After 12 years in the forest and one year incognito, the Pandavas send Krishna as messenger to Hastinapura to demand their country back. Before setting off on his embassy, Krishna consults the Pandavas and Draupadi on what he should say.

When Krishna enters the assembly of the Kauravas, he is met with a deafening silence. This is followed by a fierce argument between Duryodhana and Krishna. It highlights, in exquisite Tamil, Krishna’s war-inducing peace initiative, which ends in Duryodhana slapping his hand on that of Krishna as a declaration of war.