Hundreds of years ago, on the field of Kurukshetra, the entire warrior race of North India destroyed itself in a great battle. The events that led up to this disaster are recounted in the Mahabharata. As in all ancient epics, the story is based on historical facts, embellished by myth and legend. A major battle between two princely families, related by blood, seems to have taken place round about the sixth century BCE, but the epic itself was composed some five hundred years later. The spirit of the times which the story reflects is therefore rather of this latter period. The author presents the main story in a short form as the Sons of Pandu.
