Reading Notes: Mahabharata Part A

Characters:
Satyavati - woman born from fish
Shantanu - king, was married to Gangas before
Gangas - a goddess, was born in human flesh, threw 7 babies down into the river
Vyasa - son of Satyavati and brahmin Parashara
Devavrata - later called Bhishma, son of Gangas and Shantanu, possesses all powers of the eight gods known as the Vasus
Chitrangada and Vichitravirya - sons of Satyavati and Shantanu, ruled after Shantanu
Amba - eldest of the 3 princesses promised to Vichitravirya, was betrothed to Shalwa, is told by Shiva that she will become a man and slay Bhishma in battle (Ambika and Ambalika are her other sisters)
Dhritarashtra - son of Ambika and Vyasa, born blind
Pandu - son of Ambalika and Vyasa, born pale
Vidura - Ambika's handmaid and Vyasa's son, Dharma as a human incarnation
Karna - the son of Kunti (Pandu's wife) when she was younger
Kauravas - sons of Dhritarashtra, led by Duryodhana
Pandavas - sons of Pandu, led by Bhima
Drona - the guru to the Kauravas and the Pandavas, brahmin by birth
Yudhishthira - eldest of the Pandavas
Arjuna - one of the Pandavas, surpassed everyone in warrior skill, favorite of Drona

Why are there so many twists? The character list does at least help keep everyone straight, but I have no clue how all the earlier characters will work into the epic.

Things to remember - every woman in these epics seems to be ungodly beautiful.

Human and god interaction is also a major theme in these epics, as is prophecies and curses.

Bibliography - PDE Mahabharata. Multiple Authors. Link.

Mahabharata [source]