98 Story Arcs

Ruru's Quest to Revive Pramadvara

Can Ruru save his beloved Pramadvara from death by snake-bite?

The Birth of Astika to Save the Serpents

Can the ascetic Jaratkaru be persuaded to father a son who will save the serpent race?

The Rivalry of Kadru and Vinata and the Birth of Garuda

How will the rivalry between the sisters Kadru and Vinata shape the fate of their offspring?

Garuda's Quest to Free His Mother

Can Garuda successfully obtain the amrita to free his mother Vinata from slavery?

The Snakes' Plan to Avert Annihilation

How will the snakes, cursed by their mother Kadru, attempt to avert their prophesied destruction in Janamejaya's sacrifice?

The Curse on Parikshit and the Genesis of the Snake Sacrifice

How does the curse on King Parikshit by Shringi set in motion the events leading to Janamejaya's Snake Sacrifice?

The Birth of Astika to Save the Snakes

Can the sage Jaratkaru beget a son to save his serpent ancestors from destruction?

The Death of Parikshit and Janamejaya's Vengeance

Will King Janamejaya succeed in avenging his father Parikshit's death by snake-bite?

Astika's Intervention at the Snake-Sacrifice

Can Astika stop Janamejaya's snake-sacrifice and save his serpent kin, including Takshaka?

The Commissioning of the Mahabharata Recital

How does Janamejaya come to hear the full story of his ancestors, the Mahabharata?

The Redemption of Shakuntala

Can a king's forgotten gandharva wife and her son claim their rightful place at court?

The Curse of Yayati

Can a king escape the consequences of breaking a marital vow?

The Fall and Redemption of Yayati

Can a fallen king regain heaven through the merit of his descendants?

The Curse of the Vasus and the Birth of Bhishma

How will the cursed Vasus be born and fulfill their destiny on earth?

Bhishma's Vow and the Kuru Succession Crisis

How will the Kuru lineage survive after Bhishma's vow of celibacy?

The Secret Birth and Rise of Karna

Can a child born from a divine boon and abandoned at birth overcome his origins to become a great warrior?

Pandu's Curse and Forest Exile

How will a king, cursed to die if he engages in intercourse, secure an heir and fulfill his royal duty?

The Divine Birth of the Pandavas

Will the divine births secured through Kunti's mantra produce the heirs needed to restore the Kuru lineage?

The Death of Pandu and Return of the Heirs

What becomes of the Pandavas after their father's tragic death?

The Origins of the Kuru Preceptors

How do Kripa and Drona, the future teachers of the Kuru princes, come to be?

Drona's Humiliation and Revenge

Will Drona succeed in avenging his public humiliation by King Drupada?

The Arena Tournament and the Birth of a Rivalry

How will the public display of the princes' skills redefine the political and personal rivalries in Hastinapura?

The House of Lac and the Great Escape

Will the Pandavas survive Duryodhana's plot to kill them in the house of lac?

Bhima and the Rakshasa Hidimba

Will Bhima protect his family from the man-eating rakshasa Hidimba?

The Union of Bhima and Hidimba

Can a rakshasi's love for a Pandava be accepted and lead to a legitimate union?

Bhima's Slaying of Bakasura

Can the Pandavas, while in hiding, protect a village from a rakshasa without revealing their identity?

The Feud of Drona and Drupada

Will Drona achieve revenge against his childhood friend who scorned him?

The Pandavas' Journey to Panchala and Prophecy

Will the exiled Pandavas successfully reach Panchala and fulfill the prophecy of Draupadi's marriage?

The Union of Samvarana and Tapati

Can a king overcome divine and natural obstacles to win a celestial bride?

The Feud of Vashishtha and Vishvamitra

What is the origin and consequence of the bitter rivalry between the sages Vashishtha and Vishvamitra?

The Curse and Redemption of King Kalmashapada

Can a king, cursed to become a man-eating rakshasa, be purified and secure an heir?

Ourva's Vengeance and the Contained Fire

Can the sage Ourva's destructive wrath, born from the massacre of his ancestors, be prevented from annihilating the world?

The Pandavas' Disguised Victory at Draupadi's Svayamvara

Can the exiled Pandavas, disguised as Brahmins, win the princess Draupadi and secure a powerful alliance?

The Marriage of Draupadi and the Pandavas' Return to Status

Will the Pandavas, living in disguise, secure the alliance of Panchala and be publicly restored to their royal standing?

Narada's Warning and the Tale of Sunda-Upasunda

How can the Pandavas, now sharing one wife, avoid the destructive discord that felled even powerful demons?

Narada's Warning Against Discord

Can the Pandavas heed Narada's warning and avoid the destructive discord that Sunda and Upasunda fell into?

Arjuna's Exile and Marital Journeys

How will Arjuna navigate his twelve-year exile, upholding dharma and securing alliances through marriage?

The Burning of the Khandava Forest

Can Krishna and Arjuna successfully aid Agni in consuming the Khandava forest against divine opposition?

The Survival of Mandapala's Family in the Khandava Fire

Will Mandapala's family survive the Khandava forest fire, and can he reconcile with them after his neglect?

The Construction of the Maya Sabha

Will the Pandavas, with Maya's help, build a hall worthy of a great king?

Narada's Counsel and the Rajasuya Ambition

Will Yudhishthira, inspired by divine examples, undertake the Rajasuya sacrifice?

The Jarasandha Expedition

Can Krishna and the Pandavas overcome the mighty Jarasandha to clear the path for the Rajasuya?

The Slaying of Jarasandha

Can Krishna and the Pandavas eliminate the tyrannical Jarasandha to enable the Rajasuya?

The Pandava Digvijaya (Conquest of the Quarters)

Can the Pandava brothers successfully subdue the known world to gather tribute for the Rajasuya?

The Insult and Slaying of Shishupala

Will Shishupala's relentless public dishonoring of Krishna at the Rajasuya lead to his destruction?

The Envy That Leads to the Dice

Will Duryodhana's burning envy and humiliation at Indraprastha lead him to destroy the Pandavas?

The Fateful Dice Game

Will Yudhishthira's adherence to kshatriya duty lead to his complete ruin in the rigged dice game?

The Humiliation of Draupadi in the Kuru Assembly

Will Draupadi be enslaved and disgraced after Yudhishthira's loss at dice?

The Final Gamble and Exile of the Pandavas

Will the Pandavas be sent into exile by a final, rigged dice game?

The Aftermath of Exile and Prophecies of Doom

How do the Kurus react to the Pandavas' departure, and what fate is foretold?

Yudhishthira's Philosophical Struggle in Exile

Can a righteous king reconcile his duty to rule with the ascetic demands of exile?

Dhritarashtra's Internal Conflict and the Attempt to Restrain Duryodhana

Can Dhritarashtra overcome his weakness and restrain Duryodhana from further harming the Pandavas?

Krishna's Consolation and the Nara-Narayana Revelation

Can Krishna's presence and divine identity restore the Pandavas' hope and resolve during their exile?

The Siege of Dvaraka and Pradyumna's Defense

Can the Vrishni heroes, led by Pradyumna, defend Dvaraka against Shalva's aerial siege?

Krishna's War Against Shalva

Can Krishna defeat the invincible Shalva and his flying fortress Soubha?

The Pandavas' Exile and the Great Dharma Debate

Can Yudhishthira maintain his commitment to dharma and patience in exile despite Draupadi's and Bhima's demands for immediate war?

Arjuna's Quest for Divine Weapons

Can Arjuna obtain divine weapons through austerities and prove himself worthy of Shiva's grace?

Arjuna's Quest for Divine Weapons

Can Arjuna obtain divine weapons and training to ensure the Pandavas' victory?

Dhritarashtra's Fear of the Pandavas' Growing Power

Will Dhritarashtra's fear of the Pandavas' invincibility lead him to take action or resign to fate?

The Tale of Nala and Damayanti

Can love and virtue survive the trials of fate, betrayal, and abandonment?

The Reunion of Nala and Damayanti

Can Nala and Damayanti overcome separation, disguise, and misfortune to reunite and restore their kingdom?

Pulastya and Lomasa Instruct Yudhishthira on Tirtha Pilgrimage

Can Yudhishthira overcome his grief and find spiritual merit through pilgrimage?

Agastya Marries Lopamudra and Begets a Son

Can the sage Agastya fulfill his duty to produce offspring while maintaining his ascetic vows?

Indra Slays Vritra and the Daityas Plot Revenge

Can Indra defeat the demon Vritra and protect the gods from the Danava threat?

Agastya Drains the Ocean to Destroy the Kaleyas

Can the gods destroy the Kaleyas who are hiding in the ocean?

Sagara's Line and the Descent of the Ganga

Can the sons of Sagara be purified and the ocean refilled through the descent of the Ganga?

The Bringing of Rishyashringa to Anga

Can King Lomapada bring the hermit Rishyashringa to his kingdom to end a drought?

Parashurama's Slaughter of the Kshatriyas

Why did Parashurama destroy the Kshatriya race, and can he be reconciled?

Krishna's Visit to the Pandavas in Exile

Can Krishna's counsel restore the Pandavas' hope and resolve during their exile?

The Story of Chyavana and Sukanya

Can a young woman remain faithful to an aged and blind husband, and what divine rewards come from such devotion?

King Somaka's Sacrifice of His Son

Is it justifiable to sacrifice one's only son to gain more children, and what are the consequences for such an act?

King Ushinara's Sacrifice for a Dove

Can a king's commitment to protect a supplicant be tested to the point of self-mutilation, and what divine reward awaits such virtue?

Ashtavakra Rescues His Father from the Depths

Can a deformed child overcome humiliation and intellectual challenge to rescue his father from a watery grave?

The Pride and Fall of Yavakrita

What happens when a brahmin's son, driven by pride, ignores wise counsel and uses divine powers for selfish ends?

The Pandavas' Ascent of Mount Gandhamadana

Can the Pandavas endure the trials of the Gandhamadana mountain and gain the favor of the gods?

Bhima's Quest for the Sougandhika Lotus

Can Bhima overcome divine obstacles to fulfill Draupadi's desire for the Sougandhika lotus?

The Abduction of the Pandavas by Jatasura

Can Bhima rescue his family from the rakshasa Jatasura's abduction?

Arjuna's Heavenly Sojourn and Battle with the Nivatakavachas

Can Arjuna acquire divine weapons and prove his worth as a warrior in Indra's realm?

The Liberation of King Nahusha

Can Yudhishthira's wisdom and dharma free the serpent-king Nahusha from his curse?

Manu and the Great Deluge

Can humanity survive the cosmic dissolution through righteous action?

Markandeya's Vision of Narayana and the Yugas

Can a mortal sage comprehend the cosmic nature of Vishnu and the cycle of time?

Kuvalashva Slays the Daitya Dhundhu

Can a king fulfill a sage's request by destroying a demon that threatens the world?

The Brahmana Koushika Learns Dharma from a Hunter

Can a wrathful brahmana learn true dharma from a low-caste hunter?

The Hunter's Discourse on Dharma

Can a low-born hunter teach true dharma to a learned brahmana and a king?

The Birth and Rise of Skanda

How was Skanda born, and how did he become the commander of the gods?

The Installation of Skanda as General of the Gods

Can Skanda, the newly born son of Rudra, prove himself worthy of leading the divine army against the Asuras?

Duryodhana's Ghosha Expedition and Humiliation

Will Duryodhana's attempt to humiliate the Pandavas by displaying his wealth lead to his own disgrace?

Duryodhana's Fast to Death and the Daityas' Intervention

Will Duryodhana's despair over his humiliation lead him to suicide, or will supernatural forces restore his will to fight?

Karna's Vow to Kill Arjuna and the Pandavas' Departure

Will Karna's vow to kill Arjuna force the Pandavas to abandon their exile at Dvaitavana?

Mudgala Rejects Heaven

Can a virtuous ascetic be tempted by the promise of heaven?

Jayadratha Abducts Draupadi

Can Jayadratha escape the Pandavas' wrath after abducting Draupadi?

Rama's Exile and the Abduction of Sita

Can Rama rescue Sita after she is abducted by Ravana during their exile?

Rama's Quest to Rescue Sita

Can Rama rescue Sita from Ravana's captivity and restore dharma?

The Story of Savitri and Satyavan

Can a devoted wife's wisdom and perseverance overcome the decree of fate and death itself?

Karna's Armour and Earrings

Will Karna sacrifice his divine armour and earrings to Indra despite knowing the cost?

The Birth and Abandonment of Karna

How did Karna come to be born to Kunti and abandoned at birth?

Yudhishthira's Test by the Yaksha

Will Yudhishthira's wisdom and adherence to dharma save his brothers and himself from the Yaksha's curse?

Vidura's Counsel to the Blind King

Can Vidura's wisdom persuade Dhritarashtra to restrain Duryodhana and treat the Pandavas fairly?