The book starts with the gathering clouds of war under which various peace missions try to stop a confrontation but fail. The war between the Kauravas and the Pandavas rages for eighteen days, but it does not end with the defeat of Duryodhana. - There is a violent assault on the Panchala camp on the night of the eighteenth day. The Chronicles of Kurukshetra describes the actions and the behind-the-scenes activities on and off the field during these days. The fourty-four tables, the twenty-eight apercus, and the ten episodic interludes enhance the materials in the text.