145 - The Story of the Mahabharata

Brahma said:

1. I shall narrate briefly the story of the Mahabharata. Fighting for the sake of Pandavas and others Lord Krishna relieved the Earth of its burden. 

2. Brahmå was born of the lotus from the navel of Vişhņu. Atri was Brahma's son. Soma (moon) was born of Atri. Budha (Mercury) was his son. He begot Purůravas of Urvashi. 

3-4. His son was Ayu. In his line the kings Yayåti, Bharata, Kuru and Shantanu were born. Bhişhma was born of Shantanu and Ganga. He was endowed with all good qualities and he became a master of the Purana called Brahmavaivarta. 

5. Shantanu had two sons of his wife Satyavati. The first son Chitrångada was killed by a Gandharva of the same name. 

6-8. The other son Vichitravirya married the two daughters of the king of Kasi. When he passed away Vyasa begot of Ambiká his wife Dhrutarăshtra and of Ambalikå the son Pandu and another son Vidura of the maid-servant. Dhrutaraşhtra begot of Gándhäri one hundred sons of great prowess, the chief of whom was Duryodhana. Pandu was blessed with five sons in his wives Kunti and Madri. 

9. The five sons were: Yudhishthira, Bhimasena, Arjuna, Nakula and Sahadeva. All of them were very valiant. 

10. Due to the working of Fate an enmity and mutual struggle ensued between the Kauravas and Pandavas. The frightened and nervous Duryodhana began to harass the Påndavas. 

11-12. After setting fire to the house of lac, the Pandavas saved themselves by their shrewd intelligence. The purc-hearted noble-souled Pandavas took the guise of brahmins and stayed in the house of a brahmin in the village of Ekachakrả and killed the demon Baka. 

13. They heard of the Svayamvara (voluntary self-choice of husband) of Draupadi in the Panchála territory. Prowess valour being the condition for marrying her they won her hand. 

14. With the permission of Drona and Bhişhma, Dhrutaräshtra brought them back and gave them half the kingdom with the capital at Indraprastha, the excellent city. 

15. They built a finc Assembly Hall and performed the sacrifice Rajasüya after due performance of sacred rites. Arjuna married Subhadrå, the sister of Vasudeva at Dvårakå and Krishna became his lifelong friend. 

16. From Agni (fire-god) he got the divine chariot Nandighosha, the bow of great renown in the three worlds named Gandiva, inexhaustible supply of arrows and a coat of mail that could not be pierced through. 

17. That bow held in his hand, with Krishna for his help Bibhatsu (Arjuna) propitiated the fire god in the forest of Khåndava. 

18. He defeated many kings in his campaign of conquest and won precious gems and jewels. He gave gladly all these to his brother, the noble Yudhishthira, a master of statesmanship. 

19. Unfortunately the righteous Yudhishthira along with his brothers was defeated in a deceitful fraudulent game of dice by the wicked Duryodhana. 

20. The wicked Duryodhana followed the counsel of Karna, Duśhśhásana and Shakuni. The Pandavas thereafter underwent great hardships for twelve years in the forest. 

21-22. In the forests they were accompanied by the sage Dhaumya, their wife Draupadi, and many other brahmins and sages. For one year they stayed in the city of Virāța in disguise. They saved a herd of cows and thus being recognised they put forward their claim to their kingdom. 

23. In the absence of their full share they wanted only half the kingdom and if that were not given they wanted only five villages. They did not get any of these. Hence, they fought a battle in Kurukshetra with their vast hosts. 

24. They had seven Akşhauhiņis (great divisions) of armies and the Kauravas had eleven Akşhauhiņīs. 

25. In the beginning Bhişhma was the commander-in chief of Duryodhana's army. A terrific battle not inferior to the battle of gods and demons ensued thereafter. 

26. At the head of the army of Pandavas was Shikhandin. In the battle, weapons were met with weapons and arrows were split with arrows. It went on thus for ten days. 

27-28. Bhişhma was pierced with hundreds of arrows by Shikhandin and Arjuna and thrown down. He awaited Uttarayana (for his final death). He meditated on Lord Gadadhara. He taught Yudhishthira many religious precepts. He performed Tarpapa for the manes. Finally, he merged himself in the pure Bliss of Supreme God freed of all sins. 

29. The battle continued for five days between Drona and Dhrushtadyumna in a great terrific manner. 

30. Many kings perished in that Vast ocean of arrows. After sinking in the ocean of sorrow, Drona finally passed away and attained heaven. 

31. Then Karna took up the leadership, and fought Arjuna. After two days' battle he sank in the ocean of Arjuna's arrows and attained the Solar region. 

32. Then Shalya fought with Yudhishthira but by midday he was killed by arrows blazing like fire. 

33. The powerful Duryodhana seized his club and rushed at Bhima as terrible as God of death 

34-35. He was killed by the powerful Bhima with his mace. Ashvatthamă, the son of Drona, infuriated by the death of his father went to the battle-field at night and killed hundreds of sleeping soldiers. He killed Dhrushtadyumna as well as the sons of Draupadi. 

36. When Draupadi began to bewail, Arjuna caught hold of Ashvatthåmå and severed his crest-jewel with an Aişhikästra (a grass blade arrow). (He being a brahmin and the son of preceptor was not killed by Arjuna. The severance of the crestjewel was symbolical of slaughter). 

37-38. He consoled Yudhishthira as well as the hundreds of widows plunged in misery. On being consoled by Bhima, Yudhishthira took bath, performed Tarpaņa to the pitrus, devas and grandfathers. He ruled over the kingdom and performed a horse sacrifice with due gifts. 

39. On hearing the destruction of Yadavas in the civil war due to the fight with threshing rods, the king repeated one thousand names of Vişhnu, crowned Parikshit in the kingdom and ascended Heaven in the company of his brothers. 

40-43. Väsudeva will incarnate as Buddha to delude demons, to protect gods, to wipe off evil, and to kill the wicked. In the twentieth Manvantara at the time of churning the milk ocean he incarnated as Dhanvantari and taught Suśhruta, son of Vishvámitra, the whole of Ayurveda, to enliven gods. A man who hears the story of the Mahabharata and the incarnations of Vişhnu shall attain Heaven.