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MAHABHARATA by Veda Vyasa

The Mahabharata, attributed to Veda Vyasa, narrates the epic conflict between the Kauravas and Pandavas over the Kuru kingdom, exploring themes of duty, righteousness, and fate. The story follows the lineage of King Shantanu, leading to the rivalry that culminates in the devastating Kurukshetra War, where the Pandavas ultimately emerge victorious but at a great cost. After the war, the Pandavas renounce the throne, ensuring the continuation of the Kuru dynasty through Parikshit, the grandson of Arjuna.

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145 views

MAHABHARATA by Veda Vyasa

The Mahabharata, attributed to Veda Vyasa, narrates the epic conflict between the Kauravas and Pandavas over the Kuru kingdom, exploring themes of duty, righteousness, and fate. The story follows the lineage of King Shantanu, leading to the rivalry that culminates in the devastating Kurukshetra War, where the Pandavas ultimately emerge victorious but at a great cost. After the war, the Pandavas renounce the throne, ensuring the continuation of the Kuru dynasty through Parikshit, the grandson of Arjuna.

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cyrusabadelijah
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MAHABHARATA by Veda Vyasa

The Mahabharata is one of the greatest epics of Indian literature, narrating the
complex and intense conflict between two sets of cousins—the Kauravas and the
Pandavas—over the throne of the Kuru kingdom. Attributed to the sage Veda Vyasa, the
epic explores themes of duty, righteousness, fate, and the consequences of human actions.

The story begins at the “Lunar Dynasty” with King Shantanu, the ruler of
Hastinapur or Kuru, who marries Ganga. They have eight sons, but only the eighth,
Bhishma, survives after Ganga drowns the first seven as part of a divine curse. After
Ganga leaves, later, Shantanu falls in love with Satyavati, the daughter of a fisherman.
However, her father demands that her son must inherit the throne. To secure his father’s
happiness, Bhishma takes an unbreakable vow of lifelong celibacy and voluntarily
renounces his claim to the throne. This sacrifice earns him the name Bhishma, meaning
"the one who took a vow." This vow secures the throne for Satyavati's children but later
on creates a political imbalance, leaving the Kuru dynasty in turmoil.

Shantanu and Satyavati eventually have two sons, Chitrangada and Vichitravirya,
but both die young, leaving no heirs. To ensure the continuation of the Kuru lineage,
Satyavati calls upon Vyasa, a sage, to father sons with her widowed daughters-in-law,
Ambika and Ambalika. Vyasa fathers Dhritarashtra, who is born blind, and Pandu, who is
cursed to never have children naturally.

Dhritarashtra marries Gandhari, who blindfolds herself out of devotion to her


husband. She bears him a hundred sons, collectively called the Kauravas, with the eldest
being Duryodhana, who becomes the main antagonist of the epic, growing into a ruthless
and envious prince. Meanwhile, Pandu, unable to have children, allows his wives, Kunti
and Madri, to use a divine boon to bear sons from different gods. Kunti bears three sons
—Yudhishthira (the eldest, son of Dharma, rightful heir to the throne), Bhima (mighty
warrior, son of Vayu), and Arjuna (the epic’s hero, son of Indra). Madri gives birth to
twins Nakula and Sahadeva, sons of the Ashwini gods – the five sons of Pandu came to
be known as the Pandavas. Additionally, Kunti has an earlier son, Karna, from the Sun
god, whom she abandons. Karna later becomes a close ally of Duryodhana and fights
against the Pandavas.

After King Pandu's death, the Pandavas were given a portion of the kingdom and
built their capital, Indraprastha, in the forest of Khandava. This prosperity sparked
jealousy in Duryodhana, who schemed against them. The rivalry between the Kauravas
and Pandavas intensified as Duryodhana despised his cousins and made several attempts
to eliminate them. The most infamous plot occurred when he invited Yudhishthira to a
game of dice, where his uncle Shakuni manipulated the game to ensure the Pandavas'
defeat. Yudhishthira, overcome by his sense of honor, wagered his kingdom, his brothers,
and even himself. As a result, the Pandavas lost everything, including their freedom.

As per the bet, the Pandavas were exiled for twelve years, followed by one year of
living in disguise to escape detection. After completing their years of exile, the Pandavas
returned and rightfully demanded their kingdom. However, Duryodhana arrogantly
refused, declaring that he would not yield even a speck of land without war. This injustice
led to the great Kurukshetra War, a fierce battle between the Pandavas and the Kauravas.
Many rulers from across India aligned themselves with either side. The battle was not just
a physical confrontation but a moral and philosophical struggle between righteousness
and injustice.

The Kurukshetra War becomes inevitable when Duryodhana refuses to return the
Pandavas’ rightful land. Both sides form alliances, and Krishna, an incarnation of Vishnu,
becomes Arjuna’s guide, although he does not fight in the battle. The war lasts eighteen
days and is marked by tragic events. Bhishma, who fights for the Kauravas, falls due to a
strategic trick by the Pandavas. Karna, who discovers his true identity as the son of Kunti
but remains loyal to Duryodhana, is killed by Arjuna. Abhimanyu, Arjuna’s son, bravely
fights but is killed in a trap. The war results in enormous losses for both sides, and the
Pandavas eventually emerge victorious. Yudhishthira becomes the king of Hastinapur, but
the price of victory is heavy, as they have lost many loved ones.

Years later, the Pandavas decide to renounce the throne and embark on a journey
toward heaven. As they travel, all but Yudhishthira perish, having succumbed to various
trials along the way. When Yudhishthira reaches the gates of heaven, he is faced with a
test—he must choose between entering heaven alone or joining his fallen brothers in
what appears to be hell. Choosing loyalty, Yudhishthira learns that the apparent hell was a
test, and he and his brothers are granted entry to heaven.

After the war, the Pandavas’ kingdom is in ruin, and they decide to renounce the
throne, leaving no ruler to lead Hastinapur. To ensure the Kuru dynasty continues, the
sage Vyasa suggests that Parikshit, the grandson of Arjuna, be crowned as the new king.
Parikshit, who had been saved from death as a child by the sage Kripacharya, was raised
in the kingdom and becomes a natural successor. Yudhishthira blesses him, and Parikshit
ascends the throne of Hastinapur. His reign is marked by justice and wisdom.
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