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Mahabharata -Rajagopalachari
Ganapati The Scribe Bhagwan Vyasa
Finally Bhishma, the head of the family,
intervened to bring about mutual
understanding and peace between them.
Accordingly the Pandavas and the
Kauravas began to rule separately from
their respective capitals, Indraprastha and
Hastinapura.
Some time later, there was a game of dice
between the Kauravas and the Pandavas
according to the then prevailing Kshatriya
code of honor. Sakuni, who played on
behalf of the Kauravas, defeated
Yudhishthira. As a result, the Pandavas
had to be in exile for a period of thirteen
years. They left the kingdom and went to
the forest with their devoted wife
Draupadi. According to the conditions of the game,
the Pandavas spent twelve years in the
forest and the thirteenth year incognito.
When they returned and demanded of
Duryodhana their paternal heritage, the
latter, who had in the meanwhile usurped
their kingdom, refused to return it. War
followed as a consequence.
The Pandavas defeated Duryodhana and
regained their patrimony. The Pandavas
ruled the kingdom for thirty-six years.
Afterwards, they transferred the crown to
their grandson, Parikshit, and repaired to
the forest with Draupadi, all clad humbly
in barks of trees.
This is the substance of the story of the
Mahabharata. In this ancient and
wonderful epic of our land there are many
illustrative tales and sublime teachings,
besides the narrative of the fortunes of the
Pandavas.
The Mahabharata is in fact a veritable
ocean containing countless pearls and
gems. It is, with the Ramayana, a living
fountain of the ethics and culture of our
Motherland.
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