A crestfallen Yudhiṣthira (Yudhishthira) had asked the great sage Vyāsa (Vyasa) to explain to him the enigma that is death after Arjuna’s son Abhimanyu was killed in the chakravyūha (chakravyuha). Vyāsa, while talking about death, alluded to the tale of Akampana, a king from ancient times. Akampana was a king during the Satya era (Satyayuga). Once under the attack of enemies, his mighty son Hari fought greatly. However, in the end, Hari could not pull through; he was killed in battle. Devastated by Hari’s death, King Akampana went on to perform his son’s last rites but all happiness was lost to him from then on. Every moment reminded him of his late son and drowned him in daily despondence. Seeing his state of abject sorrow, the divine sage Nārada (Narada) appeared before him. Akampana asked Nārada about the inception of the mystery of death. Nārada related to him in detail the origins of death. Later on, during the Śāntiparva (Shantiparba), when Yudhiṣthira wanted to know from Bhīṣma (Bhisma), lying on the bed of arrows, the mystery behind death, Bhīṣma described in great detail the dialogue between Mṛtyu (Mrityu) and Prajāpati (Prajapati) as chronicled by Nārada, and in relation, also mentioned the account of King Akampana from Satyayuga.