Anuja Chandramouli Podcast

The Pandavas have to spend the 14th year incognito. They decide to disguise themselves and hide out in Matsya, ruled by King Virata. The brothers are a great success in their new roles. The exploits of Arjuna as Brihannala, the eunuch is particularly noteworthy. Draupadi, has a rough time of it though and is molested by the evil Keechaka.
Featured characters: 
Pandavas, Yudhishtra; Bhima; Arjuna; Nakula; Sahadeva.
Kauravas, Duryodhana; Dushasana; plus 98 others!
Draupadi, daughter of Drupada; common wife of the Pandavas.
Bhishma, son of Shantanu and Ganga; The Grandsire of the Pandavas and Kauravas. 
Drona, Guru of the Kuru Princes; proud owner of Parashurama’s weapons.
Kripa, first Guru of the Kuru Princes; Drona’s brother – in – law.
Virata, King of Matsya.
Sudeshna, Queen of Matsya.
Uttara, youngest son of Virata.
Uttaraa, daughter of Virata.
Keechaka, commander – in chief of Virata’s army; Queen Sudeshna’s brother.
Yama/Dharma, God of death; ruler of Naraka/hell and righteous wielder of justice; divine father of Yudhishtra. 
Chitrasena, King of the Gandharvas.
Karna, son of Surya and Kunti; foster son of Adhiratha, the charioteer and Radha.
Shiva, the Destroyer.
Parvati, Shiva’s consort.

Drona arranges his troops in the dreaded Chakravyuha formation. With Arjuna gone to take care of the challenge posed by the Samsaptakas/suicide squad, Yudhishtra has no choice but to ask Abhimanyu to penetrate the Chakravyuha. The young hero does not hesitate and finds himself in a death trap. Alone and unafraid, he fights with unmatched valour, till his last breath. Arjuna seeks vengeance and swears to enter the flames should he fail to kill the man responsible for his son’s death. 
Featured characters: 
Pandavas, Yudhishtra; Bhima; Arjuna; Nakula; Sahadeva.
Kauravas, Duryodhana; Dushasana; plus 98 others!
Abhimanyu, son of Arjuna and Subhadra.
Sumitra: Abhimanyu’s charioteer. 
Drona, Guru of the Kuru Princes; proud owner of Parashurama’s weapons.
Karna, son of Surya and Kunti; foster son of Adhiratha, the charioteer and Radha.
Krishna, an incarnation of Vishnu; cousin and friend of the Pandavas.
Jayadratha, King of Sindhu, Dushala’s husband, brother – in – law of the Kauravas. 
Srutayudha, King of Kalinga, son of Varuna, the Lord of the waters and Parnasa, a river Goddess.
Satyaki, a dear friend of Krishna and the Pandavas.
Bhurisrava, King of Bahlika, sworn enemy of Satyaki.
Vridakshatra, Jayadratha’s father.

The battle rages on and tempers flare after the death of Jayadratha.  Goaded on by Duryodhana, Drona and Karna become terror incarnate on the battlefield. Krishna asks Ghatotkacha to lead the counter attack. Consumed by blood – lust, Ghatotkacha wreaks havoc on the Kaurava forces. Only Karna can stop him but it would mean parting with his most formidable weapon. Drona uses celestial weapons against ordinary soldiers and the Pandavas have no choice but to resort to trickery to neutralize the great man. 
Featured characters:
Pandavas, Yudhishtra; Bhima; Arjuna; Nakula; Sahadeva.
Kauravas, Duryodhana; Dushasana; plus 98 others!
Drona, Guru of the Kuru Princes; proud owner of Parashurama’s weapons.
Karna, son of Surya and Kunti; foster son of Adhiratha, the charioteer and Radha.
Krishna, an incarnation of Vishnu; cousin and friend of the Pandavas.
Ghatotkacha, son of Bhima and Hadimbaa, the rakshasi.
Alambusha, a powerful rakshasha. 
Dhristadyumna, son of Drupada, brother of Draupadi; Supreme commander of the Pandavas. 
Ashwathamma, son of Drona and Kripi.

Karna is appointed as the Supreme Commander of the Kauravas and distinguishes himself on the battlefield but even his great heart and courage cannot prevail against the merciless dictates of destiny. The battle draws to a close with the fall of Shalya. Bhima settles his score with Dushasana and Duryodhana. Yudhishtra gambles yet again. Even so the Pandavas win the great battle. But further loss awaits them.
Featured characters: 
Pandavas, Yudhishtra; Bhima; Arjuna; Nakula; Sahadeva.
Kauravas, Duryodhana; Dushasana; the sole survivors among Gandhari’s hundred sons.
Drona, Guru of the Kuru Princes; proud owner of Parashurama’s weapons.
Karna, son of Surya and Kunti; foster son of Adhiratha, the charioteer and Radha.
Krishna, an incarnation of Vishnu; cousin and friend of the Pandavas.
Shalya, King of Madra, maternal uncle of the twins – Nakula and Sahadeva. 
Shakuni, maternal uncle of the Kauravas.
Ulooka, Shakuni’s son.
Balarama, Krishna’s brother.

Krishna, Satyaki and the Pandavas decide to spend the night in the empty Kaurava camp. The mortally wounded Duryodhana gives the command of his army of three to Ashwathamma. Unable to forgive the Pandavas for the deceitful means they had used to slay his father, Ashwathamma exacts bloody vengeance. 
Featured Characters:
Pandavas, Yudhishtra; Bhima; Arjuna; Nakula; Sahadeva.
Duryodhana, the eldest Kaurava.
Krishna, an incarnation of Vishnu; cousin and friend of the Pandavas.
Satyaki, dear friend of Krishna and the Pandavas.
Ashwathamma, son of Drona and Kripi.
Kripa, twin brother of Kripi, first Guru of the Kuru princes.
Kritavarman, a Vrishni chieftain.
Bhishma, son of Shantanu and Ganga; The grandsire of the Kauravas and Pandavas.
Dhritarashtra, the blind King, father of the Kauravas.
Gandhari, mother of the Kauravas.
Kunti, mother of the Pandavas.
Shiva, the Destroyer.

Arjuna balks at the prospect of war with so many loved ones and drops his weapons. Krishna gives him the world’s greatest pep talk and he picks up his bow again. The battle begins in earnest. The grandsire falls on the 10th day. Drona is given the supreme command of the Kaurava forces. 
Featured characters: 
Pandavas, Yudhishtra; Bhima; Arjuna; Nakula; Sahadeva.
Kauravas, Duryodhana; Dushasana; plus 98 others!
Bhishma, son of Shantanu and Ganga; The Grandsire of the Pandavas and Kauravas. 
Drona, Guru of the Kuru Princes; proud owner of Parashurama’s weapons.
Karna, son of Surya and Kunti; foster son of Adhiratha, the charioteer and Radha.
Krishna, an incarnation of Vishnu; cousin and friend of the Pandavas.
Dhristadyumna, son of Drupada, brother of Draupadi; Supreme commander of the Pandavas. 
Shikandhin, Amba reborn, the transgender warrior fated to bring about Bhishma’s death.

Arjuna sets off on a quest to win the favour of Lord Shiva and put together a formidable arsenal. His mission is a great success. The celestials welcome him into their midst and he is trained in the fine arts, weaponry and warfare. Soon he is a warrior without equal. Urvashi is enamoured of him, but when he turns her down, she curses him with the loss of his manhood. 
Featured characters: 
Arjuna, third Pandava; greatest hero this world has seen.
Shiva, the Destroyer.
Indra, King of the Gods, mighty wielder of the thunderbolt; divine father of Arjuna. 
Varuna, presiding deity of the waters.
Kubera, lord of wealth; chief of the Yakshas.
Yama/Dharma, God of death; ruler of Naraka/hell and righteous wielder of justice; divine father of Yudhishtra. 
The lokapalas, Guardians of the universe – Indra, Varuna, Yama and Kubera. 
Chitrasena, King of the Gandharvas. 
Matali, Indra’s charioteer. 
Hanuman, devotee of Rama; half – brother of Bhima.

Yudhishtra performs the Ashwamedha sacrifice. His reign is a glorious and prosperous one. The age draws to a close and Gandhari’s curse goes into effect resulting in the annihilation of Krishna’s people, the Yadavas. Balarama and Krishna depart this world. Veda Vyasa advises the Pandavas, that the time has come for them to make their last journey.

Featured characters: 
Pandavas, Yudhishtra; Bhima; Arjuna; Nakula; Sahadeva.
Draupadi, wife of the Pandavas.
Parikshit, son of Abhimanyu and Uttaraa.
Ugrasena, King of the Yadavas; Krishna’s grandfather. 
Krishna, an incarnation of Vishnu; cousin and friend of the Pandavas.
Balarama, Krishna’s brother.
Pradyumna, Krishna’s son.
Aniruddha, Pradyumna’s son.
Vajra, Aniruddha’s son; Krishna’s grandson.
Satyaki, dear friend of Krishna and the Pandavas.
Veda Vyasa, son of Satyavati and sage Parashara; biological father of Dhritarashtra, Pandu & Vidura; author of Mahabharata.
Powerful sages, Vishwamitra, Kanva and Narada.
Samba, Krishna and Jambavati’s son. 
Brihaspati, the preceptor of the Devas.
Samvarta, Brishaspati’s brother. 
Chitrangada, Arjuna’s wife; Princess of Manipura.
Babruvahana, son of Arjuna and Chitrangada.
Uloopi, Arjuna’s wife; Naga Princess.

Efforts are made to prevent war at all cost. The Pandavas agree to settle for five villages but Duryodhana infamously refuses to part with even a needle – point of land. Both sides jostle for allies and advantageous positions while Krishna proves to be the canniest operator of them all. As for Karna, he learns the truth about his birth.
Featured characters: 
Pandavas, Yudhishtra; Bhima; Arjuna; Nakula; Sahadeva.
Kauravas, Duryodhana; Dushasana; plus 98 others!
Draupadi, daughter of Drupada; common wife of the Pandavas.
Bhishma, son of Shantanu and Ganga; The Grandsire of the Pandavas and Kauravas. 
Drona, Guru of the Kuru Princes; proud owner of Parashurama’s weapons.
Karna, son of Surya and Kunti; foster son of Adhiratha, the charioteer and Radha.
Krishna, an incarnation of Vishnu; cousin and friend of the Pandavas.
Kunti, mother of the Pandavas.
Drupada, King of the Panchalas, father – in – law of the Pandavas. 
Balarama, Krishna’s brother.
Dhritarashtra, the blind King; father of the Kauravas.
Vidura, Dhritarashtra’s wise half – brother and advisor. 
Sanjaya, Dhritarashtra’s advisor. 
Indra, King of the Devas; divine father of Arjuna.
Surya, the Sun God; divine father of Karna. 
Shalya, King of Madra, maternal uncle of the twins – Nakula and Sahadeva.

Yudhishtra agrees to gamble away his Kingdom and every one of his loved ones, losing everything in the process. Draupadi pays a heavy price for his decision and an attempt is made to forcibly disrobe her by the odious Dushasana. She angrily rebukes the lot of them and places her faith in Krishna, who doesn’t let her down. The Pandavas are forced to go into exile.
Featured characters:
Pandavas, Yudhishtra; Bhima; Arjuna; Nakula; Sahadeva.
Kauravas, Duryodhana; Dushasana; plus 98 others!
Draupadi, daughter of Drupada; common wife of the Pandavas.
Shakuni, maternal uncle of the Kauravas.
Bhishma, son of Shantanu and Ganga; The Grandsire of the Pandavas and Kauravas. 
Drona, Guru of the Kuru Princes; proud owner of Parashurama’s weapons.
Dhritarashtra, the blind King; father of the Kauravas.
Vidura, Dhritarashtra’s wise half – brother and advisor. 
Karna, son of Surya and Kunti; foster son of Adhiratha, the charioteer and Radha.
Krishna, an incarnation of Vishnu; Arjuna’s cousin and best friend.