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Ascension of Dharma : A Mythic Retelling of the Mahabharata

Bharatastrika
7
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Synopsis
This is a legendary retelling inspired by the ancient epic Mahabharata, weaving familiar characters and timeless conflicts with original plots and a mystical cultivation world. In the ancient kingdom of Hastinapura, where brotherhood and betrayal walk hand in hand, a saga of divine power and mortal destiny unfolds. Born of the same royal bloodline, the Pandavas and Kauravas are bound as brothers — yet destined to stand as mortal enemies, their fates intertwined by honor, ambition, and the relentless pursuit of dharma. At the heart of this tempest is Devavrata, the Unyielding Guardian, whose terrible vow to protect the throne shapes the destiny of a generation. Alongside him stands Drona, the immortal master of arms, whose unmatched cultivation and martial prowess make him both revered and feared. Karna, the tragic warrior of unmatched skill and unwavering loyalty, whose birth and fate cast long shadows over the battlefield. Draupadi, the fiery queen whose dignity and resilience ignite the fires of war and justice. Krishna, the divine incarnation and strategist, whose counsel weaves fate’s threads and guides heroes through the storm of destiny. And Shakuni, the cunning uncle whose dark schemes fan the flames of rivalry, betrayal, and chaos. As kingdoms fracture and loyalties shatter, the drums of the great Kurukshetra War grow louder — a war that will test the limits of brotherhood, honor, and sacrifice. Divine avatars walk the earth, heroes rise and fall, and the battlefield becomes the crucible where the very essence of dharma is forged and broken. Through epic battles, soul-shattering vows, and the eternal clash of light and shadow, this legend reveals a timeless truth: that even the strongest bonds can be broken, the greatest powers wielded for destruction, and the harshest lessons learned only through sacrifice and loss. Will the brothers find redemption, or will their war break the world forever?
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Chapter 1 - A Pause in the River

If you are reading this, it means the river has briefly gone quiet.

Not ended. Not forgotten. Only paused.

This story began as a shared journey—one chapter at a time, shaped by patience, discussion, and the slow unfolding of a world that asks its readers to walk rather than run. Many of you have followed Ascension of Dharma from its earliest steps, and for that, I owe you honesty.

The chapters of Volume I have been temporarily removed from this platform because the volume has now been published in its complete and revised form as an official book. This decision was not made lightly, nor was it made to turn away from the readers who supported this story when it lived here first.

It was made because the path of publishing sometimes demands stillness before the next ascent.

To release the book properly, and to ensure it can reach new readers without fragmentation, the first volume must exist in one place for a time. This is a requirement of the publishing path I have chosen—not a judgment on this platform, and certainly not on the readers who gave this story its first breath.

Nothing has been abandoned.

Volume II will continue here. The story does not end with the closing of one book. The river flows onward, and the path ahead is longer, deeper, and more demanding than what has already passed.

If you have walked with this story from the beginning, know this: your presence mattered. It still does. The foundation of what comes next was shaped here.

This pause is not a severing. It is a breath taken before the next step.

Thank you for your patience. Thank you for your trust. And thank you for walking the river with me.

— The Author