Kurukshetra

**Kurukshetra — A Game of Strategy, Choice, and Consequence

Kurukshetra is a strategic deck-building battle game inspired by the timeless wisdom of the Mahabharata. In this game, players begin with humble resources and, through a series of thoughtful choices, build powerful decks of warriors, weapons, and sacred chants. Victory is achieved by reducing your opponent’s 20 Life Points to zero, but the path to victory is shaped by foresight, restraint, and timing rather than brute force alone.

Each player starts with a small deck of basic cards—farmhands and sevaks—that represent limited means and early potential. As the game unfolds, players acquire stronger cards from a shared Center Row, which functions as a dynamic marketplace and battlefield. Every card purchased, defeated, or banished alters the future composition of a player’s deck, making Kurukshetra a game where long-term planning matters as much as immediate action.

The heart of Kurukshetra lies in its meaningful card types. Farmhands and Sevaks form the economic backbone of the game, allowing players to generate resources and take early actions. Warriors are the primary agents of combat, each bringing unique abilities such as flanking attacks, stealth, or temporary power boosts. Weapons and equipment (Astras) remain in play across turns, offering persistent advantages and forcing opponents to respond strategically. Chants (Mantras) provide powerful one-time effects that can dramatically shift momentum, but must be used with care, as they are removed from the game after use.

Every turn presents a strategic dilemma: Should you strengthen your deck for future turns, control the Center Row to deny your opponent opportunities, or strike directly at your opponent’s life points? As decks are repeatedly reshuffled, inefficient cards become liabilities, while well-chosen combinations shine. Players who learn when to let go—by banishing weaker cards—gain clarity, efficiency, and momentum.

Inspired by the Bhagavad Gita’s teachings on action, consequence, and balance, Kurukshetra transforms the battlefield into a living metaphor. Success does not come from hoarding power, but from wise action, sacrifice, and adaptability. With fast turns, evolving strategies, and deep replayability, Kurukshetra is both an engaging strategy game and a reflective experience—where every reshuffle tells the story of the choices you made.

DESIGN & DEVELOPMENT Rathi Raja, Eric Guadara, Madhu Allu & Sudha Anand

LEAD PLAY TESTERS Maanuv Allu, Aayush Bagul, Diya Shah, Suchir Misra

PLAY TESTERS Abhi Allu, Mansi Vohra, Vijay Anand, Japesh Shah, Yash Patel, Vishy Madhavan, Khushi Shah, Rajat Shah, Aarya Agarwal, Tulsi Kantu

ARTWORK Nupur Apte

RULE BOOKLET & EDITING Rathi Raja & Madhu Allu

FLAVOR TEXT Mansi Vohra, Haarika Reddy, Sandhya Ganesan, Ashwin Venkataramani, Niranjan Senthilkumar, Lavanya Reddy

For information contact: gamesforseva@gmail.com

Games for Seva is an initiative of Young Indian Culture Group, Inc. to develop resources and tools to enrich the learning process. It is a unique collaboration between teachers, youth and parents to reveal the depths of Vedic Heritage through game development and team work. The products are meant to entertain, educate and enlighten. Our dream is that all development is done in the spirit of Seva for a greater good. Check us out on FB here. Continue the exploration by clicking here.