What are the strange facts of Mahabharat?

 There are n number of strange and unknown facts from Mahabharata as no one has the complete knowledge of Mahabharata written by Lord Ganesha.

My fellow quorans have already given many facts and here I’m adding few more to the list.

Vedvyas is not a name but a post given to those who had knowledge of Vedas. There were 27 Vedvyas before Krishnadweepayan. And Krishnadweepayan was the 28th Vedvyas, who was given this name because he had a wheatish skin colour like Lord Krishna and he was born on an island.

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Strange but true that there are 10 other Gitas that exist like Vyadh Gita, Ashtavakra Gita, Parashar Gita etc. Though Shri Bhagwad Gita is the pure and complete Gita which contains information by Lord Krishna.

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Vaishampayan the disciple of Vedvyas first time read Mahabharat in the House of the King Janamejay who was the grandson of Abhimanyu and son of Parikshit. Many sarpyagya was done by him to take the revenge of his father’s death.

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There are 33 main Gods according to Dharma Granthas and one of them is Ashtha Vasu who was born as Shantanu and Ganga’s son. Their 8th son was known as Bhishma.

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In Mahabharat, Vidur was the avatar of Yamraj and was a great scholar of Dharma Shatra and Artha Shastra. Due to the curse of Rishi Mandavya’s he had to be born as human.

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IMAGE CREDITS - Vidhyasri Shivasailam

Generally people know about six-sided dice. Amazing is that the dice through which Shakuni had defeated the Pandavas in the game of Checker had four sides.

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It is said that Mahabharat teaches about Dharma and many people even connect it with truth or lies but nowhere in any instance in Mahabharat truth or lies are defined. Each and every action of people in Mahabharat depends upon the situations in which they are in.

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Arjun was cursed by Urvashi an Apsara of Indralok as he was addressing her ‘mother’ and said that he would become a eunuch. On this Lord Indra told Arjun that this curse is going to serve as a boon during the one year stay in hiding and after spending that period he would regain his masculinity. And in Mahabharat after spending 12 years in forest, Pandavas spent 13th year of exile in cognito, in the court of king Virat. Arjuna used this curse and lived as eunuch named Brihannala.

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Lord Krishna reminded Arjun about his unsatisfied boon i.e when Arjun saved Duryodhan’s life when they are living in a forest and said that he would ask for it in an appropriate time. So, Arjun went to Duryodhana, and asked for five golden arrows that was chanted by the mantras of Bhishma and declared that with the help of these arrows Pandavas were killed.

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Eklavya was reincarnated as Draupadi’s twin brother Dhrishtadyumna. As he was killed by Krishna during Rukmini’s abduction. So, in place of guru dakshina Krishna blessed him that he can reincarnate and take revenge on Drona.

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Draupadi was Goddess Durga’s Avatar. Once in the late night, Bhima saw that Draupadi, as Goddess Durga, was asking for Bhima’s blood in her empty bowl, scared to death, he narrated the entire story to his mother, Kunti. Then she asked Draupadi never to hurt Bhima. Being a mortal, Draupadi had to promise her and in the act she bites her lip hesitantly. Kunti wiped off the blood from her lips with the edge of her cloth and promised her that Bhima will fill the bowl for her.

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Iravan Sacrificed Himself to Goddess Kali to Ensure the Victory of the Pandavas
Iravan (Also - Iravant, Iravat and Aravan), the son of Arjun and naga princess Uloopi sacrificed himself to goddess Kali to ensure the victory of his father and his team in the Kurukshetra war. He however, had a last wish – He wanted to marry a girl before he died. Now, getting a girl who knew her husband would die in few days was a tricky task. Which girl would ever marry a man to embrace widowhood?So, Lord Krishna took the form of a nubile Mohini, married Iravan and even wept like a widow after her husband Iravan died.

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Duryodhana approached Sahadeva to Seek Mahurat of Kurukshetra War
Sahadeva who had eaten the flesh of his father Pandu after his death could not only see past, and future but also had a great knowledge in Astrology. This is the reason why Shakuni sent Duryodhana to Sahadeva to ask the mahurat (right time) of the Mahabharat War. Sahadeva being honest had disclosed it to Duryodhan in spite knowing the fact that Duryodhan was his real enemy in the battle. Sahadeva could already see the great war coming however he could not warn his brothers because he had a curse - The moment he would reveal the future he would die and so Lord Krishna had advised him to answer questions wrt to future only in the form of questions.

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Yuyutsu, was the only Kaurava who survived after the Kurukshetra War
Yuyutsu, Dhritarashtra’s son from a vyasa dasi did not war from the side of Kauravas but from Pandavas. No, not because he was always taunted by his step brother but he just like Vibhishan was destined to follow the righteous path and so just before the war he chose the side of Pandavas. He was in fact the only surviving son of Dhritarashtra, who although was a son of dasi performed the last rites of his father. He was also the guardian of Parikshit, the grandson and future king of Hastinapur.

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BALARAMA WAS ABHIMANYU’S FATHER –IN – LAW
Abhimanyu was the son- in - law of Balarama. Abhimanyu’s wife Vatsala was the daughter of balarama.Balarama wanted that Vatsala should marry Laxman who was Duryodhana’s son . Abhimanyu and Vatsala both loved each other and wanted to get married. Abhimanyu took the help from his brother Ghatotkacha . Ghatotkacha knew magic and he by his magic tricks went to Laxman’s marrage and terrified the groom. He then took Vatsala with him and flew away and went to his brother Abhimanyu. Laxman was very upset from all this and he vowed that he will not marry throughout his life. Due this Duryodhana was full of anger (There is a famous movie in Telugu on this story).

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Still, there are many more unknown facts about Mahabharata which we will come to know when Ashwattama - the next Vedvyas of Kali Yuga compiles all the veda’s and publishes to people.

Who was Satyavati in the Mahabharata?

Satyavati was the daughter of Chediraj Vasu and she was brought up by Nishadraj. When Shantanu felt a very pleasant and strong smell in a jungle near bank of Yamuna river, he saw Satyavati and immediately fell in love. She introduced herself as Nishad Kanya and her father as Nishadraj. Shantanu went to Nishadraj and asked for her hand in marriage. Nishadraj said that he would only marry off his daughter to him if he promised that her son would inherit the throne. Even being extremely attracted and in love with Satyavati, he didn't promise him anything and returned to Hastinapur. But Shantanu became very sad and pale due to love sickness.

When Prince Devvrata (son of Ganga) asked his father about his growing sadness and grief, he lied that he only had one son and he wanted more sons for the continuation of the line otherwise he didn't wanna marry again. He said that Devvrata is equal to many sons but he still wanted more children as he saw him always indulging and practicing warship. Not convinced with this answer he first enquired his minister and then his chariot. He told him that Shantanu was lovesick for Nisharaj’s daughter but he rejected the proposal.

Then Bhishma with ministers went to Nisharaj and asked for her hand for his father. He promised Nishadraj that he would not take the throne and Satyavati’s son would be the next King. But Nisharaj wanting more assurance denied the proposal saying that Devvrat’s sons would not accept this and want their right. Then Devvrat did something really unthinkable, he took oath to never marry in his life or have any children or even indulge in any physical and intimate pleasures. He vowed to be extreme celibrate. This caused goosebumps to Nisharaj and then convinced he accepted to give Satyavati to Shantanu. Hearing this terrible oath, people started calling him Bhishma. Shantanu shocked but extremely happy gave boon to his son to not die till Bhishma himself wanted it.

Satyavati became mother of Chitrangada and Vichitravirya. She had a son named Vyas Muni with Rishi Parashar before her marriage with Shantanu.

Source: Mahabharata

Who was the choosen one in Mahabharat?

 If we go by the epic, there is no single, definitive "chosen one." Rather, there are multiple chosen ones depending on the definition and criteria being used. In my opinion, the main chosen ones are Karna, Lord Krishna, Arjuna and partly Duryodhana (he's more like a supporting character).

For example, if the criterion is whose destiny was to create dissension within the Kuru lineage and ultimately lead to the Great War, then I would argue it is Karna. I don't think Duryodhana fits this criterion, for the simple reason that it was only after Karna entered the picture to challenge Arjuna and the Pandavas that Duryodhana started actively pursuing schemes to destroy the Pandavas and remove them from the equation. Before that, he generally tolerated Bhima in public and only attempted to kill him secretly by poisoning and drowning him. He never sought a great war, nor did he even seem to think about one. Instead, he relied on petty methods such as sending the Pandavas away, attempting to kill them secretly in the Laksha Griha while making it look like an accident, or defeating them indirectly through gambling and exile. Duryodhana never intended to openly wage a great war to destroy the Pandavas.

It was Karna who repeatedly instigated war and deeper dissension. After Draupadi's svayamvara, he advised Duryodhana to immediately attack the Panchalas and the Pandavas before they could gather allies. During the Virata war, he urged the Kauravas to kill Arjuna quickly so that the remaining Pandavas would commit suicide. Throughout the epic, it is almost always Karna who instigates greater dissension between the Kauravas and the Pandavas and pushes for war. This role is repeatedly highlighted by Narada, Bhishma, Drona, and Vidura.

By the same reasoning, I don't think even Lord Krishna fits this specific criterion of creating war and dissension within the Kuru dynasty. His purpose is slightly different. His mission is to destroy evil, reduce adharma, and lighten the burden of the Earth by eliminating wicked rulers. He did not require the Kurukshetra War to accomplish that. He had already slain many evil kings and beings such as Kamsa, Narakasura, Shishupala, Putana, Bakasura, Shalva, Banasura, and many others. Jarasandha, too, was eliminated before the Kurukshetra War through Krishna's own plan. In Ghatotkacha vadha Parva, after the death of Ghatotkacha, Lord Krishna himself tells Arjuna that, if necessary, these evil rulers would have perished regardless.

Krishna also made repeated attempts to prevent the war. He negotiated for half the kingdom, then for five villages. He personally travelled to Hastinapura as a peace envoy, revealed his Vishvarupa before Duryodhana and Karna, and even suggested arresting—or, if absolutely necessary, killing—Duryodhana for the welfare of the kingdom. Every attempt at peace failed. So, Krishna is the chosen one in the sense that he was destined to destroy evil and reduce the burden of the Earth.

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In the same way, Arjuna is the chosen one in the sense that he serves as Krishna's divine instrument for eliminating that evil. He destroys or helps destroy many of the principal obstacles, including the Nivatakavachas, Kalakeyas, Bhishma (through Shikhandi), Karna, and numerous Naga warriors. Throughout the epic, Arjuna is repeatedly protected and empowered by divine intervention. Krishna protects him from Karna's Vasavi Shakti, the serpent-headed weapon, the Brahmastra, Drona's celestial weapons, Ashwatthama's Agneyastra, and, through divine grace and Lord Shiva's boon, the Narayanastra.

This is also why, after Krishna stepped down from Arjuna's chariot at the end of the war, the chariot immediately burst into flames. Later, after Krishna departed from the Earth, Arjuna could no longer effectively wield the Gandiva or even remember many of his celestial weapons. As a result, he was defeated by the Abhira robbers and failed to protect Krishna's wives.

Along with this, Arjuna was also aided by various divine beings on different occasions. During his battle against the Saindhava forces, when he was nearly killed and rendered unconscious, the Brahmarshis revived him and restored his energy. Hanuman sat upon his chariot, weakening Arjuna's enemies through his mighty roars while protecting both Arjuna and his chariot from numerous celestial weapons. Lord Shiva likewise aided him during the fourteenth and fifteenth days of the Kurukshetra War. Arjuna was repeatedly destined, protected, and empowered to accomplish the tasks ordained for him by the gods. Thus, Arjuna can indeed be regarded as the chosen one in the sense that he serves as the divine instrument through whom much of that destiny was fulfilled.

Just like Arjuna serves as Lord Krishna's divine instrument, I would consider Duryodhana to be an aid or a means through which Karna's destiny of bringing about a great war is realised. That is why it was only after Karna entered the picture that Duryodhana began openly opposing the Pandavas and actively turned against them. It was Karna who constantly fuelled their enmity, whether during the Ghosha Yatra Parva or the Virata Parva. It was only with Karna's support and encouragement that Duryodhana became willing to openly confront the Pandavas in battle.

By himself, Duryodhana often appears too insecure and politically cautious to directly wage war against the Pandavas. Instead, he preferred indirect methods such as poisoning Bhima, the Laksha Griha plot, and the game of dice. A good example is the Ghosha Yatra episode, where, after being humiliated and rescued by the very Pandavas he hated, Duryodhana was prepared to give up his life out of shame. It was Karna who, through his persuasive words, restored Duryodhana's resolve. Even after that, it was only when the demons assured him of their support and reminded him of his purpose that he regained the will to live and continue his struggle.

So, in that sense, Duryodhana can be seen more as an instrument through whom Karna—and, by extension, the demons' objective of bringing about the great conflict—fulfilled their purpose, much like Arjuna serves as Lord Krishna's and the devas' instrument in accomplishing theirs.

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There are also what could be called "mini chosen ones"—characters whose destinies are tied to accomplishing a specific purpose rather than the overarching narrative. For example, Draupadi is often described as one of the reasons behind the Great War, although I would argue that she was only one contributing factor and that the struggle for the Kuru kingdom was the primary cause. Similarly, Dhrishtadyumna was born specifically to bring about Drona's death, while Shikhandi's destiny was inseparably linked to Bhishma's fall. In the same way, many other characters in the epic were "chosen" for particular roles or destinies. Thus, rather than having one exclusive chosen one, the Mahabharata presents multiple chosen figures, each fulfilling a different divine purpose depending on the context and the criterion being considered.