The Mahabharata is a famous epic in India and in the world. In this epic there are fine characters such as Karna, Kunti, Arjun and Draupadi. It is accepted as a sacred book for the Hindus.
Dhritarastra and Pandu were two princes of Hastinapur. Dhritarastra was born blind. So Pandu became the king. Dhritarastra had one hundred sons. They were called the Kauravas. Pandu had only five sons. They were called the Pandavas.
Gandhari was the mother of the Kauravas. She was a devoted wife. As her husband was blind, she voluntarily accepted artificial blindness by putting a bandage on her own eyes. Among her one hundred sons, Duryodhan and Dushashana were very notorious. The names of the five sons of Pandu were Yudhisthira, Bhima, Arjuna, Nakula and Sahadev. Kunti was the name of their mother.
The Kauravas were jealous of the Pandavas because the latter achieved success in every field. With the intention to kill all the five brothers, the Kauravas designed several plans. But all their plans failed. Finally they were helped by their maternal uncle named Sakuni. Sakuni framed an evil plot (seas).
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Yudhisthira was invited to play dice with the Kauravas. The terms of the game were accepted by Yudhisthira. He lost the game and as per the terms he lost his wife Draupadi. Draupadi, the common wife of the Pandavas, was forcibly undressed by Dushashana in the open court. The game of dice continued. Again Yudhisthira lost the game. This time, as per the terms, he lost the empire and went on exile with his four brothers and wife. After the exile they came back to Hastinapur. But the prince Duryodhan did not allow them any space in Hastinapur. He challenged them to a war.
The Pandavas were very virtuous. They were helped by Lord Krishna. Krishna tried to make a peaceful solution of the conflict between the Kauravas and the Pandavas. As the messenger of Peace He went to the Kauravas and suggested them to grant five small plots of land to the five Pandavas. His mission was to avoid war. But the Kauravas did not agree to His suggestion. The war became inevitable.
Bhisma, Drona, Sakuni, Karna and many others fought for the Kauravas while the Pandavas were helped by the only figure. He was Lord Krishna. He actually did not fight. He became the Sarathi of Arjuna’s chariot in the war.
The battle was fought at Kurukshetra. It continued for eighteen days. The Kauravas and their army were killed. Bhima killed Dushashana and Duryodhan. Arjuna killed Karna. Arjuna’s son Abhimanyu was also killed in. the war. Thus, the battle was very fierce. The Pandavas won the battle and recovered their kingdom. Yudhisthira became the king of Hastinapur.
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The battle at Kurukshetra was the war against un-holiness. It is a symbolic war in which only the pious and virtuous become victorious.