MAHABHARATA

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MAHABHARATA

Aparecio, Veronica Lingbanan, Angel
Avellana, Rochelle Malapit, Jann Alfred
Banzuela, Mariel Mendoza, Tazky Peter
Belmonte, liberty Noble, Jocelyn
David, Janina Bianca Nuguit, Marjorie
Dayao, Anne Marielle Operio, Mico
Dela Cruz, Jessica Padilla, Charmaine
Domino, Keven Pangilinan, Riona
Ebdane, JC Andreya Parce, Indica
Gabrentina, John Michael Sederia, Alexandra
Garlit, Svenson Avery Sison, Jenica
Javier, Gerlie Taladtad, Kristine
Jovellano, Ma. Angela Taoatao, Vic Jonnas
Beatrice

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HISTORY

The Mahabharata or Mahābhārata (US /məhɑːˈbɑːrətə/; UK /ˌmɑːhəˈbɑːrətə/;S
anskrit: महाभारतम,् Mahābhāratam,pronounced [məɦaːˈbʱaːrətəm]) is one of the two
major Sanskrit epics of ancient India, the other being the Ramayana.

The Mahabharata is an epic narrative of the Kurukshetra War and the fates
of the Kaurava and the Pandava princes. It also containsphilosophical and
devotional material, such as a discussion of the four "goals of life"
or purusharthas (12.161). Among the principal works and stories in
the Mahabharata are the Bhagavad Gita, the story of Damayanti, an abbreviated
version of the Ramayana, and theRishyasringa, often considered as works in their
own right.

Traditionally, the authorship of the Mahabharata is attributed to Vyasa.
There have been many attempts to unravel its historical growth and compositional
layers. The oldest preserved parts of the text are thought to be not much older than
around 400 BCE, though the origins of the epic probably fall between the 8th and
9th centuries BCE. The text probably reached its final form by the early Gupta
period (c. 4th century CE). The title may be translated as "the great tale of the
Bhārata dynasty". According to the Mahabharata itself, the tale is extended from a
shorter version of 24,000 verses called simply Bhārata.

The Mahabharata is the longest known epic poem and has been described as
"the longest poem ever written". Its longest version consists of over
100,000 shloka or over 200,000 individual verse lines (each shloka is a couplet), and
long prose passages. About 1.8 million words in total, the Mahabharata is roughly
ten times the length of the Iliad and the Odyssey combined, or about four times the
length of the Ramayana. W. J. Johnson has compared the importance of
the Mahabharata in the context of world civilization to that of the Bible, the works
of Shakespeare, the works of Homer, Greek drama, or the Qur'an.

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The 18 books or Parvas

of Mahabharata

Parv Title Sub- Contents
a Parva
How the Mahabharata came to be narrated by
1 Adi Parva (The Book of 1-19 Sauti to the assembled rishis at
the Beginning) Naimisharanya, after having been recited at the
2 sarpasattra of Janamejaya by Vaishampayana
Sabha Parva (The Book 20-28 at Takṣaśilā. The history and genealogy of the
3 of the Assembly Hall) Bharata and Bhrigu races is recalled, as is the
4 birth and early life of the Kuru princes (adi
5 VanaParva also Aranya 29-44 means first).
ka-parva, Aranya-parva Maya Danava erects the palace and court
6 (The Book of the Forest) 45-48 (sabha), at Indraprastha. Life at the court,
7 Virata Parva (The Book 49-59 Yudhishthira's Rajasuya Yajna, the game of
of Virata) dice, the disrobing of Pandava wife Draupadi
and eventual exile of the Pandavas.
Udyoga Parva (The The twelve years of exile in the forest (aranya).
Book of the Effort)
The year spent incognito at the court of Virata.
Bhishma Parva (The 60-64
Book of Bhishma) Preparations for war and efforts to bring about
peace between the Kaurava and the Pandava
Drona Parva (The Book 65-72 sides which eventually fail (udyoga means effort
of Drona) or work).
The first part of the great battle,
with Bhishma as commander for the Kaurava
and his fall on the bed of arrows. (Includes
the Bhagavad Gita in chapters 25-42.)
The battle continues, with Drona as commander.
This is the major book of the war. Most of the
great warriors on both sides are dead by the end
of this book.

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Parva Title Sub- Contents
8 Parva
9 Karna Parva (The The continuation of the battle with Karna as
73
10 Book of Karna) commander of the Kaurava forces
11
12 Shalya Parva (The 74-77 The last day of the battle, with Shalya as
commander. Also told in detail, is the
13 Book of Shalya) pilgrimage of Balarama to the fords of the river
14 Saraswati and the mace fight between Bhima
Sauptika Parva (The 78-80 and Duryodhana which ends the war, since
Book of the Sleeping Bhima kills Duryodhana by smashing him on
Warriors) the thighs with a mace.
Ashvattama, Kripa and Kritavarma kill the
81-85 remaining Pandava army in their sleep. Only 7
Stri Parva (The Book warriors remain on the Pandava side and 3 on
of the Women) the Kaurava side.

Shanti Parva (The 86-88 Gandhari and the women (stri) of the Kauravas
and Pandavas lament the dead and Gandhari
Book of Peace) cursing Krishna for the massive destruction
and the extermination of the Kaurava.
Anushasana 89-90 The crowning of Yudhishthira as king of
Parva (The Book of the 91-92 Hastinapura, and instructions
Instructions) from Bhishma for the newly anointed king on
society, economics and politics. This is the
Ashvamedhika longest book of the Mahabharata. Kisari Mohan
Parva (The Book of Ganguli considers this Parva as a later
the Horse Sacrifice) interpolation.'
The final instructions (anushasana) from
Bhishma.

The royal ceremony of the Ashvamedha (Horse
sacrifice) conducted by Yudhishthira. The
world conquest by Arjuna. The Anugita is told
by Krishna to Arjuna.

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Parv Title Sub- Contents
a Parva
15 The eventual deaths of Dhritarashtra,
Ashramavasika 93-95 Gandhari and Kunti in a forest fire when they
16 are living in a hermitage in the Himalayas.
Parva (The Book of the Vidura predeceases them and Sanjaya on
Dhritarashtra's bidding goes to live in the
Hermitage) higher Himalayas.
The materialisation of Gandhari's curse, i.e.,
Mausala Parva (The 96 the infighting between the Yadavas with maces
Book of the Clubs) (mausala) and the eventual destruction of the
Yadavas.

17 Mahaprasthanika 97 The great journey of Yudhishthira, his brothers
Parva (The Book of the and his wife Draupadi across the whole country
and finally their ascent of the great Himalayas
Great Journey) where each Pandava falls except for
Yudhishthira.
18 Stri Parva (The Book of 98 Yudhishthira's final test and the return of the
khila 99- Pandavas to the spiritual world (svarga).
the Women) 100
Harivamsa Parva (The This is an addendum to the 18 books, and
Book of the Genealogy covers those parts of the life of Krishna which is
of Hari) not covered in the 18 parvas of
the Mahabharata.

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Character’s Characterization

Abhimanyu : Son of Arjuna and Subhadra, nephew to Krishna. He was slain in the battle
of Kurukshetra when just sixteen years old. He married Uttara, King Virata's daughter,
and fathered Pariksit.

Adhiratha : A leader of the sutas- the caste generally employed as charioteers. He found
Karna after Kuntî had cast him away in a basket and raised him as his own son. His wife's
name was Radha, and thus Karna was known as Radheya.

Amba : The king of Kashi's eldest daughter. Bhishma abducted her from her swayamvara
along with her two sisters to be his brother's bride. After Amba told Bhishma that she had
committed herself to Shalva, Bhishma released her. Shalva rejected her as a wife because
she had been touched by another, so Amba developed an intense hatred for Bhishma. She
worshipped Shiva and obtained a boon that she would kill Bhîsma in her next life. Amba
was then reborn as Shikhandhi.

Ambalika : The king of Kashi's youngest daughter. She was abducted by Bhishma along
with her sisters and married Vichitravirya. After he died, she became Pandu's mother (with
Vyasa).

Ambika : Second daughter of the king of Kashi, abducted from her swayamvara by

Bhisma. She married Vichitravirya and, after his death, became Dhritarastra's mother
(with Vyasa).

Arjuna : Third son of Pandu and Kunti, begotten by Indra. He is famous as Krishna's
dear friend. He is known by nine other names: Dhananjaya (winner of wealth), Vijaya
(always victorious), Swetavahana (he whose chariot is drawn by white horses), Phalguna
(born under the auspicious star of the same name), Kiriti (he who wears the diadem),
Bhibatsu (terrifying to behold in battle), Savyasachi (able to wield a bow with both hands),
Jishnu (unconquerable), and Krishna (dark-complexioned). The name Arjuna means "one of
pure deeds." He is said to be an incarnation of the ancient sage Nara. One of the greatest
archers of his generation, Arjuna is described as very handsome and popular with the
ladies. Besides Draupadi, he married Subhadra, Ulipi .

Ashwatthama : Son of Drona and Kripi. Said to be a partial expansion of Shiva. Bharata
: A great king in the dynasty of the moon-god (all kshatriyas are descendents either of
Chandra, the moon-god, or Surya, the sun-god) who ruled the earth for thousands of years.
It was common during the Mahabharata era to call his descendents by his name. Bharata
was born from the union of King Dushyanta and the daughter of Kanva Rishi, named
Shakuntala.

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Bhima : Pandu and Kunti's second son, sired by Vayu, the wind-god. Bhima is described as
a powerful, large and hugely strong man. His favorite weapon was the mace. After the great
war he was installed by Yudhisthira as the crown prince. Besides Draupadi, he married
Hidimbi.

Bhisma : Son of Shantanu and Ganga, known as the "grandfather" of the Kurus. Although
he never became king, he officiated at Hastinapur as regent until Vichitravirya was of age.
He is said to be an incarnation of Dyau, the chief Vasu. Sanskrit editions of the
Mahabharata contain an entire book, the Shanti Parva, devoted to Bhishma's instructions
on religion and morality, which he delivered to Yudhisthira while lying on the bed of
arrows. Bhisma took a vow of celibacy at a very young age so his father Shantanu could
marry Satyavati.

Devaki : Krishna's mother and the wife of Vasudeva, a chief of the Vrishni clan. Sister of
Kamsa, she was imprisoned by him soon after her marriage.

Dhristadhyumna : Son of King Drupada; Brother of Draupadi; He was born of a
sacrificial fire along with Draupadi. His father Draupad wanted a son to destroy his arch
enemy Drona.

Dhritarastra : The blind son of Vyasa, born to Ambika. Elder brother of Pandu. He
became king in Hastinapur after Pandu retired to the forest. Married to Gandhari, and
fathered the Kauravas.

Drona : Teacher of the Pandavas and Kauravas. Son of Bharadvaja, married to Kripi and
had a son, Aswatthama. The sage Bharadvaja once caught sight of a beautiful apsara and
ejaculated into a pot. Drona was born from that pot.

Drupada : Father of Draupadi and Dhristadhyumna; King of Panchal; father of
Shikhandi; Childhood friend and then arch enemy of Drona.

Durvasa : A powerful rishi famous for his quick temper. The Puranas and Mahabharata
contain many stories about Durvasa. He is particularly famous for having granted Kunti
the boon that she could summon any god to do her will, which resulted in the births of the
Pandavas from five principal deities.

Draupadi : Wife of five Pandavas; daughter of Drupad, king of Panchala. Born from a
sacrificial fire at the same time as Dhristadhyumna. Won in a swayamvara by Arjuna. Also
known as Panchali (She who is from Panchal), Krishnaa (The Dark One) and Yajnaseni
(she who is born from a sacrificial fire).

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Duryodhana : Eldest son of Dhritarastra sons and leader of the Kauravas. Born to
Gandhari from a boon she got from Vyasa. He was one of a hundred sons and one daughter,
incubated in jars filled with ghee.

Dushasana : Brother of Duryodhana and son of Gandhari. He dragged and attempted to
disrobe Draupadi.

Dushala : Daughter of Gandhari and Dhritarastra; Lone sister of the hundred Kauravas.

Gandhari : Wife of Dhritarastra, she blindfold herself after the marriage. Mother of
hundred Kauravas and Dushala; Sister of Shakuni; Daughter of the King of Gandhara. She
pleased Vyasa and was blessed with a hundred sons. Gandhari is famous for being one of
the most chaste ladies in Vedic history. She cursed Krishna at the end of the war.

Ganga : Married to Shantanu; Mother of Bhishma; Goddess of the sacred river, Ganga.
She killed her first seven sons (they were celestial souls cursed to be born as humans). She
could not free the eighth soul, Bhishma.

Ghatotkatcha : The son of Bhima and the raskshasi (demoness) Hidimbi. He became a
leader of the Rakshasas and assisted the Pandavas in the Kurukshetra war. Karna killed
him with Indra's celestial Shakti weapon.

Jayadratha : Son-in-law of Dhritarastra and King of Sindhu kingdom; Married to
Dushala, sister of the Kauravas.
When he was born, a heavenly voice announced that he would be a powerful warrior but
would be beheaded by an enemy of unparalleled strength. His father, Vridhakshetra, then
cursed whomever would cause his son's head to fall to the ground to himself die, his own
head shattering into a hundred fragments. Jayadratha was killed by Arjuna at
Kurukshetra to avenge Abhimanyu. Arjuna chopped his head off in such a way that it went
and landed on the father's lap.

Kamsa or Kansa : Maternal uncle of Krishna who usurped the throne from his father,
Ugrasena. He was killed by Krishna. Details of his life are found in the Bhagavata Purana.

Karna : Eldest son of Kunti, sired by the Sun God; Friend of Duryodhana; Raised by a
charioteer when his mother abandoned him at birth. Karna was a tremendous archer,
famed for his generosity and loyalty. He pledged hiumself to Duryodhana and became an
enemy of the Pandavas. Karna had a passionate rivalry and hatred for Arjuna in
particular.

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Kripacharya : Teacher of Pandavas and Kauravas but ended up fighting for Kauravas.
Son of the sage Saradvan, who was once practicing asceticism in the forest when he saw the
apsara Janapadi. He passed semen, which fell into a clump of reeds, and a boy and girl
were born from it. They were named

Kripa and Kripi (sister married to Drona) :The two children were found and
brought to King Shantanu. Kripa was taught Dhanurveda, the martial arts, by his father,
and he became one of the Kurus' martial teachers. Kripa survived the Kurukshetra war
and counseled the Pandavas when they ruled the world. Later, they appointed him
preceptor of their grandson and heir, Pariksit.

Krishna : Incarnation of Lord Vishnu, who delivered Bhagavad Gita; cousin of Kunti;
Friend and Charioteer of Arjuna; Chief councilor of the Pandavas. Born to Devaki and
Vasudeva in a prison cell, but brought up by Yashoda.

Kunti : The Pandavas' mother. She was the sister of Vasudeva, Krishna's father. Her own
father, Surasena, had given her as a baby to his close friend King Kuntibhoja, who had no
children. She was named Pritha at birth, but became better known as Kunti after being
raised by Kuntibhoja. She married Pandu.

Kuru : Ancient king and founder of the Kuru dynasty. Due to his performance of sacrifice
and asceticism at the site, the place known as Kurukshetra, named after Kuru, is
considered sacred.

Madri : Second wife of Pandu; Mother of Nakul and Sahdeva; daughter of King Shalya.

Nakula : Son of Madri and Pandu, known for patience

Pandu : Younger brother of Dhritarastra; husband of Kunti; Father of the Pandava's born
to Vichitravirya's widow queen Ambalika (by Vyasa).

Parasara : A powerful rishi, grandson of Vasishta, Father of Vyasa. Satyavati ferried the
sage across a river and he was attracted by her beauty. Parasara asked if he could have
union with her, promising that by his mystic power she would not lose her virginity. She
agreed and they united on an island in the middle of the river, which Parasara shrouded
from view by creating volumes of mist. Vyasa was born immediately, fully grown.

Parashurama : A rishi said to be an empowered incarnation of Vishnu. He is famous for
having annihilated all the kshatriyas of the world after his father, Jamadagni, had been
killed by a kshatriya named Kartavirya. An expert in the Vedic military arts, Parashurama
was the martial teacher of Bhishma, Drona and Karna.

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Parikshit : Posthumous son of Abhimanyu, heir of the Pandavas. Pariksit means 'the
examiner', as the brahmins said he would come to examine all men in his search for the
Supreme Lord, whom he saw while still an embryo in his mother's womb.

Sahadeva : Second son of Madri and Pandu; The youngest Pandava. One of the two twin
sons of Madri fathered by the Ashvini gods. He conquered southern Bharata before
Yudhisthira's Rajasuya sacrifice. Famous for his perceptive powers and intelligence, he was
appointed as Yudhisthira's personal advisor after the Kurukshetra war. Besides being
married to Draupadî, he married a princess of Madra named Vijaya.

Satyavati : formerly Matsyagandha Mother of Vyasa (from the union with Parasara
Rishi), -Chitrangada and Vichitravirya. Step-mother of Bhisma. She married Shantanu.

Sanjaya : Dhritarastra's charioteer and secretary. Although he belonged to the suta caste,
he was a spiritually advanced disciple of Vyasa, who gave him the power to see the events
during the Kurukshetra war. Consequently, he narrated all the battle scenes to
Dhritarastra.

Shakuni : Younger brother of Gandhari; maternal uncle of Duryodhana; An expert dice
player.

Shantanu or Santanu : Great grandfather of the Pandavas and Kauravas; Father of
Bhishma, Chitranga and Vichitravirya; Married to Ganga and Satyavati.

Sishupala : King of Chedi and an avowed enemy of Krishna. His mother got a boon from
Krishna that he would forgive Shishupala a hundred times. Krishna killed him at
Yudhisthira's Rajasuya sacrifice.

Subhadra : Krishna's sister, (daughter of Devaki and Vasudeva). She married Arjuna
and they had a son named Abhimanyu. Unlike her co-wife Draupadi, no details are given in
the original text about how she ended her life.

Uttara : Princess of Virata, pupil of Arjuna as Brihhannala (his disguised identity as the
eunuch dance teacher during the Pandavas final year of exile). She married Abhimanyu
and their son was named Pariksit.

Vasudeva : Krishna's father, husband of Devaki.

Vidura : Son of Vyasa and a palace maidservant; Brother to Dhritarstra and Pandu;
counsel to the King of Hatinapur. Vidura was said to be an expansion of Yamaraja, the lord
of justice. Once a rishi named Mandavya was mistaken for a robber. The king arrested and
punished him by having him pierced by a lance. The sage later went to Yamarâja and asked

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why this had happened and was told that in his childhood he had pierced an insect with a
blade of grass. Hearing that he had received punishment for a mistake made when he was
still an ignorant child, the sage cursed Yamaraja to take birth on earth as a sûdra. Thus he
became Vidura.
Virata : King of Matsya- where the Pandavas spent their final year of exile in disguise.
Virata's daughter Uttara married Arjuna's son Abhimanyu and so Virata joined the
Pandavas in the Kurukshetra war. Drona killed him in the battle.
Vyasa : The sage who authored the Mahabharata. Born from the union of Parasara Rishi
and Satyavati, he is also known as Krishna Dwaipayana because he was born on an island
and dark skinned. Father of Dhritarastra and Pandu. Grandfather of the Pandavas and
Kauravas.
Yudhisthira : Eldest Pandava, born from the union of Kunti and the god Dharma.
Famous for his adherence to virtue and truth, he is also known as Dharmaraja, as well as
Ajatashatru, which means "one who has no enemies." After the war he ruled the world for
thirty-six years and was succeeded by Pariksit.

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Summary

Since Sanatnu and Bhishma’s step brothers died, there are no other men in the
family besides Brishma, and he has renounced women. So Satyavani asks Vyasa the poet, to
give children to the two princesses. He goes to them, but the princesses dislike him, for as
an ascetic who has taken a vow of poverty, he is filthy and smelly. He explains to them that
they will each bear a son: however, the first will be born blind because the first princess
closed her eyes, when seeing him, and the second will be pale-skinned because the second
princess became pale at his touch. The blind son is called Dhritarashtra, the pale one is
pandu. Vyasa has a third son Vidura by a handmaiden.

As his brother is blind and unfit for the throne, Pandu becomes the new king of
Hastinapura. He cursed by a Brahmin priest in disguise being a gazelle which he shoot in
the forest by saying that should Pandu make love to either his wives(Kunti and Madri), the
Brahmin priest die instantly. Knowing he can never have children, Pandu resigns the throne,
and goes live with vhis wives in the mountains. Kunti, his first wife, informs him that she
possesses a magic power. By reciting a secret formula, she can invoke a God at will and
have a child by him. The mantra’s power is put the test , and three sons are born to her:
Yudishtira, the first born, truthful and victuos, son of Dharma; Bhima, the strongest man,
son of mVayu, God of the wind; snd Arjuna, an irresistible warrior, son of indra. Madri,
Pandu’s second wife, makes this power too. She gives birth to a twin, Nakula and Sahadeva.
And they are the Five son of Pandavas.

Years later, Pandu one day surrenders to his passion for Madri. Fearing for his life,
Madri tries to push him away but the struggles only inflame his dedire more. Once they
make love, Pandu falls dead, fulfilling the curse, and Madri, devoted to him always, joins
him on the funeral pyre.

Meanwhile, Dhritarashtra has become king, despite his blindness. He weds Gandhari
in an arranged marriage. When she learns of her husband’s infirmity, she decides to cover
her eyes with a blindfold which she will never remove to join him in his world of darkness.
Then, after an abnormally long pregnancy of two years, she gives birth to a ball of flesh.

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Vyasa tells her to split up the ball into 100 parts and put them in jars of ghee; in this way
she becomes the mother of 100 sons, kauravas.

The first born is called Duryodhana. Sinister omens of violence greet his arrival into
the world: jackals howl, strong winds blow, fires rage through the city. Dhritarashtara
worries about what all of this means. Vidura tells him that his first son brings hate and
destruction into the world. He will one day destroy their race. Vidura urges the king to get
rid of the child, but Dhritarashtrea ignore his advice.

Dhritarashtra is a weak ruler. He allows physical blindness to become a refusal to face
reality and unwillingness to confront hard decisions, being easily led by Duryodhana in later
years. He continually blames fate, excusing his own inaction.

Bhisma, now an old man, takes the responsibility of raising the two sets of cousins.
They fight constantly, and even try to kill each other.

One day, a reacher and master of arms. Drona, appears and offers his services to train
the boys. He has a secret missions: to avenge an insult made by a former friend. When
young, Drona was closed to Drupada, but years later, When Drona went to see his
childhood companion, now a great king, he was discorned by Drupada because “only equals
can be friends”. As a payment for his training, Drona ask the Pandavas to avenge him. Being
mighty warriors, they conquer Drupada’s kingfdom, and hand it over to Drona. He promptly
gives his former friend half his kingdom back, “now we are equal”.

Drona recognizes Arjuna’s superiority as a master of arms, especially the bow, and
favors him with special training. As Arjuna won the contest of skill organize by Drona, he
gives him a supreme weapon as areward, the Brahmasira, only to be used once against
celestial beings, or else it will destroy the world.

Drona stages a tournament to display all the Pandavas’ skill, but a stranger appears who
challenges Arjuna and equals him in archery. The Pandavas mock his lowly social status and
will not fight with someone who is not chance to make an ally. Duryodhana gives karna a
small kingdom and karna swears eternal friendship to the kauravas.

The pandavas narrowly ecape a plot by Duryodhana to burn them in house made of

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highly flammable materials. For months afterword, they live in hiding in the forest. One
night as Bhisma keep watch the others sleep, there appears a rakshasa named Hidimbi (a
man-eating ogre, one type of demon).

The Pandavas attend the Swayamvara of Draupadi, a ceremony where she will pick her
husband from a number of suitors. Arjuna wins the archery contest easily and Draupadi
chooses him. When Arhuna announces to his mother that he has won the prize. Kunti tells
him to share with his brothers, before seeing Drauypadi. Like an irrevocable vow, her
statement, even by mistake, can’t be undone, so all five brothers marry draupadi.

The Brothers agree to respect the privacy of each other when with Draupadi, but one
day Arjuna enters the tent to retrieve his weapons and finds Yudishtira forgives him,
arjuna insists on keeping the vow. As penance, Arjuna goes into exile for a year, while away
he marries three other woman, one Khrishna’s sister, mostly for political alliances.

As tension mounts between the cousins, Krishna makes his appearance. On krishna’s
advice the Pandavas present themselves to the lind king. To make peace, Dhristashtra
offers them half of the kingdom, but in a region which was nothing but jungle and dessert.
Yudisthira accepts his offer in the hope of averting war. Living in their new territory of
Indrapashtra, Yudishthira turns poor land into a wealthy kingdom, and declares himself
king of kings. Duryodhana is jealous and humiliated on his visit to the magnificent palace,
where he mistakes a glass floor for a pool, then later falls into a pool thinking it is glass.
Draupadi and Bhima laugh at him. He returns home ent on devising their destruction.

Duryodhana follows the advice of his uncle, the cunning Shakuni, an infamous dice
player, and invites Yudishthira to a game, knowing full well that gambling is his cousin’s one
weakness. He accept it.

Both Dhritarashtra and Yudhisthira ignore Vidura’s warning to avoid the game, leaving
the results to “supreme and unavoidable fate” Khrisna wants Bhisma not to interfere with
the dice game.

Carried away by the intoxication of the game, Yudishthira wagers and loses all that he
possesses; his brothers, his kingdom, even himself and eventually draupadi, who is dragged
before the company by her hair, a special insult since a married woman’s hair was sacred.

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She challenges the kauravas with a question: how can someone who has lost himself
wager someone else in a game, but no one can answer her. Instead, they insult her,
displaying her during the time of her period. Karna still stinging from his rejection at the
Swayamvara, calls her a harlot who services five men. Duryodhana seeks to his entice her
by uncovering his thigh. Engaged at this treatment of his wife, Bhima vows that he will one
day drink Duhsasana’s blood and breakj Duryodhana’s thidh.

Draupadi is about to stripped naked when she invokes Khrishna, who comes to her
resvue and creates an endless supply of cloth sround her. She swears that one day she will
be avenged. There will be a great war, A wart without mercy.

At her curse a jackals howls. Frightened, Dhritarashtra apologizes to her and gives
her husbands’ back everything they lost, but Draupadi asks nothing for herself, saying,
“Greed devours all beings and is Dharma’s run. I refuged greed”

Seeing his advantage given away, Duryodhana insists on one more time throw of the
dice. Yudishthira agrees to a final game, but once again he lossess. The Pandavas are
condemned to spend twelve years in exile in the forest, and a thirteen year in an unknown
place, disguised so that no one may recognize them. If anyone does, then they must spend
another twelve years in the forest.

Draupadi and Bhima reproach Yudishthira for his inaction and resigned passivity. Since
it is obvious that shakuni cheated at dice, wouldn’t it be better to stand up and fight?
Yudishthira flatly refuses. He will keep his word: he resolves to follow his Dharma.

Draupadi cannot understand why they are suffering so’ if they are the righteous one.

Arjuna then leaves, aiming for the highest mountains to look for the celestial weapons
they will need during the war. He meets the God Shiva who gives him powerful weapons.
Arjuna then spends five years with his father the divine Indra learning to use weapons
fighting demons.

Meanwhile karna decides he too must acquire a celestial weapon, so for many months
he serves a powerful Brahmin , Parasarama, who hates warriors. As a reward , he bestows
upon Karna, whom he takes to be a servant, a formula for the suprme weapon. But Karna

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reveals himself to be a warrior by an excess of bravery, as he does not cry out when a
worm bores a hole into his thigh. Parasurama curses him so he will forget the secret
formula at the moment he wishes for the weapon and bthat will be te momentr of his
death.

Karna later meets Indra in the disguise of Brahmin. Having sense never to refuse a
Brahmin’s request , he agrees to surrender his divine covering of golden armor given him at
birth. He tears off the armor from his skin, bleeding and trades it for another mighty
weapon, which will kill any being but can only use once.

During their exile, the pandavas rescue Duryodhana who is captured during battle, to
his great humiliation. Honor bids him swear to repay Arjuna one day. The Danavas need
Duryodhana as their champion and appear before him.

One day, four of the Pandavas are killed by drinking the water from a poisonous lake.
However, Yudishthira brings his brothers back to life by correctly answering the question
which Dharma, disguised as a crane, puts to him.

According to the conditions of the game of dice, the thirteenth year which the
Pandavas are to spend in disguise has now arrived. Yudishthira, his brothers and Draupadi
all find refuge at the court of King Virata. Kicaka, a general in Virata’s court becomes
infatuated with Draupadi. He goes to great lengths to possess her, even threatening her
life. Draupadi implores the mighty Bhima to help her; dressed in woman’s clothes, he goes
in her stead to a secret rendezvous and pulverizes the over-amorous general into bloody
mass of flesh.

Meanwhile Duryodhanaa has launched an attack on Virata’s Kingdom. The king entrust
his troops to his young son who needs a chariot driver. Draupadi, who seeks war with the
Kauravas at all costs, points out Arjuna as the world’s best charioteer despite the fact
that he has disguised himself as a cunuch. Arjuna cannot fight and is decisively
victorious, one man against countless armies.

War draws even closer. Duryodhana refuses to give his cousins back their kingdom
became claims to have the armies. When Arjuna asks him to drive his chariot, Krishna
accepts.

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In the Kaurava court, the blind king also senses the imminence of war. He asks the
elderly Bhisma, an unparalleled warrior, to take the aupreme command. His duty to the
family outweighs his feelings toward the Pandavas, and he reluctantly accepts, but on one
condition that Karna does not fight. Although displeased, Karna bitterly agrees to figt only
after bhishma’s death.

Dhritarashtra sends an envoy to Yudhishthira and begs not to fight since he loves
righteousness.

Krishna arrives as an emissary in final attempt to safeguard peace. He speaks to
Duryodhana who does not listen to him, but orders his guards to seize him. Khrishna
reveals his divine form. Krishna allows even the blind Dhritarashtra to see is glory.

Finally, he speaks to karna, going so far as to reveal that he is the brother of those
with whom he intends to fight. But Karna feels abandoned by his mother in his very first
hours of life; furthermore, he senses the end of this world. He will fight alongside the
Kauravas, even though he can already foresee their defeat and his own death.

Just as the battle is about to start, Arjuna falters at the sight of his relatives and
teachers, how his sworn enemies. He breaks down and refuses to fight. Arjuna fears that
acting out his own dharma as warrior will conflict with universal Dharma.

His charioteer Krishna addresses him as they pause in the no-man’s land between the
two armies. This passage is the celebrated Bhagavad gita, the guide to firm and resolute
action.

On a hill overlooking the battlefield;d . Dhritarashtara hears the words of Krishna
throughhis aid Sanjaya, who has been grabyed the ability to see and hear everything that
happens in the battle, to relate these things to the blind king. Dhrishtarashtra shudders
when he hears Krishna’s theophany, fearing that nothing can stop the pandavas with such a
powerful being in their Krishna cannot accomplish everything he wants, as he failed to
arrange a peaceful solution to the conflict.

Before the battle, Yudishthira goes to both hios teachers, Bhishma and Drona. For this
sign of respect, both men pray for the Pandavas victory, even though they must out of
loyalty fight on the side of the Kauradavas.

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Bhishma compares the invicible Arjuna “to the destroyer himself at the end of the Yuga”.
In one confrontation, Arjuna splits Bhisma’s bow with four arrows, and Bhishma praiseshim.
However, he is unable to overcome Bhishma. After nine days of fighting, the Pandavas visit
Bhishma by night; they tell him that, unless he is killed in the war, the carnage will cartry
on until the end of the world.

When asked how can be defeated, he advices them to place Sikhani in the front line,
from where he will be able to fire freely at Bhishma.

The next day, confronted by Sikhandi, bhishma refuses to fight a woman, and he
abandons his weapons. Against the rules of war, the Pandavas strike the unarmed warrior
with one thousand arrows. There is no space on his body thicker than two fingers that I
not pierced. He falls from his chariot, and lies fully supports by the arrows, with no part
of his body touching the earth. Bhishma does not actually die until much later, at his
choosing. He remains lying on a bed of arrows until the end of the battle.

Drona position the armies in a formation known only to him, the iron disc of war, which
nobody knows how to break open., apart from Arjuna. As Arjuna is called to adiversionary
battle far away, yudishthira entrust Abhimanyu with the task of opening a breach in a disc.
Abhimanyu secceeds, but when Bhima and yudishthirsa try to follow him into the opening.
They are stopped by jayadratha, a brother-in-law to the kauravas, and the breach closes
behind the young Abhimanyu. In spite of his bravery, he is killed.

At this point Arjuna returns to the camp. Inflamed with rage and grief at the sight of
his son’s body, he vows to kill Jayadaratha before sunset on the following day. He solemnly
swears to throw himself into the sacrificial fire, should he fail. Even Krishna is alarmed by
this terrible oath. On the next day, Jayadratha is heavenly guarded and Arjuna is unable
to reach him. Kridhna causes a momentary eclipse of the sun, convincing the enemy that
since night has come, Arjuna must have killed himself because he hasn’t kept his vow.
Rejoicing, they lay down their arms leaving jayadratha vulnerable to Arjuna’s arrow.

Jayadratha’s father had pronounced a cursed on anyone who killes his som, saying that
whoever caused his son’s head fan to the ground would die. Using magical mantras, Arjuna

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causes his arrow not only in to sever Jayadrath’s head, but to carry it miles away to fall
into his father’s lap. Being in prayer, he doesn’t realize what happened; he stands up and
the head falls, thus he dies from his own curse.

Karna possesses a magic lance, the gift of Indra, which will kill any living being but can
be used only once. He keeps it in reserve for Arjuna. To dispose of this lance, Krishna calls
upon Ghatotkatcha, son of Bhima and Rakhasa. During the night, he fights an epic battle
against karna, who can destroy demon only by resorting to his magic lance. Ghatotkatcha is
killed, but Krishna dances for joy. With his lance now expended, Karna is vulnerable and
Arjuna can kill him.

Drona continues to challenge the Pandavas know his weakness; the love of his only som
Ashvathama. Bhima slays an elephant, also called Ashvathama, then deceitfully tells Drona
of the death of his son. Suspecting a lie, Drona asks Yudishthira for the truth; is his son
dead or not? Yudishthira speaks half-lie. Before his lie, Yudishthira’s chariot rode four
inches off the ground, but now it sinks back to earth. Drona lays down his arms. Drupada’s
son Dhrishtadyuma cuts off Drona’s head, having sworn to avenge his father’s humiliation.

Meanwhile Bhima sees Duhsasama coming towards him. Bhima had sworn to drink the
bloos of this avowed enemy for what he had done to draupadi. Bhima knocks Duhsasama to
the ground with his mace and rips open his chest. He drinks his blood, saying it tastes
better than his mother’s milk. Bhima is her most passionate defender. Bhima kills most of
the 100 Kauravas, who were demons incarnate.

Duryodhana asks Karna to avenge his brother Duhsasama, and he finally meets Arjuna in
the decisive confrontation. Arjuna and Karna both have celestial weapon.

Karna has an arrow possessed by a Naga spirit who holds a grudge against Arjuna. When
shoots at Arjuna, charioteer warns him that his aim is too high, but he refuses to listen
and hits Arjuna’s coronet only. When the spirit- possessed arrow returns to him and says
try again, this time he will not miss. Karna won’t admit failure by shooting the same arrow
twice, even if he could kill 100 Kauravas.

As the fight continues, the earth opens up and seizes karna’s chariot wheel, in the
fulfillment of a curse. In desperation, karna tries to invoke his ultimate weapon, but the

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magic words escape him.

As he struggles to release his chariot, he criesout to Arjuna but Krishna taunt him.
Karna’s head sinks to his chest, and he remains silent, while continuing to struggle with the
chariot wheel. Krishna commands Arjuna to shoot, and karna dies. A bright light rises out
of karna’s body and enters the sun.

Over the eighteen day war, Duryodhana has seen his generals and their armies fall to
the Pandavas, but to the very end he refuses to surrender. He hides in the waters of a
lake, which he has solidified over him by magic. Ever the gambler, Yudishthira tells
Duryodhana that he fights with Bhima rather than one of the weaker brothers. In a close
battle between equals, Bhima wins only by treacherously striking Duryodhana on the legs,
forbidden in the rules of war. Gfandhari had put a protective spell over Duryodhana’s body
but because he wore a loin cloth for modesty before his mother, his thighs were not
completed. Duryodhana accuses Krishna of taking sides unfairly and encouraging Bhima’s
treachery.

As Duryodhana lies dying, Ashvatthama, Drona’s son, tells him how he sneaked into the
camp of the victorious Pandavas as night to perpetrate a hideous massacre, killing the
remaining warriors and all the children while sleep, leaving the Pandavas without any heirs.
Rather than welcoming the news , Duryodhana dies disheartened that the race of the
kurus appears to have no future.

Thus all those on both sides sie in the war, except the five Pandavas.

Drona taught both of them, it was only to be used against divine beings, or else it could
destroy the world. Ashvatthama deflects his into her wombs of the remaining Pandava
women, making them sterile, but Krishna promises that Arjuna will nonetheless have
descendants. As punishment, Ashvatthama is cursed to wander the earth in exile for 3000
years.

After the war, when Krishna exits the chariot, it bursts into flames; only his presence
kept the celestial weapons from destroying it earlier. Krishna reveals that the Gods
allowed this war to relieve Earth of her great burden.

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Yudishthira reports the death toil at 6 million. Apalled at such losses, he has a personal
crisis similar to Arjuna before the battle.

Now that all her sons are dead, Gandhari’s eyes are so charged with grief that, by
looking under her blindfold, her emotion sears the flesh of Yudishthira’s foot. She curses
Krishna, whom she holds responsible for all of the tragedy that has befallen them; the
Pandava kingdom will fall in 36 years. Even Krishna will die; he shall be killed by a passing
stranger. Krishna calmly accepts this curse, then tells her that a light that has been saved,
even if she cannot see it. Yudishthira agrees to reign Dhrishthira has one son by another
wife who survives the war. Yuyutsu chose to fight on the side of the Pandavas, deciding to
follow Dharma rather than loyalty to his family. After the war, out of gratitude
yudishthira makes Yuytsu king of his old territory Indraprastha.

Thirty-six pass, and Yudishthira arrives at the entrance to paradise, carrying a dog in
his arms. His brothers and Draupadi , who let the earth with him, have fallen from the
mountains into the abyss along the way. A gatekeeper tells him to abandon the dog if he
wants to enter paradise. He refuses to leave a creature so faithful, and is permitted to
enter, for this was a test, the dog was the God Dharma in disguise.

In paradise, further surprise await him. His enemies are there, smiling and
contented.His brothers and Draupadi on the other hand, seem to be in a place of suffering
and torment.

Yudishthira decides to stay with his loved ones in hell, rather than enjoy the delight of
heaven with his enemies. This too was a test, the “final illusion”- They are all permitted to
enter paradise.

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