After their exile was over, the Pandvas demanded that Duryodhana give their kingdom back but he simply refused. So a war between the Kauravas and the Pandavas had become necessary. Krishna requested all the kings who were friends of the Pandavas to help them. But Yudhisthira was peace loving. He wanted the dispute to be settled without any war and bloodshed. So Sanjay, the royal priest of king Drupada, Draupadi's father, was sent as a messenger to Hastinapur. Sanjay requested Dhritarashtra to tell Duryodhana to give the Pandavas their kingdom else there would be a war in which the Kauravas were sure to be defeated.

Dhritarashtra, Gandhari, and all the elders of the royal family tried to persuade Duryodhana but he would not listen to anyone.