HERE ARE THE TOP 20 SHOCKING FACTS ABOUT MAHABHARATA:
1. *DRAUPADI'S POLYGAMOUS MARRIAGE*: DRAUPADI WAS MARRIED TO ALL FIVE PANDAVAS IN A UNIQUE ARRANGEMENT THAT WAS BOTH A BLISS AND A CURSE FOR HER.
2. *KARNA'S TRUE IDENTITY*: KARNA, ONE OF THE GREATEST WARRIORS, WAS THE SON OF KUNTI AND SURYA, BORN BEFORE HER MARRIAGE TO PANDU.
3. *BHISHMA'S VOW OF CELIBACY*: BHISHMA TOOK A VOW OF LIFELONG CELIBACY TO ALLOW HIS FATHER, SHANTANU, TO MARRY SATYAVATI, ENSURING THE THRONE'S FUTURE.
4. *DHRYTARASHTRA'S BLINDNESS*: DHRYTARASHTRA, THE ELDER SON OF VICHITRAVIRYA, WAS BORN BLIND, WHICH LED TO HIS BROTHER PANDU BECOMING THE KING.
5. *KUNTI'S BOON*: KUNTI HAD RECEIVED A BOON FROM THE SAGE DURVASHA THAT ALLOWED HER TO SUMMON ANY GOD AND CONCEIVE A CHILD WITH THEM.
6. *DRAUPADI'S CHEER HARAN*: DRAUPADI WAS ATTEMPTED TO BE DISROBED IN THE KURU SABHA BY DUSHASANA, BUT LORD KRISHNA INTERVENED TO SAVE HER HONOR.
7. *KARNA'S KAVACH AND KUNDAL*: KARNA WAS BORN WITH NATURAL ARMOR (KAVACH) AND EARINGS (KUNDAL) THAT MADE HIM VIRTUALLY INDESTRUCTIBLE.
8. *ABHIMANYU'S BRAVERY*: ABHIMANYU, THE SON OF ARJUNA, WAS ONLY 16 YEARS OLD WHEN HE ENTERED THE CHAKRA VYUHA AND SHOWED EXTRAORDINARY BRAVERY.
9. *DURYODHANA'S JEALOUSY*: DURYODHANA'S JEALOUSY TOWARDS THE PANDAVAS WAS ROOTED IN HIS INSECURITY AND INABILITY TO TOLERATE THEIR VIRTUES AND POPULARITY.
10. *GANDHARI'S CURSE*: GANDHARI CURSED LORD KRISHNA THAT HIS DWARAKA WOULD ALSO BE DESTROYED LIKE THE KURUS, WHICH LATER CAME TRUE.
11. *BHISHMA'S DEATH*: BHISHMA LAY ON A BED OF ARROWS FOR 58 DAYS AFTER THE WAR, WAITING FOR THE AUSPICIOUS TIME TO LEAVE HIS BODY.
12. *KUNTI'S SECRET REVEALED*: KUNTI REVEALED KARNA'S TRUE IDENTITY TO HIM ON THE EVE OF THE WAR, BUT KARNA REMAINED LOYAL TO DURYODHANA.
13. *DRAUPADI'S SWAYAMVAR*: ARJUNA WON DRAUPADI'S HAND IN MARRIAGE BY HITTING THE FISH'S EYE WITH HIS ARROW IN A CHALLENGING TEST.
14. *PANDAVAS' EXILE*: THE PANDAVAS SPENT 13 YEARS IN EXILE, WITH THE LAST YEAR SPENT IN DISGUISE IN THE KINGDOM OF VIRAT.
15. *KICHAKA'S DEATH*: BHIMA KILLED KICHAKA, THE COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF OF MATSYA'S ARMY, FOR HIS ILL-TREATMENT OF DRAUPADI.
16. *DHRISTADYUMNA'S BIRTH*: DHRISTADYUMNA, THE COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF OF THE PANDAVA ARMY, WAS BORN FROM FIRE TO AVENGE DRONACHARYA.
17. *KARNA VS. ARJUNA*: THE BATTLE BETWEEN KARNA AND ARJUNA WAS ONE OF THE MOST EPIC CONFRONTATIONS IN THE MAHABHARATA, ENDING IN KARNA'S DEATH.
18. *DURYODHANA'S DEATH*: DURYODHANA WAS KILLED BY BHIMA IN A MACE DUEL, WHERE BHIMA STRUCK HIM BELOW THE WAIST, A MOVE THAT WAS CONSIDERED UNFAIR.
19. *ASHWATTHAMA'S CURSE*: ASHWATTHAMA, THE SON OF DRONACHARYA, WAS CURSED BY LORD KRISHNA TO ROAM THE EARTH FOREVER FOR KILLING THE PANDAVAS' CHILDREN IN THEIR SLEEP.
20. *THE END OF THE YADAVAS*: THE MAHABHARATA ALSO DESCRIBES THE DOWNFALL OF THE YADAVA DYNASTY
