Mahabharata - What happened before and after the Bhagavad Gita

Drona set about with earnest to train the princes in the art of weapons. Bheem and Duryodhana quickly showed skill at wielding the mace. Yudhishthira was an expert at using the spear. Nakula and Sahadeva showed great skill with a sword. But Arjun quickly became Drona’s favourite student.

One day Drona setup a wooden bird in a tree and instructed the princes of their task to hit the eye of the bird. Before letting them fire, Drona asked each of the princes what they saw. “I see the bird, the branch and the tree,” said Yudhishthira. “No good,” said Drona, and asked him to stand aside. The other princes had similar answers until he came to Arjun. “Tell me what you see,” Drona asked Arjun. “I see only the eye,” replied Arjun, and shot the arrow which hit the eye of the wooden bird, dead on target.

When the princes reached a certain level of skill, Drona asked for his gurudakshina—the payment given to the guru by the student. “What is it you desire, Master?” asked Arjun. “Bring me King Drupad,” replied Drona. The princes set off on their mission. And with their special abilities and the training of Drona, Drupad’s guard proved no match for them. They had Drupad at Drona’s feet by the next day. “A king, you had said, Drupad can only have another King as a friend. I desired your friendship, so I strove for a kingdom and made it mine,” said Drona. “But now you are no longer a King, so I shall give you back half your Kingdom.” “Now, King Drupad, we can remain friends if you wish.” Drupad agreed to the conditions with a forced smile on his face. But he would remember this humiliation, and one day Drona and Drupad would find themselves on opposite sides of a great war.

Chapter 11 – Deadly Rivals

When Kunti returned to Hastinapur with the five Pandava brothers, not everyone was happy to see them. With the passing of King Pandu, the duties of King remained with Dhritrasthra until Yudhishthira, the eldest son of Pandu, came of age. This created tension between the two sets of cousins, The Pandavas, the sons of Pandu, and the Kauravas, the sons of Dhritrashtra. The Pandava children were far ahead of the Kauravas in intelligence, learning ability, and physical strength. Duryodhana, the eldest of the Kaurava brothers, quickly realised that Bheem especially, posed a great physical threat to him and his brothers. Bheem often wrestled the Kaurava brothers into submission, embarrassing them in all competitions of strength. Duryodhan grew a deep hatred for the mighty Pandava brother.

One day Duryodhan proposed a trip to the river Ganga for all the cousins. Everyone had a grand day. When the opportunity presented itself, Duryodhan poisoned Bheem's food. Bheema had a ravenous appetite and gobbled up all of his meals. At the end of the day, the cousins returned to the palace. Bheem, however, passed into a coma near the river. Unseen by the others, the eldest Kaurava bound Bheem's hands and feet and rolled him into the river, leaving him to drown. He then returned to the palace. When Yudhishthira noticed Bheem missing, he asked the others where his brother might be. No one had any answers. Meanwhile, Bheem sank deep into the river. The Nagas, the serpent creatures, surrounded him and bit him repeatedly. In a twist of fate, their venom counter-acted the poison from the food, and Bheem awoke. He easily broke his bindings and then grabbed the Nagas and smashed them against the riverbed. The Nagas, terrified, swam to Vasuki, the King of the Naga world. When the Naga King realised that the mighty young man was the son of Vayu, the wind God, he invited Bheema into the Naga palace. To help Bheem recover from his ordeal, the King presented him with pots of a potion called Rasakunda, which is known to increase strength. After swallowing eight vessels full of the nectar, Bhima went off to sleep. The King then returned the young Pandava to the surface. When Bheem returned to the palace, much to Duryodhan's surprise, he related his fabulous tale to his mother and brothers. Yudhishthira suspected Duryodhan of foul play, but they had no evidence. The Pandava brothers realized that they would need to be much more cautious with their deadly cousin in the future.

Chapter 12 – Son of the Sun

When Drona’s training with the young Princes was complete, Bhishma arranged a contest to display the Princes’ great skill to the nation. In the first competition, Duryodhan and Bheem faced off, to display their fighting skills with the mace. The fight soon escalated to the point that it appeared it would be a battle to the death between the two Princes. Ashwatthama, the son of Drona, had to intervene to break up the match. Eventually, Drona’s star pupil Arjuna took the stage. Arjun fired arrows into the ground and created fire. Then he fired arrows into the sky, and water rained down and put out the fire. In a display of mystical skill, Arjun used the arrows to turn invisible. The stadium crowd roared with delight at the skill the young Prince displayed. Drona called to the crowd. “Behold the greatest Archer of our time. There is none who could match his skill.” Just then, a mysterious figure entered the Stadium. “Guru Drona, Arjuna is not the greatest Archer, I am.” The crowd went silent, all trying to catch a glimpse of the boastful young man. In a matter of minutes, the young man showed off a dazzling display of archery skill, equaling that of Arjun. “Who are you, young man?” asked Drona. “I am Karna, and I challenge your star pupil in a contest to the death.” Arjun was taken aback. “In order to challenge a Prince, you must be of royalty, what Kingdom do you hold?” asked Drona. Karna stayed silent. In the audience watching, Duryodhan was impressed by the young man. “Guru Drona, I hereby crown Karna as the King of Anga with immediate effect, this should fulfill any rules or regulations that may be required, and the contest between Arjun and Karna can go ahead.” A charioteer in the audience burst out in tears, “My son, I am so proud of you, you now have a Kingdom.” When Bhishma witnessed this, he enquired as to Karna’s lineage. “Who are your parents’ young man?” asked Bhishma. “Great Bhishma, I, Adhiratha, am the adopted father of Karna,” said the old man. “The son of a charioteer cannot challenge a royal Prince, who are your real parents?” asked Bhisma. The young man’s face grimaced in anger. He had no idea who his true parents were, and as such he had no rights to challenge a Prince of Hastinapur. The contest was called off, but Duryodhana realised he had a powerful ally in this skilled young man, one who was potentially even greater than the most skilled of the Pandavas, Arjun. However, one person instantly realized the true identity of this young man. Tears streamed down Kunti’s face as she recognized her first born son, the one she secretly floated down the river when she was a young girl. The son gifted to her by Surya, the Sun God.

Chapter 13 – House of Fire

As the years progressed, Yudhishthira’s popularity among the people of Hastinapur grew. He was known for his wisdom, righteousness, and good conduct. The people wanted him as their new King as soon as possible. Under pressure from his council, King Dhritrasthra formerly appointed Yudhishthira as the Crown Prince. This angered Duryodhana; he desired the Crown for himself. His father Dhritrasthra was the eldest of the Kuru dynasty, but because Dhritrasthra was born blind, he was considered unable to fulfill the duties of King, so instead the second eldest, Pandu, the father of the Pandava’s, was crowned King. When Pandu went into exile, Dhritrasthra fulfilled the duties of King, and later when Pandu died of a curse, Dhritrasthra’s reign as King was extended. Now that Yudhishthira, the eldest son of Pandu, was coming of age, Dhritrasthra’s time as King was coming to an end. But Duryodhana believed that the crown should rightfully pass to him. He was the eldest son of Dhritrasthra. His father was robbed of the crown because of his disability, and yet he had dutifully fulfilled the duties of King all of these years. Duryodhana came up with a plan to rid himself of the entire Pandava family. There was an upcoming five-day festival in Varnavat, one of the Kingdoms of Hastinapur. Duryodhan went to his father, the King. “Father, since Yudhishthira is the crown Prince, he should represent the royal family at the festival. In fact, it would be good if the entire Pandava family went along. There are wonderful sights and sounds at Varnavat; they would have a magnificent holiday there.” Dhritrasthra suspected the ill intentions of Duryodhana, but he agreed to the proposal. Secretly, he desired for his own son to be the next King and not Yudhishthira. Dhritrasthra appointed the Pandava family to be the royal representatives at Varnavat for the Festival. Yudhishthira was suspicious but agreed to fulfill the duties required of him. Meanwhile, Duryodhana had commissioned a grand mansion to be built for the Pandava family in Varnavat. But the construction crew were instructed to build the mansion from lac, an extremely inflammable substance. One of the builders involved, loyal to Vidura, the Prime Minister, sent word back of the villainous procedures involved in the construction. Vidura warned Yudhishthira ahead of their trip to Varnavat to be extremely cautious. When the Pandava brothers and Kunti arrived in Varnavat, they settled into the mansion. Four days went by with no incident, and they had an enjoyable time at the Festival. On the fifth night, the mansion burst into flames, and the inhabitants of Varnavat watched in horror as they observed a raging inferno which no human could survive.

Chapter 14 – Deadly Sanctuary

During the time the Pandavas and Kunti spent in Varnavat, they were on high alert for any foul schemes of Duryodhana. When they arrived at the mansion constructed for them, Yudishthir could smell the scent of lac, a highly inflammable substance. Thankfully, their uncle Vidura had warned them ahead of time. Although Duryodhana had commissioned the construction of the mansion, some of the builders involved were loyal to Vidura. Vidura had them secretly construct an escape tunnel under the mansion. At night, the Pandavas and Kunti slept in the basement of the mansion. On the final night, Yudhishthira arranged a ceremonial dinner at the mansion. The key accomplices of Duryodhana were also invited. At the end of the function, the brahmins were sent home, but the accomplices were kept entertained. The Pandavas and Kunti went down to the tunnels, and Bheema set the house on fire as they escaped through the tunnels. Vidura had arranged a transport to take them across the river and into the forest. They dared not return to Hastinapur; Duryodhana had spies and assassins available everywhere. The family had to go into hiding and plan their next move. When news of the disaster reached Hastinapur, the kingdom was heartbroken. Duryodhana, feigning sadness, went to Varnavat to verify the deaths himself. What was left of the bodies in the mansion was burnt beyond recognition, and Duryodhana took them as the confirmation of the end of the Pandavas and Kunti. Meanwhile, the family escaped deep into the forest. At one point, Bheem carried his mother and all of his brothers. They were exhausted from sleep and food deprivation. The family eventually fell asleep under a Banyan tree while Bheema set off in search of water. When he returned with the water, he found his family still fast asleep, so he sat down on a rock and watched over them. Nearby, an evil demon of the forest smelt humans. He longed for the taste of human flesh, and he sent his demon sister off to investigate. However, when the demoness, Hidimba, found the humans, she was immediately overcome with desire when she saw Bheem. She fell in love with the large, mighty Pandava brother. Assuming the form of a beautiful woman, Hidimba approached Bheem. “My dear, this forest is not safe for you and your family. My brother Hidimb is the ruling demon of this forest. He loves human flesh best of all, and he sent me to find you for his meal tonight. But I have fallen in love with you, and I will help you and your family to escape.” Before Bheem could respond, a thunderous voice emanated from the forest. “You treacherous wench. Now you will die along with this human family, and I will have a grand meal of human and demon flesh tonight.” Hidimb, Hidimba’s brother, had arrived.

Chapter 15 – Demon Slayer

When Hidimb saw his sister Hidimba professing her love to Bheem, it threw him into a rage. “You will die for betraying me.” Hidimb grabbed his sister by the arm. This angered Bheem. “Get your hands off her demon, fight me instead.” Bheem threw Hidimb through the air. Hidimb was taken aback by the power of the young man. But Bheem was no ordinary human. He was gifted to Kunti by the Wind God Vayu and as such had immense strength since birth. And this strength was enhanced even further when he was a boy, by the Naga King Vasuki who gave him 8 vats of the magical potion Rasakunda. Hidimb rushed Bheem, attacking him with all his beastly strength. The thunder of their encounter shook the forest and uprooted great trees. The commotion woke the rest of the Pandava family from their deep slumber. Bheem’s brothers readied themselves for battle, but they quickly realized there was no need. Hidimb was no match for Bheem. After a few minutes of battle, Bheem eventually lifted Hidimb above his head, spun him around and around, and finally smashed him to the ground. With a few gurgling sounds, the demon, that had terrorized the inhabitants of the forest for decades, was dead. Kunti noticed the beautiful woman next to them. “Who are you, young lady?” asked Kunti. “Mother, my name is Hidimba. Your son has killed my brother Hidimb. Hidimb sent me to find you for his meal tonight. But I have fallen in love with your son, and I warned him of my brothers’ intentions instead.” “With your blessing, I wish to marry your son.” Kunti noticed that Bheem seemed pleased with the proposal. “Very well daughter, if my son Bheema agrees, I provide you with my blessings, but on one condition. During the night we require our son’s great strength to protect us, but, in the morning, and until sunset, he may spend his time with you.” Bheem had a second condition for the marriage to go ahead. “I will spend my days with you, but only until you are blessed with a child, then I will return to my family.” Hidimba agreed to the conditions, and Bheem and her commenced their matrimonial life. In the morning, Bheem left with Hidimba; in the evenings, he returned to protect his mother and brothers during the night. After some time, Hidimba gave birth to a baby boy. But this was no ordinary child.

Chapter 16 – Demon Son

When Hidimba gave birth, due to both her and Bheem’s mystical nature, the child immediately grew to adult form. He was named Ghatotkacha due to his bald head. The child was immensely powerful. He possessed all of his father’s great strength as well as his mother’s mystical powers. The Pandava brothers all set about training the child. Ghatotkacha grew skilled in all weapons of war. His eventual weapon of preference was, like his father’s, the mace. During the night, his demon powers grew even more powerful. Eventually, Ghatotkacha’s training was completed. It was time for the Pandava’s to move on. They were still wary of evading Duryodhana’s spies and assassins and should not have stayed in one place for as long as they did. Kunti asked Ghatotkacha to remain with, and watch over, his mother Hidimba. Ghatotkacha agreed but made a pledge that if ever his father or the rest of the Pandava family required him, he would be there in an instant to help. The family thanked him and went on their way. Along their journey, they met Sage Vyasa, the grandfather of the Pandavas, who guided them to the town of Ekachakra. In the village, they disguised themselves as the class of Priests, the Brahmins, and stayed with a Brahmin family. During their time there, Bheem helped the village people by slaying yet another demon, Bakasura. One day, a visiting Brahmin brought fantastic news of happenings in the Kingdom of Panchala. King Drupad had long nursed a desire for revenge against Drona, the royal arms teacher of the Kurus. He performed a great sacrificial prayer to create a son who will be able to kill the great warrior Drona. His wish was granted. Out of the flames of the sacred fire stepped a powerful young man. He was named Dhrishtadyumna—the courageous and splendid one. But then a second figure emerged from the flames. A young woman whose beauty was unmatched.

Chapter 17 – Daughter of Fire

When the Pandavas heard the story of the spectacular birth of King Drupad’s daughter, they were greatly intrigued. Drupad had scheduled a Swayamvara—a groom choosing ceremony—for his daughter. Many of the Brahmins of Ekachakra were going to the Kingdom of Panchala to attend the festival event. The Pandava’s and Kunti joined in the trip. It would be good to see the spectacular kingdom of Panchala again. When they got to Panchala, after some sight-seeing, Kunti rested at the rented home while the Pandava brothers attended the Swayamvara like many hundreds of others from far and wide. At the stadium, the people were divided according to their caste (the division of roles in society). The Pandavas were disguised as Brahmins (the class of Priests), so they sat with the other Priests. The Kshatriya (The class of warriors and leaders, such as kings and Princes) all sat on the opposite side of the stadium. Among these Kings and Princes sat the enemies of the Pandavas, Duryodhana and Karna of the kuru empire. Dhrishtadyumna led his sister Draupadi onto the great stage. The people marveled at her beauty, and the Pandava brothers were no exception. This groom choosing ceremony was unusual. It involved an exceptionally difficult challenge. A golden fish with a glass eye rotated at the top of a tall pole. A reflective surface was positioned at the bottom of the pole. To win the hand of Draupadi, the suiter would need to lift an incredibly heavy bow, string it, and then shoot an arrow to hit the eye of the golden fish at the top of the pole. But they would have to take aim and fire the arrow while looking at their target in the reflective surface below. King Drupad had specifically designed such a difficult task because secretly he desired a son-in-law like the great warrior Arjuna. But as far as everyone knew, Arjuna had perished with the rest of his family in the burning house of Varnavat. So, he would settle for a suiter who could at least come close to matching the skill of Arjun. The potential suiters in the stadium grumbled at the ridiculous difficulty of the task presented—it seemed impossible. Nevertheless, many of the Princes, Kings, and great warriors assembled made their attempts. One by one they failed hopelessly. Eventually, Karna, the close friend of Duryodhan, made his way to the arena to make his attempt. The people mumbled amongst themselves. Although Duryodhan had gifted Karna a kingdom, Karna was the adopted son of a charioteer, which made him of the class of laborers—the Shudra. Karna picked up the bow, but before he could make his attempt, Draupadi called out loudly and clearly—“I will not wed a Shudra.” Karna grimaced as his blood boiled at the insult. The sun itself seems to reflect his anger. But he held his composure and put down the bow without making his attempt. Then, when it seemed that no one remained who was brave or foolish enough to make any further attempts, a young Brahmin made his way to the arena to try his hand. The people were shocked, a Brahmin attempting to achieve something that no Kshatriya could do? It was ridiculous. The young man was Arjuna in disguise.

Chapter 18 – Victory

The people marveled at this foolish young Priest who was attempting to shoot the eye of the revolving fish. So many of the members of the Kshatriya—the warrior class—had attempted the feat, and all had failed. The one person who could possibly have succeeded was Karna, and he had been rebuked by Draupadi since he was of Shudra—the Laborer class. Now a priest—a member of the Brahmin class—was attempting a task that required great skill with a weapon of war? It was preposterous. The young man strung the bow with ease and handled the weapon with a familiarity that contradicted his peaceful appearance. He looked at the moving target in the reflective pool and took aim. He held his breath and released the arrow. The arrow flew through the air and found the eye of the golden fish dead on target. The crowd went silent. The Kings, Princes, and the rest of the Kshatriya class of warriors were shocked. They could not believe what they saw. Then the silent disbelief turned to scowls of anger. “This is a trick.” Drupad has brought us here to make fools of us. There is no way a Brahmin boy could exceed us in the use of a weapon of war. The crowd of Kshatriyas was turning into a mob. “Kill Drupad. Burn his daughter,” shouted one. A crowd of Kshatriyas stormed towards the royal family, weapons in hand. Arjun reloaded his bow. And with ease dispatched the approaching mob. Karna watched the happenings with interest. He too believed the Brahmin’s victory was a trick or a simple matter of luck. He released a volley of arrows at the young Brahmin. But Arjun, in the disguise of the Brahmin, easily countered all of Karna’s attacks. Then he released his own attack on Karna. Karna deflected the attack, but just barely, and it required all of his great skill to not be killed by the young man. Karna was shocked. Never had he witnessed such great archery skills, and from a Brahmin? With a tone of wonder

and admiration. Karna asked, ‘Who are you, young Brahmin – are you Lord Vishnu or Indra in human disguise? I have fought no other warrior with your level of skill.’ Arjun, with a disguised voice, shouted out, “My Guru has taught me all there is to know in the weapons of war; you are no match for me, Karna, Beware!” And Karna, for the first time in any of his many battles, felt fear!

Other Kshatriyas, such as the incredibly strong Shalya, joined in the attack. But he was easily taken out by Bheem. Arjun’s other brothers also joined in the defense, supported by Brahmins in the crowd with them. Much of the audience left the stadium to avoid injury, but almost all remained bewildered as to who these mysterious Brahmins might be. However, the true identity of the five Brahmins could not be hidden from One in the stadium. In this form, he was the nephew of Kunti and cousin to the Pandava brothers. He, of the Yadava clan, was Lord Krishna.

Chapter 19 – The Five Husbands

Once the crowd had settled down, Draupadi completed the Swayamvara by garlanding the winner and accepting the Brahmin as her husband. The outcome had puzzled King Drupad. A Brahmin who was able to succeed in such a difficult archery competition was most unusual. Drupad instructed his son Dristhayduma to investigate the matter further. The Brahmins left the stadium with Draupadi and set off to their rented home in Panchala. Before entering the home, Arjun playfully called out, “Mother, look what I have brought home.” Kunti, who was deep in prayer, replied, “Whatever it might be, make sure to share equally with your brothers.” When Kunti turned and saw Draupadi, she realized her mistake and was horrified. She had thought Arjuna had returned with food for their dinner. Now they were in a quandary. To fulfill Dharma – right action – a mother’s words must be adhered to. Kunti turned to Yudhishthira the Just to get guidance on the situation. But before he could answer, Draupadi spoke out, “Mother, do not be concerned. This situation was preordained. Sometime after my fire birth, Sage Vyasa visited and provided more insight into my past. In my previous life, I performed great penance to obtain a wish from Lord Shiva. I asked for a husband who would be a symbol of Dharma, Justice. He should be as strong as Lord Hanuman. He should be as skilled in archery as Lord Parashurama. He should be as intelligent as Lord Brihaspati (Shahadeva), and he should be the most handsome man on Earth (Nakula). Lord Shiva replied that such qualities were not possible to be contained in a single mortal; this would upset the natural balance of nature. Nevertheless, I repeated my desire to Lord Shiva five times, and finally he acquiesced. I see now how the Lord has granted my wish.” Just then a knock at the door interrupted them. It was Lord Krishna and his brother Balarama. Lord Krishna had recognized the Pandavas at the swayamvara and came to pay his respects to his aunt Kunti and his cousins. The family was overjoyed to see them, and Kunti related all that had happened to her nephew. Lord Krishna advised that the marriage of Draupadi was in full accordance with dharma since, in addition to Lord Shiva’s blessing, the five Pandava brothers also shared one soul. They were all incarnations of Lord Indra. This settled Kunti, and they discussed how they would break the news to King Drupad. However, all that they had discussed inside the house would make its way to King Drupad quicker than they imagined. Hiding outside the home, Drupad’s son Dhrishtadyumna had overheard everything.

Chapter 20 – The Divided Kingdom

The news of the Pandavas being alive made its way to Hastinapur rapidly. Now that the Pandava brothers were united with King Drupad’s family, they had the protection of the kingdom of Panchala. This disturbed King Dhritrashtra and his son Duryodhana. Now that Yudishthir was an adult, by rights the throne of Hastinapur should pass to him. He was the eldest son of King Pandu, and Dhritrasthra served only as the caretaker King. The fact that the failed assassination of the Pandava family was a plot by Duryodhana was now an open secret. In council with Karna, they discussed a possible attack on Panchala, to take the kingdom and slay the Pandava’s. But to wage open war, they would need the blessing of Grandfather Bhishma and Prime Minister Vidura. Bhishma and Vidura quickly dismissed the ridiculous idea. By rights the throne should pass to Yudishthir, but to keep peace they proposed a division in the Kingdom – half that would be ruled by Yudhishthira and the other half by Duryodhan. Dhritrasthra grudgingly agreed, and the region of Khandavaprastha was granted to Yudhishthira. The Pandavas agreed to the terms, and Yudhishthira began his reign in the region. Yudish was the symbol of justice, truth, and moral duty. The region under his kingship quickly became prosperous, and they built a new capital called Indraprastha. One day the Pandava’s were visited by Sage Narada. The Sage warned them the situation with Draupadi as their common wife could lead to division between the brothers, which would be the greatest threat to the kingdom. In consultation with the Sage, Draupadi and her husbands came to an agreement that if any of the other brothers entered the chambers of Draupadi while she was with another brother, the offending brother would need to spend twelve years in exile. One day a Priest came to Arjun begging for assistance. Robbers were taking his cattle. To capture them and recover the farmer’s belongings, Arjun would have to act fast. However, his weapons happened to be in Draupadi’s chamber. It was Arjun’s duty to act as protector to the people, and without a second thought he entered the chamber and retrieved his weapons. Draupadi was with Yudhishthira at the time. Arjun made short work of the thieves, but he would now have to face the consequences of his action.

Chapter 21 – Exile

Arjuna returned after dispatching the robbers, ready to accept his penance. Yudhishthir and his other brothers tried to convince him otherwise, but Arjun was determined to accept the consequences of his action – 12 years in exile. Arjun left the Kingdom and traveled across the lakes and into the forests; he eventually reached the source of the river Ganga. One morning, when Arjun was bathing in the river and performing his morning rituals, a powerful force grabbed him and took him under the water to the Kingdom of Kauravya. It was the Naga Princess Ulupi who had drawn him to the area. “O’ Prince, I saw you when you entered the water and have fallen in love with you. I am unmarried, and I desire a child. Grant me this wish, Dear Prince, and I will greatly reward you.” Arjun was taken aback, and resisted at first, but the power of the Naga Princess had enthralled him. He married Ulupi, and sometime later she gave birth to a son named Iravan. Eventually, Arjun needed to continue his journey. Ulupi granted him the power to vanquish any amphibious creature and be invincible in water. Arjun thanked her and continued his pilgrimage, visiting many holy sites, descending the Himalayan slopes, passing the Mahendra mountains, continuing his trek along the coast, and eventually arriving in Manipur. In Manipur, he was welcomed by King Chitravahana. The King had only one child, a daughter, Chitrangada, who was trained as a warrior and was very beautiful. Arjuna fell in love with her and asked the King for her hand in marriage. Chitravahana agreed but on the condition that the son born to them must remain in the Kingdom and become the successor to the throne of Manipur. Arjun accepted, and he married Chitrangada in a grand wedding. Arjun spent many years in Manipur, and after a son was born, Arjuna left the kingdom and continued his journey. His son was named Babruvahana, and he would become the king of Manipur when he reached maturity. Arjuna then went to the southern oceans and spent time with the ascetics. The ascetics told Arjuna that they had to abandon five ponds near the village due to the fierce crocodiles that lived there. Arjun traveled to the first pond and went into the water to have a bath. A giant crocodile grabbed him, but Arjun seized the crocodile and threw it out of the water. As soon as the crocodile landed on dry land, it transformed into a beautiful woman. The young maiden informed Arjun that she and her four companions were angels of heaven that had been cursed to live as crocodiles in the ponds. The curse could only be broken by a mighty prince who could drag them out of the water. Arjun pulled the other four crocodiles out of the water and freed the maidens. The women thanked him and returned to the heavens. Arjun continued his journey, eventually reaching Prabhasa where he was met by a dear friend.

Chapter 22 – Dwarka

The news of Arjun’s imminent arrival at Prabhasa had reached Lord Krishna, and he travelled out to meet the mighty Prince. After joyous greetings, they left for Dwarka. The citizens of Dwarka were very eager to see Arjuna, and they came in hundreds and thousands to witness the arrival of the famous Prince. Arjuna spent many days in Krishna’s palace. One day Arjun saw a beautiful woman who captured his heart. Lord Krishna noticed this and approved. The woman’s name was Subhadra, and she was the half-sister of Lord Krishna. Arjun conferred with Krishna as to how he could win the hand of Subhadra. “O’ mighty Prince, a Swayamvara – a groom choosing ceremony – is being planned for the Princess, but one never knows what might be the outcome of such a process. You are a Kshatriya, a warrior Prince, and as such you could win her hand by abduction. This is permissible by Kshatriya law. Your Grandfather Bhishma gained the hands of the Princesses’ Ambika and Ambalika in this way.” During a religious ceremony, having worshipped the King of the mountains, and obtained the blessings of the gods and all the brahmanas, Subhadra circled the mountain and then set out to return to Dwarka. Arjun rushed at her and swooped her onto his chariot. Abducting the beautiful Princess, Arjun raced away. Subhadra’s guards were hopelessly unable to catch the Prince. The elders of the Yadava clan were furious. Balram, Subhadras’ brother, made plans to go out with a large army to capture the rogue Prince. But all were curious as to the silence of Lord Krishna in the matter. “What are your thoughts on the situation, my Lord?” asked Balram. “Arjun is the most supreme of Kshatriya Princes; there is no better match for the Princess Subhadra. If you attempt to capture him, the Mighty Arjun will surely humiliate all your military forces. Heed my words, accept the match, bring Arjun and Subhadra back to Dwarka, and have them married with all the proper rights and ceremony as befit the royal couple.” Appeased by Lord Krishna’s words, Arjun and Subhadra returned to Dwarka and were married. Arjun lived in Dwarka for a year, and the Prince spent the last part of his exile in Pushkara. After the twelve years were over, Arjun returned to Khandavaprastha with Subhadra. But what would be the reaction of the Queen, his wife Draupadi?

Chapter 23 – Return to Indraprastha

When Arjun returned to Indraprastha with Subhadra as his new wife, Draupadi was not pleased. Although Draupadi loved all her husbands, Arjun held an especially dear place in her heart. Subhadra approached Draupadi with humility. She apologized for Arjuna’s indiscretions and promised to do everything she could to make amends. Draupadi was mollified and eventually forgave Arjuna and Subhadra. She accepted them both, and she became close friends with Subhadra. Subhadra eventually gave birth to a son named Abhimanyu. He was the favourite of his Uncle Krishna and quickly became a skilled warrior, undergoing training with each of the Pandava brothers. In time Draupadi also gave birth to five children: Prativindhya, Sutasoma, Shrutakarma, Satanika, and Shrutasena. They became known as the Upapandavas. Krishna remained close friends with Arjuna, and he spent much of his time in Indraprastha. One day Krishna and Arjuna were walking along the river when they were approached by a Brahmin who asked for help. “How would you like us to help you?” asked Arjun. “I am extremely hungry,” said the Brahmin, “and my hunger can only be sated by consuming the Khandava forest and everything in it.” The Brahmin revealed himself to be Agni, the God of Fire. The Khandava forest had, over the years, become a nest for thieves and murderers. Agni had tried many times to consume the forest, but the forest was protected by Indra, the King of the Gods. Each time Agni set the forest ablaze, Indra sent down rain to put out the fire. Arjun and Krishna agreed to help Agni. “But if we are to fight Indra, we would need special weapons,” said Arjun. Agni summoned the water God who provided Arjun with the Gandiva, the most powerful bow in the world, and two quivers that never ran out of arrows. He also provided Arjun with a golden chariot pulled by four white horses. To Lord Krishna he provided the Sudarshana Chakra, a divine discus that could cut through anything. With his protectors suitably armed, Agni set the forest ablaze. But it was not long before the situation was brought to Indra’s attention.

Chapter 24 – Fire God

The Fire God Agni, in his blazing form, began to consume the Khandava Forest. Due to his friendship with the Naga Takshaka who resided in the forest with his clan, Indra, the King of the Gods, had sworn to protect the forest. Indra sent down showers of rain to put out the fire. But Agni was protected by Arjuna and Lord Krishna. Agni had also armed his protectors with celestial weapons. Arjun released thousands of arrows with his Gandiva bow which warded off the rain. Lord Krishna blocked off the forest so that Agni could complete his meal. Furious, Lord Indra raised a violent storm with billowing clouds and howling gales. The storm rendered Arjun unconscious for a few moments. This allowed some creatures to escape. When Arjun recovered, he aimed his arrows straight at Lord Indra. Indra retaliated with thunder and lightning. Arjun invoked a mantra and released the vayava missile which dispelled the clouds. The sun shone through, and Agni continued his blazing feast. Further enraged, Lord Indra increased the force of his attack by amassing a number of Gods and attacking the protectors of Agni directly. But they were no match for the combined power of Lord Krishna and Arjun. The Gods accompanying Indra scattered, and Lord Indra pressed on with his attack alone. Suddenly Indra heard a voice, “Khandava Forest is fated to burn; know Lord Krishna and the Prince Arjuna to be invincible. Turn back and return to your abode.” Indra withdrew, and Lord Krishna and Arjun let out a triumphant roar. As Agni continued his feast, a mysterious figure ran out of the forest towards Arjuna. “Protect me, Dear Prince. Save me.” Arjun agreed and granted the asura asylum. Agni completed his meal, and the infested forest was reduced to ashes. Lord Indra returned and paid homage to Lord Krishna and Arjuna. He was impressed with Arjuna’s great skill and offered him a wish for anything he desired. replied Indra. Then the asura who was rescued by Arjuna spoke out, “I am Mayasura, the architect of the Asura’s. I also wish to serve you in some way.” “Grant your wish to Lord Krishna,” replied Arjuna. “What is your wish, My Lord?” asked Mayasura. Lord Krishna smiled and replied, “Build a palace for Yudhishthira, and let it be one that all men marvel at.”

Chapter 25 – Palace of Illusion

Grateful for being rescued by the Prince Arjuna and at the request of Lord Krishna, Mayasura, the Architect of the Asuras, began construction of a magnificent palace for King Yudhishthira. When the palace was completed, it was named Maya Sabha. It was a wondrous architectural marvel, known for its illusionary design. The walls were encrusted with precious jewels and gems. The floors looked like flowing water, and in other areas, pools of water looked like floors. Some walls appeared to have doors that were actually an illusion, while other walls that appeared smooth actually had doors that were invisible to the eye. Special guests and dignitaries from far and wide came to the palace to admire the breathtaking wonders. One day Sage Narada visited Yudhishthira. He informed the King of the unfulfilled wish of his father King Pandu. Pandu was to perform the Rajasuya Yajna, which would have made him the king of all Kshatriya, effectively becoming the King of the world. Pandu passed before he could fulfill this desire. As the eldest son, it now fell to Yudhishthira to fulfill his father’s dream. Sage Narada advised him it was the right time to begin preparations for the ceremony. Yudhishthira was conflicted. In order to perform the Rajasuya Yajna, he would need the support of all other Kshatriyas – the leaders, kings, and princes. He sought the counsel of Lord Krishna in the matter. “You are qualified for the position, Yudishthir,” said Lord Krishna, “You are a wise and just King. But there is one who would stand in the way. King Jarasandha of Magadha will attempt to obstruct the Yajna. He has conquered many kingdoms and has imprisoned 99 Kshatriyas which he intends to sacrifice to his deity. Many of the other Kshatriyas support him out of fear.” “What do you propose we do in this situation, my Lord?” enquired Yudishthir. “Jarasandha will have to be defeated and the imprisoned Kings freed. Arjuna, Bheem, and I will travel to Magadha. We shall challenge Jarasandha to a duel with one of us. Jarasandha’s great ego will force him to choose Bheema, and Bheema shall surely defeat him in combat.” Yudhishthira reluctantly agreed, and the trio set off for Magadha. Upon arrival in the kingdom, they were immediately brought to the attention of Jarasandha. “What is the meaning of this; why are you here?” demanded Jarasandha. Lord Krishna informed Jarasandha of Yudishthir’s intention to perform the Rajasuya Yajna. “You are all that stands in his way. Your imprisonment of the Kings goes against all dharma, and as such you must be defeated. We challenge you to combat, and you may choose any of the 3 of us as your match.” Jarasandha was a magnificent wrestler, and as Lord Krishna predicted, his great ego made him choose Bheem. The challenge began and raged on for 13 days. Many times, Bheem whirled Jarasandha above his head and slammed him to the ground, but Jarasandha always recovered and continued the match. Eventually Bheem grabbed the feet of Jarasandha and tore him in two. But even this did not end the battle as Jarasandha had a secret.

Chapter 26 – King of Kings

When King Jarasandha was born, in an unusual twist of fate, he was born in two halves. A demoness used dark magic to stitch the two halves together, and as a result, Jarasandha was near invincible in battle. During their match, Bheem had torn Jarasandha along that seam. Thinking their contest over, Bheem walked away, but a maniacal laugh made him turn back. The dark magic that joined Jarasandha’s two halves together was still in effect, and he recovered from Bheem’s attack, ready to do battle once more. Bheem was at his wits end. He looked to Lord Krishna for guidance. Lord Krishna plucked a leaf from a nearby tree, tore it in half, and tossed the pieces in opposite directions from each other. Bheem understood; he tore Jarasandha apart once more, but this time he tossed the right half to the left and the left half to the right. This destroyed the dark magic that kept him alive, and Jarasandha was finally defeated. Taking control of Magadha, Lord Krishna, Arjun, and Bheem freed the Kings that Jarasandha had imprisoned. They were grateful for their freedom and pledged their support to Yudhishthira in his bid to become the World King. Lord Krishna appointed Jarasandha’s son Sahdeva as the new King of Magadha. Unlike his father, Sahdeva was a wise and righteous young man and would make a just King for Magadha. Likewise, he also pledged his support to Yudisthir. With all the pieces now in place, Yudhishthira proceeded with the Rajasuya Yajna. Hundreds of Kings arrived in Indraprastha for the ceremony, including King Dhritarashtra, his Son Duryodhana, Grandfather Bhishma, Guru Drona, and the rest of the Kauravas. The ceremony ran over many days. Brahmins performed careful and precise rituals. During the Rajasuya Yajna, kings and representatives from different regions were invited to participate. They would pay homage to Yudhishthira, acknowledge his supremacy, and offer gifts as a symbol of their acceptance of him as the World King. The ceremony was not without incident. King Shishupala was a cousin of the Pandavas and Lord Krishna. He had received a curse from a sage named Durvasa in his early years. According to the curse, Shishupala would meet his end when he committed a hundred heinous acts. Due to his envy and animosity towards Lord Krishna, Shishupala consistently insulted and abused Lord Krishna during the Rajasuya Yajna. When he crossed the threshold of a hundred offenses, Lord Krishna unleashed the Sudarshana Chakra, the divine discus, and beheaded him, fulfilling the curse and putting an end to Shishupala’s transgressions. After several days of festivities and rituals, the Rajasuya Yajna came to an end with final ceremonies and blessings. The participating kings and rulers departed from the yajna venue, having acknowledged Yudhishthira’s supremacy. However, Duryodhana remained in the palace for some time longer, admiring the beauty and the craftsmanship, and within him he felt a great envy growing and a deep hatred.

Chapter 27 - The Insult

After the Rajasuya Yagna ended, Duryodhan, along with his uncle Shakuni, remained in the Pandava’s palace for some time longer. He marveled at the beauty of the palace. And with every moment that passed, his jealousy and hatred of the Pandava’s grew. The palace, Maya Sabha, was a spectacle of illusion. Areas that seemed like flowing water were actually solid floors and vice versa. Duryodhan was fooled by one such illusion. He fell into a pool that looked like a solid floor. Draupadi, who was in an onlooking chamber, could not help but to burst

Dawn dawned on him that this was no ordinary monkey. With humility, Bhima folded his hands and beseeched the monkey to reveal its true form. In a blinding flash of light, the monkey transformed into Lord Hanuman. Bhima dropped to his knees, overwhelmed by the divine presence. Lord Hanuman lifted Bhima to his feet and embraced him, saying, "My dear Bhima, I have yearned to meet you for a long time. We are spiritual brothers, both blessings of Vayu, the wind God. Forgive my playful teasing."

Bhima was excited to meet his older brother, and they talked for hours. Lord Hanuman then guided Bhima, revealing two distinct paths. "This path leads to heaven, no mortal may pass this way. This is the path you must take, it leads to the flowers you seek, but beware, for these flowers grow in the heavenly garden owned by Lord Kubera. It is guarded by celestial beings, and they will not yield them easily."

Chapter 36 – Arjuna’s return

Bheem, guided by his brother Lord Hanuman, eventually reached the garden of celestial flowers. He quenched his thirst and then began collecting the flowers. “Stop, this is the garden of Lord Kubera, no outsiders are allowed here,” a loud voice shouted out. “I am Bheem, the son of King Pandu. These flowers are not in Kubera’s abode. They have sprung from the breast of the mountain, and they belong to me as much as anyone else.” Bheem waded in further to collect more flowers. A hundred of the celestial guards attacked Bheem. And with waves of his mighty mace, Bheem smashed them all away. The surviving guards ran back to their master Kubera. When Kubera heard of the incident, the Lord of wealth smiled, “Let the Pandava Prince take as many flowers as he likes.”

When Bheem returned home, he was greeted with a spectacular sight. A celestial vehicle had returned with their beloved brother Arjun. Arjun embraced his brothers and Draupadi. He handed many gifts to Draupadi and the weapons he had collected; he handed to his eldest brother, Yudishthir. Arjun enthralled his brothers and Draupadi through the night with his tales of his time in Indra’s abode. He spoke of the rigorous training he had undertaken and the curse he received from Urvasi, which he would have to endure in their last year of exile.

Before leaving the heavenly realms, Lord Indra had one final request. The inhabitants of the flying city of Nivatakavacha had received a boon from Lord Brahma, which made them unconquerable by the demigods. Over the years they abused this power and wreaked havoc in the heavenly realms. Arjun was tasked with conquering the city and proving his mettle as a warrior. As Arjun approached the city, the inhabitants flew out and attacked him in their numbers. They used many demoniac illusions and fought with fierce weapons, but he was able to defeat them all with Indra's thunderbolt weapon and the various other divine weapons in his possession. Finally, Arjun brought down the entire city with a mantra-charged astra. And in doing so, he had succeeded where Lord Indra himself could not.

Arjun’s brothers were in awe of his tale and begged to see the weapons in action. Arjun gladly obliged. He took out his Gandiva bow and commenced to show the weapons in order. When the divine astras had been set, the earth began to tremble and the sun hid itself in the clouds. Suddenly, Sage Narada appeared, "O Arjun, these weapons should never be discharged when there is no fit object. And when there is a fit object, they should not be released unless sore pressed by the opponent. To discharge weapons without occasion is unwise. These weapons, when properly kept, will increase your strength and happiness; but if they are not properly kept, they can destroy the three worlds. Your brothers will behold these weapons soon enough, when you will use them for vanquishing your enemies in battle."

Chapter 37 – The Humiliation of Duryodhan

News of the austere life led by the Pandavas had reached King Dhritrashtra, and it grieved him to hear of his nephews' and their wife's hardships. Despite his determination to see his own son, Duryodhana, ascend to the throne, the Pandavas remained family, being the sons of his brother, Pandu. However, when Shakuni learned of the Pandavas' circumstances, his reaction was quite different. He manipulated Duryodhana into embarking on a sporting expedition into the forest, with the intention of camping near the Pandavas and flaunting their extravagant wealth and luxuries. Shakuni aimed to further break the spirit of the Pandavas, and Duryodhana readily embraced this idea. So, accompanied by his dear friend Karna, his uncle Shakuni, his many wives, his brothers, and his royal guard, including hundreds of fierce soldiers, Duryodhana set off into the forest. Upon learning of this trip, King Dhritrashtra, in his misguided belief that his son might be attempting to assist his distressed cousins, gave his blessings for the journey.

As they journeyed, Duryodhana's group came upon a beautiful lake where he wished to swim with his wives and friends. However, the site was already occupied by soldiers from another kingdom. Duryodhana instructed his royal guard to clear the area so he could have the lake to himself. To their astonishment, the soldiers camped at the lake proved to be formidable adversaries, and when provoked, they retaliated violently. In the ensuing clash, Duryodhana's royal guard was soundly defeated. Even the valiant Karna was forced to retreat. Duryodhana and many of his entourage were taken captive, with only a few of his wives managing to escape and seek refuge in the Pandava camp.

When Duryodhana's wives arrived at the Pandava camp, they implored Yudhishthira to help rescue their husband. Bheema scoffed at the idea, “Why should we help our enemy?” However, Yudhishthira, ever rational and stoic, recognized the importance of family. "Duryodhana is our cousin and part of the Kuru dynasty. We cannot allow a family member to fall into enemy hands." Yudhishthira's decision surprised his brothers, but Draupadi, moved by the pleas of the distraught women, insisted that they rescue Duryodhana. The Pandavas promptly gathered their weapons and set out on a mission to rescue their cousin. With the assistance of Duryodhana's wives, they located the enemy camp and executed a surprise attack, overpowering the warriors. As the leader of the enemy army revealed himself, Arjuna gasped in astonishment.

Chapter 38 – The Abduction of Draupadi

In stark contrast to Duryodhana's ill-fated royal guard, the Pandava brothers proved to be vastly superior in strength and skill. They swiftly overwhelmed the enemy warriors. To Arjuna's surprise, the leader of the enemy army was none other than Chitrasena, the Gandharva, who had once been his music and dance teacher in the heavenly realms of Lord Indra. "Young prince," Chitrasena praised, "you have once again displayed valor and skill. My army ranks among the very best in the realms, yet you and your four brothers have defeated us in open combat. What is your desire?" Arjuna responded, "The prince you have captured is our cousin, Duryodhana, a member of the Kuru clan. As such, we are duty-bound to protect all our citizens. Release him and his companions immediately, and you may go on your way." "As you wish, dear prince," Chitrasena complied, freeing Duryodhana and his companions. Although Duryodhana was relieved to be rescued, the humiliation of being saved by the Pandavas only fuelled his anger.

Meanwhile, in the Pandava camp, Draupadi received an unexpected visitor. Jayadratha, the husband of Duryodhana's sister, Dushala, was on a journey through the forest and stopped by their dwelling to request some refreshments. When he saw Draupadi, he was overwhelmed by her beauty. Recognizing Jayadratha as Dushala’s husband, Draupadi offered him refreshments. However, Jayadratha, consumed by lust, began to speak seductively. “Why is such a beautiful woman living in such squalor? Your husbands are mere beggars. Come back with me to my palace and I will treat you as a Queen should be.” “Scoundrel!” replied Draupadi, “How dare you speak to me in such a manner. You are married to Dushala, who is like a sister to me. My husbands will be back soon, and they will make you pay for your insolence.” But Jayadratha's lust had overcome his judgment, and he was determined to claim Draupadi for himself, even by force. He seized her arm and dragged her towards his chariot. Draupadi screamed for help, attracting the attention of a nearby Brahmin, who rushed to intervene. Meanwhile, the Pandava brothers had returned just in time to hear Draupadi's cries for help. In hot pursuit, the Pandavas chased after Jayadratha, whose chariot was fast but unfamiliar with the forest terrain. They intercepted him further along the path, where Nakula rescued Draupadi, Arjuna destroyed the chariot with his mighty arrows, and Bhima violently pulled Jayadratha from the wreckage. Jayadratha cowered in terror as he found himself surrounded by five powerful warriors and one furious Queen.

Chapter 39 – The Final Years of Exile

Jayadratha begged for mercy from the Pandavas and Draupadi. Yudhishthir, ever the benevolent king, mediated with Bheem and Draupadi, pleading for leniency for Dushala’s husband. Jayadratha's life was spared, but not without consequence. Arjun handed Bheem a blade from his quiver, and with it, Bheema shaved off Jayadratha's hair, leaving five distinct tufts as a mark of his humiliation. Jayadratha departed with his life, but in his heart, he carried a profound shame and a smouldering resentment. He retreated to the banks of the river Ganga, where he embarked on a journey of rigorous penance, seeking the means for his redemption from Lord Shiva. After an exceptional time in deep meditation, Lord Shiva, moved by Jayadratha's penance, appeared before him. "What boon do you seek from me, Jayadratha?" asked Lord Shiva. "I desire the power to defeat the Pandavas in battle," replied Jayadratha. Lord Shiva considered the request and responded, "That is an impossible feat, for even the celestial beings have failed to conquer Arjuna in combat. However, in recognition of your dedicated penance, I grant you the ability to halt the advance of the other four Pandava’s for a single day." With these words, Lord Shiva disappeared, leaving Jayadratha to return to his Kingdom.

Meanwhile, in Hastinapur, Duryodhana still grappled with the shame of being rescued by the Pandavas. His loyal friend Karna offered solace and vowed to personally kill the Prince Arjuna in battle. As part of his solemn oath, Karna pledged never to refuse a request from a Brahmin. During the final years of the Pandavas' exile, Duryodhana made more attempts to undermine their spirit. He guided a powerful sage and his group of more than thirty Brahmins to the Pandava's dwelling. Duryodhan’s plan was for the Sage to request food for himself and his troop, and if the Pandavas were unable to provide, Duryodhana knew the Sage would curse them, thereby further weakening his enemies. Duryodhana was unaware of the divine pot that provided the Pandavas with an endless supply of food, a gift from Lord Surya. But to his good fortune, on the very day the sage and his group arrived at the Pandavas, Draupadi had already completed her meal. As per Lord Surya's condition, the pot would provide an abundance of food for the day until Draupadi had eaten her meal. Only then would the pot remain empty until the following day. Panicked, Draupadi rushed inside and fervently prayed to Lord Krishna for guidance. Appearing before her, Lord Krishna asked for the pot. Upon inspecting the pot's contents, he found a single grain of rice, which he consumed with a satisfied smile. Outside the dwelling, the sage and his troop experienced an unexpected sensation— their stomachs became impossibly full. Embarrassed by their inability to partake of any food Draupadi would offer, they hastily departed.

Chapter 40 – Yudisthir’s Test

In their last year in the forest before they would need to go into a year of hiding, the Pandavas encountered a desperate Brahmin. A deer had entangled the Brahmin's prayer tools in its antlers and fled into the forest. The Brahmin implored the brothers to help him retrieve his implements. Yudhishthira, along with Bheema, Arjuna, Nakula, and Sahadeva, embarked on a mission into the dense woods. While searching for the deer, they became exceedingly thirsty. Sahadeva, perched in a tree, spotted a distant lake. Nakula set off to fetch water, leaving the others to continue the search. When Nakula didn't return after a considerable time, Sahadeva ventured out to find him. One by one, the brothers headed toward the lake, but none returned until only Yudhishthir remained. When Yudisthir arrived at the lakeside, a heart-wrenching sight awaited him—his four brothers lay lifeless, their bodies unmarked, seemingly taken by mystical means. Heartbroken and overwhelmed by thirst, Yudhishthira knelt by the water, ready to drink when a mysterious voice intervened. "Stop, this lake is mine. If you wish to drink its water, you must first answer my questions." Before him a Yaksha (A supernatural being) materialized in the water. Yudhishthira responded, "I understand. Please, ask your questions, and I will do my best to answer them." “Who or what is man’s greatest ally?” The Yaksha questioned. “Patience,” replied Yudisthir. “What is more fickle than the wind?” “The Mind.” “What is man’s greatest enemy?” “Anger,” replied Yudhishthira. “Losing what makes one rich?” “Greed.” “What is the greatest wonder of the living?” “The living frequently see people dying and find no one who has survived death yet refuse to accept their own mortality.”

Impressed by Yudhishthira's responses, the Yaksha said, "As a reward, I will revive one of your brothers. Tell me, which one I should bring back to life?" "We five brothers are sons of Kunti and Madri. Out of Kunti’s three sons I happen to be alive. But Mother Madri’s two sons, Nakula and Sahdeva, lie dead. I request you to revive one of them, so that each of my mothers have a son remaining.” The Yaksha praised Yudhishthira saying, "You are indeed a virtuous King, you could have chosen the mighty Bheem who vowed to break the thigh of Duryodhan or Arjuna, the greatest warrior in all of the celestial realms but you chose in accordance with Dharma." In response to Yudhishthira's choice, the Yaksha restored all his brothers to life. As the Yaksha's form dissolved, it revealed Lord Yama, the God of justice, who declared, "You are my spiritual son, Yudhishthira, and I bestow upon your family the gift of remaining concealed during your final year of exile, when you must live in hiding within a city.

Chapter 41 – The Year in Hiding

Yudisthir's spiritual father, Lord Dharma, advised the Pandavas to spend their final year of exile in the city of Viratanagar. Before their return to the forest, Lord Dharma returned the priest's implements. He had taken them in the form of a deer as part of his test for Yudisthir. Grateful, the Pandavas returned to their forest home and discussed the incident with Draupadi. They were nearing the end of their 12 years in forest exile, with the thirteenth year requiring them to hide within a city. Discovery by Duryodhan and his spies during this year would result in another 12 years of exile. They carefully planned their disguises for the final year. Yudishthir would offer his services as an advisor to King Virat and teach him the Game of Dice. Bheem would become the royal cook, ensuring access to all the food and drink he desired. He would also entertain the King as a wrestler. Arjuna, who would have to endure the curse of Urvasi for the final year, would disguise himself as Brihannalla, a music and dance teacher, to train the King's daughter, Uttara. Arjuna's prior training with Chritasena in Lord Indra's kingdom would now prove invaluable. Nakula would offer his services as a Stableman for the Kings horses. Sahadeva would manage the Kings cattle. Finally, Draupadi would offer her services as a handmaiden to Queen Sudeshana. With their roles established, the Pandavas set off for the Kingdom of Viratanagar, hiding their weapons along the way high in the branches of a tree near the city. They successfully secured their positions and spent months of their final year in relative tranquillity. However, one day Draupadi, in the service of Queen Sudeshana, found herself the unwelcome target of the Queen’s brother. Keechaka had spotted Draupadi in the guise of Sairandhri while visiting his sister. He found himself overcome with desire. He made advances towards Sairandhri but found himself rebuked. “I am a married woman. I am of the Gandharva tribe and my Gandharva men are everywhere watching over and protecting me. It would be best to forget me dear Keechaka.” But the Queen’s brother was a powerful and ambitious man within Virats Kingdom and he wasn’t about to give up that easily.

Chapter 42 – Keechaka

Virat was an elderly and weak King. The defense and running of his Kingdom fell mainly on the Queen's brother Keechaka, and as a result, Keechaka was one of the most powerful men in the Kingdom of Viratanagar. Keechaka found himself infatuated with his sister's handmaiden, Draupadi in the disguise of Sairandhri. He informed his sister of his feelings. “I cannot force Sairandhri to any actions that are not of her own accord. I will send her to fetch some wine from your palace chambers. Then you may attempt your seduction and perhaps in a private setting she would be more receptive to your advances,” said the Queen. Reluctantly and nervously Draupadi set off to Keechaka’s palace chambers on the Queen’s instruction. Keechaka welcomed her into his chambers and began his seduction promising Draupadi the position of head wife amongst his other wives. Once more Draupadi rejected his advances, but Keechaka became more and more forceful in his approach. Draupadi shoved Keechaka off her; Keechaka lost his balance and fell over. Draupadi took the opportunity to run toward the court for protection. In the court, King Virat was engaged in meetings with his Ministers and courtiers. Draupadi ran into the court with Keechaka close behind. Keechaka grabbed Draupadi by the hair, slammed her to the floor and assaulted her. Virat was overwhelmingly dependent on Keechaka for his Kingdom’s protection and as a result he said nothing. Once more Draupadi found herself humiliated and defenseless. That night she went to Bheem’s quarters and informed him of Keechaka’s actions. Bheem was enraged and wanted to go to Keechaka immediately to kill him. But Draupadi had learned to be cautious in her actions; they were close to the end of the year in hiding. She did not want to recklessly endanger their identities now that they were so close to the end, but retribution was required. She knew that Keechaka would not give up his pursuit of her and together with Bheem they came up with a plan for revenge.

Chapter 43 – Draupadi’s Vengeance

Keechaka, the brother of the Queen and the esteemed defender of Viratanagar, wielded considerable power and prestige. Accustomed to having his desires fulfilled, following rejection by her, Keechaka subjected Draupadi to assault and humiliation in the royal court while she was disguised as Sairandhri, the handmaiden. The King and his advisors remained silent, wary of offending their kingdom's army general. Draupadi, together with Bheem, plotted their retribution. As Draupadi expected, Keechaka still relentlessly pursued her. After some initial light rejections, she finally seemed to give in to Keechaka’s lustful suggestions. “Meet me in the dance hall at midnight mighty General, and you may have your way with me.” “I dare not come to your quarters or you to mine. Watchful eyes are everywhere, and I will not have aspersions cast on my character.” Keechaka gleefully agreed to the arrangement. After an evening of drinking with his friends, Keechaka, mindful of the time, stumbled his way to the dance hall. He spotted a beautiful figure in the darkened hall and his heart raced with excitement. But then a powerful figure stepped out of the shadows and Keechaka’s blood ran cold. Keechaka recognized the figure as the royal cook, the disguise that the mighty Bheem had taken on for his final year of hiding. Keechaka was confused but had to quickly defend himself as Bheem launched his attack. Even in his drunken state, Keechaka was still an extremely skilled and powerful fighter. He tussled and wrestled with Bheem, putting up a valiant effort to kill his enemy. But there were very few, if any, warriors who could match Bheem in strength and ferocity. Keechaka fell and Bheem ended the life of his beloved Draupadi’s tormentor. When Keechaka’s lifeless body was found by servants the next day, the palace went into a state of disarray. The King and his army were in a state of shock, bewildered as to who could have done this to their mighty General. The Queen, in deep grief, suspected that her handmaiden, Sairandhri, may have something to do with the death of her brother. The Queen was aware of her brother’s pursuit of Sairandhri, her humiliation at his hands. “Was this the actions of your Ghandarva men, as revenge for my brother’s assault on you?” asked the Queen. “Perhaps it was, dear Queen. I warned your brother many times to leave me be, for his own safety, but he paid no attention.” “You should leave, I terminate your services,” said the Queen. “As you wish your majesty but I respectfully ask that you allow me 13 days to find other employment,” said Sairandhri. The Queen was fearful for her own life if she offended the handmaiden, and so she reluctantly agreed. Meanwhile, the news of Keechaka’s demise spread to the other kingdoms and now that the mighty defender of Viratanagar was gone, their enemies made ambitious plans.

Chapter 44 – Assault on Viratanagar

The Pandavas had made Viratanagar their home for their final year of exile, “the year of hiding”. With the death of the Kingdom’s General, Keechaka, the neighboring territories sought to exploit a rare opportunity. King Susharma, the ruler of the Trigarta kingdom, travelled to Hastinapur to meet with Duryodhan. He proposed an attack on Viratanagar and a splitting of the lands gained. Keechaka had defeated Susharma in battle many times previously and had taken up much of his kingdom. Now he had his opportunity for retribution. Duryodhan readily agreed. With the combined forces of Hastinapur and Trigarta attacking Viratanagar from the north and the south, it should be an easy victory. They made their battle plans and dispatched their armies to strategic positions to begin their attack. King Virat was shaken by the news of their impending doom. However, Yudisthir, in his disguise as the court advisor Kanka, steadied the

King Yudisthir, trained since a child by the weapons master Drona and Master of Strategy Grand uncle Bhishma, was well versed in the art of war. He helped the King prepare the army and plan their defense of the kingdom. Yudishthir recruited his brothers Bheem, Sahadev, and Nakul, in their respective disguises, to assist with leading the battalions in defense of the kingdom.

Duryodhan and Susharma began their attack and were startled when their armies met fierce resistance. Meanwhile, citizens arrived at the Viratanager palace seeking refuge. One of the invading armies, led by Karna, had captured their livestock and land, and they were desperate for assistance. Only the King's son Uttar was available to help the farmers recover their possessions. But the young prince was nervous; he had never fought an army as fierce as this one before.

Arjuna, in disguise as the eunuch Brihannala, comforted the young man. “Prince Uttar, I was once the charioteer for the mighty Arjuna. I will assist you to fight off the invading army.” The Prince felt braver, being in the presence of one who knew the legendary warrior Arjuna. The Prince armed himself, and with Brihannala as his charioteer, they made off in the direction of the offending army. However, Brihannala advised the Prince of a detour that they would have to make—to the tree where the mighty Pandavas hid their celestial weapons.

In Chapter 44, the King neighboring Viratanagar formed an alliance with Hastinapur to take the land belonging to King Virat. They found their armies facing steep resistance as the Pandava brothers fortified the defense of their adopted home.

Chapter 45 – The Pandavas Revealed

The siege of Viratanagar went on for days. The armies of Hastinapur and Trigarta were dumbfounded as to how their armies were fended off. With General Keechacka recently slain, they assumed an easy victory. However, they now found themselves on the verge of retreat. The major points of attack were on the north and the south; however, on the east, Karna moved his armies in to claim land and cattle. Karna found his path blocked by a single war chariot. In the carriage stood a young Prince armed with bow and arrow. The charioteer appeared to be a woman. The Prince was nervous; he launched an arrow, but it fell hopelessly short of the mark. Karna and his army burst out laughing. If this was all Virat's army had to stop them, they had an easy path to their spoils of war. But then the female charioteer revealed a bow and arrow and launched her attack. Karna found his army quickly decimated and had to defend himself from the onslaught. Meanwhile, Duryodhan, who had his army attacking from the north, also found his troops beaten back. A large warrior with a gigantic mace smashed through his soldiers, sending them flying high into the air. A glimmer of recognition dawned on Duryodhan's face. “It is Bheem; we have found the Pandavas; they will have to enter another 12 years of exile,” laughed Duryodhan. But a sobering voice dashed his hopes. The weapons master Drona spoke out, “That is not so, my Prince, with the dawn of the new day, the Pandavas' final year of exile has come to an end.” Duryodhana’s spies had failed to find the Pandava’s during the year. And he had lost track of the final days due to his immersion in the invasion of Viratanagar. During his battle, Karna also recognized the fighting style of the Prince Arjuna; with Urvasi’s curse now lifted, Arjuna had regained his manhood and had no further need for the disguise of Brihannala. He unleashed a ferocious attack on Karna and his army. The armies of Hastinapur and Trigarta were forced to retreat. King Virat was overjoyed to learn his benefactors were the mighty Pandavas. He sought to form an alliance with the family and offered his daughter's hand in marriage to Arjuna. “I cannot accept,” replied Arjuna, “Princess Uttara was my dance student and thus like a daughter to me; however, I propose her marriage to my son Abimanyu.” King Virat accepted the proposal, and preparations were made for the wedding and celebrations. But in Hastinapur, a dark mood prevailed as Duryodhan plotted his next move.

Chapter 46 – Prelude to War: Part 1

The Pandavas successfully fulfilled the conditions of their thirteen-year exile. By rights, their kingdoms should now be returned to them. But Duryodhan, still consumed by anger, jealousy, and lust for power, was not willing to compromise on any negotiations. In the kingdom of Virat, Lord Krishna met with many senior Kings and advisors, including Draupadi’s father, King Drupad. They discussed the Pandava’s best path of action. A peaceful resolution was preferred, but, if necessary, preparations for war were made. An emissary was sent to Hastinapur to set out the requests of the Pandava brothers. The Kingdom of Indraprastha should have been returned to the brothers, but Yudishthir was willing to settle for just 5 villages, one for each of the brothers. Despite the pleading of Grandfather Bhishma, King Dhrithrasthra, and even his mother Queen Ghandari to accept the offer, Duryodhan stubbornly refused. “I would not cede them even the land that would fit on the point of a needle,” declared Duryodhan. Lord Krishna himself travelled to Hastinapur to negotiate a peaceful resolution. Duryodhan refused to listen to reason. In his mind, he was the rightful heir to the entire Kingdom, and he was cheated of his birthright. He reasoned that with Bheeshma, Drona, and Karna loyal to the throne, he would be able to defeat even the mighty Pandavas in battle. Before leaving Hastinapur, Lord Krishna met with mother Kunti. The mother of the Pandavas had not seen her beloved children for so many years, and she sent a message back to Yudhishthir with Lord Krishna. In her message, Mother Kunti advised Yudhishthir to fight for what is rightfully theirs and to avenge the humiliation of Draupadi at the hands of the Kauravas. However, there was one warrior among the Kauravas that gave mother Kunti cause for concern, and she made up her mind to go and speak to this warrior directly. When Karna had completed his morning prayer rituals, he was surprised to see Kunti, the mother of the Pandava’s, waiting for him on the banks of the river. Mother Kunti revealed the truth to Karna of his origins, a secret that she had kept since her teenage years.

Chapter 47 – Prelude to War: Part II

In her youth, Kunti received a divine mantra that allowed her to invoke any deity and be blessed with a child. In a moment of childish spontaneity, she invoked the Sun God Surya, resulting in the birth of a baby boy. Filled with fear, Kunti sent the child adrift down the river in a basket, where he was discovered by a charioteer who adopted the baby as his own. Kunti had recognised Karna when he challenged Arjuna at the great games. Now, to avert the death of her five sons in the war ahead, Kunti revealed herself as the maternal mother of Karna. “You are my eldest child. Join your brothers and negotiate peace with Duryodhan,” pleaded Kunti. Karna calmly replied, “Mother Kunti, I cannot go against Duryodhan. He showed me kindness and generosity when no one else did. However, I make this promise to you. I will not kill your sons Yudishthir, Bheem, Sahadev, or Nakukla. But Arjuna I have sworn to kill in battle; therefore, at the end of the war, you will still have five sons remaining.” Meanwhile, the Kauravas and the Pandavas were making their alliances in preparation for the impending war. Duryodhan set off for Dwarka to gain the allegiance of Lord Krishna. When Arjuna heard of this, he also hastily set off for Dwarka. Duryodhan reached Dwarka first. Lord Krishna was in deep sleep when Duryodhan arrived at his chambers. He took his seat at Lord Krishna’s head. When Arjun arrived, he took his seat at Lord Krishna’s feet. When Krishna opened his eyes, he saw Arjuna first, then, as he sat up, he saw Duryodhan by his head. “How may I help you?” Lord Krishna asked the Princes. “I seek your alliance in the war ahead. I know you are partial to both Arjuna and me; however, I arrived here first, and as such, my request should be granted ahead of Arjun’s,” replied Duryodhan. “That may be so Prince Duryodhan, but I saw Arjuna first, and scriptures advise that the youngest should be helped first,” replied Lord Krishna. “I am indeed partial to both of you, and as such I will offer this choice to Prince Arjuna; my Narayana army is the largest and most powerful in the world. You may choose my army for yourself, or you may choose me alone, but if you choose me, be advised that I will not fight or raise any weapons myself in the battle; I will serve only as friend and guide.” Arjuna, without hesitation, chose Lord Krishna. Duryodhan could barely contain his glee as he now added the most powerful army of all, to his own forces.

Chapter 48 – Prelude to War: Part III

Lord Indra was the spiritual father of Arjuna, and as such he chose to assist his son as much as possible in the impending war. Karna would pose the greatest threat to Arjun in the war, with a level of archery skill possibly exceeding Arjuna’s. But what gave Karna a greater edge was the impenetrable armor that was gifted to him since his birth. Karna had pledged to give anything he could to any Brahmin requesting it, as part of his vow to slay Arjuna in battle. Lord Indra took the form of a Brahmin and approached Karna one morning and requested of him the golden armor that covered his chest. However, Lord Surya, the Sun God, the spiritual father of Karna, had appeared to Karna in his dream the night before. He warned Karna of Indra’s plan. Recognizing Indra, Karna agreed to the Brahmin’s request, but in return he asked for the Vasavi Shakti, a celestial missile which could only be used once but was capable of killing any mortal or immortal. Indra agreed and also healed Karna’s wounds after he had cut off the armor. Among the Kauravas, the final arrangements for the war were made. Grandfather Bhishma was made the Supreme Commander, but his condition for accepting the position was that he himself would not kill any of the Pandava brothers, and that Karna would not fight for as long as he held the position. Bhishma and Karna had a long history of animosity. Karna instead served as the bodyguard for Duryodhan. The army was divided into battalions, with each having their own commander. Among the Pandavas, Dhrishtadyumna was made Supreme commander. Dhrishtadyumna was the son of King Drupad and the twin brother of the Pandavas’ wife, Draupadi. He was a gift from the Gods to King Drupad, expressly created to kill Drupad’s enemy, the Arms Master Drona. The rules of the war were established, which included: • Fighting must begin no earlier than sunrise and should end by sunset. • Multiple warriors must not attack a single warrior. • No warrior may kill or injure a warrior who has surrendered. • No warrior may kill or injure an unarmed warrior. • No warrior may kill or injure an unconscious warrior. • No warrior may kill or injure a warrior whose back is turned away. The battlefield selected was Kurukshetra. The armies made their way there and took up their positions. But as the war is about to begin, Arjuna begins to break down in despair, and Yudishthir makes a most unusual decision.

Chapter 49 – WAR: Day 1 of the 18 Day War

As the war was about to begin and the armies assembled on either side, Arjuna felt a growing uneasiness. He asked Lord Krishna, who had volunteered to be his charioteer, to take him to a position where he could observe both armies. As Arjuna looked at the opposing side and his eyes fell on his many friends and family, including his beloved Grandfather Bhishma and his revered teacher Drona, Arjuna fell into deep despair. He dropped his weapons and declared, “I will not fight. What value is this poor earth if it means my hands would be stained with the blood of these valiant warriors.” Arjuna slumped back into his seat and looked to Lord Krishna for guidance. It is at this point, that Arjuna, humbling himself as the student, Lord Krishna reveals his true form as the Ultimate Teacher. Time stops as Arjuna is shown the workings of the universe and the nature of individual man. Many miles away in Hastinapur, the blind King Dhrithrasthtra asks his counselor Sanjaya to inform him on the proceedings of the war. Sanjaya, gifted with divine sight, becomes privy to the conversation between Lord Krishna and Arjuna and relays the wondrous message, sights, and sounds conveyed by Lord Krishna. This message, in time, becomes known as the Bhagavad Gita, “the Song of God”. Once Lord Krishna has finished his discourse, Arjuna is once again revitalized and certain in his duty, to restore the balance of justice over injustice. But then his older brother Yudishthir performs a surprising act. Yudishthir removes his battle armor and walks towards the Kuru army with his palms folded. “What is he doing, Krishna?” Arjuna asks. Lord Krishna smiled. The Kuru army is confused and separates to allow Yudisthir to pass. Yudishthir approaches Grandfather Bhishma first and asks for his blessings. Grandfather Bhishma laughs, “Indeed, Yudishthir, you have no equal in your knowledge of the scriptures. I would have cursed you to fail in this war if you had not performed the act of obtaining blessings from your elders first. In return, I grant you this boon. Know that I am nigh invincible and that I can only die at a time and place of my choosing. However, you may approach me at a later stage to obtain knowledge of how you may yet defeat me.” Yudishthir thanks Bhishma and then obtains blessings from his teacher Drona. Drona advises Yudhishthira that while he holds his weapons in hand, he is undefeatable in battle. Yudishthir then takes his blessings from his teacher Kripa and his uncle Shalya. Before he returns to his army, Yudishthir calls out, “If there any among the sons of Dhritrasthra who wish to switch sides, you may do so now. This way, at the end of the war, the King will have at least one son remaining who can perform his last rites.” One voice heeded the call—Yuyutsu, the son of Dhritrasthtra and the half-brother of Duryodhan. Yudishthir embraced him, and they returned to their side for Day 1 of the war to commence.

Chapter 50 – WAR: The First Four Days

The first day of the war did not go well for the Pandavas. The two sons of King Virat, Uttar and Shweta, were slain by the afternoon of the first day. Arjuna was shaken. Despite his great skill, they were faced with an overwhelmingly larger army led by numerous formidable warriors. Foremost among them was Bhishma, their own grandfather, whose prowess on the battlefield was unmatched. Each day, he decimated legions of the Pandava forces with relentless ferocity. By day 2, the Pandavas began making more headway. Among the fiercest of the Pandava army was the young Abimanyu, the valiant son of Arjuna and Subhadra, Lord Krishna’s younger sister. Oftentimes he engaged in battle with Grandfather Bhishma himself. Meanwhile, Bheem carved through scores of the kuru army, smashing away thousands of enemies with his deadly mace. Dhrishtadyumna engaged with Drona in battle on many occasions with no sure winner. While Arjuna, at times, was so magnificent in battle that armies on both sides stopped to witness the spectacle. To make matters worse for the Kuru army, Bheem had summoned his son Ghatotkacha, a half-human, half-demon hybrid. Ghatotkacha, with his shapeshifting abilities, wreaked havoc on Duryodhan’s army. While Duryodhan had been pleased with the first day of the war, by the end of the third day he was distraught. Bheem’s relentless assaults forced him to retreat on many occasions. He turned his frustrations on Grandfather Bhishma. “You have been too soft with the Pandava brothers. Your affection for Arjuna has allowed him to destroy vast battalions of our army with no answer! I would rather have chosen Karna as Supreme Commander!” Grandfather Bhishma was greatly insulted and loudly declared, “Tomorrow I swear to kill Arjuna in battle or force Lord Krishna to break his vow and take up arms.” The following day, Bhishma unleashed his full fury upon the battlefield, raining death upon thousands of Pandava soldiers. Arrows flew like torrents, targeting both Arjuna and Lord Krishna. Arjuna could not bring himself to fight with full force against Bhishma, the man who he looked up to as a father. Knowing that if he did not intervene, the Prince Arjuna would lose his life that day, Lord Krishna stepped down from the chariot and picked up a displaced chariot wheel. Raising it into the air, Lord Krishna charged at Bhishma. Having fulfilled his vow of forcing Lord Krishna to take up arms, Bhishma laid down his weapons. Death at the hands of Lord Krishna would grant him instant access into the heavens. Arjuna, ashamed that his inability to fight Bhishma had forced Lord Krishna to break his vow, grabbed onto Lord Krishna’s leg and begged him to put down the wheel. Lord Krishna relented as Arjuna recommitted himself to fight without restraint.

Chapter 51 – WAR: Days Five to Ten – The Fall of Bhishma

In the first eight days of the war, the likelihood of victory swung from side to side. Bheem slew many of Duryodhan’s brothers and on many occasions came close to killing Duryodhan himself. The armies utilized many battle formations, each trying to outmaneuver the other. The loss of lives was devastating on both sides, but the rules of the war set out at the beginning were still followed. The most destructive force on the Kuru army remained Grandfather Bhishma. On the ninth day, the Pandavas were on the verge of retreat when the sun finally set and signaled the end of fighting for the day. During the night, in consultation with Lord Krishna, Yudishthir decided to approach Grandfather Bhishma. Bhishma welcomed the Pandavas and Lord Krishna into his quarters. “How may I help you children?” “Grandfather,” Yudhishthir replied. “At the beginning of the war you asked us to approach you at a later stage to enquire as to how we may defeat you. If the war continues with you opposing us, we will have no more army left to fight. The time for us to know is now.” “I see,” replied Bhishma. “There is one way you may defeat me. Know that I will not attack or fight a woman, OR one who has been a woman before. When I was younger, I abducted three Princesses to be the brides of the Hastinapur King. But one of the Princesses was already in love with another and as such she could not be married to the King. She was sent back to her Kingdom. On her return, however, she was rejected by both the embarrassed lover who I defeated in battle and her own family. She returned to Hastinapur and demanded that I marry her instead. However, my oath prevented me from doing so. She took her own life, after first vowing that she will return in a subsequent life to bring about my downfall. On your army fights the son of King Drupad, the valiant Shikandi, who has slain many of our Kuru warriors. Know that Prince Shikandi was the Princess Amba in his previous life.” Armed with this knowledge, the Pandavas returned to their camp. The next day, Arjuna rode out to battle with Shikandi in his chariot. With Shikandi as his shield, Bhishma would not attack him, and Arjuna released the full fury of his attack. Dozens of arrows drove through Bhishma’s armor, and the mighty warrior finally fell. The arrows that drove through his body acted as a bed when Bhishma fell to the ground. The battle was halted as warriors on both sides stopped to pay their respects. Arjuna and Lord Krishna approached, and Bhishma asked Arjuna to provide him with a pillow fit for a warrior. Arjuna shot three arrows into the ground, and the tops of the arrows provided support to Bhishma’s head. Arjuna shot another arrow into the ground, and a fountain of water erupted to quench Bhishma’s thirst. Through the night, Bhishma counseled family members on both sides of the army, and at the most auspicious time, he chose his departure from his body.

Chapter 52 – WAR: Days 11 to 13 – The Trap

With the fall of Bhishma, the role of Supreme Commander went to Drona, the master Arms Teacher. In addition, Karna now actively joined the war, leading battalions of his own. The forces of the Pandava’s and the Kaurava’s were now evenly matched, with the tide of advantage ebbing and flowing. Duryodhan commanded Drona to capture Yudhishthir and bring the war to an end. But the Pandava forces protected their King well and counter-attacked to attempt to capture Duryodhan. Drona used this to his advantage and assembled his forces in a concentric ring, with Duryodhan in the middle, in a plan to lure the Pandava forces into a trap and slay their most valiant warriors. Drona knew that Arjuna would be the one warrior who could penetrate the formation and as such lured him away to the Eastern part of the battlefield earlier in the day. The one warrior remaining with Yudhishthir, who had the knowledge to enter the formation, was the teenage son of Arjuna, Abhimanyu. Abhimanyu had the knowledge to enter the formation but NOT how to exit it. The Pandavas came up with a plan for the young warrior to lead the charge into the formation with the rest of the battalion following him. Then, together they would be able to break out of the formation with Duryodhan as their captive. Abhimanyu’s charioteer expressed concern; there was much responsibility placed on the young warrior. Abimanyu eased his worries, “Do not fear. I am the son of Arjuna, the greatest warrior who ever lived. I am the nephew of Lord Krishna. Today the war will come to an end.” Abimanyu charged into the formation with his uncles, Bheem, Sahadev, Nakula, and Yudishthir following close behind. Abimanyu left a trail of devastation as he effortlessly cut through the Kaurava

Warriors striking terror into the heart of Duryodhan himself. Among the warriors defending the formation was Jayadratha, the King who had attempted to kidnap Draupadi while the Pandavas were exiled in the forest. He was captured and humiliated by the brothers, and he thereafter went on a severe penance to obtain from Lord Shiva the means for his redemption. Lord Shiva granted Jayadratha the ability to stop the advance of the Pandava forces, excluding Arjuna, for a single day. Jayadratha invoked the boon and, to the surprise of the Pandava brothers, fought all of them and their allies to a standstill, keeping them out of the battle formation. This meant that the young Abhimanyu was trapped in the formation alone.

Chapter 53 – WAR: Days 13 - 14 – The Fall of Abhimanyu

Abhimanyu continued to cut his way into Drona’s battle formation, striking terror into the hearts of even the most veteran of warriors. Eventually, Duryodhan’s son dared to challenge the young Prince. But Lakshmana was no match for Abhimanyu. The son of Arjuna cut him down with a single arrow. Duryodhan, mad with grief and anger, screamed at his Supreme Commander. “Kill him now, by any means necessary.” Until then, Drona had adhered to the agreed-upon rules of engagement. However, unchecked, Abhimanyu would now bring an end to all of them. He consulted with Karna to destroy Abhimanyu’s bow and slay his steed and charioteer. Karna did as commanded. Then, all the veteran warriors, which included Drona, Karna, Kripa, Kritavarma, Shakuni, and Ashvatthama, the son of Drona, attacked the unarmed warrior. Weaponless, Abhimanyu picked up the wheel of his broken chariot and continued his assault on the Kaurava warriors, slaying many. But as the numerous arrows pierced his armour, the young warrior slowed, and a mace blow to the back of his head brought an end to the Prince’s sixteen years of life. On the 13th day of war, Abhimanyu fell, and with him, all dharma that had remained. Many miles away, the Princess Uttara wept, as she cradled the unborn son of Abhimanyu within her womb. When Arjuna heard the news, he was overcome with grief. Then, his grief turned to rage. Arjuna blamed his son’s death on Jayadratha who kept his brothers out of the battle formation, thus trapping his son alone. Arjuna swore to either slay Jayadratha the next day before sunset or take his own life by fire.

When the news of Arjuna’s terrible oath reached Jayadratha, he was terrified and wanted to flee the battlefield. But Duryodhan, Drona, and Shakuni saw this as their opportunity to bring an end to the deadliest warrior among the Pandavas. On the dawn of the 14th day, Arjuna began his furious assault on the Kaurava army, targeting Jayadratha specifically. But Drona assembled his armies in a manner that shielded the terrified King. As the day drew to a close, Arjuna seemed no closer to fulfilling his vow to slay Jayadratha, and the Kaurava army grew in confidence. Lord Krishna looked to the sky, and the moon moved to eclipse the sun. With the battlefield in darkness, Jayadratha believed that the sun had set, signalling the end of the day’s battle. He excitedly came forward to witness Arjuna’s self-immolation. As he came out of hiding, the moon moved to reveal the sun once more. Arjuna released his arrow, and Jayadratha, the brother-in-law of Duryodhan, was no more.

Chapter 54 – WAR: The 14th Night- Ghatotkacha

With the dishonorable slaying of Abhimanyu, the rules of engagement, established at the beginning of the war, fell away. The battle continued into the night. Ghatotkacha, the half-demon son of Bheem, was at his most powerful in darkness, and he unleashed devastation on the Kaurava army. Drona, enraged that the Pandavas had managed to slay Jayadratha while he was under his protection, fought the Pandava army with a vengeful fury. Meanwhile, Arjuna prepared himself to take on Karna. On several occasions, his older brother Yudhishthir had chided him on his inability to bring an end to the rival archer. Arjuna had boasted of being the superior warrior, but Karna still stood. The Prince was ready to make his final stand against his nemesis. However, Lord Krishna cautioned him. “Karna possesses the Vasavi Shakti, gifted to him by Lord Indra. Even you would not be able to stop this weapon, Arjuna. Ghatotkacha possesses both divine and demonic weapons. Let him engage with Karna first and weaken him.” Arjuna reluctantly agreed to Krishna’s counsel. Ashwatama, the son of Drona, was able to hold off Ghatotkacha despite the half-demon’s great power, as did Karna several times. But as the night progressed, Ghatotkacha’s power progressively increased. His power of illusion struck terror into the Kaurava army, causing many to flee the battlefield. Duryodhan was desperate. He turned to Karna, “My friend, we cannot go on like this. End the demon now. Use whatever means possible.” Karna had kept Lord Indra’s weapon in reserve especially for Arjuna. He now removed it from his quiver, spoke the mantra to charge the weapon, and launched it at the demon. Ghatotkacha had grown to a gigantic size, and he leapt into the air to escape the attack. But Karna’s aim was inescapable, and Ghatotkacha was killed by the Vasavi Shakti. However, as he fell, he destroyed an entire battalion of the Kaurava army. Arjuna watched from a distance, horrified at the death of his nephew. Lord Krishna, however, simply smiled. Although Ghatotkacha had proved a valuable ally in the war, his demonic nature had caused many problems in the realms. If Ghatotkacha had not perished, Lord Krishna himself would have brought about his end. Now his death served a noble purpose; he had rid the enemy of the one weapon that might have killed the Prince Arjuna.

Chapter 55 – WAR: Day 15 – The Fall of Drona

On the 15th day, the Supreme Commander of the Kaurava army continued his relentless assault on the Pandava army. Spurred on by Duryodhan’s insults, Drona set aside all manner of honourable conduct as he pressed on to win the war for his King. He slaughtered hundreds of thousands of Pandava soldiers by the hour. But the old warrior still held back when facing the Pandava brothers, most especially, Arjuna, his most favourite student. Arjuna, too, could not bring himself to fight with full force against his former teacher. There were times that Drona unleashed a furious attack on the warrior Prince and watched with pride as Arjuna countered and neutralized the attack. As the day progressed, Drona ended the lives of King Virat, the father-in-law of Abhimanyu, and King Drupad, the father of Dhristhadumya and Draupadi. Dhristhadumya was grief-stricken; he was created by Drupad for the sole purpose of killing Drona, but his skills did not match up to the old warrior. At the beginning of the war, Guru Drona informed the Pandavas that he could not be defeated with weapons in hand. Now, the Pandava army was once more on the brink of annihilation. Lord Krishna shared a plan with the Pandava brothers. “Guru Drona lives for his son Ashwatthama as his son does for him. We must make him believe that his son has perished in battle. Only then will he lay down his weapons and enter meditation. This will then be your opportunity to put an end to the Kaurava supreme commander.” Yudishthir and Arjuna were uneasy with the plan, but Bheem readily agreed. Bheem killed an elephant named Ashwatthama and, during the battle, shouted out to Drona, “Ashwatthama is dead.” Drona felt his arms go weak as he contemplated the death of his beloved son. But he would not believe Bheem; Ashwatthama was much too great a warrior to be easily slain. He brought his chariot closer to Yudishthir the Just, the one who would not tell a lie. Drona shouted out his anguished question, “Answer me Yudhishthir, is Ashwatthama dead?” Yudishthir, the one who could not tell a lie, shouted back, “Yes, Ashwatthama is dead…” and under his breath, drowned out by the din of battle, he continued “…Ashwatthama, the elephant that is.” Drona, hearing only the first part, dropped his weapons and fell to his knees. He entered a deep meditation. Dhristhadumya, seizing the opportunity, jumped into Drona’s chariot and, with a slash of his sword, removed the head of the old warrior, as Arjuna and other soldiers looked on in horror.

Chapter 56 – WAR: Days 16-17 – Karna

On the 16th day, Karna was appointed as Supreme Commander of the Kaurava forces. Karna’s life was one that was filled with tragedy and longing for greatness. Just before the war, Kunti, the mother of the Pandavas, revealed to him that she was also his maternal mother. As a desperate teenager with a newborn child, she had set him afloat down the Ganges river, where he was found and adopted by a charioteer and his wife. Unknown to the Pandava brothers and even to his friend Duryodhan, Karna was the eldest brother of the Pandavas. Karna resumed the war with fury. He had promised mother Kunti that he would not kill any of her sons aside from Arjuna, that way, she would still retain 5 sons at the end of the war. Karna kept to his word. There were times where he could have slain Yudishthir, Bheem, Sahadev, and Nakul, but he spared their lives. Arjuna was his lifelong rival, the Prince that was revered by all. Karna had long envied the adulation that the Prince enjoyed, feeling, in some way, that it should have been his. During the day’s battle, Bheem finally encountered Dushashan, the brother of Duryodhan. During the insidious Game of Dice, Yudishthir had lost their wife, Draupadi, in a gambling fever. Dushashan had gone to Draupadi’s chambers, grabbed her by the hair, and dragged her down to the royal court. Bheem had sworn an oath to break open the chest of Dushashan, drink his blood, and collect the remainder to wash Draupadi’s hair. On the 16th day of the war, Bheem fulfilled his grisly vow, to the horror of soldiers on both sides.

On day 17, Karna felt uneasy. He was unaware of his royal heritage during his youth, but he always felt that he was destined for more than the humble life of a charioteer. He exhibited great fighting prowess as he grew, and he sought out the greatest arms teacher there was, the immortal Lord Parusharama, known as an avatar of Lord Vishnu himself. Lord Parusharama took an oath to never teach any of the Kshatriya - the warrior class. Karna deceived the teacher and presented himself as a Brahmin - a member of the Priest Class. Lord Parusharam agreed to train him, and Karna proved to be an exceptional student, soaking up knowledge like a sponge. One day, as part of his dakshina - teacher payment, Karna offered his thigh as a headrest for Lord Parushararam while the teacher slept. During Parusharam’s slumber, an insect climbed Karna’s leg and drilled into his thigh. The pain was excruciating, but Karna refused to move and disturb his teacher’s sleep. When Lord Parusharam awoke, he saw the blood-soaked thigh of Karna. “No Brahmin could endure the pain of this insect. You have lied to me; you are a Kshatriya. I have taught you all that I know in the art of war and archery, Karna, but this is my punishment to you. When you need these skills the most, you will forget all of them.” Karna, the son of the sun, found himself in his final stand with his hated enemy Arjuna. They exchanged volleys of celestial missiles between them, each one countering the other, and they seemed to end in stalemate. But unfortunately for Karna, during the battle, his chariot wheel became lodged in a crevice. He jumped down to pry the wheel free, as Arjuna reloaded his Gandiva bow. At Lord Krishna’s instruction, Arjuna released the arrow, and Karna, who previously had the skill to counter the attack, felt Lord Parusharam’s curse take hold; he forgot all that he learnt. Arjuna’s arrow struck, and he ended the life of his bitter rival, and unknowingly, the life of his eldest brother.

Chapter 57 – WAR: Day 18 of the 18 Day War

Duryodhan was distraught at the death of his brother Dushashan and his dear friend Karna. The paternal uncle of the Pandavas, Shalya, was appointed as the supreme commander for the Kauravas on the 18th day. He led the remnants of the army as best he could, but he was slain by Yudhishthira early in the day. The 98 remaining brothers of Duryodhana attacked Bheem, in an attempt to avenge their brother’s death. But they were no match for the mighty Pandava brother. He smashed through all of them with his deadly mace, leaving Duryodhan as the last living son of Queen Gandhari. As the day progressed, Sahadev fulfilled the prophecy of Bheem at the Game of Dice and ended the life of Duryodhan’s uncle. Shakuni, the cunning manipulator, whose actions were instrumental in the war they now fought, lay dead. Seeing all hopes of victory lying in tatters, Duryodhan grabbed his mace and desperately tried to find sanctuary. He hid at a nearby lake, but the Pandava soldiers eventually tracked him down. Yudhishthira arrived at the lake with his four brothers and Lord Krishna. “Reveal yourself Duryodhan. Your army is gone, but I offer you one final chance at victory; if you can defeat any one of us in combat, you may retain your throne.” Duryodhana emerged from the lake with his mace in hand. He chose Bheem, his childhood rival, as his opponent. Although Bheem had the greater strength, during the Pandava’s exile, Duryodhan had trained many more years under Drona, Bhishma, and Lord Krishna’s older brother Balarama. He was the superior mace fighter. As the fight progressed, Bheem eventually began to tire. He caught sight of Lord Krishna during the battle and saw their guide tapping his thigh. Bheem was reminded of his oath he made when Duryodhana had lustfully tapped his thigh when he had won Draupadi in the game of dice. Bheem swung the mace low and broke Duryodhana’s thigh. Duryodhan fell, and he lamented that the move was illegal in the rules of mace fighting. Bheem viciously kicked the head of Duryodhan, “Where was your sense of rules when you attempted to poison me as a child, attempted to kill my mother and my brothers in the House of wax, when you attempted to defile our wife in court, or when you killed my nephew Abhimanyu. No, Duryodhan, you now have what you deserve, a slow death, with no one by your side.” The Pandavas and Lord Krishna left the dying prince by the lake, but under the cover of night, three of Duryodhan’s allies made their way to their fallen leader, and together, made their final, treacherous plans.

Chapter 58 – WAR: Dark Night

Ashwatthama, the son of Drona; Kripacharya, and Kritavarma gathered around the dying Duryodhan. Ashwatthama whispered to Duryodhan, “We have seen the deceitful way in which Bheem brought you down, valiant leader. The Pandavas, in a similar manner, spread rumours about my death in order to slay my father. I will avenge you both.” Duryodhan weakly smiled and commanded Kripacharycha and Kritavarma to anoint Ashwatthama as the final supreme Commander of the Kauravas. The trio returned to their camp, and Ashwatthama mulled over a way to overcome their enemy. As he stared into the distance, he spotted an owl. The owl descended into a tree and killed the birds resting in their nests. A sinister plan formed in his mind. The three warriors infiltrated the Pandava camp that very night with the intention of slaying the Pandavas in their sleep. To their dismay, the brothers did not return to camp, but in their stead, they found the Upapandavas, the five sons of Draupadi. Ashwatthama killed them while they slept and then crept into Dhristadyumna’s quarters and, while the warrior slept, Ashwatthama slayed the brother of Draupadi as well. The trio moved through the camp and slaughtered the remaining forces of the Pandava army. In the still of the night, they then set the camp on fire. Ashwatthama returned to their fallen prince Duryodhan and delivered the details of their grisly deed. Duryodhan smiled and departed his mortal body. When the news reached the Pandava brothers, they were distraught. They sent for Draupadi and delivered the heart-wrenching message. Draupadi fainted, overwhelmed with grief; she had lost her father, brother, and all of her children in the conflict. With the revelation of Ashwatthama’s involvement, Lord Krishna cautioned Arjuna, for Ashwatthama possessed knowledge of a weapon of immense power. The brothers found the son of Drona at Sage Vyasa’s ashram near the bank of the Ganges. Ashwatthama was surprised that he was so quickly discovered. He picked up a blade of grass and charged it with a divine mantra and then released against the brothers a celestial missile, one of the most destructive and irresistible weapons known to the Gods, the Brahmastra.

Chapter 59 – The End

As the Pandava brothers saw the Brahmastra hurtling towards them, Arjuna released a counter weapon. This prompted the intervention of Sage Vyasa and Sage Narada. A collision between these two weapons would create 12 years of drought. Time stopped as the Sages advised Arjuna and Ashwatthama to recall their weapons. Arjuna, who had the knowledge to do so, recalled his weapon. Ashwatthama, however, did not have the skill to recall his weapon; instead, he redirected the celestial missile to find and kill any lineage of the Pandavas that remained. The Brahmastra redirected towards the womb of Princess Uttara, who carried the child of Prince Abhimanyu, the grandchild of Prince Arjuna. Sensing this redirection, Lord Krishna dissolved the weapon himself. Ashwatthama, having fulfilled his vengeance for his father Drona and leader Duryodhan, surrendered himself to the Pandavas. The brothers, on instruction from Sage Vyasa, spared his life out of reverence for Drona, their childhood teacher. Ashwatthama was born with a gem on his forehead which protected him from hunger, thirst, fatigue, old age, diseases, weapons, and deities. As punishment for his crimes, Lord Krishna ordered Ashwatthama to cut the gem from his forehead and cursed him to wander the forest alone and shunned by all until the end of the Kaliyuga. During this time, the wound on his forehead would not heal. The Pandavas and Lord Krishna returned to Hastinapur. The people were heartbroken. Many of their loved ones were slain in the war. Mother Kunti finally revealed the truth of Karna being the Pandavas eldest brother. The brothers were grief-stricken, and they performed the final rites for their family members and friends who perished in the war. Queen Gandhari blamed Lord Krishna for the death of her 100 sons and she cursed him that the Yadava clan would come to an end and that Lord Krishna himself would die like an ordinary mortal. Lord Krishna accepted the curse of the devoted mother Gandhari, the Queen who had blindfolded herself since marriage so that she would experience the world in the same way as her blind husband. Years later, conflict broke out between members of the Yadava clan, and the lineage came to an end. One morning when Lord Krishna rested in the forest, a hunter mistook him for prey and shot an arrow that pierced his ankle. Fulfilling the curse of Gandhari, Lord Krishna departed the mortal plane.

Epilogue

Yudhishthir ruled the kingdom for 36 years, and during the time of his rule, the lands experienced peace and prosperity. When the Pandavas heard the news of Lord Krishna’s passing, they too decided to leave the mortal plane. The kingship was passed to Parikshit, the grandson of Arjuna. The Pandavas and Draupadi departed on foot for the pinnacle of Mount Meru, the path to the heavenly plane. As they departed the city, a stray dog accompanied them on their journey. The path was long and arduous. They continued up the steep mountain. Eventually, Draupadi, in exhaustion, fell to her death. Bheem, who followed behind Yudhishthira, yelled out, “Why did she fall, Yudhishthir?” and Yudhishthir the wise replied, “Draupadi loved all her husbands, but she loved Arjuna the most, and therefore she fell.” The five brothers and the stray dog continued their journey. Next, Sahadev fell. “Why did he fall, Yudhishthir?” asked Bheem. “He was very proud of his wisdom and felt there was no one equal to him in his wisdom, and so he fell.” The next to fall was Nakul. “Why did he fall, Yudhishthir?” asked Bheem. “He was very proud of his beauty, and so he fell.” Then, Arjuna fell, and again Bheem asked Yudishthira the just, “Why did he fall?” “He was very proud of his abilities as a warrior and felt there was no one equal to him as a warrior, and so he fell,” replied Yudhishthir. Finally, Bheem fell, and Yudhishthira muttered to himself, “He was gluttonous and didn’t care for the hunger of others, and so he fell.” At last, Yudhishthira reached the top of the mountain and, alongside him, the stray dog that had followed them since the city many miles away. A celestial craft descended from the heavens, and Lord Indra stepped out. “Congratulations, Yudhishthira, you are the first to have earned the honor of achieving the heavens while still in mortal form.” As Yudhishthira stepped into the vehicle, the dog followed him. “Stop,” said Lord Indra, “The dog cannot be allowed into the heavens; it must remain here.” Yudhishthir stepped out of the chariot. “This dog has walked the same path as I have and endured all the same hardships that I did to get here. If it is not allowed to complete the journey to the heavens, then I will remain here as well.” Lord Indra tried to convince Yudisthir otherwise, but he remained steadfast in his decision. A bright light enveloped the dog, and, in its place, stood Lord Dharmaraj, the spiritual father of Yudhishthira. “Congratulations Yudhishthir, once more you demonstrate your perfect virtues and sense of justice, I am pleased.” Yudhishthira accompanied Lord Indra to the heavens and was surprised when he arrived to see Duryodhan and the rest of the Kauravas. He looked around, and his brothers and Draupadi were nowhere to be seen. “Where are my brothers and Draupadi?” asked Yudhishthira. Lord Indra asked Yudhishthira to follow him down a dark staircase, and they descended into hell. The smell of brimstone and the cry of tortured souls assaulted Yudhishthira’s senses. He could hear his brothers and Draupadi crying out in pain. “Why are my brothers and Draupadi here and…

the Kauravas in heaven?” asked Yudhishthir.

“The Kauravas have paid for their sins on the battlefield. Your brothers and Draupadi must still suffer the pain of the sins they have committed,” replied Lord Indra.

“Then I shall remain here until they have completed their penance,” replied Yudhishthir. And Yudhishthir settled down into the scorching earth, engulfed in the stench of rotting flesh. After what seemed like an eternity, Lord Dharmaraj revealed himself once more and the illusion of hell faded away. “You have passed your final test, Yudhishthir, all Kings must face the fire of hell to stay truthful.”

Yudhishthir joined his family in the heavens and gave up his mortal body. The broken tusk Lord Ganesha used as a writing instrument finally came to a stop as Sage Vyasa finished his narration. Lord Ganesha’s writing tool had failed during the transcription, and he had broken off one of his tusks to continue the capturing of Sage Vyasa’s tale. And so ended one of the greatest collaborations between God and man, the Mahabharata.