Sachitra Mahabharat (Hindi) vol 1 of 5

Volume 1 of 5 Hindi translation of Pictorial Mahabharata. Translated by Swami Videhatmananda. In ancient India, there were two royal dynasties: the Suryavansha (Solar Dynasty) and the Chandravansha (Lunar Dynasty). The prominent kings belonged to the Chandravansha, hence all their descendants were called Kauravas. Many generations after King Kuru, two brothers, Dhritarashtra and Pandu, were born in his lineage. Although the sons of both these brothers were factually Kauravas, the term later came to be used exclusively for the sons of Dhritarashtra, while the sons of Pandu became known by their distinct name, the Pandavas. A historic war took place between the Kauravas and the Pandavas over the succession to the empire of the Kuru dynasty. This war, and the circumstances that gradually led to its prelude, form the main subject matter of the epic 'Mahabharata'. During the narration of the story, many valuable teachings on dharma, ethics, devotion, and spiritual subjects are obtained. The renowned 'Gita', as narrated by Sri Krishna, is an example of such teachings. Now, we begin the narrative.