The Banyan of the Mahābhārata

Every story on this tree

Ādi — Śakuntalā · Yayāti · Mahābhiṣa · Aṇimāṇḍavya · Vyuṣitāśva · Tapatī · Vasiṣṭha · Aurva · Pañcendra · Sunda-Upasunda · Śārṅgaka · Samudra Manthana · Kadrū & Vinatā · Jaratkāru & Āstika · Ruru & Pramadvarā · Uttaṅka (Paushya) · Khāṇḍava-daha · Kaca & Devayānī · Kindama's Curse · Why Dhritarashtra was born blind: Ambika shut her eyes · Gandhari's 100 sons from a lump of flesh · Duryodhana born of Kali, braying like a donkey · The eight Vasus, Vasishtha's cow, and Bhishma's birth · Shantanu was King Mahabhisha, cursed for staring at Ganga · Vidura is Dharma/Yama, cursed by Mandavya · Draupadi's previous life as Nalayani and the five Indras · Draupadi's other past lives: Vedavati, Maya Sita, Damayanti · Drona born in a pot; Dhrishtadyumna born from fire to kill him · Ekalavya reborn as Dhrishtadyumna to kill Drona · Abhimanyu: Varchas, Soma's son, lent for sixteen years · Parikshit's curse: the dead snake and Takshaka · Gandhari's mud elephant: the Mewati origin of the feud · Garhwali Shantanu drowns his own sons · Draupad's childless lament and Draupadi's birth (Garhwal) · Hidimba the Himalayan goddess before she was Bhima's wife · Drupadi marries only Yudistira (Java) · Mandavya impaled; Dharma cursed to be born a Shudra · Uttanka urges the snake sacrifice · Shvetaketu and the origin of marriage fidelity · Bhishma: a Vasu, a cow, and Bhishma Ashtami · Ulupi drags Arjuna underwater · Chitrangada and the condition of the son · Three tellings of Subhadra's abduction · The house of lac and the tunnel · Hidimbi, Bhima and her Manali temple · Bakasura at Ekachakra: the village that is several places · Gandiva: from Brahma to the sea · Devavrata's terrible vow: how he became Bhīṣma · Vyāsa dictates, Gaṇeśa writes: the scribe of the epic · Vichitravīrya's death and the niyoga: Vyāsa fathers Dhṛtarāṣṭra, Pāṇḍu and Vidura · The divine births of the Pāṇḍavas · Pāṇḍu's death and Mādrī's sati · Bhīma poisoned and thrown into the Gaṅgā: the Nāga realm and the elixir · Droṇa arrives at Hastināpura: the ball in the well and the bird's eye · Ekalavya's thumb: a student's fee · The tournament of arms at Hastināpura · Karṇa enters the arena and is crowned king of Aṅga · Drupada captured: Droṇa's fee · Kaṇika's counsel and Yudhiṣṭhira made heir · Draupadī's svayaṃvara: Arjuna wins the target · Kuntī's careless command and the five-fold marriage · Vidura brings the Pāṇḍavas home; Dhṛtarāṣṭra divides the kingdom · Founding of Indraprastha · The Draupadī rule and Arjuna's twelve-year exile · Arjuna frees the five Apsarases cursed as crocodiles · Takshaka's son Aśvasena escapes the Khāṇḍava fire

Sabhā — Jarāsandha · Lokapāla-sabhā & Hariścandra · Shishupala: three eyes, four arms, a hundred forgiven insults · Ekalavya's later life: Nishada king, killed by Krishna · Shakuni's dice from his father's bones · Sarala Mahabharata: Gandharasena, Ganga's dice, bones of the palms · Narada's questions to Yudhishthira · Arjuna's conquest of the north · Bhagadatta holds Arjuna for eight days · Four brothers, four directions · Jarasandha: born in halves, killed in halves · Where Krishna's disc came from · Maya builds the Sabhā for the Pāṇḍavas · The Rājasūya and the first honour to Kṛṣṇa · Śiśupāla's death at the Agra-pūjā · Duryodhana is humiliated in Maya's palace · Śakuni's plan: Dhṛtarāṣṭra agrees to the dice match · The game of dice: Yudhiṣṭhira stakes and loses everything · Draupadī dragged to the hall: the disrobing · Bhīma's oaths and Dhṛtarāṣṭra's boons to Draupadī · The second dice game and the exile pact

Vana — Saubhavadha · Nala · Agastya · Ṛṣyaśṛṅga · Kārtavīrya / Jāmadagnya · Sukanyā & Cyavana · Māndhātṛ · Jantu · Śyena-Kapotīya (Śibi) · Aṣṭāvakra · Yavakrīta · Vainya / Pṛthu · Matsya (the Flood) · Maṇḍūka · Indradyumna · Dhundhumāra · Pativratā (Dharmavyādha) · Mudgala · Rāma (Rāmopākhyāna) · Sāvitrī · Āraṇeya (Yakṣa-praśna) · Nahuṣa · Kuṇḍala-haraṇa · Kunti's mantra and Karna's birth · Arjuna's Urvashi curse becomes his Virata disguise · Nala, Kali's possession and Karkotaka's disguise · The mango of truth (Sarala Mahabharata) · Jambhul Akhyan: Draupadi's confession about Karna · Malanada: Duryodhana, toddy and the Kurava priests · Kalyanasaugandhikam: Bhima, Hanuman and the flower (Kathakali) · Arjunawiwaha: Arjuna's seven heavenly wives · The Yaksha's questions at the lake · The butcher who taught a Brahmin · Ashtavakra: cursed in the womb · Ashtavakra defeats Bandin at Janaka's court · Uttanka, Dhundhu and Dhundhumara · Hanuman blocks Bhima's path to the lotuses · Saugandhika lotuses and the yakshas of Kubera · Markandeya sees the flood and the child on the banyan leaf · Arjuna and Krishna as Nara and Narayana · Shiva the hunter gives Arjuna the Pashupata · Mukasura, the boar sent by Duryodhana · Five years in Indra's heaven · Urvashi's curse that became a disguise · Arjuna and the armoured Nivatakavachas · Bhima, Hanuman and the Saugandhika lotus · Hanuman's promise: the roar on Arjuna's banner · Lomasha's pilgrimage and the brothers Ilvala and Vatapi · Sūrya's Akṣaya Pātra for Yudhiṣṭhira · Vidura Banished and Recalled · Draupadī and Yudhiṣṭhira on Forbearance · Agastya and Lopāmudrā · Agastya Humbles the Vindhya and Drinks the Ocean · Bhagīratha Brings Down the Gaṅgā · Paraśurāma Clears the Earth of Kṣatriyas · Viṣṇu as the Boar, and the Slaying of Naraka · Arjuna Destroys the Paulomas and Kālakeyas of Hiraṇyapura · The Yugas and the Dissolution of the World · Viṣṇu Slays Madhu and Kaiṭabha · Draupadī and Satyabhāmā: How a Wife Wins Her Husband · The Ghoṣa-yātrā: Duryodhana Captured by Citrasena · Duryodhana's Fast unto Death, the Dānavas' Counsel and Karṇa's Vow · Durvāsas' Untimely Visit and Kṛṣṇa's Morsel · Jayadratha Abducts Draupadī

Virāṭa — The Shami tree: weapons hidden as a corpse · The Pāṇḍavas Go Incognito: Arrival at Virāṭa's Court · Kīcaka and Draupadī: Bhīma Kills Kīcaka · Suśarmā of Trigarta Raids Virāṭa's Cattle · The Northern Cattle Raid: Uttara Takes Bṛhannaḍā as Charioteer · Arjuna Routs the Kaurava Host Alone · The Pāṇḍavas Revealed; Uttarā Wed to Abhimanyu

Udyoga — Indravijaya · Dambhodbhava · Ambā · Vidura-nīti · Sanatsujātīya · Vidulā · The yaksha Sthuna lends Shikhandi his sex · Karna was the demon-king Dambhodbhava with 1000 armours · Villiputhurar: Krishna offers himself first, elephant sacrifice · Parashurama meets Rama and trains Bhishma, Drona and Karna · Arjuna and Duryodhana choose between Kṛṣṇa and his army · Duryodhana tricks Śalya into joining the Kauravas · Sañjaya's embassy to the Pāṇḍavas, and the five villages · Kṛṣṇa sets out as peace envoy: the Pāṇḍava councils · Kṛṣṇa in Hastināpura: Duryodhana's plot and the cosmic form · Kṛṣṇa and Karṇa: the offer of the throne · Kuntī and Karṇa: the promise of five sons · Bhīṣma's conditions: the rathas and atirathas assessed

Bhīṣma — Viśva · The Bhagavad Gītā · Bhishma's bed of arrows: why? (karma explanations) · Iravan in the Sanskrit epic: Naga son of Arjuna, killed by Alambusha · Aravan's three boons and the Kali sacrifice · Kakawin Bharatayuddha (1157 CE) · Sanjaya's divine sight · Iravan, the Naga-born son · Jyotisar: the banyan and the Gita · The covenants of battle, Vyāsa's gift of sight, and Yuyutsu's change of sides · Yudhiṣṭhira seeks the elders' blessing; the first day · Days two and three: Bhīma among the Kaliṅgas, and Kṛṣṇa runs at Bhīṣma · Days four to six: Bhīma, Ghaṭotkaca, Bhagadatta and the arrays · Day eight: Ghaṭotkaca's rampage · Day nine: Bhīṣma's fury, Kṛṣṇa charges again, and how Bhīṣma can be defeated · Day ten: Śikhaṇḍin and Arjuna fell Bhīṣma; the bed of arrows, the pillow and the water

Droṇa — Abhimanyu learned the chakravyuha in the womb · Ghatotkacha: the shakti that saved Arjuna, and Gatotkaca in Java · Gatotkaca's death and Kalabendana's spirit (wayang) · Krishna absorbs the Vaishnavastra · Indra's dart spent on Ghatotkacha · The Narayanastra: stop fighting · Karṇa meets the fallen Bhīṣma; Droṇa made commander and the promise to seize Yudhiṣṭhira · Day twelve: Suśarmā and the Saṃśaptakas draw Arjuna away · Bhagadatta's duel with Arjuna and his death · Day thirteen: the wheel array and the death of Abhimanyu · Jayadratha's boon from Śiva: why one man could hold back four Pāṇḍavas · Arjuna learns of Abhimanyu's death and vows to slay Jayadratha or burn · The night before: Kṛṣṇa's promise, Arjuna's dream journey and the Pāśupata weapon · Day fourteen: Droṇa's cart-and-lotus array hides Jayadratha · Jayadratha slain: the darkened sun and the head in his father's lap · Bhūriśravas: his arm cut off by Arjuna, his head by Sātyaki · The fall of Droṇa: the elephant named Aśvatthāman

Karṇa — Tripura-vadha · Haṃsa-Kākīya · Karna's curses: the beetle, the cow, and the sinking wheel · Karna's resentful Kalinga princess wife (Ponnaruvi) · Netwar: the village that took Karna as its deity · Karṇa Made Commander (Karṇa-senāpatya) · Śalya Becomes Karṇa's Charioteer · Arjuna's Gāṇḍīva Vow and the Near-Killing of Yudhishthira · Bhīma Kills Duḥśāsana · The Fall of Karṇa: the Sinking Wheel

Śalya — Indra-Namuci · Vṛddha-Kumārī · Gandhari's blindfold, and the gaze that almost made Duryodhana invulnerable · Duryodhana's thigh: Maitreya's curse and the Danava armour · Duryodhana's tears become the Tamas river · Shakuni's granite throne at Pavitreswaram · The Last Day: Śalya and Śakuni Fall · Duryodhana Hides in the Dvaipāyana Lake · The Mace Duel: Duryodhana's Thighs Broken

Sauptika — Ashvatthama: neighing birth, Shiva's boon, Krishna's curse of wandering · Two Brahmashiras and the womb of Uttara · Aśvatthāman's Night Massacre

Strī — Dhritarashtra and the 100 burned baby birds · Gandhari's curse: 36 years and the Yadavas die · The iron Bhima that Dhritarashtra crushed · Kuntī Reveals Karṇa's Birth at the Water-Offering

Śānti — Ṣoḍaśarājika · Nārada-Parvata · Rāma · Mucukunda · Uṣṭragrīva · Daṇḍotpatti · Ṛṣabha-Gītā · Kapota · Kṛtaghna · Jāpaka · Cirakāri · Kuṇḍadhāra · Hayaśira · Uñchavṛtti · Yudhishthira's curse: women can no longer keep secrets · Yudhiṣṭhira's Grief and Coronation

Anuśāsana — Sudarśana · Viśvāmitra · Bhaṅgāśvana · Upamanyu · Mataṅga · Vītahavya · Vipula · Cyavana · Nṛga · Nāciketa · Kīṭa · Bhishma on the bed of arrows gives the thousand names · Bhīṣma Leaves His Body at the Turning of the Sun

Āśvamedhika — Uttaṅka · Nakula (the Mongoose) · Babruvahana beheads Arjuna and invades Patala (Jaimini) · Lakshmisa's Kannada Jaimini Bharata · Anugita: the Gita retold after the war · Uttanka's anger at Krishna and the thirst boon · Babruvahana kills his father; Ulupi's jewel · Who revives Arjuna? Assamese and Manipuri versions · Pramila of the land of women · Vyāsa's Counsel and the Plan for the Horse-Sacrifice · Parikṣit Born Dead and Revived by Kṛṣṇa

Āśramavāsika — Dharma, Yama, Vidura and Yudhishthira: one essence · Dhṛtarāṣṭra, Gāndhārī and Kuntī Retire to the Forest · Death in the Forest Fire

Mausala — The Mausala (Yādava fall) · Samba's pregnancy prank and the iron bolt that ended the Yadavas · Krishna's death by the hunter Jara · Jara the hunter was Vali reborn · Dwarka sinks · Balarāma Leaves the World

Mahāprasthānika — Yudhishthira, the dog and Dharma again · Shiva as a bull and the Panch Kedar · Bhim Pul at Mana

Svargārohaṇa — Pampa Bharata: Arjuna as king, Subhadra as queen · Yudhiṣṭhira's Visit to Hell

Harivaṃśa — Kṛṣṇa in the Harivaṃśa

Beyond the text — The Duryodhana temple at Malanada (Kerala) · Barbarika/Khatu Shyam: the grandson who gave his head · Barbarika was the yaksha Suryavarcha · Aravan: voluntary sacrifice, widowed Krishna-as-Mohini, Koovagam · Gandhari married to a goat first (Jain Harivamsapurana) · Aravan's one-night marriage to Krishna as Mohini · Aravan's head becomes the child Kuttantavar · Irawan and Titisari: the Javanese Aravan · Ghatotkacha, the riddle and the demon bride · Barbarika: the head that watched the war (Khatu Shyam) · Yalambar the Kirati king as Barbarik; Akash Bhairav · Alli Arasani: the warrior queen who married Arjuna · Pavalakodi and Minnoliyal: more queens for Arjuna · Gandhari worshipped as a goddess in Tamil Nadu · Draupadi's cult at Gingee and the buffalo king Pothuraja · Kumaravyasa and the narrator behind the statue · Kashiram Das's expanded Mohini and Shiva · Sarala's unique episodes: river of blood and Krishna as Nilamadhaba · Semar and the Punakawan: the clown-gods of Java · Petruk becomes king; Semar builds heaven (lakon carangan) · Dewa Ruci (Sunan Kalijaga's Sufi Mahabharata tale) · Pandavani: Bhima as hero (Teejan Bai) · The Mahabharata in Khmer stone · Ashtavakra Gita: the same two, a different book · Two commentaries on the thousand names: Shankara and Parasara Bhattar · The phala-shruti and the claim that one Rama name equals the thousand · The arrow-bridge wager and the tortoise · Jambavan fights Krishna for the Syamantaka gem · Markandeya, sixteen forever · Narada was a singing gandharva, then a maid's son · Narada's maya: the sage becomes a woman · Gita Mahatmya: the parrot, the prostitute and the sinful Brahmin · Gita Mahatmya: Dushasana reborn as an elephant · Gita Mahatmya: Indra replaced by a Brahmin; Janashruti and Raikva · Shankara's 700 verses · Jnaneshwari: the Gita in Marathi at sixteen · Nachiketa and Yama · The Tamil king who fed both armies · Terukkuttu: Draupadi's vow, Alli and Aravan on Tamil stages · Krishna as Parthasarathy at Triplicane · Tulsidas and the Hanuman Chalisa · Is Manipur the Manipura of the epic? · Subhadra the goddess · Arjunawiwaha: Arjuna in 11th-century Java · Barnawa, Baghpat: the Lakshagriha dig · Doleshwor in Nepal: the head of the bull · Purana Qila: digging for Indraprastha · Hastinapur: flood, Karna temple and Pandeshwar · Pandava caves at Kadri, Mangaluru · The epic mapped onto the north-east