After the Pandava completed their 13 years of exile, Yudhishthira wants peace and asks Krishna to be their envoy of peace and try to ask for peace with the Kauravas. Krishna too believes that they should be given one more chance to redeem themselves and that war should be avoided at all costs as many innocent people would be killed. He strongly advocated for peace himself. When Draupadi and Sahadeva disagree, he says that if the Kauravas refuse his offer for peace, war is inevitable.
Krishna first meets Kunti and Vidura, and then goes as a messenger to Dhritarashtra's court. He urges Dhritarashta to dispense dharma to the Pandavas by giving them half of the kingdom. Duryodhana disagrees and Krishna instead asks for only 5 villages, saying that the Pandavas will accept even 5 villages as an alternative to war. Duryodhana being Duryodhana tries to arrest Krishna, believing that without Krishna the Pandavas would lose. But Krishna shows his Viraatroop, stuns everyone present and leaves the place. Thus, despite Krishna's efforts, the war could not be stopped as the Kauravas were unwilling to share the kingdom with the Pandavas.
