Summary of The Mahabharata

The Mahabharata is an ancient Indian epic poem composed by the sage Vyasa. It tells the story of two branches of the Kuru family — the Pandavas and the Kauravas —in their struggle for power and control over the kingdom of Hastinapura. The narrative focuses mainly on the Pandava’s quest to reclaim their kingdom, the Kurukshetra War. The poem also serves as a spiritual guide, with lessons about morality, ethics, and spirituality, while introducing a variety of important characters and Hindu beliefs. The poem comprises more than 74,000 verses which are organized into eighteen books. It is one of the longest and most important epics of Indian culture and was likely composed between 300 BCE and 300 CE.