all. The big, shaking, rumbling monkey was a kind brother looking after Bhima. Kannan, the creaks in our house are friendly too. They are just the old house settling down, the way Hanuman settled down on his rock.

    Evidence:Fictional scene

14. Bhima's face lit up with joy. He bowed again, happily, to his elder brother. Then he asked for a very special favour: "Please, show me the great form you took when you leaped across the sea." And Hanuman agreed. He grew, and grew, and grew, as huge as a mountain. Bhima felt the wind rush around him, and the leaves of the plantain trees flapped and fluttered, and so he closed his eyes tight, because it was far too big and too bright to look at.

    Evidence:Supported

15. Then Hanuman gave his brother some gentle advice. Do not act rashly, he said. Do not pluck the gods' flowers by force. Follow your duties, and do the right thing in the right way. Bhima listened closely, with his hands joined and his heart quiet. And then Hanuman wrapped him in a big, warm hug. All of Bhima's tiredness melted away, like snow in the sun, and his strength came flooding back. The mountain was still again, and the only sound was the soft rustle of leaves.

    Evidence:Supported

16. Mira clicks off the flashlight and thinks a moment. "So the big scary shape," she says, "was a hug waiting to happen. And Bhima learned that strength is wonderful, but kindness and good manners matter too." Kannan peeks out from the blanket, sleepy and smiling.

    Evidence:Fictional scene

17. Here is a question to ask someone at home tonight. Bhima was very strong, but he could not lift a monkey's tail. Can you remember a time when you tried something and learned that you needed help, or needed to say sorry? How did it feel afterwards? Take your time. There is no hurry, and no wrong answer.

    Evidence:Fictional scene

18. Creeeak, goes the old house, one last time. And Kannan just yawns a huge, Hanuman-sized yawn. "Goodnight, house," he mumbles. "Goodnight, Hanuman." Mira smiles and tucks the blanket in around him, nice and snug. The wind outside settles, and the whole house goes quiet and gentle. Sleep well, listener. Until next time.

    Evidence:Fictional scene

Source notes

These notes show what a source supports. They do not turn fictional dialogue or scenes into historical claims.

• The Mahabharata (English prose translation, Project Gutenberg text, Vana Parva portion)

  Translated text of the Mahabharata; narrated by Vaisampayana (translator not named in the excerpt)

  Evidence:Supported

  The old monkey says age leaves him too weak to rise and asks Bhima to move his tail aside. Bhima, proud of his strength, smiles and tries with one hand and then both arms. He cannot lift it and sweats. Ashamed, he bows with joined hands, asks forgiveness, and asks who the monkey is.

  Claims: c3 · Evidence: e132-bhima-cannot-lift-the-tail-v1

  View the registered source

• The Mahabharata (English prose translation, Project Gutenberg text, Vana Parva portion)

  Translated text of the Mahabharata; narrated by Vaisampayana (translator not named in the excerpt)

  Evidence:Supported

  Bhima follows the sounds through the plantain wood and finds the monkey-chief on a raised rocky base. The monkey is described as coppery like lightning, with a tail like a banner, and as huge as the Himalaya. Bhima, alone and unafraid, approaches him with rapid strides.

  Claims: c2 · Evidence: e132-bhima-finds-the-monkey-v1

  View the registered source

• The Mahabharata (English prose translation, Project Gutenberg text, Vana Parva portion)

  Translated text of the Mahabharata; narrated by Vaisampayana (translator not named in the excerpt)

  Evidence:Supported

  Bhima bows happily to his elder brother Hanuman. At Bhima's request Hanuman shows his huge leaping form, and Bhima closes his eyes. Hanuman advises him not to act rashly or pluck the gods' flowers by force, and to follow his duties. He embraces Bhima, whose weariness leaves and whose strength is restored.

  Claims: c5 · Evidence: e132-brothers-embrace-and-advice-v1

  View the registered source

• The Mahabharata (English prose translation, Project Gutenberg text, Vana Parva portion)

  Translated text of the Mahabharata; narrated by Vaisampayana (translator not named in the excerpt)

  Evidence:Supported

  In the Vana Parva translation, Hanuman hears Bhima's loud noises, knows Bhimasena is his brother, and lies across the narrow plantain-tree path to heaven to keep Bhima safe from curse or defeat. He yawns and lashes his tail, and the mountain shakes and echoes.

  Claims: c1 · Evidence: e132-hanuman-blocks-the-path-v1

  View the registered source

• The Mahabharata (English prose translation, Project Gutenberg text, Vana Parva portion)

  Translated text of the Mahabharata; narrated by Vaisampayana (translator not named in the excerpt)

  Evidence:Supported

  The monkey reveals he is Hanuman, born of the wind-god and Kesari's wife, and mentions his friendship with Sugriva and his link to Rama. He says he blocked the path because mortals cannot pass that way and he did not want Bhima defeated or cursed. The lake Bhima sought lay in that direction.

  Claims: c4 · Evidence: e132-hanuman-reveals-himself-v1

  View the registered source