Mahabharata, The Greatest Indian Epic

The Mahbhrata, is the greatest, longest and one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India, the other
being the Rmyana. With more than 74,000 verses, plus long prose passages, or some 1.8 million words in
total, it is one of the longest epic poems in the world.
It contains eighteen Parvas or sections viz., Adi Parva, Sabha Parva, Vana Parva, Virata Parva, Udyoga Parva,
Bhishma Parva, Drona Parva, Karna Parva, Shalya Parva, Sauptika Parva, Stree Parva, Shanti Parva,
Anushasana Parva, Asvamedha Parva, Ashramavasika Parva, Mausala Parva, Mahaprasthanika
Parva and Swargarohanika Parva. Each Parva contains many sub-Parvas or subsections.
This wonderful book was composed by Sri Vyasa (Krishna Dvaipayana) who was the grandfather of the heroes
of the epic. He taught this epic to his son Suka and his disciples Vaisampayana and others. King Janamejaya,
son of Parikshit, the grandson of the heroes of the epic, performed a great sacrifice. The epic was recited by
Vaisampayana to Janamejaya at the command of Vyasa. Later on, Suta recited the Mahabharata as was done
by Vaisampayana to Janamejaya, to Saunaka and others, during a sacrifice performed by Saunaka in
Naimisaranya, which is near Sitapur in Uttar Pradesh.
It is very interesting to remember the opening and closing lines of this great epic. It begins with: "Vyasa sang of
the ineffable greatness and splendour of Lord Vasudeva, who is the source and support for everything, who is
eternal, unchanging, self-luminous, who is the Indweller in all beings, and the truthfulness and righteousness of
the Pandavas." It ends with: "With raised hands, I shout at the top of my voice; but alas, no one hears my words
which can give them Supreme Peace, Joy and Eternal Bliss. One can attain wealth and all objects of desire
through Dharma (righteousness). Why do not people practise Dharma? One should not abandon Dharma at any
cost, even at the risk of his life. One should not relinquish Dharma out of passion or fear or covetousness or for
the sake of preserving ones life. This is the Bharata Gayatri. Meditate on this daily, O man! when you retire to
sleep and when you rise from your bed every morning. You will attain everything. You will attain fame, prosperity,
long life, eternal bliss, everlasting peace and immortality."

Pandu and Dhirtrashtra are two brothers who rule Hastinapur. Pandu gets married to
Kunti, who conceives five sons and names them Yudhister, Bhimsen, Arjun, Nakul and
Sahdev, while Dhirtrashtra, who is blind, gets married to Gandhari, and gives birth to
a 100 sons, including Duryodhan and Dushasan. Gandhari's brother, Shakuni, also
resides with them. After Pandu passes away, Dhirtrashtra decides to bequeath the
empire to Yudhister much to the chagrin of Duryodhan, who plots with Shakuni to kill
them in a palace made of wax, but the brothers and Kunti manage to escape and live
incognito in a forest where Bhimsem meets with, Hidimba, slays her demon brother,
Hidimb, gets married to her and sires a son, an illusionist, Ghatotkach. The brothers
do reveal their identity when Arjun wins a competition at Panchal to wed Draupadi
defeating Duryodhan, Dushashan, Jarasandh and others. Kunti unwittingly asks the
brothers to share Draupadi, as she had in a previous birth as Devi Maa Parvati,
prayed to Bhagwan Shri Shivji five times for a husband. Dhirtrashtra acknowledges
the enmity between the cousins and asks five brothers to re-locate to
Khandavprasth, which is subsequently transformed by Bhagwan Shri Indra's aide,
Vishwakarma, and re-named Indraprasht. Duryodhan is then humiliated by Draupadi,
who mocks him and tells him that sons of a blind man are also blind, when he
stumbles in the Maya Mahal, and he takes a vow to humiliate her. Shakuni then
invites the five brother to gamble at Hastinapur where Yudhister ends up losing
Indraprasht, his brothers, his wealth as well as Draupadi herself. Bhagwan Shri
Kishan comes to her aid when Dushashan publicly disrobes her as no one comes to
her defense. The Pandavas are then sentenced to 13 years in exile, which will be
extended by 12 years more if they are discovered during the 13th year. The 13 years
pass by, Arjun also gets married to Subhadra and sires a son, Abhimanyu. When the
Pandavs return to claim Indraprasht, the Kauravas oppose and challenge them to a

war in the Kurkshetra. Duryodhan chooses Bhagwan Shri Kishan's armies, while Arjun
chooses Kishanji, who decides to only be the charioteer for Arjun. And it is here that
Kishanji who shows his true self to Arjun when he hesitates to kill his relatives,
cousins, and gurus. It is here that Gandhari will bless Duryodhan with a body of steel,
Kunti will go to plead with Karan to show mercy to her five sons, and Bhagwan Shri
Hanuman, the elder brother of Bhimsen, decides to make an incognito appearance,
in this epic battle between Good and Evil.