New Book: The Pregnant King – narrates the unknown tale of Yuvanashva and other minor characters in Mahabharata
The novel ‘The Pregnant King’ by Devdutt Pattanaik is based on the less known character King Yuvanashva in the Mahabharat. There are hundreds of characters in the Mahabharata but we only hear about a select few. Some of these lesser known characters were extraordinary individuals and their tales are interesting and equally appealing like the tales of the famous Pandavas and Kauravas. Devdutt Pattanaik in ‘The Pregnant King’ brings to light the journey of Yuvanashva, a childless king, who accidentally drinks a magic potion meant to make his queens pregnant and gives birth to a son. From the Novel – The Pregnant King ‘I am not sure that I am a man,’ said Yuvanashva. ‘I have created life outside me as men do. But I have also created life inside me, as women do. What does that make me? Will a body such as mine fetter or free me?’ The novel uses materials from the Mahabarata and from the folk versions of Mahabharat in Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. This unusual novel is