The Mahabharata: The Greatest Epic Ever Told

The Birth of Rivalry

The Pandavas were five brothers born to King Pandu - Yudhishthira, Bhima, Arjuna, Nakula and Sahadeva. Their cousins, the Kauravas, were a hundred brothers led by the evil Duryodhana. From childhood, Duryodhana hated the Pandavas, especially when everyone praised them for their strength and goodness.

The trouble really began when their wise teacher, Drona, held an archery contest. Arjuna, the third Pandava, proved to be the best archer and humiliated Duryodhana. Then Bhima, the strongest brother, defeated all the Kaurava brothers in wrestling. Jealous, Duryodhana began to plot against his cousins.

The House of Wax

Duryodhana's first evil plan was to build a special palace of wax. He invited the Pandavas to stay there and planned to burn them alive. But the clever Pandavas escaped through a secret tunnel and lived in hiding as poor Brahmins for some time.

The Princess Draupadi

While in exile, the Pandavas entered a competition to win the hand of Princess Draupadi. Arjuna, still disguised as a poor Brahmin, won the archery contest and brought Draupadi home. When he told his mother, "Look what we have today," she said without looking, "Share it with your brothers." Following their mother's words, all five brothers married Draupadi together.

The Great Gambling Match

Years later, Duryodhana tricked the eldest Pandava, Yudhishthira, into a game of dice. With loaded dice, Duryodhana won everything - the Pandavas' kingdom, their wealth, even their freedom. Finally, he gambled for Draupadi herself and won.

The wicked Duryodhana ordered his brother Dushasana to drag Draupadi into the court by her hair. When Dushasana tried to undress her, Draupadi prayed to Lord Krishna. Miraculously, her sari grew longer as Dushasana unwound it, saving her honour.

Exile to the Forest

As punishment for losing the gamble, the Pandavas had to spend twelve years in the forest and one year in disguise. During this time, they prepared for their eventual return and revenge.

The Final Battle

After thirteen long years, the Pandavas returned to claim their kingdom. But Duryodhana refused to give back even a single village. This led to the great Kurukshetra war, with armies from all over India taking sides.

The battle lasted eighteen terrible days. Family fought against family, teacher against student. Lord Krishna served as Arjuna's charioteer and gave him the famous teachings of the Bhagavad Gita when Arjuna hesitated to fight his own relatives.

Victory and Sorrow

In the end, the Pandavas won, but at great cost. Nearly everyone they loved had died in the battle. Yudhishthira became king, but the victory felt empty without their family and friends.

The Mahabharata teaches us that:

• Greed and jealousy destroy lives (like Duryodhana's)
• Even good people must sometimes fight for what's right
• War brings suffering to everyone involved
• True victory comes from following dharma (righteousness)

This ancient story remains important today because it shows how human emotions like anger, pride and jealousy can lead to disaster, while wisdom, patience and justice