The Stories of Mahabharata

King UshinaraIn this episode of the Stories of Mahabharata, Rishi Lomasha tells the Pandavas two exciting stories. In the first story, he tells the story of Rishi Chyavan who regained his youth with the help of the celestial physicians the Ashwini Kumar twins. The second story narrates the tale of King Ushinara who was willing to give his body and life to save a little dove who took his refuge.Listen to these intriguing stories by clicking the player below. Let us know how you like them. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Parashurama kills KartaviryaAccording to the Hindu scriptures, Lord Vishnu appeared on earth nine times to purge the earth of evil (his 10th appearance is yet to happen). Parashurama was the sixth incarnation. In this episode, Rishi Lomasha tells the Pandavas the story of Parashurama and how he passed his father Rishi Jamadagni's cruel test and later killed the evil King KartyaVirya who had a thousand arms. Parashurama later went on to cleanse the earth of the evil Kshatriyas for twenty-one times before retiring to his hermitage in the Mahendra Mountains.Listen to this chilling podcast episode using the player below. You may also subscribe to the episodes on your smartphone or laptop from iTunes. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Bhagirath and GangaRishi Lomapada tells Yudhistira and his entourage the tale of Bhagiratha and how he brought Ganga from the heavens to the earth and then led her to the oceans, thus forming the mighty river.He then tells them the story of Rishwasringa and how he was seduced by a clever courtesan who brought the young Rishi to the Kingdom of Anga to help bring rains to the cursed land.Listen to the episode below and don't forget to give us your feedback. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Agastya drinks the oceanAfter spending few years in the Kamyaka forest, the Pandavas embark on a grand pilgrimage to visit the various holy places around the country. and learn about their glorious legends. Rishi Lomasha volunteered to be their guide. On their first stop, they visit the Ashrama of Rishi Agastya. Lomasha tells them the stories of the strange miracles performed by Agastya.Listen to this exciting episode, and don't forget to give us your feedback. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Urvashi curses ArjunaArjuna visits the heavens to acquire more weapons from his father Indra. Apart from acquiring the skills in using the divine weapons, Arjuna also begins taking lessons in music and dance from the Gandharva Guru Chitrasena. There he meets the beautiful Apsara, Urvasi and Arjuna's resolve gets tested once again.Listen to this episode below and don't forget to provide your feedback. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kirata and Arjuna StoryYudhistira realized that to conquer the Kauravas, he needs to have powerful weapons. He sends Arjuna on a quest to acquire divine and powerful weapons from the gods. Arjuna travels far and meets Lord Shiva in a strange circumstance. The pleased lord Shiva fulfils our heroes wish.Listen to this special episode of the Vana Parva or the Forest Chapter of the Mahabharatas. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Krishna fights Salwa and his Vimana (airship) SauvanagarThe Pandavas are now in exile in the forest. One day Krishna visits the Pandavas in the forest to express his solidarity. He apologizes for not being able to attend the game of dice and stop this misfortune from befalling on the Pandavas. He then tells the Pandavs the story of how he destroyed King Salwa and his airship (Vimana) called Sauvanagar. Later, Draupadi rebukes Yudhistira for his pacifism and challenges him to fight the Kauravas and win back their Kingdom. Yudhistira tries to defend his stand, but he feels that time has come to change his course of action. Listen to this exciting episode below. Subscribe to our iTunes podcast for a seamless listening experience. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sudipta Bhawmik and Avi ZivThe other day, Avi and I sat together to chat about what goes on behind the scenes of “The Stories of Mahabharata” podcast. We talked about how Avi goes about designing the sound for the podcast. And I spoke about the development process of each episode from the writer and performers point. Our objective was to connect to our listeners and to share our process with them. We hope you like it. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Sun God and YudhistiraThe Pandavas go into exile as per the conditions of the game. The Sun god gifts Yudhistira with the magic bowl to feed his followers. Upset by Vidura's harsh comments Dhritarashtra banishes him. But he couldn't live without him either. So he calls Vidura back to the palace. Rishi Maitreya visits Hastinapura and curses Duryodhana for his arrogance.Listen to this episode which marks the beginning of the third chapter of the Mahabharata – The Vana Parva or The Forest Chapter. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Pandavas going into exileDuryodhana was not happy when Dhritarashtra returned the Pandavas their kingdom and all the wealth they had lost in the game of dice to Shakuni. So he and Shakuni came up with another plan. They invited Yudhistira back to Hastinapura and challenged him to play one last game of dice. But this time, the wager was different. It was proposed, whoever loses the game will have to go into exile in the forests for a period of twelve long years. After the twelve years of exile, they will have to stay in hiding for one more year. And in the thirteenth year, if anyone found them, they would have to go into exile for twelve more years.But will Yudhistira accept this challenge knowing well that it was impossible to beat Shakuni in the game of dice? Or would he walk out to save himself and his brothers from this impending doom?Listen to this exciting episode by clicking the link below.You can also subscribe to the podcast on your smartphone or computer from http://bhawmik.com/mahabharata. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Draupadi's InsultYudhistira bets his wife Draupadi in the game of dice and loses her to the Kauravas. Dussasana drags Draupadi to the assembly hall in front of everybody. And there, the Panchal princess is subject to the cruelest humiliation while her husbands sit still with their eyes shut and heads hung low. The Kuru elders, Bhishma, Drona, Kripa and Dhritarashtra also sit and watch the inhuman behavior of their descendants without raising a single voice of protest. Listen to this exciting episode to know what happens next.You can also subscribe to the podcast in iTunes at http://www.bhawmik.com/mahabharataDon't forget to share your comments. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Game of DiceThe greatest mistake Yudhistira made in his life was to agree to play the game of dice with Duryodhana. He knew, the game wouldn't be fair, but still he couldn't refuse. His excuses were, that he couldn't say no to his uncle Dhritarashtra, and also he would never retreat when challenged. But was that the real reason? Listen to this episode and be the judge. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ShakuniDuryodhana's envy of the Pandavas keeps consuming him. Moreover, he is humiliated by falling for the illusions of the grand palace Maya had built for them. But scheming Shakuni has a plan to rob Yudhishthira of his kingdom. Even the righteous emperor has a blind spot. Duryodhana and Shakuni work out their game plan to shred Yudhistira to pieces.Listen to this exciting episode below: Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Slaying of SishupalaSishupala, the King of Chedi, was an invited guest to King Yudhistira's Rajasuya sacrifice ceremony. He had accepted Yudhistira as his emperor. But when Yudhistira decided to offer Krishna his first worship as the most revered man present in the audience, Sishupala lost his cool. He had an old animosity with Krishna, and he lashed out at him with outrageous insults. Krishna tried to stay calm, but finally he couldn't take it anymore. He summoned his Sudarshana Chakra and severed Sishupala's head from his body in front of the assembled Kings and royalties.Listen to this exciting and dramatic episode by clicking the play button below. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Bhima Slays JarasandhaJarasandha, the mighty King of Magadha, was feared by everybody, including the almighty Lord Krishna. Jarasandha planned to offer one hundred Kings as human sacrifice to his Lord. He had captured eighty-six of them and was in the process of capturing fourteen more to complete his mission. Krishna takes Bheema and Arjuna with him to Magadha to kill Jarasandha and release the captive kings.After killing Jarasandha, the Pandava brothers begin their conquest of the land of Bharata to win the allegiance of the Kings. Soon all the Pandavas eliminate all obstacles for the Rajasuya sacrifice and begin to prepare for the great ceremony.Listen to this action filled episode by clicking the player below. Also join our facebook page for the latest updates. Subscribe to our iTunes podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Blazing Khandava ForestAgni requests Arjuna and Krishna to help him burn down the Khandava forest for the flesh and fat of the animals in the forest would cure him of his loss of appetite. Arjuna and Krishna helps him, and a great fire rages through the forest killing all creatures who lived there. Krishna and Arjuna spared Maya Asura's life, and to express his gratitude Maya builds a magnificent assembly hall for the Pandavas. Narada visits Indraprastha and advises Yudhistira to perform the Rajasuya Fire ceremony. But Krishna warns Yudishtira that he must kill the vicious king Jarasandha if he would like to succeed in his bid to become the emperor.The image is a sculpture from Banteay Srei temple, in Cambodia. Arjuna and Krishna are seen on chariots on either side; Indra is atop his elephant Airavata in the sky; Numerous arrows in mid-air counter the downpour of rain; Different birds and animals are seen scattering; Takshaka's wife and Aswasena are seen rising in the sky. Image and description taken from the jayarama.wordpress.com blog.Listen to this exciting episode by clicking the player below. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Arjuna Abducts SubhadraThis is the thirteenth episode of the stories of Mahabharata. We have progressed quite a bit, but we have a long way to go. In this episode we hear couple of fascinating stories. In the first story, Arjuna rescues the five Apsaras from their curse. And in the second story, Ajuna falls in love with Krishna's sister Subhadra, and at Krishna's suggestion, he forcefully abducts Subhadra and finally marries her. Listen to the episode and let us know how you like it. Visit our Facebook page (facebook.com/MahabharataPodcast) and join the discussion. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Arjuna and UlupiDhritarashtra offered Pandavas the land of Khandava, a barren and uninhabited piece of land, to set up their Kingdom. To everybody's surprise, Yudhishtira accepts the offer. In Khandava, the Pandavas setup their capital in Indraprastha, a grand city build by Lord Indra himself. Rishi Narada tells the Pandavas the story of Sunda and Upasunda and advises them to setup a rule among themselves regarding the companionship of Draupadi with her husbands. But Arjuna had to break the rule to avoid a crisis. And as his punishment Arjuna goes into exile for twelve long years where he encounters several other romantic adventures. Listen to this intriguing episode by clicking on the audio player below. The episode can also be heard on iTunes. And join our Facebook page to stay updated. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dhritarashtra and YudhistiraWhen the blind king Dritarashtra learned that the Pandavas have survived the fire in Varanavata and have gained a strong ally, King Drupada of Panchala by marrying his daughter Draupadi, he was in deep trouble. He had already declared Duryodhana to be the crown prince of Hastinapura. Now if the Pandavas come back to Hastinapura and demand the throne, what would he do? Listen to this exciting episode by clicking on the player below. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Draupadi's MarriageAfter passing Drupad's test, Arjuna wins Draupadi as his bride. But when the Pandavas arrive at their home, their mother Kunti asks them to do something that changes their lives for ever. Listen to this amazing episode below. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Arjuna attempts to hit the target while Krishna, Draupadi and Drupada watch.Listen to another episode of the stories of Mahabharata. In this episode, we go to the city of Kampilya in Panchala, where the Pandavas attend the Swayavara of Draupadi, King Drupada's daughter. There, Arjuna passes the most difficult test set for an archer and wins Draupadi as his bride. Listen to the podcast below. And don't forget to join our facebook page https://www.facebook.com/MahabharataPodcast.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Flaming House of VaranabataThe stories of Mahabharata continues with this eighth episode – The Flaming house of Varanabata. With the advice from Shakuni, Duryodhana comes up with a devious plan to kill the Pandavas. Dhritarashtra sends the Pandavas to Varanabata to attend a festival. But the Pandavas escape the trap set for them and flee into the forest. There Bheema encounters the demons Hidimb and Hidimbaa. Listen to this exciting episode in the podcast below.(Story told by Sudipta Bhawmik, Audio Engineering and Sound Design by Avi Ziv) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Drona takes his revenge on DrupadaThe stories of Mahabharata are not only about kings and gods and demons. It is also a tale of ethics, morality and politics. The needs and conflicts that drive each character are the same that drives us today. The great weapons teacher Drona Acharya was a Brahmin. A Brahmin was supposed to have the noblest of qualities and free of petty politics and trivialities of life. Their main purpose in life was to acquire wisdom and spread knowledge to their pupils. But Drona, had his own axe to grind. He became the royal weapons teacher of the Kuru princes with a single objective in mind. He wanted to take his revenge on Drupada, the King of Panchala, for the insult he had to tolerate in Drupada's court. We also learn how the Kaurava brothers start planning for their next step to eliminate their arch rivals, the Pandavas. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kunti and KarnaIn this episode of the stories from Mahabharata, Drona arranges for a grand show where his students, the Kuru princes demonstrate their prowess with arms. Arjuna dazzles the audience by his prowess with a variety of arms and weapons. But suddenly Karna enters the arena and the story takes a dranstic turn which none could have expected. Listen to this episode on the player below, or by subscribing to this podcast on iTunes. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Drona tests his studentsIn this episode, Guru Dronacharya arrives in Hastinapura and awes the Kuru princes with his skills. Bhishma retains him as the royal arms and weapons trainer for the Pandava and Kaurava brothers. Arjuna excels in archery. Ekalavya, a tribal boy, comes to Drona to learn from him. Drona refuses to accept him as a student. But Ekalavya masters the art of archery by practicing in front of a statue of Dronacharya for which he had to pay the ultimate guru dakshina.Listen to the podcast below or subscribe in iTunes store (free.)  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Young Bheema fight with the NagasThe stories of Mahabharata continues. The conflict between the Pandava brothers and the Kaurava brothers began at an early age. In this episode we learn of the first attempt by the Kaurava brothers, primarily Duryodhona and Duhsashana, to eliminate their arch rival Bheema. The story gives us a glimpse of the extent to which the Kauravas could go to achieve their goals. Enjoy and do not forget to give your feedback.(Note: You can also subscribe to this series (for free) as podcast on iTunes store or any other podcast aggregator. Just search for Mahabharata and Bhawmik.) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Pandu Hunts the Deer Couple.The stories of Mahabharata continues. In this episode we learn about the birth of the Kuru princes, the Pandavas and the Kauravas. We also learn about the tragic death of King Pandu caused by a curse from the dying sage Kindama.Audio engineering and sound design by Avi Ziv. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Bhishma abducts Amba, Ambika and AmbalikaAfter a long hiatus, we bring to you the fully produced version of the episode 2 of the Stories of Mahabharata Series – Amba's Plight. In this episode, he learn how Bhisma abducts the three princesses of Kashi, Amba, Ambika and Ambalika by force and brings them to Hastinapur to get them married to his brother Vichitravirya. Amba declines to marry Vichitravirya. Vichitravirya marries Ambika and Ambalika but dies without leaving an heir. Satyavati then invokes the practice of Niyoga and asks Vyasa to give the Kuru dynasty an heir. Listen to this crucial and exciting episode and share your thoughts with us. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ganga, Devabrata and ShantanuThe first episode of the Stories of Mahabharata podcast series has been missing for a long time. The episode was not added because it did not have the production quality that we have been striving for. After a long break, we finally found some time to rerecord this episode and mix the vocal track with sound effects and music to make it at par with the rest of the episodes. We hope you like it.This episode tells the story of the beginnings of the great saga told by Rishi Vyasa and written by lord Ganesha. The story begins with the narrative of King Shantanu's marriage with Ganga and the birth of Devabrata. Later we learn how prince Devabrata becomes the great Bhishma because of his “Bhisham” or profound vow – a vow which kickstarts the story of the Mahabharata and the destiny of the Kuru dynasty. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.