The battle continues, with 

Drona as commander. This

Drona Parva (The Book of
7 65–72 is the major book of the war. Most of the great warriors
Drona)
on both sides are dead by the end of this book.

Karna Parva (The Book of The continuation of the battle with Karna as

8 73
Karna) commander of the Kaurava forces.

The last day of the battle, with Shalya as commander.

Also told in detail, is the pilgrimage of Balarama to the
Shalya Parva (The Book fords of the river Saraswati and the mace fight between
9 74–77
of Shalya) Bhima and Duryodhana which ends the war, since
Bhima kills Duryodhana by smashing him on the thighs
with a mace.

Ashvattama, Kripa and Kritavarma kill the remaining

Sauptika Parva (The Book Pandava army in their sleep. Only seven warriors
10 78–80
of the Sleeping Warriors) remain on the Pandava side and three on the Kaurava
side.

Gandhari and the women (stri) of the Kauravas and

Stri Parva (The Book of Pandavas lament the dead and Gandhari
11 81–85
the Women) cursing Krishna for the massive destruction and the
extermination of the Kaurava.

The crowning of Yudhishthira as king of Hastinapura,

Shanti Parva (The Book of and instructions from Bhishma for the newly anointed
12 86–88
Peace) king on society, economics, and politics. This is the
longest book of the Mahabharata.

The final instructions (anushasana) from Bhishma. This

Anushasana Parva (The
13 89–90 Parba contains the last day of Bhishma and his advice
Book of the Instructions)
and wisdom to the upcoming emperor Yudhishthira.

The royal ceremony of the Ashvamedha (Horse

Ashvamedhika Parva (The
sacrifice) conducted by Yudhishthira. The world
14 Book of the Horse 91–92
conquest by Arjuna. Anugita is told by Krishna to
Sacrifice)[45]
Arjuna.
 The eventual deaths of Dhritarashtra, Gandhari, and
Ashramavasika Kunti in a forest fire when they are living in a hermitage
15 Parva (The Book of the 93–95 in the Himalayas. Vidura predeceases them and
Hermitage) Sanjaya on Dhritarashtra's bidding goes to live in the
higher Himalayas.

The materialization of Gandhari's curse, i.e., the

Mausala Parva (The Book
16 96 infighting between the Yadavas with maces (mausala)
of the Clubs)
and the eventual destruction of the Yadavas.

The great journey of Yudhishthira, his brothers, and his

Mahaprasthanika
wife Draupadi across the whole country and finally their
17 Parva (The Book of the 97
ascent of the great Himalayas where each Pandava
Great Journey)
falls except for Yudhishthira.

Svargarohana Parva (The
Yudhishthira's final test and the return of the Pandavas
18 Book of the Ascent to 98
to the spiritual world (svarga).
Heaven)

Harivamsa Parva (The This is an addendum to the 18 books, and covers those

khil
Book of the Genealogy of 99–100 parts of the life of Krishna which is not covered in the
a
Hari) 18 parvas of the Mahabharata.

Historical context
The historicity of the Kurukshetra War is unclear. Many historians estimate the date of the
Kurukshetra war to Iron Age India of the 10th century BCE.[46] The setting of the epic has a historical
precedent in Iron Age (Vedic) India, where the Kuru kingdom was the center of political power during
roughly 1200 to 800  BCE.[47] A dynastic conflict of the period could have been the inspiration for
the Jaya, the foundation on which the Mahābhārata corpus was built, with a climactic battle,
eventually coming to be viewed as an epochal event.

Puranic literature presents genealogical lists associated with the Mahābhārata narrative. The

evidence of the Puranas is of two kinds. Of the first kind, there is the direct statement that there were
1015 (or 1050) years between the birth of Parikshit (Arjuna's grandson) and the accession
of Mahapadma Nanda (400-329  BCE), which would yield an estimate of about 1400  BCE for the
Bharata battle.[48] However, this would imply improbably long reigns on average for the kings listed in
the genealogies.[49] Of the second kind is analyses of parallel genealogies in the Puranas between
the times of Adhisimakrishna (Parikshit's great-grandson) and Mahapadma Nanda. Pargiter
accordingly estimated 26 generations by averaging 10 different dynastic lists and, assuming 18
years for the average duration of a reign, arrived at an estimate of 850  BCE for Adhisimakrishna,
and thus approximately 950  BCE for the Bharata battle.[50]
Map of some Painted Grey Ware (PGW) sites.

B. B. Lal used the same approach with a more conservative assumption of the average reign to
estimate a date of 836 BCE, and correlated this with archaeological evidence from Painted Grey
Ware (PGW) sites, the association being strong between PGW artifacts and places mentioned in the
epic.[51] John Keay confirms this and also gives 950 BCE for the Bharata battle. [52]

Attempts to date the events using methods of archaeoastronomy have produced, depending on

which passages are chosen and how they are interpreted, estimates ranging from the late 4th to the
mid-2nd millennium BCE.[53] The late 4th-millennium date has a precedent in the calculation of
the Kali Yuga epoch, based on planetary conjunctions, by Aryabhata (6th century). Aryabhata's date
of 18 February 3102  BCE for Mahābhārata war has become widespread in Indian tradition. Some
sources mark this as the disappearance of Krishna from the Earth.[54] The Aihole inscription
of Pulakeshin II, dated to Saka 556 = 634 CE, claims that 3735 years have elapsed since the
Bharata battle, putting the date of Mahābhārata war at 3137 BCE.[55][56]

Another traditional school of astronomers and historians, represented by Vrddha

Garga, Varāhamihira and Kalhana, place the Bharata war 653 years after the Kali Yuga epoch,
corresponding to 2449 BCE.[57] According to Varāhamihira's Bṛhat Saṃhitā (6th
century), Yudhishthara lived 2526 years before the beginning of the Shaka era, which begins in the
78 CE. This places Yudhishthara (and therefore, the Mahabharata war) around 2448-2449 BCE
(2526-78). Some scholars have attempted to identify the "Shaka" calendar era mentioned by
Varāhamihira with other eras, but such identifications place Varāhamihira in the first century BCE,
which is impossible as he refers to the 5th century
astronomer Aryabhata. Kalhana's Rajatarangini (11th century), apparently relying on Varāhamihira,
also states that the Pandavas flourished 653 years after the beginning of the Kali Yuga; Kalhana
adds that people who believe that the Bharata war was fought at the end of the Dvapara Yuga are
foolish.[58]

Synopsis
Ganesha writes the Mahabharata upon Vyasa's dictation.

See also: List of characters in the Mahabharata

The core story of the work is that of a dynastic struggle for the throne of Hastinapura, the kingdom
ruled by the Kuru clan. The two collateral branches of the family that participate in the struggle are
the Kaurava and the Pandava. Although the Kaurava is the senior branch of the family, Duryodhana,
the eldest Kaurava, is younger than Yudhishthira, the eldest Pandava.
Both Duryodhana and Yudhishthira claim to be first in line to inherit the throne.

The struggle culminates in the great battle of Kurukshetra, in which the Pandavas are ultimately

victorious. The battle produces complex conflicts of kinship and friendship, instances of family loyalty
and duty taking precedence over what is right, as well as the converse.

The Mahābhārata itself ends with the death of Krishna, and the subsequent end of his dynasty and
ascent of the Pandava brothers to heaven. It also marks the beginning of the Hindu age of Kali
Yuga, the fourth and final age of humankind, in which great values and noble ideas have crumbled,
and people are heading towards the complete dissolution of right action, morality, and virtue.

The older generations

Shantanu falls in love with Satyavati, the fisherwoman. Painting by Raja Ravi Varma.

King Janamejaya's ancestor Shantanu, the king of Hastinapura, has a short-lived marriage with the
goddess Ganga and has a son, Devavrata (later to be called Bhishma, a great warrior), who
becomes the heir apparent. Many years later, when King Shantanu goes hunting, he sees Satyavati,
the daughter of the chief of fisherman, and asks her father for her hand. Her father refuses to
consent to the marriage unless Shantanu promises to make any future son of Satyavati the king
upon his death. To resolve his father's dilemma, Devavrata agrees to relinquish his right to the
throne. As the fisherman is not sure about the prince's children honoring the promise, Devavrata also
takes a vow of lifelong celibacy to guarantee his father's promise.

Shantanu has two sons by Satyavati, Chitrāngada and Vichitravirya. Upon Shantanu's death,

Chitrangada becomes king. He lives a very short uneventful life and dies. Vichitravirya, the younger
son, rules Hastinapura. Meanwhile, the King of Kāśī arranges a swayamvara for his three daughters,
neglecting to invite the royal family of Hastinapur. To arrange the marriage of young Vichitravirya,
Bhishma attends the swayamvara of the three princesses Amba, Ambika, and Ambalika, uninvited,
and proceeds to abduct them. Ambika and Ambalika consent to be married to Vichitravirya.

The oldest princess Amba, however, informs Bhishma that she wishes to marry the king of Shalva
whom Bhishma defeated at their swayamvara. Bhishma lets her leave to marry the king of Shalva,
but Shalva refuses to marry her, still smarting at his humiliation at the hands of Bhishma. Amba then
returns to marry Bhishma but he refuses due to his vow of celibacy. Amba becomes enraged and
becomes Bhishma's bitter enemy, holding him responsible for her plight. She vows to kill him in her
next life. Later she is reborn to King Drupada as Shikhandi (or Shikhandini) and causes Bhishma's
fall, with the help of Arjuna, in the battle of Kurukshetra.