Mahabharat

On the battlefield of Kurukshetra, Krishna continues to talk to Arjun about the importance of following Dharma (Duty). He tells Arjun to equate pain with pleasure and profit with loss. He emphasizes the importance of selfless action without the desire to seek a reward for it.

Krishna says to Arjun, “I am birthless and changeless. I am the Lord. I take birth through the power of my Maya”. Unable to satisfy Arjun’s hopeless conscience, Krishna grants divine eyesight to Arjun and stuns him with his “Viraat Roop” (divine manifestation). Arjun is consoled and enlightened. He understands that the pure seek the spirit while the impure are trapped in “Prakrit (Matter). He agrees to do his duty selflessly, lifts his “Gandeev” and prepares to fight the Kauravas.

The battle is about to begin, but Yudhisthir removes his armour, puts down his weapons, and descends from his chariot. The Pandavas and the Kauravas forces look with amazement as he proceeds on foot towards the Kaurava camp. Duryodhan brags that Yudhisthir is visiting the Kaurava camp to seek the benediction of the elders before starting the battle. After been blessed by the elders, Yudhisthir goes to the middle of the battlefield and announces that anyone who wants to change sides must do so now. Duryodhan’s stepbrother Yuyutsu crosses over to the Pandava camp and the battle begins.

During the afternoon of the first day of battle, Abhimanyu attacks grandsire Bheeshma and brings down his chariot’s flag. The Kauravas warriors retaliate with a combined attack on the youthful warrior. Bheeshma’s chariot continues to create havoc and Duryodhan instructs all of his warriors to protect Bheeshma. The Pandava army fares poorly, Yudhisthir worries, but Shikhandi consoles him by saying, “Righteousness will win eventually and we are of righteousness. As the battle continues, Drona brings down Shrishadyummna’s flag and Salya slays Uttar, the Price of Virat.

The Pandavas army fares poorly during the first day of the battle. Dhrishtadyumna, the commander-in-chief of the Pandavas, devises strategies to avoid a repetition of the first day. Bheeshma’s chariot, Duryodhan’s men protect the grandsire, but Arjun continues to fight. Bheeshma’s arrows hit Arjun and Shri Krishna. Arjun retaliates and injures Bheeshma. Satyaki kills Bheeshma’s charioteer and horses are left unbridled. The horses run wildly and take Bheeshma away from the battlefield. The Pandavas return to their camp in great cheer.

The Pandavas are faced with a huge problem, victory continues to elude them. They were blessed by Bheeshma to achieve victory but they could only achieve victory after they kill Bheeshma and Bheeshma could not be killed unless he willed himself to die. Yudhisthir and Arjun go to Bheeshma and inform him of their predicament. Bheemshma tells them that only a woman could bring his death for he would not raise his hand against a woman. The Pandavas decide to use Shikhandi in their fight against Bheeshma and the stage is set for the fall of the grandsire from the battlefield.

On the tenth day of battle, Arjun positions Shikhandi in front of him and attacks Bheeshma. As Arjun’s arrows pierce his body, Bheeshma smiles. Bheeshma’s shield is cut into pieces by Arjun’s arrows and he falls onto the ground with Arjun’s arrows covering his body. Drona is made the new Commander-in-chief of the Kaurav army, and Karna becomes warrior in the war.

The Kaurav warriors sit in council and decide to have Drona capture Yudhisthir alive. Duryodhan says, “ I will end the war as soon as Yudhisthir is in our hands. Drona agrees to the plan after Duryodhan promises that Yudhisthir would not be sentenced to death after he is captured.

Drona decides to arrange his focuses in a “Chakra – Vyuha”, which is a battle arrangement that only Arjun can penetrate and emerge from. The Trigartha Chief Susarama is asked to assist the Kauravas in their plan to capture Yudhisthir by luring Arjun so far away from the battlefield that it will be impossible for him to return before sunset..

Yudhisthir learns about Drona’s plan to arrange the Kaurav forces in the Chakra-Vyuha. Unfortunately, Yudhisthir cannot depend on Arjun for Susarama has lured him away from the battlefield, but Arjun’s son, Abhimanyu offers his assistance. Abhimanyu succeeds in penetrating the Chakra – Vyuha but he gets trapped inside it and is eventually killed.

Arjun kills Susarama the Trigatha Chief and returns to the Pandava camp. He learns about Abhimanyu’s death and discovers that Jayadhrath was the main cause of his son’s death. Arjun vows to kill Jayadhrath before sunset the next day.

On the battlefield Arjun tells Krishna to take his chariot to Jayadhrath. “There is a wall of Kaurav army between you and Jayadhrath” says Krishna.” I have to break the wall to complete my oath”. Declares Arjun. Krishna is amused. He remarks that members of the Royal House of Bharat are very impulsive. On the slightest pretext they take an oath. Bheeshma bound himself with an oath, and now you have taken an oath”.

Bheem and Hidimba’s mighty son, Ghatotkach, joins the Pandavas in the war. Duryodhan realizes that Ghatotkach must be destroyed and encourages Karna to use his “shakti” (divine weapon). Karna resists because he is saving the weapon to use it against Arjun, but Duryodhan persuades him. Karna destroys Ghatotkach with his “Shakti”.

Drona spreads fear and destruction in the Pandava army. He seems invincible but Krishna tells Yudhisthir and Arjun that Drona can be defeated. “ If he were to hear that his son, Ashwathama is dead, he would loose interest in life and throw down his weapons, “says Krishna. Yudhisthir consults Bheem who kills a huge elephant that was also named Ashwathama. Bheem roars, “I have killed Ashwathama”. Drona hears his word and shouts back “ I will not take your word for it, let Yudhisthir say so “Yudhisthir repeats” Ashwathama is dead” and then he mutters to himself, “ Ashwathama, the elephant”. Upon hearing Yudhisthir, Drona lays down his weapons and is killed.

On the battlefield, Dushasan attacks Bheem with his arrows. Bheem remembers what Dushasan had done to Draupadi and anger blazes within him. Bheem jumps from his chariot and attacks Dushasan. Bheem fulfills the oath he had made thirteen years ago and kills Dushasan. Gandhari looses another one of her sons.

As the sun rises in the sky the battle between Karna and Arjun begins. Karna sends a dazzling arrow, which splits fire towards Arjun. Krishna presses Arjun’s chariot five fingers deep in the mud at the last minute, so that the shaft misses Arjun’s head and only strikes his crown. Arjun burns with anger, fixes an arrow on his bow and kills Karna.

Kunti visits the battlefield in the middle of the night to grieve over the dead body of her son Karna. Yudhisthir finds her and learns that Karna was his brother. "Had I known, I wouldn't have fought this war," says Yudhishthir. Arjun does also feel guilty about killing Karna but Krishna consoles him and convinces him that it was his "Dharma" (duty). The Pandavas plan to perform the last rites of Karna, but Duryodhan claims the body and lights Karna's pyre by himself.

The battle between Bheem and Duryodhan begins. The wariors appear equal in strength and skill, but Krishna informs Bheem that Duryodhan could be defeated if he smashes Duryodhan's thights. Bheem leaps like a lioin and breaks Duryodhan's thighs with his mace and defeats him.

Duryodhan commands Ashwathama, the new commander-in-chief, to kill the Pandavas. Ashwathama, Kripacharya and Krit Verma arrive at the Pandava camp in the middle of the night as Dhristdyumna and Draupadi's five sons are sleeping. They kill all the sleeping warriors and set fir to the camp. Believing that they have killed the Pandavas, they return to Duryodhan and discover that he has died. They light Duryodhan's pyre, and go to save Vyas's Ashram. The Pandavas find Ashwathama with Sage Vyas and take their revenge.

Duryodhan commands Ashwathama, the new commander-in-chief, to kill the Pandavas. Ashwathama, Kripacharya and Krit Verma arrive at the Pandava camp in the middle of the night as Dhristdyumna and Draupadi's five sons are sleeping. They kill all the sleeping warriors and set fir to the camp. Believing that they have killed the Pandavas, they return to Duryodhan and discover that he has died. They light Duryodhan's pyre, and go to save Vyas's Ashram. The Pandavas find Ashwathama with Sage Vyas and take their revenge.

After the mourning period is over, Krishna leads Yudhishthir to the throne. Yudhishthir crowns Bheem the Yuvraj and appoints Vidur as the Prime Minister of Hastinapur. Arjun is made the commander of the army, Nakul is made Arjun's assistant and Sahadev is made the personal protector of the King. After the affairs of the state are in order, Krishna takes the Pandava brothers to Bheeshma. Bheeshma gives them a discourse on Dharma and his soul leaves for the Heavens.