Mahabharata is the world's longest epic poem. In this complete 3-volume hardbound set, the epic is narrated in its full glory over more than1300 pages. Volume 1: The Kuru Princes of Hastinapura Veda Vyasa's epic on the Bharata race was first recited in public by his disciple Vaishampayana at the behest of the ageless seer Vyasa himself. The recital took place in the august presence of king Janamejaya, a great-grandson of Vyasa, and the many learned sages who had assembled for Janamejaya's Sarpa Satra (a twelve-year-long Yajna). This volume describes the lineage of the Kuru princes. When Pandu, the father of the Pandavas, dies in the forest, his wife kunti returns to hastinapura with the five boys. The great Dronacharya trains the kuru princes in the art of war. The feats of strength preformed by Bheema, and Arjuna's skill at wielding the bow awake jealousy in the minds of Duryodhana and the other kuru princes. Duryodhana plots the exile of the Pandavas to the city of Varanavata. Acting on the coded warning given by Vidura, the Pandavas manage to escape from the burning house of shellac. They live in the guise of mendicants at Ekachakrapura. Later they proceed to Panchala to aatend the Swayamvara of Draupadi. Arjuna, the skilful archer, wins Draupadi's hand. In order to obey their mother's words, all the five brothers are married with due ceremony to Draupadi. The Pandavas are recalled to Hastinapura and are given half the Kingdom.