Maha-bharata vol.1 (ENG)

  Vaishampayana went on to narrate: “A completely different life began for the five young men. The pleasant but austere times of the forest were gone, and for the first time they experienced the joys of … Read More

Shortly after the arrival of Pandu’s sons, Vyasa arrived and was received with full honors in the city of the Kurus. The following day the sage wanted to speak to his mother. “Gloomy days are approaching,” … Read More

Meanwhile, an important event had happened in Hastinapura. Gandhari, who also became pregnant, had hoped to give birth before Kunti, so that her son would have the prerogative of the right to the throne. So, one … Read More

The Pandavas spent their childhood in the forest, receiving the first teachings from the sages who lived in the hermitages.   Fifteen happy years passed for Pandu in the company of his children and wives, but … Read More

Years passed. Meanwhile, for Pandu’s wives the desire to have children became more and more overbearing. Then, even knowing the curse inflicted on her husband, they decided to talk to him to find a solution. “The … Read More

King Sura, of the Vrishni lineage, had a son named Vasudeva and a daughter named Pritha. His cousin Kuntibhoja, on the other hand, had not been able to have children, so, Sura decided to give him … Read More

Vicitravirya lived happily with his queens, but not for long. A deadly disease killed him while he was still very young. Satyavati was desperate. She had lost her husband and two children in a very short … Read More

When Vicitravirya was coming of age, Bhishma and Satyavati began to think about his eventual marriage. They learned that the three beautiful and virtuous princesses of Kashi, Amba, Ambika, and Ambalika had reached the right age … Read More

In those days, among the upper social classes, the Kshatriyas were the only ones allowed to hunt, but only certain animal species. They thus learned to kill to defend their territories. One day, while Shantanu was … Read More

Whenever it comes to the oldest warrior in the war of Mahabharata, the name of Bhishma Pitamah comes to the mind of the people. While the fact is that it was not Bhishma Pitamah, but his … Read More

In the years that followed, she [Ganga] killed their [Shantanu] seven children in the same way, drowning them in the river. The eighth pregnancy came. When the baby was born, the queen took him and with … Read More

  Years had passed, and Pratipa had grown old. So, he retired to the forest to spend the last years of his life in devotional service and meditation. Shantanu had inherited his father’s throne and ruled … Read More

King Shantanu was the forty-seventh descendant of the noble lineage of Kshatriyas who came from Brahma through the moon Deva, Chandra. His father was called Pratipa, and he had been a great king, loved by his … Read More

A long time had passed since Parasurama, the embodiment of the Personality of God, had come down to earth to purify it from those twenty-one generations of warriors who had not bothered to observe and defend … Read More

  Astika, a young Brahmana with a controlled mind and a serene face, arrived on the same day that Takshaka, called by the Brahmanas by mantras, was about to be absorbed by the destructive fire. Welcomed … Read More

Meanwhile, the preparations for the great snake sacrifice were almost complete. The great arena had been prepared by the best Brahmana Ritviks of the time and by the perfect connoisseurs of the science of the sacred … Read More

The Nagas, having learned of Janamejaya’s intentions, inquired about the real possibilities of danger they might be in. Unfortunately, the news they received did not bode well; he had in fact invited the most powerful Brahmanas … Read More

A few days after the king’s death, the vacant throne was taken over by his young son, Janamejaya.   Years passed. As an adult, Janamejaya began to wonder what were the real reasons for the strange … Read More