Ancient Indian Historical Tradition c29.292

c29.292

The young Pāṇḍavas then contended with Duryodhana and the other sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra for their share of the Kaurava territory and received the small principality of Indraprastha (Delhi). Being ambitious they had to reckon with Jarāsandha, and Bhīma and Arjuna with Kṛṣṇa’s help killed him, their common enemy.² They were banished for fourteen years, as the penalty of losing at dice, and at the end of that time re-claimed their principality, but Duryodhana refused all terms, and they appealed to arms. They were aided by the Matsyas, Cedis, Kārūṣas, Kāśis, South Pāñcālas, Western Māgadhas and the Western Yādavas from Gujarat and Surāṣṭra; and on Duryodhana’s side were all the Panjab nations, and all the other kingdoms of Northern India and the north of the Dekhan. The contest began rather as an armed demonstration,³ but soon developed into deadly earnest, and ended in the victory of the Pāṇḍavas, with the slaughter of nearly all the kings and princes who took part in it.⁴ It was the famous Bhārata battle. Yudhiṣṭhira became king of the Kurus⁵ and reigned at Hastināpura.