Neev :
 Welcome back to Mythical Masala. I’m Neev.
And today… before the war begins — we’re doing something very important.

Co-host:
 Let me guess. Stretching? Hydration? Emotional preparation?

Neev 
 Even more important.
 We’re figuring out who’s actually in this story.

Co-host:
 Ahhh yes. Because this isn’t just “good guys versus bad guys.”

Neev:
 Nope.
 This is cousins versus cousins.
 Teachers versus students.
 Uncles fighting nephews.
 Friends standing on opposite sides of the battlefield.

Co-host:
 So… a very awkward family reunion.

Neev:
 With bows. And chariots. And absolutely no small talk.

Neev:
 By the time the Kurukshetra war begins, there are hundreds of warriors.
 Kings. Princes. Generals. Allies.
 And if you don’t know who’s related to whom — and why they chose the side they did — the war makes zero sense.

Co-host:
 So today is basically…
 “Mahabharata: Who’s Who.”

Neev:
 Exactly.
 Who’s on Team Pandava.
 Who’s on Team Kaurava.
 Who’s related by blood.
 Who’s related by marriage.
 And who’s about to make choices that will change everything.

Neev:
 Long before there was a battlefield called Kurukshetra…
 long before armies chose sides…
 there was a king walking beside a river.

Co-host:
 Let me guess. This does not end peacefully.

Neev:
 It starts beautifully.
 King Shantanu of the Kuru dynasty fell in love with the river goddess Ganga.
 She was mysterious. Powerful. And she had one condition — he must never question her actions.

Co-host:
 That already sounds like a dangerous promise.

Neev:
 It was.
 They had a son — Bhishma.
 But when Shantanu finally broke his promise, Ganga disappeared back into the river… leaving Bhishma behind.

Neev:
 Later, Shantanu married again.
 This time, to Satyavati — the daughter of a fisherman, who would change the future of the entire kingdom.

Co-host:
 Ah. The plot thickens.

Neev:
 Satyavati’s sons were meant to rule… but they died young.
 And suddenly, the Kuru throne had no clear future.

Co-host:
 Which is never good news in a royal family.

Neev:
 To save the lineage, Satyavati called upon her son — the sage Vyasa.
 Through ancient customs, he became the father of the next generation of princes.

Neev:
 From this came two brothers.

Co-host:
 Here we go.

Neev:
 Dhritarashtra — born blind.
 And Pandu — cursed, unable to have children the ordinary way.

Co-host:
 So… even before the war, fate was already interfering.

Neev:
 Exactly.
 And towering over all of this was Bhishma — the warrior who had sworn never to take the throne, never to marry… but to protect the kingdom no matter what.

Co-host:
 So he gives up everything… and ends up responsible for everything.

Neev:
 Yes.
 And that one vow — made generations earlier — meant Bhishma would one day stand on the battlefield… watching his own family tear itself apart.

Neev:
from these vows and curses — would come two branches of the same tree.

Co-host:
 One that would become the Pandavas.

Neev:
 And one that would become the Kauravas.

Neev:
 And once those branches split…
 there was no way to bring them back together.

Neev:
 To understand how this family divided, we have to meet the two brothers at the center of it all.

Co-host:
 The blind king…
 and the cursed king.

Neev:
 When it came time to choose a king, the throne passed to the elder brother.

That brother was Dhritarashtra.

Co-host:
 The one who was born blind.

Neev:
 Yes. Wise. Experienced. But unable to see.
 And because of that, many believed he could never truly rule on his own.

Co-host:
 Which meant… someone else was always standing just behind him.

Neev:
 Exactly.
 Dhritarashtra married Gandhari, a princess who chose to blindfold herself for life — so she would share her husband’s darkness.

Co-host:
 That’s devotion on another level.

Neev:
 Together, they had one hundred sons — the Kauravas.
 Their eldest was Duryodhana.

Co-host:
 And if this were a school, he’d be the kid who really wants to be class president.

Neev:
 And does not take losing well.

Neev:
 Now Pandu — the younger brother — ruled for a time as well.
 But his life followed a very different path.

Co-host:
 Right. The curse.

Neev:
 Pandu married Kunti and Madri.
 Because of the curse, his children were born through blessings from the gods.

Co-host:
 Which explains why these kids feel a little… extra.

Neev:
 From Kunti came Yudhishthira, son of Yama, the god of justice.
 Bhima, son of Vayu, the wind god.
 And Arjuna, son of Indra, king of the gods.

Co-host:
 Justice. Strength. Skill.
 That’s quite a lineup.

Neev:
 From Madri came the twins — Nakul and Sahadev — born from the Ashwini gods.

Co-host:
 Fast. Smart. And usually forgotten in group projects.

Neev:
 Unfortunately true.

Neev:
 When Pandu died, the Pandavas were still children.
 They returned to the Kuru kingdom — and grew up alongside their cousins, the Kauravas.

Co-host:
 Same palace. Same teachers. Same family dinners.

Neev:
 But very different treatment.

Co-host:
 Let me guess — favoritism?

Neev:
 Fear.
 Dhritarashtra loved all his sons — but he feared the Pandavas would one day take the throne.

Co-host:
 And fear has a way of making people… choose sides early.

Neev:
 Exactly.
 By the time the boys grew into warriors, the lines were already drawn.

Neev (grounded, narrative):
 When people say “Team Pandava,” they’re not just talking about five brothers.

They’re talking about a web of relationships — built through blood, marriage, loyalty…
 and belief.

Co-host:
 So not just who’s strong — but who shows up.

Neev:
 Exactly.

At the center were the five brothers.

Yudhishthira — the eldest.
 Calm. Thoughtful. Known for never lying.

Co-host:
 Which sounds great… until real life gets messy.

Neev:
 Bhima — powerful, fearless, and fiercely protective of his family.

Co-host:
 The one you definitely want on your side in a food fight. Or a war.

Neev:
 And Arjuna — the master archer.
 Focused. Disciplined. Chosen by Krishna himself.

Neev:
 The younger twins — Nakul and Sahadev — were quieter, but sharp.
 One unmatched in skill and beauty.
 The other? known for wisdom and foresight.

Co-host:
 So basically — the full skill tree is unlocked.

Neev:
 But the Pandavas didn’t stand alone.

Neev:
 There was Draupadi — their wife, and the princess of Panchala.

Co-host:
 Which means… marriage alliance.

Neev:
 Exactly.
 Her father, King Drupada, became one of their strongest supporters.
 And her brother, Dhrishtadyumna, was born for one purpose — to lead an army against their enemies.

Co-host:
 That’s… a very specific birth goal.

Neev:
 Panchala didn’t just support the Pandavas.
 They were invested in their victory.

Neev:
 Then there was the next generation.

Co-host:
 Already?

Neev:
 Already.
 Abhimanyu — Arjuna’s son.
 Young. Brilliant. Brave beyond his years.

Co-host (concerned):
 That combo never ends calmly.

Neev:
 He married Uttara, princess of Matsya.
 Another alliance. Another reason this war reached beyond one family.

Co-host:
 So every marriage tightened the knot.

Neev:
 Yes.
 And then…there was someone very different.

Neev:
 Ghatotkacha — Bhima’s son.
 Born to a rakshasi mother.
 Fierce. Magical. And loyal to the Pandavas.

Co-host:
 Okay, that’s one we’re definitely coming back to.

Neev:
 Very much so.

Neev:
 Kings, warriors, sons, allies — many chose the Pandavas not just for power…
 but because they believed the Pandavas were fighting for what was rightfully theirs.

Co-host:
 Justice has a way of attracting people.

Neev:
 It does.
 But belief alone doesn’t win wars.

Neev:
 On the other side of the battlefield stood the Kauravas.

Led by Duryodhana — eldest of a hundred brothers, and the prince who believed the kingdom was his by right.

Co-host:
 Not borrowed. Not shared. His.

Neev:
 Exactly.
 Duryodhana wasn’t short on confidence. Or ambition.

Co-host:  And he was surrounded by people who would never abandon him. Dushasana is younger brother and more.

Neev:
 At his side stood Karna.

Co-host:
 The friend who never left.

Neev:
 Karna owed everything to Duryodhana — respect, status, and a place in the royal court.
 In return, Karna gave him absolute loyalty.

Co-host:
 Even when it cost him everything else.

Neev:
 Especially then.

Neev:
 Behind the scenes was Shakuni — Gandhari’s brother.
 Sharp-minded. Strategic. Always thinking three moves ahead.

Co-host:
 So… the person who never plays fair.

Neev:
 And always knows how to tilt the board.

Neev:
 But what made the Kaurava army truly dangerous were its elders and teachers.

Co-host:
 The ones who taught both sides.

Neev:
 Bhishma — the great-grandfather of the Kurus.
 Bound by his vow to protect the throne, no matter who sat on it.

Co-host:
 Even if it meant fighting the people he loved.

Neev:
 Dronacharya — the master teacher of warfare.
 Trainer of princes. Keeper of tradition.

Co-host:
 Homework… but with arrows.

Neev:
 And Kripa — calm, wise, and unwavering in duty.

Neev:
 These were not villains.
 They were men trapped by loyalty, promises, and a lifetime of service.

Co-host:
 Which somehow makes it worse.

Neev:
 Then there were the allies who joined through marriage and obligation.

Co-host:
 Ah. Family ties strike again.

Neev:
 Jayadratha, king of Sindhu.
 Married into the Kaurava family.
 Bound by that bond — and by pride.

Co-host:
 Another relationship that will matter later.

Neev:
 Very much later.

Neev:
 And finally — Ashwatthama.
 Son of Dronacharya.

Co-host (soft):
 The next generation.

Neev:
 Brilliant. Intense.
 Carrying his father’s expectations — and something far more dangerous.

Co-host:
 He plays a big role in the way. But let’s not say more right now. 

Neev:
 The Kaurava side was disciplined.
 Heavily armed.
 Led by warriors with decades of experience.

Co-host:
 So this wasn’t arrogance versus goodness.

Neev:
 No.
 It was power versus power.

Neev:
 And yet… one figure stood apart from both sides.

Co-host:
 The one who could have tipped the balance either way.

Neev:
 Krishna.

Neev (calm, reflective):
 And then… there was Krishna.

Co-host:
 The one person everyone wanted on their side.

Neev:
 Before the war began, both Arjuna and Duryodhana came to Krishna with the same question.

Co-host:
 “Will you fight for us?”

Neev:
 Krishna gave them a choice.

One side could have his entire army.
 The other could have him — unarmed, sworn not to fight.

Co-host:
 So power… or guidance.

Neev:
 Duryodhana chose the army.
 Arjuna chose Krishna.

Neev:
 Krishna stood with the Pandavas — emotionally, morally.
 But strategically, he remained neutral.

Co-host:
 He wouldn’t raise a weapon.

Neev:
 But he would shape every decision that followed.

Neev:
 Not everyone chose a side so loudly.

Co-host:
 Some people mattered because they refused to fight.

Neev:
 Like Vidura — born into the Kuru family, raised in the palace,
 and brave enough to speak the truth when no one else would.

Co-host:
 The voice of conscience in a room full of excuses.

Neev:
 He didn’t command armies.
 But he understood the cost of war better than most.

Neev:
 There were others too — kings and warriors pulled in by alliances, promises, or family ties.

Co-host:
 Not everyone had a clean choice.

Neev:
 King Shalya of Madra — tied by blood and obligation.
 Balarama — Krishna’s own brother, choosing distance over sides.
 And many other kings — each bringing their banners, their soldiers, their histories.

Co-host:
 All stepping onto the same field.

Neev:
 Some came for loyalty.
 Some for power.
 Some because they believed they had no other option.

Co-host:
 And some because walking away felt impossible.

Neev:
 That’s where we’re going to pause today.

You now know who’s who in the Mahabharata —
 who’s connected by blood,
 who’s tied by marriage,
 and who chose which side when the war became unavoidable.

Co-host:
 Which means… no more “Wait, who was that again?” moments.

Neev:
 Exactly.
 From here on, every name matters.

Co-host:
 Because the next time we meet…

Neev (serious, steady):
 The Kurukshetra war begins.

The conches will sound.
 The chariots will roll onto the battlefield.
 And the first arrows will fly.

Co-host:
 And nothing can be taken back.

Neev:
 Thanks for listening to Mythical Masala.
If you want, pause and think —
who would you stand with… if everyone you loved was on the field?

Co-host:
 That’s a tough one.

Neev:
 We’ll see you next time…
 when the war finally begins.