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A crown bedecked with a peacock
feather on his head.

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The lord is dressed in yellow.

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With a smile on his lips

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speaks Kishan Bihari.

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Mahabharat.

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A story of the conflict between
the righteous and unrighteous

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that every child remembers
to this day.

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By heart.

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It is said that
history is always

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biased towards the victor.

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Is this story truly about

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the conflict between the
righteous and the unrighteous?

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Or is this merely a perspective

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which has been prevalent for
years, in the guise of truth?

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Because if one takes a closer
look

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the lines between righteous
and unrighteous

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seem just as blurred

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as the decisions made
by both parties in this war.

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Were the Kauravas completely
evil?

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Were the Pandavas
the guardians of good?

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Was deceit employed
by only one side?

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Were the Pandavas
completely absolved of sins?

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These are some of the questions

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whose answers are needed.

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They will be asked on this show

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Mahabharat.

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The end or the beginning.

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Arjuna is right.

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When it was decided

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that the Pandavas and
Kauravas would go to war

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then Arjuna's bow, the Gandiva
was the topic of discussion.

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People believed

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that his bow, the Gandiva
had no match.

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It was said

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that after Arjuna bathed
in the morning

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and when he fixed the bowstring
and pulled it

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the vibration it caused

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used to make the birds
fall out of the trees.

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But when the war commenced

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and Bhisma Pitamaha
shot his arrows

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Arjuna's bow, the Gandiva
broke.

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After sunset Arjuna
requested Bhishma Pitamaha

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most humbly

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to tell him how he could
be killed.

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Bhishma Pitamaha said to Arjuna

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that if he brought someone
who was gender fluid

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in his carriage

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then he would shoot at Arjuna.

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The next day Arjun

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brought Shikhandi
along with him on his chariot.

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Bhishma Pitamaha saw Shikhandi

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and put his bow down.

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He didn't wish to use his bow
to hurt a transgender person.

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He turned his back on Arjuna.

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Arjuna shot his arrow

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on Bhishma's back
when he turned away.

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And he shot so many arrows

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that a bed of arrows
was created.

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When he fell

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he was lying between
the earth and the sky.

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Meanwhile Karna was an archer
who could match Arjuna's skills.

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To defeat him, Shri Krishna

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sent his mother Kunti to him.

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Mother Kunti said to
her son, Karna.

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You are my eldest son.

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You were born before
I got married.

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That is why I set you afloat
on the river.

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Now you should come back.

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Then Karna said.

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Mother, are you telling me now?

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I am in Duryodhana's
faction now.

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I will fight only for him.

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Then Kunti said.

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I have five sons.

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You can kill all of them.

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Nobody will survive.

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I won't have any son left.

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Karna said.

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No, mother.
That isn't true.

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All five of your sons
will live.

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I will not kill four of them.

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I will only kill Arjuna.

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After that, I, your
son will survive.

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So you will still have five sons
who are alive.

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When Indra learnt of this

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that Arjuna's life is in danger

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he appeared as a Brahmin

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to meet Karna.

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He said.

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Give me your armour
and earrings as alms.

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Then Karna said.

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Priest

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they are a part of my body.

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When I was born

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the armour and earrings
were on me.

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As I grew from that time onwards

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the earrings and the armour
grew too.

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So you can ask
for something else.

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The Brahmin said.

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No.

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Give me the armour and
the earrings.

102
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So Karna said,
priest, I understand.

103
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At the beginning of the war

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you are asking me
for my armour and earrings.

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I am sure you must be
Arjuna's father, Indra.

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Indra felt very ashamed.

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But Karna took his dagger out.

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He cut off the armour.

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He took off the earrings
and gave them.

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Arjuna's bow,
the Gandiva was broken.

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When Bhishma's arrows were shot

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Shikhandi was used as a shield.

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What kind of brave warrior
are you?

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You, Bhima

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the sons of Madari

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have been granted
life by Karna.

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You called me son of a
lower caste man all your life

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and insulted me.

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Indra himself had come asking

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for alms to Karna.

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He cut the armour off his body

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that is what a brave warrior
is like!

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Even without his armour
and earrings

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he was too much for Krishna
and Arjuna to handle.

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He was also killed by deceit.

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He was a warrior

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who deserved glory.

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On the 15th day of
the Mahabharat

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when Karna and Arjuna fought

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the wheel of Karna's chariot
was stuck in the mud.

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As per the rules of the war

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the war was halted.

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Karna got off the chariot
and used all his power to

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budge the wheel of the chariot.

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Karna's horse Vayujit also

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used all his might.

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The charioteer Shalya
held on to the reins.

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Suddenly, the horse
neighed loudly.

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Karna saw

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that Arjuna has lifted his bow
and shot an arrow at him.

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Before Karna could
understand what transpired

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the arrow hit him.

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And thus during the pause
in the war

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Arjuna killed Karna by deceit

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who had already granted
amnesty to his four brothers.

146
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Then Duryodhana said.

147
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You said so a long time ago

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choose any weapon you want.

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We are the five Pandavas
and we stand

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fight anyone of us you want.

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If I win, I'd promised

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we would go away
with the victory.

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The flag of the Kuru army will
fly

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and the Pandavas will go back.

155
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Arjuna and Sahdev don't know

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how to battle with the mace.

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With you or Nakul

158
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I would have fought as an equal.

159
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I had thought for a moment

160
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I would call you out.

161
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I would strike out twice
with my mace

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and end the war.

163
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But every easy victory

164
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is not one I can savour.

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Measuring, gauging
and comparing

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sullies a victory.

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I chose Bhimsen

168
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as per the ideals of war.

169
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The sect mark of victory
is on my forehead

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and you must concede defeat.

171
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With helpless eyes
all the five Pandavas

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look toward Krishna.

173
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Use another ploy
of righteous ethics

174
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and untie this tangle
of victory.

175
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"A crown bedecked with a peacock
feather on his head."

176
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"The lord is dressed in yellow."

177
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"With a smile on his lips"

178
00:10:40,320 --> 00:10:48,320
"speaks Kishan Bihari."

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That ends another chapter

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00:10:54,000 --> 00:10:55,720
of the great epic

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within which reside millions
of stories.

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But this is the beginning of
this attempt

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00:11:02,040 --> 00:11:03,760
to view this great story

184
00:11:04,240 --> 00:11:07,000
and re examine it
from a truthful perspective.

185
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To decide for oneself

186
00:11:10,200 --> 00:11:12,280
which side are we on?

187
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The righteous side?

188
00:11:14,560 --> 00:11:16,320
Or the unrighteous side?

189
00:11:17,000 --> 00:11:18,520
Or perhaps...

190
00:11:19,040 --> 00:11:21,760
Keep watching, Mahabharat.

191
00:11:22,800 --> 00:11:25,560
The end or the beginning