NYMM 52: That's Where They've Been this Whole Time?! 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.

All Episodes

Not Your Mother's Mahabharata

NYMM 52: That's Where They've Been this Whole Time?!

May 25, 2026 • S.P. Jayaraj, Azure Anderson • Season 4 • Episode 52

0:00 | 1:07:45

We welcome Jeenee Lee for to tell her the exciting story of the Kauravas figuring it out. After not being able to find the Pandavas for most of the year, which means Duryhodan will be obliged to give everything back, he figures out that they've been in the Matsya kingdom the whole time. Now he needs to rout them out by sending his allies to attack the southern side of the kingdom, while he prepares his own forces to attack them from the north.

Because all the Matsya generals were secretly killed by Bheema (listen to the last episode because it was a real killer.) It's up to 4 of the Pandavas to protect the southern border and battle like they never have before- yet still need to maintain their disguises.

Then, for the north battle, the young prince of the Matsya kingdom talks tough because there is no charioteer to actually drive him into battle, that is until Brihanalla the 'eunuch' shares her skills with Draupadi, forcing the naive prince to live up to his bragging.

It's part 1 of 2 of an epic end to the the Pandavas exile, one way or the other.

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.

Support the show

Have an imaginative day.

Artwork and music by Azure Anderson