Why Mahabharata?

 

There developed a conflict between youths of the same royal family during the epic age. Kouravs and Pandavas indulged in a severe battle for establishing their territorial dominance. Was that conflict developed all on a sudden? Was there any other issue which compelled them to fight for claiming lives of each other?

Obviously, the answer to all such question related to find out the root cause of war is, No. there developed a conflicting situation during the Epic Age because of some mis –conduct of some members of the royal family.  They raised their weapons to kill each other.

The conflict has a back reference of the time when eight Basus from heaven allegedly indulged in taking away the holy cow, namely Kama Dhenu, with them to the heaven without giving any message to Saint Vashishtha. That time Vashishtha was not there in the hermitage. Whenever he came to know about the incident he had angrily cursed them that they would have to come to the earth for leading a life like those of normal human beings. All the Basus started appealing for the relief from the curse. With a little bit empathy Saint Vashishtha told them to find out such mother who can liberate them from the life immediately after birth. They moved on searching for the same and recognized Ganga as the mother having such power.

On the other hand Shantanu, the member of the Royal family, was travelling by the sideline of the river Ganga. King Shantanu recognized a beautiful lady there at the river bank. She was none other than Ganga. Shantanu approached the lady for developing a marital bond and wanted to make her a life partner. The lady agreed upon a condition. The condition was that after marriage she can do with her kids whatever she wishes to, Shantanu cannot stop her from doing so. The condition was accepted gladly by the royal king and the infused deeply in the bond of marriage. As per the previously expressed wishes she started bringing all her kids to death immediately after the birth and her own river currents received all her sacrifices. The king remained merely as spectator; he had nothing to say as per the agreement.  Lastly King Shantanu stopped her from sacrificing her eighth kid. It was protected by the King. The name coined for that holy boy was Devbrat. After that incident Ganga left Shantanu alone and moved on her own courses.

Deep sorrow mounted on the king. He again started remaining off his normal duties and day to day royal practices. During another instances he met another beautiful daughter of a fisherman. She was also beautiful and attractive. But she refused to develop any marital relations with the king by saying that his elder son will be the only prince and future king. She might have no chance of making her own son a king. It was a failure of the king. He had no scope of developing any permanent bond with Satyawati.

Devbrat came to know about the incident and finalized to keep himself off the crown for convincing Satyawati for joining the royal family as a queen. Ultimately the happiest moments came in the life of Shantanu at the cost of the sacrifice of his beloved son. Satyawati became the mother of Chitrangad and Vichitrbirya. Devbrat became Bhishma because of his stand of remaining off the crown.

In due course of time both the sons of Satyawati remained issue less. That time she requested Bhishma to marry for keeping the family tree of the royal family evergreen. Bhishma remained stick to his oath and started working out a strategy to bring issues in the lives of both the daughter in law. Ultimately Dhritarashtra and Pandu took birth. In due course of time Dhritarashtra became the father of a hundred sons including Duyodhan; Pandu became the father of five sons, Arjun was one of them. After the untimely death of Pandu, Dhritarashtra ascended the throne. He was blind by birth. Jealous Duryodhan once planned to smash Pandavas by burning them alive in a house made of wax; although the plan was a failure due to some brilliant efforts of some of the warriors of that family. They, along with their mother Kunti, escaped the situation and reached another place safely. Duryodhan took it for granted that Pandavas along with their mother must have lost their lives. Pandavas remained wandering for few months and finally reached the place where king Drupad arranged a ceremony for selecting abled one for his daughter Draupadi. The person should marry his daughter only after hitting the eye of a fish by arrow only by seeing the image of that fish in water. It was a critical task to be accomplished, but Arjun was the abled warrior who has accomplished the task for accepting Draupadi as his wife. After reaching home they said to their mother about their victory. Mother instructed them to share the thing they received by becoming victorious. Accordingly all the five brothers jointly married Draupadi.

By that time Dhritarashtra, Bhishma and Bidur, the elder members of the royal family, came to know about Pandavas and finally they planned to bring them back in the family. Pandavas got the territories of Indraprashtha and started governing the state happily. Duryodhan, with his uncle Shakuni planned to invite Pandava bothers to play chess with him. The game was not a fare one because of the involvement of Shakuni. Pandavas started losing their lands, territories, money, wealth and many other things including themselves. Ultimately they brought Draupadi in the royal court and started insulting her by snatching her dresses. It was none other than Lord Krishna who saved Draupadi from getting insulted and molested. The final agreement was made on the condition of 13 years of exile including a yearlong incognito (remaining non recognizable hide outs) for Pandavas.  If anybody identify them during their last year then they have to go back for another round of such exhile. If they complete the tenure successfully then only they will get all their wealth back.

During the last year Pandavas remained in the palace of King Virat by accepting duties of cooks and helpers. That time Duryodhan invaded the kingdom of King Virat. During that encounter Duryodhan and Arjun came face to face in the battle field and remained victorious. That time the tenure of their exhile was over. Pandava brothers prepared a proposal for King Dhritarashtra and said that they would make them contented even with a gift of five villages. That too was not accepted by Duryodhan. Even Lord Krishna himself visited the royal court to make them convinced for the deal. That time also Duryodhan insulted Lord Krishna badly. It was the critical juncture where a war became unavoidable. All the godly efforts of diffusing the tension remained in vein because of the adamant nature of the elder son of Gandhari. That day the happiest person in the royal court was Shakuni; his plan was working perfectly with all minute incarnations. He patted Duryodhan and committed him for giving all possible support.

Lord Krishna was approached by both the rival brothers, Arjun and Duryodhan for making his stands in the battle field clear. He had decided to help both the brothers by part. His armed forces would join a side and he himself would join the other side. There developed a situation when Duryodhan claimed the support of his Army. Lord Krishna joined the battle field as a chariot driver along with Arjun. It was the first point where Arjun remained victorious by recognizing the hidden power of the Divine for having its ability of issuing timely instructions and guide, which the army could not have.  He had even identified the importance of strategy and planning as more important factors than compared to numbers.

Ultimately both the families entered the battle field along with their supporters and well-wishers.

Despondence of Arjun, as narrated in the first chapter of The Gita, was the only reason Lord Krishna started reminding him his duties. He had also started narrating religious and noble acts which could make a person wise and contented. The Gita got its reference at this critical juncuture for diffusing the war and on the other hand it was also a strict instruction for Arjuna for delivering his duties as a warrior and an avenger. Lord Krishna marked the starting of the situation as an unavoidable one because of the series of sins committed by Kauravas. That is why it is the duty of Arjun to make the wiser side victorious by smashing all the culprits who have joined the side and even supported the sinners.