How food didn't go waste in each day of the Mahabharata war ?

The king of Udipi, being remained neutral in the Mahabharata war, served as a caterer to all the soldiers of both Pandavas and Kauravas. He cooked food daily for the remaining soldiers who survived in the war. It was uncertain for all how many soldiers would survive in the war. But, the king beautifully managed to cook food for the remaining soldiers, where the food didn't go waste. Its very strange. After the battle, someone asked Udipi, "How did you know, how many soldiers will remain alive?" To this question, the king Udipi said, "At the end of the war, daily at night, I used to go Krishna's tent. Krishna loves to eat boiled groundnuts in the night so I peel them and keep them in a bowl. Then Krishna eats few of them. After that, I count how many peanuts he had eaten. For eg., if Krishna eat 10 peanuts then I know that tomorrow 10,000 peoples will be dead, and so on. So the next day when I cook lunch, I cook for 10,000 people less. Every day I count these peanuts and cook accordingly, and it turns out right ".

Vyuhas formation in Mahabharata war

The vyuhas formed in the Mahabharata war :

1. Krauncha vyuha (Heron formation)
2. Makara vyuha (Crocodile formation)
3. Kurma vyuha (Tortoise or Turtle formation)
4. Trishula vyuha (Trident formation)
5. Chakra vyuha (Wheel or Discus formation)
6. Kamala vyuha or Padma vyuha (Lotus formation)
7. Garud vyuha (Eagle formation)
8. Oormi vyuha (Ocean formation)
9. Mandala vyuha (Galaxy formation)
10. Vajra vyuha (Diamond or Thunderbolt formation)
11. Shakata vyuha (Box or Cart formation)
12. Asura vyuha (Demon formation)
13. Deva vyuha (Divine formation)
14. Soochi vyuha (Needle formation)
15. Sringataka vyuha (Horned formation)
16. Chandrakala vyuha (Crescent or Curved Blade formation)
17. Mala vyuha (Garland formation)

Each side used the different Vyuhas during the 18 day battle

1st Day:

Kauravas – Bheesma – “सर्वतोमुखी दण्डव्‍यूह”(“Sarvatomukhi Dand Vyuha”)

Pandavas – Arjuna -“वज्र व्यूह”(“Vajra Vyuha”)

2nd Day :

Kauravas- Bheesma -“गरुड़-व्यूह” (“Garuda Vyuha”)

Pandavas- Dhristyadhumna -“क्रौंच व्यूह” (“Krounch Vyuha”)

3rd Day

Kauravas – Bheesma – “गरुड़-व्यूह”(“Garuda Vyuha”)

Pandavas – Arjuna – “अर्धचन्द्र व्यूह” (“Ardhchandra Vyuha”)

4th Day

Kauravas – Bheeshma – “मंडल व्यूह” (“Mandal Vayuha”)

Pandavas – Arjuna – “श्रीन्गातका व्यूह” (“Sringataka Vyuha”)

5th Day

Kauravas – Bheeshma – “मकर व्यूह” (“Makar Vyuha)

Pandavas – Arjuna – “श्येन व्यूह”(“Shyen Vyuha”)

6th Day

Kauravas – Bheeshma – “क्रौंच व्यूह” (“Krounch Vyuha”)

Pandavas – Dhrishtdyumna – “मकर व्यूह” (“Makar Vyuha”)

7th Day

Kauravas – Bheeshma – “मंडल व्यूह” (“Mandal Vyuha”)

Pandavas – Arjuna – “वज्र व्यूह” (“Vajra Vyuha”)

8th Day

Kauravas – Bheeshma – “कुर्मा व्यूह” (“Kurma Vayuha”)

Pandavas – Arjuna – “त्रिशूल व्यूह” (“Trishul Vayuha”)

9th Day

Kauravas – Bheeshma- “सर्वतोभद्र व्यूह” (“Sarvatobhadra Vyuha”)

Pandavas – Arjuna – “नक्षत्र मण्डल व्यूह” (“Nakshtra Mandal Vyuha”)

10th Day:

Kauravas – Bheeshma – “असुर व्यूह” (“Asur Vayuha”)

Pandavas – Arjuna- “देव व्यूह” (“Dev Vayuha”)

11th Day:

Kauravas – Drona – “शकट व्यूह” (“Shakat Vyuha”)

Pandavas – Arjuna – “क्रौंच व्यूह”( “Krounch Vyuha”)

12th Day:

Kauravas – Drona – “गरुड़ व्यूह” (“Garuda Vyuha”)

Pandavas – Arjuna – “अर्धचन्द्र व्यूह” (“Ardhchandra Vayuha”)

13th Day:

Kauravas – Drona – “चक्र व्यूह” (“Chakra Vyuha”)

Pandavas – Abhimanyu – No Vyuha was formed on this day because Abhimanyu was the only warrior that entered Enemy’s formation while rest of the army was held back on gate 1.

14th Day:

Kauravas – Drona – “चक्रशकट व्यूह”, (“Chakrashatak Vayuha)

Pandavas – Arjuna – “खड्ग सर्प व्यूह” (“Khaddag Sarp Vyuha”)

15th Day:

Kauravas – Drona – “पद्म व्यूह”(“Padma Vyuha”)

Pandavas – Arjuna – “वज्र व्यूह” (“Vajra Vyuha”)

16th Day:

Kauravas – Karna – “मकर व्यूह” (“Makar Vyuha”)

Pandavas – Arjuna – “अर्धचन्द्र व्यूह”(“Ardhchandra Vyuha”)

17th Day:

Kauravas – Karna- “सूर्य व्यूह” (“Surya Vyuha”)

Pandavas – Arjuna – “महिष व्यूह” (“Mahish Vyuha”)

18th Day:

Kauravas – Shalya – “सर्वतोभद्रव्यूह”(“Sarvatobhadra Vyuha”)

Pandavas – Arjuna – “क्रौंच व्यूह”( “Krounch Vyuha”)

Draupadi had 5 husbands - why?

Boon of Lord Shiva 

In her previous birth, Draupadi was a daughter of an ascetic. She was unhappy because she wasn't getting married. Frustrated by this, she started a hard penance to please Lord Shiva. After many years of penance, Lord Shiva was pleased with her and appeared to grant a boon. She asked for a husband with five qualities.


The Qualities 

Draupadi asked for five qualities in her husband. The first that he should be a moral man. Second, he should be valiant. Third he should be good looking. Fourth, he should be knowledgebale and fifth that he should be kind and loving.


Five men 

Lord Shiva thought for a while and then he said that all these five qualities could not exist in one person. Therefore he blessed Draupadi with the boon that in her next birth, she would have five husbands who would possess all the five qualities, individually. Hence, when she was born as Draupadi to king Drupad, she was pre - destined to get married to the five brothers.

"KARNA" - the greatest warrior as danveer

Karna was a great danveer. Below are some facts which made Karna the great danveer.

1. Kavach and Kundal

       Before the Kurukshetra war, the king of Gods, Devraj Indra, disguise as a brahmin, came to Karna at the early morning when he was praying to Sun god. Indra knew that Karna would not leave anyone free of hands at morning after his prayer. 

   After completion of his prayer, Karna saw a brahmin in front of him begging for some thing. He immediately recognize the brahmin as Indra,because his father Lord Sun has informed him about Indra. Karna then ask the brahmin to beg for anything . Indra ( still as brahmin ) asked for his kavach and kundal, which was given to Karna at the time of his birth by Sun, to protect him.

Karna then happily donated his Kavach and Kundal to Indra and told him to come in his real form. 

  Indra then surprised at his danveerness and gave him a shakti (Vasavi shakti) astra, which could be used only once.

2. Give life to her 4 sons to Kunti

             In the same way one day Kunti too came to Karna and asked for her son's life. Karna, then promised her that in the war  he would never kill her 4 sons except Arjuna. He also tells that if he kills Arjuna then Kunti will have 5 sons, or if Arjuna kills him, still she has 5 sons. No matter what would the result, Kunti will always be remembered as the mother of 5 sons.

3. The Golden teeth

    Karna had a golden teeth in his mouth. After Arjun stuck karna with the Anjali astra,he was lying in the bed of death. Krishna tells Arjuna, that Karna was not a danveer only, he was a maha danveer. Arjuna did not believe it. So, Krishna told Arjuna that he would show him. Saying that, disguised as a brahmin, Krishna went near to Karna and asked him to give his golden teeth. Without any hesitation Karna took a stone and broke his teeth, which is covered by blood, and gave it to Krishna. Krishna (still as brahmin) told that he would not take the teeth covered with blood. Karna then took his Dhanush and released an arrow which made rain the war. He then washed these teeth and gave it to Krishna. Krishna then retured to his original form and blessed Karna.

Story of "Barbaric"

Part 1 :  How Barbaric born ?

Two demons "Narak" and "Mura" were threatening the earth and even the swarglog. Being frightened Indra went to Dwarka and meet Lord Krishna and told him about these two demons and also told that Narak has stolen Dev mata Aditi's Kundal. He requested Krishna to finish these two demons and give earth and swarglog freedom. Krishna accepted his request and with his wife Satyabhama. who was a warrior, he attacked these two asuras riding on his divine Garurdhaj rath along with many armies.
There were massive fights between Mura, Narak and Satyabhama Krishna. At the end Krishna kills Narak and snatched the kundal. He also give freedom to 16100 ladies, whom Narak had captured. He accepted these 16100 ladies as his wife but there was no physical relation among them with Krishna.

Seeing Narak's death, Mura becomes more furious and fights more brutally than previous. Here is a twist that Mura has boon, which was given by Devi Kamakhya to his daughter "Kamkantakha", that she will save him.
But the justice says that no boon remains lasts for anyone if he does adharma. For Mura, it behaves same. The boon does not saved him, and Krishna kills Mura. That's why Krishna's another name is "Murari".
Hearing her father's death, Kamkantakha went to the battle field and started fighting. After long battle, lastly Krishna takes his Sudarshan chakra to kill her. At that time Kamakhya Devi appeared and told Kamkantakha about the personality of Lord Krishna. She also told Kamkantakha that her wish(to get a brave husband)can only be true in the hands of Lord Krishna. 
Kamkantakha than realizes her mistake and bow down to Krishna. krishna give her blessings and Married her to Ghatotkach (the son of Bhima and Hidimba)
then after few years Ghatotkach and Kamkantakha gave birth to a child, who had become famous with "BARBARIC".

Part 2: How Barbaric sacrifices his life?

Barbaric had expressed his desire to watch the war of Mahabharata to his mother. His mother agreed to let him go watch it, but asked him before leaving as to which side he would join if he felt the urge to take part in the war. Barbaric promised his mother that he would join the side that was weaker. Saying this he set up on the journey to visit the battlefield.

Krishna, having heard of Barbaric and wanting to examine Barbaric's strength, disguised himself as a brahmin and came in front of Barbaric. Krishna asked him about how many days would it take to finish the war if he were to fight it alone. Barbaric replied it would take him only 1 minute to finish the battle if he was to fight it alone. Krishna was surprised at this answer of Barbaric considering the fact that Barbaric was walking towards the battlefield with just 3 arrows and a bow. To this Barbaric explained the power of the 3 arrows.

The first arrow was supposed to mark all the objects that Barbaric wanted to be destroyed.
The second arrow was supposed to mark all the objects that Barbaric wanted to be saved.
The third arrow was supposed to destroy all the objects marked by the first arrow.

And at the end of this all the arrows would come return to the quiver. Krishna eager to test this out asked Barbaric to tie all the leaves of the tree that he was standing under. As Barbaric started meditating to perform the task, Krishna took one leaf from the tree and placed it under his foot without Barbaric's knowledge. When Barbaric releases the first arrow, the arrow marks all the leaves from the tree and eventually starts revolving around Lord Krishna's feet. Krishna asks Barbaric as to why the arrow is doing this. To this Barbaric replies that there must be a leaf under your feet and asks Krishna to lift his leg. As soon as Krishna lifts his leg, the arrow goes ahead and marks the remaining leaf too. 

This incident scares Lord Krishna about the phenomenal power of Barbaric. He concludes that the arrows are truly infallible. Krishna also realizes that in the real battlefield in case Krishna wants to isolate someone (for eg the 5 Pandavas) from Barbaric's attack, then he would not be able to do so, since even without the knowledge of Barbaric, the arrow would go ahead and destroy the target if Barbaric intended so.

To this Krishna asks Barbaric about which side he was planning to fight for in the war of Mahabharata. Barbaric explains that since the Kaurava Army is bigger than the Pandava Army and because of the condition he had agreed to with his mother, he would fight for the Pandavas. But to this Lord Krishna explains the paradox of the condition he had agreed with his mother. Krishna explains that since he was the greatest warrior on the battlefield, which ever side he joins would make the other side weaker. So eventually he would end up oscillating between the two sides and destroy everyone except himself. Thus Krishna reveals the actual consequence of the word that he had given to his mother. Thus Krishna(still disguised as a Brahmin) asks for Barbaric's head in charity to avoid his involvement in the war.

After this Krishna explains that it was necessary to sacrifice the head of the greatest Kshatriya in order to worship the battlefield and that he regarded Barbaric as the greatest Kshatriya of that time.

Before actually giving his head, Barbaric expresses his desire to view the forthcoming battle. To this Krishna agreed to place Barbaric's head on top of the mountain that overlooked the battlefield. 

At the end of the war, the Pandavas argued among themselves about whose was the greatest contribution to their victory. To this Krishna suggests that Barbaric's head should be allowed to judge this since it has watched the entire war. Barbaric's head suggests it was Krishna alone who was responsible for the victory in the war. His advice, his strategy and his presence was crucial in the victory.

Barbaric has given another name by Krishna : "KHATU SHYAM"