A brief Mahabharat

The Mahabharata was the Great War fought between the Kauravas and Pandavas, of the Bharata race, which has given India its name.

King Santanu, a decendant of Bharata had three children: Dhritarashtra, Pandu and Vidura. When they came to age, one of them had to ascend the throne. In consequence of his blindness, Dhritarashtra was deemed incapable of reigning. Pandu, therefore came to the throne. Pandu had two wives Kunti and Madri. Due to a curse, Pandu didn't consort with his wives but had five sons, each attributed to a different God. Of his five sons, the three Yudhishthira, Bhima, Arjuna was born to Kunti and Madri gave birth to Nakul and Sahadev.

The five princes, who were yet children, were brought to their uncle Dhritarashtra, whose wife Gandhara had born him a hundred sons and one daughter and were known as the Kauravas, different and disliked the children of Pandu. The two signifying good and evil, soon arose and the rivarly of the princess ripened into bitter hatred.

On living in the forest, the Pandavas heard that the King Panchala had declared swayambara of his daughter Draupadi. The Pandavas disguised as Brahmins went to the swaymabara and Arjun succeeded and married Draupadi. Kunti without knowing what they had brought directed them to share it among them. So, Draupadi was now wife of all Pandavas, the five brothers.

Pandavas then were in public appearance and go to Indraprastha situated on the bank of the river Jamuna close to Delhi, as their part. They worked hard and their capital became famous. Seeing this progress of Pandava's, Kauravas invited Yudhishthira to a game of dice, as they were aware of Yudhishthira's weakness for gambling. In this game he lost everything even his wife, Draupadi. Seeing this catastrophe, the elders bowed and asked her to wish and she wished for the return of what the Pandavas had lost.

Then the Kauravas again invited Yudhishthira to another game of dice. This time the condition was he and his brothers would pass twelve years in the forest and should remain incognito during the thirteenth year. If they were recognized the penalty would be another cycle of thirteen years. Again a loser, Yudhishthira retired with his brothers and wife into exile and stayed there for twelve years. In the thirteenth year, they entered the service of King of Virata in disguise.

The Period of exile having expired, the Pandavas appeared and claimed back their Kingdom. The Kauravas refused and Pandavas were now determined to recover their Kingdom. So, the Kauravas mustered eleven divisions and Pandavas only seven. All attempts for intervention having failed, the forces moved to Kurukshetra to fight the Great War: the Mahabharata.