There are 3 mantras of war strategy.
Distract, scare, deceive.
All my ploys
could be resolved by Vidur.
Mahabharata.
The story of righteousness against unrighteousness
which the children know even now
by heart.
It's said that history always
favors the victorious.
Is this story really about
the war between righteousness and unrighteousness?
Or is this only a perspective
which has been disguising itself as the truth for years?
Because if we look at it closely
the line between righteousness and unrighteousness
seem as vague
as both the parties' decisions in this war.
Were the Kauravas completely unrighteous?
Were the Pandavas completely righteous?
Did only one party deceive?
Were the Pandavas completely virtuous?
A few such questions
must be definitely answered.
These questions will be asked by this show
the Mahabharata.
The end or the beginning?
Lord Krishna's preaching to Arjuna
before the Mahabharata war began
are known as the Gita.
He preached that humans must do their duties without worrying
about the results.
As the war was about to end
Lord Krishna gave
some advice to Duryodhana.
Lord Krishna said.
Honest, determined and strong.
Duryodhana, you are a brave warrior.
Why are you so desperate
on your death bed?
Listen to my preaching
with pure intent.
You will soon die.
The blood has flowed endlessly.
Whenever there's a war
the rules are broken.
Considering the victorious
the conclusions are changed.
At the end of the war the healer's treatment
applies salve on the wounds.
Writers, scholars and critics
mull over the facts.
Facts are woven
and half-truths are mixed into it.
The victor was righteous.
History is written in this manner.
Events favorable to the victorious
are picked and collected.
Often the facts are exaggerated
as per their convenience.
Violation of rules, deception and conspiracy
evasion and diversion takes place.
No matter how wrong the victor
the party supports him.
Writing a text about the events
is something unavoidable.
This is what keeps society together.
The workings of fate continue to carry on.
When the Mahabharata war was about to start
it was called the war for righteousness.
Since the Pandavas said
that they were righteous.
The Kauravas said
that they were righteous.
Both factions thought
that the lord would fight for them.
That's why Arjuna from the Pandavas
and Duryodhana from the Kauravas
both went to lord Krishna for help.
Duryodhana arrived earlier.
Lord Krishna was sleeping then.
He sat on a pillow kept near the lord's head.
He waited for the lord to wake.
After some time Arjun arrived there.
But he sat on the seat kept at the lord's feet.
After some time, Lord Krishna woke up.
He asked Arjuna and Duryodhana
what brings you here?
Both of them replied
they had come to seek help for the Mahabharat war.
Both of them said, they were righteous
and they would stand by their ideals.
The lord said.
Listen, after the war
we will know who is righteous.
I care for both of you.
So I will fight for both sides.
My army will join one camp.
I will join the other camp, alone.
But since I will not battle against
my own army
I will not bear any weapons.
Duryodhan asked
how large is your army?
Lord Krishna replied.
My Narayani army has
21,800 elephants.
There is a chariot between each elephant.
And every chariot has
3 cavalry riders.
Every elephant has 5 soldiers.
At that time, Lord Krishna
gave Arjuna the first choice.
Duryodhan objected
and said since he came first
he should be allowed to choose first.
But lord Krishna said
he first noticed Arjuna.
That is why he gave Arjuna the chance to make the choice.
Arjuna asked for Lord Krishna sans his weapons.
He requested Krishna
that he would fight with him in battle.
Duryodhana gladly took Lord Krishna's Narayani army.
Now the Narayani army of Lord Krishna
would fight for the Kauravas in the war.
Lord Krishna reminds Duryodhana
what he did wrong.
Thousands of chariots
and an equal amount of elephants.
Thrice the number of cavalry riders.
Five times that was the infantry.
A mighty army on one side.
I was weaponless on the other.
Didn't you think to yourself?
What kind of balance was that?
You had much more warriors, materials collected
and focused on it.
The strategy of war and
planning was not done right.
"There are 3 mantras for war strategy."
"Distract, stun and deceive."
"All my ploys"
"could be resolved by Vidur."
That was the end of a chapter
of the great epic
within which reside many stories.
But this is the beginning of an attempt
to view this great epic
and re examine it from a truthful perspective.
To gauge for oneself
which side are we on?
Are we righteous?
Or are we unrighteous?
Or perhaps...
Keep watching, Mahabharata.
The end or the beginning?