NYMM 37: Two Lovers and a Talking Swan: The Pandavas without Arjuna Part 1 Artwork

Not Your Mother's Mahabharata

The Mahabharata is this epic Indian work that encapsulates a great deal of Indian Mythology. It is a magnificent story that is constantly being rewritten and retold since its inception that was somewhere between 3000 BC and 1500 BCE

‘Not Your Mother’s Mahabharata with SP Jayaraj’ is a podcast where S.P. Jayaraj tell the story conversationally to his wife Azure Anderson and to friends, most of whom have never heard of the tale. Listeners familiar and unfamiliar with the epic are treated to their entertainingly honest first reactions.
Doing it conversationally as opposed to it being a straight up reading allows there to be variations in the story and the chance to pick apart some of the ideas about life that the Mahabharat brings to the forefront.

This podcast’s goal is to make this great work accessible, and entertaining to an adult audience. Come in expecting some laughs, some pop culture tangents, and some adult language.
This is a labor of devotion to the Mahabharat quite unlike any other you might come across.

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Not Your Mother's Mahabharata

NYMM 37: Two Lovers and a Talking Swan: The Pandavas without Arjuna Part 1

September 02, 2025 • S.P. Jayaraj, Azure Anderson • Season 3 • Episode 37

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Yudhishthira is still lamenting over his gambling addiction. Luckily the visiting sage Brihadashva brings some hope to the eldest Pandava by telling him the tale of Nala And Damayanti.

Our friend Andy Caranicas joins us to hear the wondrous story of Nala and Damayanti, a prince and princess who are deeply in love with each other despite having never met. To be together they will need to outmaneuver the gods, a demon, a heroic turned villain hunter, and another king. Fortunately- to the pleasure of both Andy and Azure, Nala has a talking swan on his side.

Andy Caranicas plays competitive bridge, rides his bike as often as he can, plays trombone in a community band, and formulates stories for the Moth story hour.

S.P. Jayaraj is the creator of the mythic world of Adijari that is the setting of his two novels, The Secret of the Zipacna Dragons and Legacy of the Crow. He is also a Creative Life Coach through his business Imagination Life Coaching. The Mahabharata and other global mythology inspires him in all his projects.

spjayaraj.com

Azure Anderson-Jayaraj is a musician, a maker, a cat mom, an arts administrator and now a podcast editor.

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Artwork and music by Azure Anderson