Hindu Religious Studies 67
(2) Sabha-parva:
Duryodhana hit upon a plan. He called Yudhishthira to play the dice
game. Yudhishthira lost the game. According to the terms of the
competition, the Pandavas went in exile along with their wife
Draupadi.
(3) Aranyaka-parva:
Pandavas started roaming about in different forests. Thus elapsed
twelve years. They entered the kingdom of the King Virata.
(4) Virata-parva:
The term of conditions given to the Pandavas was spending twelve
years in exile and next one year in disguise so that nobody could
discover their whereabouts. Here in the kingdom of Virata the
Pandavas spent one year in disguise.
(5) Udyoga-parva:
The Pandavas fulfilled their part of the bargain and returned to
Hastinapura with Draupadi. Duryodhana did not give them back
their kingdom. Yudhishthira requested to give at least five villages
to the five brothers. But Duryodhana said that he would not give
even an inch of the land without a fight. All the efforts of
establishing peace went in vain. Both the Pandavas and the Kauravas
were ready to fight.
(6) Vishma-parva:
There was a vast field called Kurukshmetra near Hastinapura. The
two sides were at war there. Vishma was the commander-in-chief of
the Kauravas. Arjuna was the commander-in-chief of the Pandavas.