Adi Parva — Section 1 of 2 in this original, condensed prose retelling of the eighteen-parva Mahabharata.
The epic begins by tracing the ancient Kuru lineage. King Shantanu marries Ganga, and their son Devavrata becomes known as Bhishma after taking an extraordinary vow. Satyavati later enters the royal family, and the succession grows complex. These vows and family choices establish the setting for generations of rivalry.
Read this episode in sequence with the other parvas to understand the full storyline, including its moral ambiguity and tragic consequences.