The WORST episodes of Mahabharat
Every episode of Mahabharat ever, ranked from worst to best by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The worst episodes of Mahabharat!
Mahabharat is a successful Indian television series based on the ancient Indian epic Mahabharata. The 94-episode series originally ran from 1988 to 1990. It was produced by B. R. Chopra and directed by his son, Ravi Chopra.
#1 - Agyatvas in Matsya desh
Season 1 - Episode 56 - Aired 10/22/1989
The Pandavas live incognito and serve King Virat. Yudhishthir becomes a courtier named Kanak. Bheem becomes a cook. Nakul and Sahadev look after cattle and horses. Arjun becomes a eunuch named Brihannala and Draupadi becomes Sairandhir, the handmaiden to the Queen Sudeshna of Virat.
#2 - Karna’s curse, Sairandhri rejects Keechak
Season 1 - Episode 57 - Aired 10/29/1989
Karna has assumed the guise of a Brahmin and has become a disciple of Parshuram. Parshuram observes Karna’s resistance to pain and realizes that he is a Kshatriya. In anger, he curses Karna. In Virat, Queen Sudeshna’s brother Keechak professes his love for Draupadi.
#3 - Arjun gets curse of impotency from Urvashi
Season 1 - Episode 54 - Aired 10/8/1989
In Indralok, Lord Indra limits Urvashi’s curse on Arjun to one year during which he becomes an eunuch. In Dwaraka, Sri Krishna trains his nephew Abhimanyu in the martial arts. In Hastinapur, Bheeshma, Drona and Vidur worry about the future of their Kingdom, while Duryodhan’s stepbrother, Yuyutsu, foresees the destruction of the Kurus. Arjun returns from Indralok armed with divine weapons. He accompanies Bheem while they rescue Draupadi from Jayadrath, Duryodhan’s brother-in-law.
#4 - Krishna’s story of one grain of rice
Season 1 - Episode 53 - Aired 10/1/1989
Rishi Durvasa and his followers arrive in the forest to visit the Pandavas. He requests food for himself and his followers and Draupadi is worried for her cooking vessel is empty. Draupadi prays to Lord Krishna and he asks her for something to eat. Draupadi shows him her empty vessel but Krishna, the Soul of the Universe, sees one grain of rice in the vessel, and eats it with pleasure. Durvasa and his followers immediately feel that their hunger has been satisfied. In Indralok, Lord Indra advises Arjun to learn to dance and music from Chitrasen to help him during his 13th year when incognito. Arjun continues to obtain divine weapons and Apsara Urvashi falls in love with him. When Arjun does not reciprocate her love, Apsara Urvashi curses him with impotence.
#5 - Arjun gets Devdatta Conch and Gandiv and Bhim gets his Gada
Season 1 - Episode 41 - Aired 7/9/1989
Arjun and Subhadra arrive at Dwarika and are formally married. Arjun later returns to Indraprastha with Subhadra. Draupadi welcomes Subhadra. Yudhishthir seeks Sri Krishna’s advice on performing the Rajsuya Yagna. Krishna approves but explains that Jarasandh, who has imprisoned 86 Kings, would be a constant challenge to Yudhishthir’s Royal Supremacy. Arjun, Bheem, and Sri Krishna eventually go to Magadh and challenge Jarasandh for a combat. Jarasandh chooses to fight with Bheem.
#6 - Story of poisoned water and Yaksha
Season 1 - Episode 55 - Aired 10/15/1989
Jayadrath, Duryodhan’s brother-in-law, does penance for kidnapping Draupadi and is rewarded by Lord Shiva. In the forest, the Pandavas plan their 13th year of exile to live incognito and to work in another Kingdom. Nakul tries to fetch water form the lake but is told not to use the water by an invisible voice. He ignores the warning, drinks the water and falls down dead. His brothers meet the same fate except for Yudhishtir who realizes the voice belongs to Yaksha. The Yaksha asks him questions and Yudhishtir answers them correctly. The Yaksha reveals himself as Lord Yama and grants back the lives of all the dead brothers.
#7 - Vanvas Begins
Season 1 - Episode 50 - Aired 9/10/1989
The departure of the Pandavas upset Bheeshama, Vidur, Drona and the other elders of the Royal House of Kurus. Vidur advises Dhritarashtra to summon them back. Dhritarashtra rebukes Vidur, so Vidur leaves. After spending thirteen days in the forest, Bheem, Arjun, Nakul and Sahadev are ready to wage a war against Hastinapur. Yudhishthir refuses to wage war and decides to spend the full thirteen years in exile as his punishment for being reckless in gambling
#8 - Arjun runs away with Subhadra
Season 1 - Episode 40 - Aired 7/2/1989
The Pandavas were happy in Indraprastha. To avoid rivalry amongst themselves, they had come to a decision to have Draupati divide her time equally between the five brothers. When she was alone with one of them and if any other brother should intrude on their privacy, he must go on a pilgrimage to do penance. Once while helping a Brahim, Arjun had to violate the rule and had to go on a pilgrimage. Arjun visited Naglok and Manlur, and there he married Ullipi and Chitrangandha. Duryodhan asks Balram for his sister Subhadra’s hand in marriage and Balram promises to plead his case with his parents. Meanwhile, Arjun reaches Dwarika and he feel in love with Subhadra. And, Subhadra reciprocates his love. Before any decision can be made, Krishna helps Arjun to elope with Subhadra. Balram is furious and wants to send his army to capture Arjun, but Krishna convinces him that Subhadra had gone with Arjun on her own accord.
#9 - Krishna defeats Jarasandh and orders building Dwarika
Season 1 - Episode 26 - Aired 3/26/1989
After finishing his education at Sandeepani Gurukul Shri Krishna returns to Mathura. Krishna advises Ugrasen, the king of Mathura, to shift his capital from Mathura to Dwarika. The Heir Apparent to the throne of Hastinapur is to be chosen and Duryodhan is staking his claim while Drona, Vidur and the people of Hastinapur favour Yudhisthir. Bheeshma remains silent as he is bound by his vow to serve the throne which is with Dhritarashtra
#10 - (Krishna Katha) Kalia Vadh
Season 1 - Episode 14 - Aired 1/1/1989
Krishna's divine sports make him the darling of his friends. To everyone's amazement he killed Kalia the Serpent King who lived in the river Yamuna, while retrieving the ball of his friend Sridham from the bottom of the river.
#11 - (Krishna Katha) Kans and The Prophecy
Season 1 - Episode 10 - Aired 12/4/1988
In Mathura, King Kans dethrones his father and takes over the Kingdom. He arranges his sister Devki's marriage with his influential friend Vasudev. But when a Sage predicts that her eighth son will be responsible for Kans' death, he imprisons Devki and Vasudev.
#12 - Introduction of Kuru Family, Raja Bharat and Raja Shantanu
Season 1 - Episode 1 - Aired 10/2/1988
It is an introduction of King Bharata, founder of Bharata race of lunar dynasty. He sows the seed of democratic thinking. Later is story of his successor King Shantanu.
#13 - Arjun vows to kill Jayadrath
Season 1 - Episode 83 - Aired 4/29/1990
Arjun kills Susarama the Trigatha Chief and returns to the Pandava camp. He learns about Abhimanyu’s death and discovers that Jayadhrath was the main cause of his son’s death. Arjun vows to kill Jayadhrath before sunset the next day.
#14 - Shikhandi’s Story
Season 1 - Episode 70 - Aired 1/28/1990
Shikhandi, who was Amba in the previous life, is anxious for the Kurukshetra war because he wants to fight with Bheeshma. Bheeshma had insulted Amba by refusing to marry her after he had abducted her. Amba had sworn to take revenge on Bheeshma, so she was reborn as Shikhandi, the elder brother of Draupadi. The opportunity for Amba’s revenge has come.
#15 - Sanjay gets divya drishti, Ulluk goes to Pandavs
Season 1 - Episode 68 - Aired 1/14/1990
Yudhishtir holds a meeting and Drishtadyum, Drawplate’s brother, is appointed Supreme Commander of the Pandora army. Drupad, Shikhandi, Bheem and the other prominent warriors take command of the various divisions. The stage is set for the Kurukshetra war. Vyas visits Dhritarashtra and offers to bestow divine eyesight unto him but Dhritarashtra is reluctant to see the destruction of his sons. Vyas grants divine eyesight to Sanjay, Dhritarashtra’s charioteer.
#16 - Kaurav attack Matsya desh
Season 1 - Episode 59 - Aired 11/12/1989
The news of Keechak’s death reaches Duryodhan. He suspects that Bheem is responsible and decides to invade Virat. King Susarma of Trigarta also invades Virat. He captures Virat, but Bheem attacks and Virat emerges victorious. Duryodhan then attacks from another front. Prince Uttar tries to retreat after seeing the Kaurav army but Brihannala (Arjun) stops him. Brihannala reveals his weapons and his identity, then blows his conch.
#17 - Arjun worships Indra and Shiva for Divyastra and gets Pashupatastra
Season 1 - Episode 52 - Aired 9/24/1989
After hearing about the Pandavas exile, Krishna goes to visit them. He advises the Pandavas to prepare for war and tells Arjun unwillingly to do penance to obtain divine weapons. Arjun does penance and eventually pleases Lord Shiva. Lord Shiva bestows him with the divine Pasupata weapon and advises him to obtain other weapons in Indralok. Rishi Durvasa visits Hastinapur. In an attempt to humiliate the Pandavas, Duryodhan requests that the sage visit that Pandavas as well. Rishi Durvasa promises to do so.
#18 - Gandharvas Catch Duryodhan
Season 1 - Episode 51 - Aired 9/17/1989
Rishi Vyas rebukes Dhritarashtra for exiling the Pandavas. He predicts the extinction of the Kauravs after 14 years due to Duryodhan’s misdeeds. Duryodhan and his men leave for Dwaitavan to witness the distress of the Pandavas. Duryodhan tries to flirt with a Gandharv girl and is captured by the enraged Gandharvas. Duryodhan’s bodyguard approaches the Pandavas for help and Bheem and Arjun unwillingly rescue their cousin.
#19 - Jarasandh Vadh, Rajsuya Yagnya begins, Shishupal's Story
Season 1 - Episode 42 - Aired 7/16/1989
Bheem and Jarasandh are so equally matched in strength that they fight for nearly fourteen days without rest. When Jarasandh finally shows signs of exhaustion, Krishna prompts Bheem to bring an end to him. After Jarasandh had been destroyed, Jarasandh’s son was crowned King of Magadh.
#20 - Pandav arrive at Hastinapur and the kingdom is divided
Season 1 - Episode 37 - Aired 6/11/1989
The Pandavas and Draupadi return to Hastinapur. Dhritrashtra conceals his disappointment and orders everyone to welcome them. Determined to establish peace between the Kauravas and the Pandavas, Bheeshma suggests giving half the kingdom to Yudhishthir. Dhritrashtra agrees to his suggestion. Krishna and Balram, also give their consent and it is decided that Yudhishthir’s coronation as King of Khandavprastha be held in Hastinapur.
#21 - (Krishna Katha) Six Infanticides and Birth of Balram and Krishna
Season 1 - Episode 11 - Aired 12/11/1988
Kans personally kills Devki's first six children born in the prison. Devki's seventh "pregnancy" is taken over by Vasudev's second wife who gives birth to Balram. And when the eighth child, Krishna is born, miraculously the prison doors open and Vasudev is able to smuggle out the child and leave him in Gokul with his friend Nand.
#22 - Kauravas and Pandavas' Education
Season 1 - Episode 19 - Aired 2/5/1989
Vyas takes Satyavati, Ambika and Ambalika to Tapovan (forest). Before leaving, Satyavati tells Dhritarashtra to look after the Pandava children. The Kaurava and the Pandava children grow up together. They are educated under Kripacharya. Shakuni instigates Duryodhan against the Pandavas and rivalry develops between the Kauravas and Pandavas.
#23 - Dhritarashtra Tries to Kill Bhim
Season 1 - Episode 93 - Aired 7/8/1990
Duryodhan commands Ashwathama, the new commander-in-chief, to kill the Pandavas. Ashwathama, Kripacharya and Krit Verma arrive at the Pandava camp in the middle of the night as Dhristdyumna and Draupadi's five sons are sleeping. They kill all the sleeping warriors and set fir to the camp. Believing that they have killed the Pandavas, they return to Duryodhan and discover that he has died. They light Duryodhan's pyre, and go to save Vyas's Ashram. The Pandavas find Ashwathama with Sage Vyas and take their revenge.
#24 - (Krishna Katha) Goverdhan, Maharass, and The Invitation
Season 1 - Episode 16 - Aired 1/15/1989
Kans tries to subdue Krishna. He commands two demons to destroy Nandgaon. However, Krishna and Balram, annihilate the evil demons. The episode also covers two major portions of divine sports - one, saving of Nandgaon by lifting the Goverdhan Mountain and the other, "Maharass" in which Shri Krishna creates the illusion among the dancing Gopis, each one of whom thinks that he is dancing with her and her alone. Meanwhile, Kans tricks Vasudev's friend Akrur into inviting to Mathura with the intention of killing him.
#25 - Hidimb vadh and Bhims marriage
Season 1 - Episode 32 - Aired 5/7/1989
After escaping from the tragedy, the Pandavas arrive in a forest and take rest.