Pandavas lost their kindgom in the game of dice and were sent for or condemned to 12 years of exile into forests and a 13th year to be spent incognito (meaning -- in disguise), and if the cover be blown during the 13th year, another cycle of 13 years would ensue.
They spent the 13th year masquerading as peasants in the service of the royal family of Virata, the king of Matsya. Upon completion of the terms of the last bet, the Pandavas returned and demanded that their kingdom be rightfully returned to them. Duryodhana refused to yield Indraprastha.
For the sake of peace and to avert a disastrous war, ShriKrishna proposed that if Hastinapura agrees to give the Pandavas only five villages, they would be satisfied and would make no more demands.
Duryodhana vehemently refused, commenting that he would not part even with land as much as the point of a needle. Thus the stage was set for the great war, for which the epic of Mahabharata is known most of all.
Both the Pandavas and Kauravas prepare for the war and make allies to get ready and win this great battle.
The war was intense and lasted 18 days, over the course of which both parties worked around, bent and even broke rules of warfare. At the end, all 100 Kaurava brothers and their entire army was slain, with only four surviving on their side. The Pandavas too lost several allies but the five brothers survived. After having won the war Yudhishthira was crowned the king.
They spent the 13th year masquerading as peasants in the service of the royal family of Virata, the king of Matsya. Upon completion of the terms of the last bet, the Pandavas returned and demanded that their kingdom be rightfully returned to them. Duryodhana refused to yield Indraprastha.
For the sake of peace and to avert a disastrous war, ShriKrishna proposed that if Hastinapura agrees to give the Pandavas only five villages, they would be satisfied and would make no more demands.
Duryodhana vehemently refused, commenting that he would not part even with land as much as the point of a needle. Thus the stage was set for the great war, for which the epic of Mahabharata is known most of all.
Both the Pandavas and Kauravas prepare for the war and make allies to get ready and win this great battle.
The war was intense and lasted 18 days, over the course of which both parties worked around, bent and even broke rules of warfare. At the end, all 100 Kaurava brothers and their entire army was slain, with only four surviving on their side. The Pandavas too lost several allies but the five brothers survived. After having won the war Yudhishthira was crowned the king.