Devavrata is introduced, an important character; is also called Bhisma, son of King Shantanu and the goddess Ganga. He is a human being but possesses the powers of the eight gods known as Vasus. Satyavati is reintroduced. She is the new love interest of King Shantanu after his first wife Ganga had left him. The story also describes how King Shantanu's son, Ganga, got his nickname Brishma. It means terrible oath. It is because Devavrata takes a terrible oath so that King Shantanu can marry Satyavati.
Brishma takes the three daughters of Kashi to be brides of Shantanu and Satyavati. Brishma brings back three women to be the wives of Vichitravirya, but only two will become brides of his. Amba, the third woman, has a story of her own and will return later. Although having two wives, he could not have any children as he dies.
Pandu gets sons, even with a curse on him, and eventually dies. Dhritarashtra is introduces, as well as his sons. The dominant theme is set: Duryodhana, his oldest son, and the rivalry between the Pandavas and Kauravas, led by Duryodhana.
Kunti is described to raise the five sons of Pandu alone. She eventually brings them to Dhritarashtra, a blind king, and gives them a home and raises the sons.
Duryodhana is described to hate his cousins and attempts to kill Bhima, the second of Pandu's sons, and the strongest. Bhima goes down into the underworld king of the might serpents, nagas, and becomes supernaturally strong.
Drona is introduced, who is the guru to the young Pandavas and to the Kauravas, their cousins. The Pandavas are great students of Drona, and this makes Duryodhana, King Dhritarashtra's eldest son, jealous.
Ekalavya, an aboriginal boy wanting to be Drona's pupil is introduced. With Pandavas and Kauravas trained as warriors, they display their skills in a tournament. Bhrima engages in a mock fight with Duryodhana and it becomes very serious. Arjuna is also introduced as having the greatest skills of all the princes. As it seems he may win, Karna appears, the son of Kunti and the sun god, born when she was but a girl before marrying King Pandu. He was abandoned as a baby and was raised by a low-caste charioteer. Neither he nor Arjuna realize that they are brothers, son of Kunti.
After the princes have completed Drona's training, he demands the guru Dakshina a payment. He wants the boys to bring about his revenge against King Drupada, his childhood friend who had treated him so badly.
Pandava becomes more successful, and Duryodhana becomes more jealous. He decides he will get rid of Pandavas and Kunti once and for all.
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