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Kurukshetra (literally "Region of the Kurus"), also known as Dharmakshetra (the "Region of Dharma"), [10] was the battleground on which the Kurukshetra War was fought. [11] The first Mahābhārata says that this site was chosen because a sin committed on land was forgiven because of the land's sanctity.
The Kurukshetra War of the Mahabharata is believed to have taken place here. Thaneswar, whose urban area is merged with Kurukshetra, is a pilgrimage site with many locations attributed to Mahabharata. [4] In the Vedas, Kurukshetra is described not as a city but as a region ("kshetra" means "region" in Sanskrit).
This refusal led to the inevitability of the Kurukshetra War. Bhima played a significant role in the events leading up to the war and was a key combatant throughout the eighteen days of conflict, which are documented in four books of the Mahabharata-Bhisma Parva, Drona Parva, Karna Parva and Shalya Parva.
Hindu teachings prescribe war as the final option, to be employed only after all peaceful methods are exhausted. [1] Participation in righteous war, or dharmayuddha, was said to be honourable and was a principal duty of the Kshatriya or the warrior varna, and victory in such wars was regarded as a matter of honour. [2]
Karna suggests the Kauravas and Hastinapura to fight on the land of Kurukshetra.. The Parva begins with a meeting of two sides where the rules of war are agreed upon. Rishi Veda Vyasa, the grandfather to both Kauravas and Pandavas, offers the gift of sight to King Dhritarashtra – who is blind – so he can foresee the tragedy about to unfold.
Bhishma also mediated numerous conflicts within the royal family. Despite his personal allegiance to dharma, Bhishma's loyalty to the throne bound him to side with the Kauravas during the Kurukshetra War. In battle, Bhishma was unmatched in skill and strategy, holding off the Pandava forces for ten days.
After this there was a war with King Dasharna in which the king was defeated. Shortly thereafter Bhagadatta cut off the hands of Kshatredeva. Bhima's army charioteer Vishoka fell down after being hit by Bhagadatta's arrows and fell unconscious. [11] On the twelfth day of the Kurukshetra war, Duryodhana sent a large army of elephants against ...
Witzel notes this battle to be the probable archetype/prototype of the Kurukshetra War, narrated in the Mahabharata. [14] John Brockington takes a similar approach. [15] S. S. N. Murthy goes to the extent of proposing the battle as the very "nucleus" of the Kurukshetra War; Walter Ruben adopts a similar stance.