The Complete Amar Chitra Katha Mahabharata Set

Mahabharata Vol 1

The Kuru Princes of Hastinapura

Veda Vyasa's epic on the Bharata race was first recited in public by his disciple Vaishampayana at the behest of the ageless seer Vyasa himself.

The recital took place in the august presence of king Janamejaya, a great-grandson of Vyasa, and the many learned sages who had assembled for Janamejaya's Sarpa Satra (a twelve-year-long Yajna). This deluxe hard-bound volume describes the lineage of the Kuru princes. When Pandu, the father of the Pandavas, dies in the forest, his wife kunti returns to hastinapura with the five boys.

The great Dronacharya trains the kuru princes in the art of war. The feats of strength preformed by Bheema, and Arjuna's skill at wielding the bow awake jealousy in the minds of Duryodhana and the other kuru princes.

Duryodhana plots the exile of the Pandavas to the city of Varanavata. Acting on the coded warning given by Vidura, the Pandavas manage to escape from the burning house of shellac.

They live in the guise of mendicants at Ekachakrapura. Later they proceed to Panchala to aatend the Swayamvara of Draupadi. Arjuna, the skilful archer, wins Draupadi's hand. In order to obey their mother's words, all the five brothers are married with due ceremony to Draupadi. The Pandavas are recalled to Hastinapura and are given half the Kingdom.

Mahabharata Vol 2

The Pandavas in Exile

Veda Vyasa's epic on the Bharata race was first recited in public by hisdisciple Vaishampayana at the behest of the ageless seer Vyasa himself.

The recital took place in the august presence of king Janamejaya, agreat-grandson of Vyasa, and the many learned sages assembled for Janamejaya'sSarpa Satra ( a 12-year-long Yajna).

Our earlier volume described the training of the Pandavas and kauravas, thePandavas' escape from the burning house of shellac, their marriage to Draupadiand their subsequent return to Hastinapura.

In this volume are described the slaying of Jarasandha by Bheema, the subjugation of the other kings by the Pandavas and the Rajasooya Yajna performed by Yudhishthia. Later, in the game of dice, the Pandavas lose their kingdom and live in exile.

At the end of the period of exile, when the Pandavas come back to claim their kingdom, Duryodhana refuses to part with even five villages.

Mahabharata Vol 3

On the Battlefield of Kurukshetra 

Veda Vyasa's epic on the Bharata race was first recited in public by his disciple Vaishampayana at the Sarpa Satra (a 12-year-long Yajan) conducted by King Janamejaya, a great grandson of Vyasa.

In Our earlier volumes of the Mahabharata were described the growing animosity between the Kauravas and the Pandavas, the costly game of dice which led to the banishment of the Pandavas for thirteen years, the events during the exile and the proposal of peace from Dhritarashtra conveyed by Sanjaya toe the Pandavas.

In this volume are described the attempts of Krishan to bring about a peaceful settlement between the Kauravas and the Pandavas. They fail and a bitter was is fought for eighteen days. The Pandavas emerge victorious in the end.