Historic Figures of Ancient India
Encyclopedia
This article tries to compile and classify the prominent personalities of ancient India that find mention in more than one source of Sanskrit
/Vedic
literature like the two Hindu Ithihasas viz the Mahabharata
and the Ramayana
, the Puranas
and the Vedas
with their supplement texts. It also tries to clear the ambiguities arising from the names like Rama
and Krishna
.
system of time reckoning, which was popular in ancient India. This system takes into account the precession of Vernal Equinox, which result in the relative movement of this astronomical-point against the background of stars in the sky. This movement is very slow, and takes many millennia of astronomical observation, to be noticeable. Ancient Indians aptly took this frame of reference of time, whenever they mention any event, to be remembered. Thus these references are found in Mahabharata
and Puranas
, while they mention historical events like the Kurukshetra War
.
-Vedic
literature. The second Yuga was Treta Yuga and the third Dwapara Yuga. These two Yugas were contemporary to the ancient historians, in the sense that, they explained events of those epochs as if it were happening during their own time. This is how the epic Ramayana
describes the reign of Rama
and the epic Mahabharata
describes the Kurukshetra War
. The last Yuga is Kali Yuga which is the period after the Kurukshetra War
. No other Yugas were mentioned, because after this age, those ancient historians became extinct, and that ancient psyche no longer exists, except in modern day Hindu
traditions, in a transformed state.
The extremities are those in which the four Yugas have to shrink into a short time span of 1500 BCE to 500 CE based on the much rejected Indic studies of Max Müller
, and those modern studies based on the astronomical, geographical and linguistic evidence, in which it spans from 10000 BCE to 500 CE. See Kingdoms of ancient India
.
is all about this Rama. The word Ramayana means Rama's travels in Sanskrit
. He was a Kshatriya king, in the Ikshwaku
clan, in the lineage of a famous king Raghu
, and hence called by the name Raghava Rama.
See the Main Article for this topic:- Raghava Rama
. He was the brother of Krishna, the great political leader during the period of Kurukshetra War
.
He was also known as Valarama, Sankarshana and as the Son of Rohini and brother of Lord Krishna
See the Main Article for this topic:- Bala Rama
.
See the Main Article for this topic:- Krishna Dwaipayana Vyasa
, during the Kurukshetra War
, a great political leader, with divine and ascetic dimensions.
See the Main Article for this topic:- Vasudeva Krishna
.
See the Main Article for this topic:- Princess Krishna
was younger brother of the Pandava King Yudhisthira
. He was also known by the names Bhimasena, Vrikodara etc. He was an expert in mace fight and a rival to the Kuru King Duryodhana
in mace fight. In Kurukshetra War
Bhima killed Duryodhana in mace fight. Both were disciples of Bala Rama.
was Bhima, the king of Vidarbha Kingdom
. He was the father of Damayanti
, a popular princess and the wife of king Nala
of Nishadha Kingdom
.
was the second brother of the Pandava King Yudhisthira
. He was also known by several names, like Phalguna, Dhanunjaya, Partha, Vijaya, Kiriti, Indrajit, Savyasachi etc. He was a great friend of Vasudeva Krishna, to whom he expounded the famous philosophy known as the Bhagavat Gita, during the Kurukshetra War
. Arjuna was the greatest hero of the Kurukshetra War
.
. He was the first victim of Bhargava Rama, who destroyed the Kshatriya
kings of ancient India. He was the king of Haiheyas, who almost got the status of an emperor. He was a devotee of Dattatreya
, now worshipped as a deity, especially in Maharastra state of India. However, the encounter with the Bhargavas headed by Parasurama (Bhargava Rama) lead to Kartavirya's decline.
, was a Pandava
and one among the twin sons of Pandu
's second wife Madri
. He was well versed in the Science of Horses. He authored a book on horse-training and horse-medicines.
. They have taken part in the Kurukshetra War
.
, was a Pandava
and one among the twin sons of Pandu
's second wife Madri
. He was a great warrior skilled in the use of sword. He also mastered the science of Astronomy and Astrology.
, Jarasandha
had a son by the name of Sahadeva. After Jarasandha's death by the hands of the Pandava Bhima
, Vasudeva Krishna installed Sahadeva on the throne of Magadha. He took part in the Kurukshetra War
siding with Duryodhana
.
in Mahabharata
is the grand-grandson of Arjuna
. The epic Mahabharata
is structured as a narration of the history of the Bharatas (the kings of the Bharata Dyasty), told by Vaisampayana
, a disciple of Krishna Dwaipayana Vyasa to this Janamejaya
. He was the last popular king in the line of the Kuru Kings. His lineage extends from Arjuna
as follows:- Arjuna
-> Abhimanyu
-> Parikshit II -> Janamejaya
IV.
of kings. They were designated as Janamejaya I, Janamejaya II and Janamejaya III.
(Samvarana -> Kuru -> Janamejaya II)
Janamejaya III -> Dhritarashtra I -> ? -> Pratipa -> Santanu -> Vichitravirya -> (Dhritarashtra
II, Pandu
II ) -> (Kauravas, Pandavas)
, by Bhishma
in his narration to Yudhisthira
. Bhishma describes the conversation between this Janamejaya and a sage named Indrota the son of Sunaka on the subject of expiation from sins. Indrota also assisted a horse sacrifice performed by this king. This narration extends into three chapters (Mbh 12.149, 12.150, 12.151).
, within the narration of Bhishma
to Yudhisthira
.
Mbh 12.233:- King Janamejaya, by giving away his own body, proceeded to high regions of felicity.
mentions to his son Duryodhana
about a Janamejaya who conquered many kingdoms in three days. Mbh.12.123.
.
Eklavya
, in his list of kings to be summoned to aid Pandavas in Kurukshetra War
mentioned about a Janamejaya.
Mbh.5.4
to Yudhisthira
's son Durmukha.
next slew the steeds of that Pancala warrior. Karna
then pierced Shikhandi with a dozen keen shafts, and Uttamauja with half a dozen, and Yudhamanyu with three, and then each of the other two, viz., Somaka Janamejaya and Dhrishtadyumna with three shafts.
, as a king of Nepa
, who caused the destruction of his own race.
Mbh.7.74
. He was mentioned by Narada
to Yudisthira.
is the grandson of Arjuna
. His lineage extends from Arjuna
as follows:- Arjuna
-> Abhimanyu
-> Parikshit II. He was born as a dead child to princess Uttara, the wife of Abhimanyu
. Later Vasudeva Krishna revived him and gave him the name, Parikshit. The famous king Janamejaya
IV was his son, onto him the epic Mahabharata
was narrated by Vaisampayana
the disciple of Krishna Dwaipayana Vyasa.
One version of the lineage leading to Parikshit I, goes as follows:-
Samvarana -> Kuru -> Avikshit -> Parikshit I -> (Kakshasena, Ugrasena, Chitrasena, Indrasena Sushena and Bhimasena).
The other version is slightly different.
Samvarana -> Kuru -> Viduratha -> Anaswan -> Parikshit I. which extends to the Kauravas and Pandavas as follows:-
Parikshit I -> Bhimasena -> Pratisravas -> Pratipa -> Santanu -> Vichitravirya -> (Dhritarashtra
II, Pandu
II) -> (Kauravas, Pandavas).
, Lakshmana
and Shatrughna
. Bharata ruled the Kosala kingdom, temporarily in the absence of Rama. Bharata also had conquered the Gandhara Kingdom
, which was close to Kekeya Kingdom
. The Kuru dynasty as well as the Srinjaya dynasty of the Panchala kings was derived from the Puru Dynasty. After the rule of Bharata, who almost became a great emperor, the dynasty came to be called as the Bharata Dynasty. The name Bhaarata, an official name of India, with equal status, was derived from this dynasty name.
, Lakshmana
and Sathrughna. Lakshmana was the closest brother to Rama, his companion in all the sojourns, that was described in the epic Ramayana
. Lakshmana had undertaken many conquests for the sake of Rama.
the enemy of Pandavas as per the epic Mahabharata
. Lakshmana took part in the Kurukshetra War
. His main antagonist was Abhimanyu
the son of the Pandava
, Arjuna
.
Sanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
/Vedic
Vedas
The Vedas are a large body of texts originating in ancient India. Composed in Vedic Sanskrit, the texts constitute the oldest layer of Sanskrit literature and the oldest scriptures of Hinduism....
literature like the two Hindu Ithihasas viz the Mahabharata
Mahabharata
The Mahabharata is one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India and Nepal, the other being the Ramayana. The epic is part of itihasa....
and the Ramayana
Ramayana
The Ramayana is an ancient Sanskrit epic. It is ascribed to the Hindu sage Valmiki and forms an important part of the Hindu canon , considered to be itihāsa. The Ramayana is one of the two great epics of India and Nepal, the other being the Mahabharata...
, the Puranas
Puranas
The Puranas are a genre of important Hindu, Jain and Buddhist religious texts, notably consisting of narratives of the history of the universe from creation to destruction, genealogies of kings, heroes, sages, and demigods, and descriptions of Hindu cosmology, philosophy, and geography.Puranas...
and the Vedas
Vedas
The Vedas are a large body of texts originating in ancient India. Composed in Vedic Sanskrit, the texts constitute the oldest layer of Sanskrit literature and the oldest scriptures of Hinduism....
with their supplement texts. It also tries to clear the ambiguities arising from the names like Rama
Rama
Rama or full name Ramachandra is considered to be the seventh avatar of Vishnu in Hinduism, and a king of Ayodhya in ancient Indian...
and Krishna
Krishna
Krishna is a central figure of Hinduism and is traditionally attributed the authorship of the Bhagavad Gita. He is the supreme Being and considered in some monotheistic traditions as an Avatar of Vishnu...
.
Introduction
The exact date in which these personalities lived is not clear, owing to their antiquity. However it is possible to sequence their life-times based on the YugaYuga
Yuga in Hindu philosophy is the name of an 'epoch' or 'era' within a cycle of four ages. These are the Satya Yuga, the Treta Yuga, the Dvapara Yuga, and finally the Kali Yuga. According to Hindu cosmology, life in the universe is created, destroyed once every 4.1 to 8.2 billion years, which is...
system of time reckoning, which was popular in ancient India. This system takes into account the precession of Vernal Equinox, which result in the relative movement of this astronomical-point against the background of stars in the sky. This movement is very slow, and takes many millennia of astronomical observation, to be noticeable. Ancient Indians aptly took this frame of reference of time, whenever they mention any event, to be remembered. Thus these references are found in Mahabharata
Mahabharata
The Mahabharata is one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India and Nepal, the other being the Ramayana. The epic is part of itihasa....
and Puranas
Puranas
The Puranas are a genre of important Hindu, Jain and Buddhist religious texts, notably consisting of narratives of the history of the universe from creation to destruction, genealogies of kings, heroes, sages, and demigods, and descriptions of Hindu cosmology, philosophy, and geography.Puranas...
, while they mention historical events like the Kurukshetra War
Kurukshetra war
According to the Indian epic poem Mahābhārata, a dynastic succession struggle between two groups of cousins of an Indo-Aryan kingdom called Kuru, the Kauravas and Pandavas, for the throne of Hastinapura resulted in the Kurukshetra War in which a number of ancient kingdoms participated as allies of...
.
The Yuga System
The Yuga system speaks about four Yugas, or epochs of history. The first one being Krita Yuga, which was prehistory even to those ancient historians who authored the SanskritSanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
-Vedic
Vedas
The Vedas are a large body of texts originating in ancient India. Composed in Vedic Sanskrit, the texts constitute the oldest layer of Sanskrit literature and the oldest scriptures of Hinduism....
literature. The second Yuga was Treta Yuga and the third Dwapara Yuga. These two Yugas were contemporary to the ancient historians, in the sense that, they explained events of those epochs as if it were happening during their own time. This is how the epic Ramayana
Ramayana
The Ramayana is an ancient Sanskrit epic. It is ascribed to the Hindu sage Valmiki and forms an important part of the Hindu canon , considered to be itihāsa. The Ramayana is one of the two great epics of India and Nepal, the other being the Mahabharata...
describes the reign of Rama
Rama
Rama or full name Ramachandra is considered to be the seventh avatar of Vishnu in Hinduism, and a king of Ayodhya in ancient Indian...
and the epic Mahabharata
Mahabharata
The Mahabharata is one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India and Nepal, the other being the Ramayana. The epic is part of itihasa....
describes the Kurukshetra War
Kurukshetra war
According to the Indian epic poem Mahābhārata, a dynastic succession struggle between two groups of cousins of an Indo-Aryan kingdom called Kuru, the Kauravas and Pandavas, for the throne of Hastinapura resulted in the Kurukshetra War in which a number of ancient kingdoms participated as allies of...
. The last Yuga is Kali Yuga which is the period after the Kurukshetra War
Kurukshetra war
According to the Indian epic poem Mahābhārata, a dynastic succession struggle between two groups of cousins of an Indo-Aryan kingdom called Kuru, the Kauravas and Pandavas, for the throne of Hastinapura resulted in the Kurukshetra War in which a number of ancient kingdoms participated as allies of...
. No other Yugas were mentioned, because after this age, those ancient historians became extinct, and that ancient psyche no longer exists, except in modern day Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
traditions, in a transformed state.
The extremities are those in which the four Yugas have to shrink into a short time span of 1500 BCE to 500 CE based on the much rejected Indic studies of Max Müller
Max Müller
Friedrich Max Müller , more regularly known as Max Müller, was a German philologist and Orientalist, one of the founders of the western academic field of Indian studies and the discipline of comparative religion...
, and those modern studies based on the astronomical, geographical and linguistic evidence, in which it spans from 10000 BCE to 500 CE. See Kingdoms of ancient India
Kingdoms of Ancient India
Epic India is the geography of Greater India traditionally around early 10th century BC and later on from the Sanskrit epics, viz. the Mahabharata and the Ramayana as well as Puranic literature ....
.
The Three Ramas
The name Rama is very common in the ancient Indian literature. There is mention about three distinct Ramas. They were listed based on the order of their existence.Raghava Rama
Among all the Ramas of Sanskrit literature, Raghava Rama was the most famous. The epic RamayanaRamayana
The Ramayana is an ancient Sanskrit epic. It is ascribed to the Hindu sage Valmiki and forms an important part of the Hindu canon , considered to be itihāsa. The Ramayana is one of the two great epics of India and Nepal, the other being the Mahabharata...
is all about this Rama. The word Ramayana means Rama's travels in Sanskrit
Sanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
. He was a Kshatriya king, in the Ikshwaku
Ikshwaku
Ikshwakus were a mythical dynasty of rulers of ancient India, which branched out from the Solar Dynasty. They ruled from the Kosala Kingdom with Ayodhya as their capital. The two Indian epics, viz. Ramayana and Mahabharata have numerous mentions of this dynasty. The most famous among all the...
clan, in the lineage of a famous king Raghu
Raghu
The Great Emperor Raghu was a valorous king of the Ikshvaku dynasty. According to the Raghuvamsha, he was born to king Dilipa and his queen Sudakshina. His name in Sanskrit means the fast one, deriving from Raghu's chariot driving abilities. So celebrated were the exploits of Raghu, that his...
, and hence called by the name Raghava Rama.
See the Main Article for this topic:- Raghava Rama
Bala Rama
This Rama was a YadavaYadu
Yadu is one of the five Indo-Aryan tribes mentioned in the Rig Veda . The Mahabharata, the Harivamsha and the Puranas mention Yadu as the eldest son of king Yayati and his queen Devayani. The prince of King Yayati, Yadu was a self-respecting and a very established ruler...
. He was the brother of Krishna, the great political leader during the period of Kurukshetra War
Kurukshetra war
According to the Indian epic poem Mahābhārata, a dynastic succession struggle between two groups of cousins of an Indo-Aryan kingdom called Kuru, the Kauravas and Pandavas, for the throne of Hastinapura resulted in the Kurukshetra War in which a number of ancient kingdoms participated as allies of...
.
He was also known as Valarama, Sankarshana and as the Son of Rohini and brother of Lord Krishna
See the Main Article for this topic:- Bala Rama
Krishna Dwaipayana Vyasa
This Krishna was a great sage, and the author of the epic MahabharataMahabharata
The Mahabharata is one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India and Nepal, the other being the Ramayana. The epic is part of itihasa....
.
See the Main Article for this topic:- Krishna Dwaipayana Vyasa
Vasudeva Krishna
This Krishna was the most popular Krishna. He was the author of Bhagavat Gita, the charioteer of ArjunaArjuna
Arjuna in Indian mythology is the greatest warrior on earth and is one of the Pandavas, the heroes of the Hindu epic Mahābhārata. Arjuna, whose name means 'bright', 'shining', 'white' or 'silver' Arjuna (Devanagari: अर्जुन, Thai: อรชุน, Orachun, Tamil: Arjunan, Indonesian and Javanese: Harjuna,...
, during the Kurukshetra War
Kurukshetra war
According to the Indian epic poem Mahābhārata, a dynastic succession struggle between two groups of cousins of an Indo-Aryan kingdom called Kuru, the Kauravas and Pandavas, for the throne of Hastinapura resulted in the Kurukshetra War in which a number of ancient kingdoms participated as allies of...
, a great political leader, with divine and ascetic dimensions.
See the Main Article for this topic:- Vasudeva Krishna
Krishna of Panchala
This Krishna was a woman, the wife of the Pandavas, who was also known as Panchali and DraupadiDraupadi
In the epic Mahābhārata, Draupadi, also known as ' is the "emerged" daughter of King Drupada of Panchāla and the wife of the five Pandavas. When Yudhisthira becomes the king of Hastinapura at the end of the war, Draupadi becomes the queen of Indraprastha...
.
See the Main Article for this topic:- Princess Krishna
The Pandava Bhima
This BhimaBhima
In the Mahābhārata, Bhima is one of the central characters of Mahabharata and the second of the Pandava brothers...
was younger brother of the Pandava King Yudhisthira
Yudhisthira
In the great Hindu epic Mahabharata, Yudhisthira , the eldest son of King Pandu and Queen Kunti, was king of Indraprastha and later of Hastinapura. He was the leader of the Pandava side in the Kurukshetra War...
. He was also known by the names Bhimasena, Vrikodara etc. He was an expert in mace fight and a rival to the Kuru King Duryodhana
Duryodhana
In the Hindu epic the Mahābhārata, Duryodhana is the eldest son of the blind king Dhritarashtra by Queen Gandhari, the eldest of the one hundred Kaurava brothers, Emperor of the world at that time which means Emperor of India or Bharatvarsha as it was known at that time, cousin and the chief...
in mace fight. In Kurukshetra War
Kurukshetra war
According to the Indian epic poem Mahābhārata, a dynastic succession struggle between two groups of cousins of an Indo-Aryan kingdom called Kuru, the Kauravas and Pandavas, for the throne of Hastinapura resulted in the Kurukshetra War in which a number of ancient kingdoms participated as allies of...
Bhima killed Duryodhana in mace fight. Both were disciples of Bala Rama.
The Vidarbha King Bhima
Another Bhima mentioned in MahabharataMahabharata
The Mahabharata is one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India and Nepal, the other being the Ramayana. The epic is part of itihasa....
was Bhima, the king of Vidarbha Kingdom
Vidarbha Kingdom
Vidarbha kingdom was one among the many kingdoms ruled by Yadava kings in the central and western India, in a region still known as Vidarbha. It was the southern most kingdom known to the kings of Gangatic Plain until they explored Southern India.Damayanti, the wife of Nala was the princess of...
. He was the father of Damayanti
Damayanti
Damayanti , a character in Hindu mythology, was the princess of Vidarbha Kingdom, who married king Nala, of Nishadha Kingdom, and their story is told in the Mahabharata.-The story:...
, a popular princess and the wife of king Nala
Nala
Nala , a character in Hindu mythology, is the king of Nishadha Kingdom, son of Virasena. Nala is known for his skill with horses and culinary expertise. He marries princess Damayanti, of Vidarbha Kingdom, and their story is told in the Mahabharata. His main weakness is gambling...
of Nishadha Kingdom
Nishadha Kingdom
Nishadha was the kingdom of the celebrated king Nala, who loved and married Damayanti the princess of Vidarbha Kingdom. This kingdom is identified with current day Gwalior district of Madhya Pradesh...
.
The Pandava Arjuna
This ArjunaArjuna
Arjuna in Indian mythology is the greatest warrior on earth and is one of the Pandavas, the heroes of the Hindu epic Mahābhārata. Arjuna, whose name means 'bright', 'shining', 'white' or 'silver' Arjuna (Devanagari: अर्जुन, Thai: อรชุน, Orachun, Tamil: Arjunan, Indonesian and Javanese: Harjuna,...
was the second brother of the Pandava King Yudhisthira
Yudhisthira
In the great Hindu epic Mahabharata, Yudhisthira , the eldest son of King Pandu and Queen Kunti, was king of Indraprastha and later of Hastinapura. He was the leader of the Pandava side in the Kurukshetra War...
. He was also known by several names, like Phalguna, Dhanunjaya, Partha, Vijaya, Kiriti, Indrajit, Savyasachi etc. He was a great friend of Vasudeva Krishna, to whom he expounded the famous philosophy known as the Bhagavat Gita, during the Kurukshetra War
Kurukshetra war
According to the Indian epic poem Mahābhārata, a dynastic succession struggle between two groups of cousins of an Indo-Aryan kingdom called Kuru, the Kauravas and Pandavas, for the throne of Hastinapura resulted in the Kurukshetra War in which a number of ancient kingdoms participated as allies of...
. Arjuna was the greatest hero of the Kurukshetra War
Kurukshetra war
According to the Indian epic poem Mahābhārata, a dynastic succession struggle between two groups of cousins of an Indo-Aryan kingdom called Kuru, the Kauravas and Pandavas, for the throne of Hastinapura resulted in the Kurukshetra War in which a number of ancient kingdoms participated as allies of...
.
Kartavirya Arjuna of Haihaya Tribe
Haihaya tribe was a branch of Yadavas, who ruled the Haihaya KingdomHeheya Kingdom
Heheya kingdom was one of the many kingdoms ruled by Chandravanshi Kshatriya kings in the central and western India. It was the strongest of the kingdoms and had the powerful ruler Kartavirya Arjuna who even defeated Rakshasa Ravana. Its capital was Mahishmati on the banks of river Narmada in...
. He was the first victim of Bhargava Rama, who destroyed the Kshatriya
Kshatriya
*For the Bollywood film of the same name see Kshatriya Kshatriya or Kashtriya, meaning warrior, is one of the four varnas in Hinduism...
kings of ancient India. He was the king of Haiheyas, who almost got the status of an emperor. He was a devotee of Dattatreya
Dattatreya
Dattatreya or Datta is a Hindu deity encompassing the trinity of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva, collectively known as Trimurti. The name Dattatreya can be divided into two words - "Datta" and "Atreya" referring to the sage Atri, his physical father.Various Hindu sects worship him differently...
, now worshipped as a deity, especially in Maharastra state of India. However, the encounter with the Bhargavas headed by Parasurama (Bhargava Rama) lead to Kartavirya's decline.
The Pandava Nakula
This NakulaNakula
Nakula, also spelt "Nakul" was one of the five Pandava brothers according to the epic Mahābhārata. Nakula and Sahadeva were fraternal twins born to Madri, who had invoked the Ashvins using a mantra for a son, the mantra shared by Kunti...
, was a Pandava
Pandava
In the Hindu epic Mahābhārata, the Pandava are the five acknowledged sons of Pandu , by his two wives Kunti and Madri. Their names are Yudhisthira, Bhima, Arjuna, Nakula and Sahadeva. Although, Karna is told by Lord Krishna that according to the laws and ethics he is the first son of Kunti making...
and one among the twin sons of Pandu
Pandu
In the Mahābhārata epic, King Pandu is the son of Ambalika and Rishi Ved Vyasa. He is more popularly known as the father of the Pandavas and ruled Hastinapur.-Birth:...
's second wife Madri
Madri
In the Mahābhārata epic, Madri was a princess of the Madra kingdom and the second wife of Pandu.On his way to Hastinapur, King Pandu encountered the army of Shalya, King of Madra. Very soon, Pandu and Shalya became friends and Shalya gave his only sister, Madri to Pandu, as a gift of their...
. He was well versed in the Science of Horses. He authored a book on horse-training and horse-medicines.
The tribe called Nakulas
There was a tribe of kings called the Nakulas, as per the epic MahabharataMahabharata
The Mahabharata is one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India and Nepal, the other being the Ramayana. The epic is part of itihasa....
. They have taken part in the Kurukshetra War
Kurukshetra war
According to the Indian epic poem Mahābhārata, a dynastic succession struggle between two groups of cousins of an Indo-Aryan kingdom called Kuru, the Kauravas and Pandavas, for the throne of Hastinapura resulted in the Kurukshetra War in which a number of ancient kingdoms participated as allies of...
.
The Pandava Sahadevas
This SahadevaSahadeva
Sahadeva was one of the five Pandava brothers according to the epic Mahābhārata. He was one of the twin sons of Madri, who invoked Ashvins using a mantra shared by Kunti for a son. His twin brother was named Nakula...
, was a Pandava
Pandava
In the Hindu epic Mahābhārata, the Pandava are the five acknowledged sons of Pandu , by his two wives Kunti and Madri. Their names are Yudhisthira, Bhima, Arjuna, Nakula and Sahadeva. Although, Karna is told by Lord Krishna that according to the laws and ethics he is the first son of Kunti making...
and one among the twin sons of Pandu
Pandu
In the Mahābhārata epic, King Pandu is the son of Ambalika and Rishi Ved Vyasa. He is more popularly known as the father of the Pandavas and ruled Hastinapur.-Birth:...
's second wife Madri
Madri
In the Mahābhārata epic, Madri was a princess of the Madra kingdom and the second wife of Pandu.On his way to Hastinapur, King Pandu encountered the army of Shalya, King of Madra. Very soon, Pandu and Shalya became friends and Shalya gave his only sister, Madri to Pandu, as a gift of their...
. He was a great warrior skilled in the use of sword. He also mastered the science of Astronomy and Astrology.
Sahadeva the King of Magadha
The king of Magadha KingdomMagadha Kingdom
Magadha was a kingdom ruled by non-Vedic kings. Jarasandha was the greatest among them during epic times. His capital was Rajagriha or Rajgir a modern hill resort in Bihar. Jarasandha's continuous assault on the Yadava kingdom of Surasena resulted in their withdrawal from central India to western...
, Jarasandha
Jarasandha
Jarasandha was a great and legendary king of Magadha. He was the son of a vedic king named Brihadratha. He was also a great devotee of Lord Shiva. But he is generally held in negative light owing to his enmity with the Yadav clan in the Mahābhārata....
had a son by the name of Sahadeva. After Jarasandha's death by the hands of the Pandava Bhima
Bhima
In the Mahābhārata, Bhima is one of the central characters of Mahabharata and the second of the Pandava brothers...
, Vasudeva Krishna installed Sahadeva on the throne of Magadha. He took part in the Kurukshetra War
Kurukshetra war
According to the Indian epic poem Mahābhārata, a dynastic succession struggle between two groups of cousins of an Indo-Aryan kingdom called Kuru, the Kauravas and Pandavas, for the throne of Hastinapura resulted in the Kurukshetra War in which a number of ancient kingdoms participated as allies of...
siding with Duryodhana
Duryodhana
In the Hindu epic the Mahābhārata, Duryodhana is the eldest son of the blind king Dhritarashtra by Queen Gandhari, the eldest of the one hundred Kaurava brothers, Emperor of the world at that time which means Emperor of India or Bharatvarsha as it was known at that time, cousin and the chief...
.
Janamejaya IV
The most popular figure with the name JanamejayaJanamejaya
Janamejaya was a Kuru king. He was the son of Parikshit and Madravati. He was the grandson of Abhimanyu and the great-grandson of Arjuna, the valiant warrior hero of the Mahābhārata. He was ascended to the Kuru throne following the death of his father. His significance comes as the listener of the...
in Mahabharata
Mahabharata
The Mahabharata is one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India and Nepal, the other being the Ramayana. The epic is part of itihasa....
is the grand-grandson of Arjuna
Arjuna
Arjuna in Indian mythology is the greatest warrior on earth and is one of the Pandavas, the heroes of the Hindu epic Mahābhārata. Arjuna, whose name means 'bright', 'shining', 'white' or 'silver' Arjuna (Devanagari: अर्जुन, Thai: อรชุน, Orachun, Tamil: Arjunan, Indonesian and Javanese: Harjuna,...
. The epic Mahabharata
Mahabharata
The Mahabharata is one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India and Nepal, the other being the Ramayana. The epic is part of itihasa....
is structured as a narration of the history of the Bharatas (the kings of the Bharata Dyasty), told by Vaisampayana
Vaisampayana
Vaishampayana was the traditional narrator of the Mahabharata, one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India. He was an ancient Indian sage who was the original teacher of the Black Yajur-Veda. The Ashvalayana Grihya Sutra mentions him as Mahabharatacharya...
, a disciple of Krishna Dwaipayana Vyasa to this Janamejaya
Janamejaya
Janamejaya was a Kuru king. He was the son of Parikshit and Madravati. He was the grandson of Abhimanyu and the great-grandson of Arjuna, the valiant warrior hero of the Mahābhārata. He was ascended to the Kuru throne following the death of his father. His significance comes as the listener of the...
. He was the last popular king in the line of the Kuru Kings. His lineage extends from Arjuna
Arjuna
Arjuna in Indian mythology is the greatest warrior on earth and is one of the Pandavas, the heroes of the Hindu epic Mahābhārata. Arjuna, whose name means 'bright', 'shining', 'white' or 'silver' Arjuna (Devanagari: अर्जुन, Thai: อรชุน, Orachun, Tamil: Arjunan, Indonesian and Javanese: Harjuna,...
as follows:- Arjuna
Arjuna
Arjuna in Indian mythology is the greatest warrior on earth and is one of the Pandavas, the heroes of the Hindu epic Mahābhārata. Arjuna, whose name means 'bright', 'shining', 'white' or 'silver' Arjuna (Devanagari: अर्जुन, Thai: อรชุน, Orachun, Tamil: Arjunan, Indonesian and Javanese: Harjuna,...
-> Abhimanyu
Abhimanyu
Abhimanyu is a tragic hero in the Hindu epic, the Mahābhārata. He is the son of Arjuna and Subhadra, who is the half-sister of Lord Krishna...
-> Parikshit II -> Janamejaya
Janamejaya
Janamejaya was a Kuru king. He was the son of Parikshit and Madravati. He was the grandson of Abhimanyu and the great-grandson of Arjuna, the valiant warrior hero of the Mahābhārata. He was ascended to the Kuru throne following the death of his father. His significance comes as the listener of the...
IV.
Other Janamejayas in the line of Puru kings
Three more kings with the name Janamejaya were mentioned in the Lunar DynastyLunar Dynasty
In Hindu mythology, the Lunar Dynasty is one of the three principal houses of the Kshatriya varna, or warrior–ruling caste...
of kings. They were designated as Janamejaya I, Janamejaya II and Janamejaya III.
Janamejaya I
Janamejaya I was the son of Puru, the founder of Paurava Dynasty of kings. (Daksha -> Aditi -> Vivaswat -> Manu -> Ha (Vudha) -> Pururavas (Aila) -> Ayus -> Nahusha -> Yayati -> Puru -> Janamejaya IJanamejaya II
Janamejaya II was the son of Kuru the founder of Kuru Dynasty.(Samvarana -> Kuru -> Janamejaya II)
Janamejaya III
Janamejaya III was born in the race of a Kuru king designated as Parikshit I. Kauravas and Pandavas both descended from him. (Samvarana -> Kuru -> Avikshit -> Parikshit I -> ... Janamejaya III). Janamejaya III's lineage leads to the Kauravas and Pandavas as follows:-Janamejaya III -> Dhritarashtra I -> ? -> Pratipa -> Santanu -> Vichitravirya -> (Dhritarashtra
Dhritarashtra
In the Mahābhārata, Dhritarashtra was King of Hastinapur at the time of the Kurukshetra War, the epic's climactic event. He was born the son of Vichitravirya's first wife Ambika, and was fathered by Vyasa. He was blind from birth, and became father to a hundred children by his wife Gandhari...
II, Pandu
Pandu
In the Mahābhārata epic, King Pandu is the son of Ambalika and Rishi Ved Vyasa. He is more popularly known as the father of the Pandavas and ruled Hastinapur.-Birth:...
II ) -> (Kauravas, Pandavas)
Janamejaya mentioned by Bhishma
A king named Janamejaya is mentioned in the 12th volume (Santi Parva) of MahabharataMahabharata
The Mahabharata is one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India and Nepal, the other being the Ramayana. The epic is part of itihasa....
, by Bhishma
Bhishma
Bhishma or Bheeshma or Devavrata or 'Bhishma Pitamah' was the eighth son of Kuru King Shantanu who was blessed with wish-long life and had sworn to serve the ruling Kuru king. He was one of the most prominent characters of the great Indian epic, the Mahabharata. He was the grand uncle of both the...
in his narration to Yudhisthira
Yudhisthira
In the great Hindu epic Mahabharata, Yudhisthira , the eldest son of King Pandu and Queen Kunti, was king of Indraprastha and later of Hastinapura. He was the leader of the Pandava side in the Kurukshetra War...
. Bhishma describes the conversation between this Janamejaya and a sage named Indrota the son of Sunaka on the subject of expiation from sins. Indrota also assisted a horse sacrifice performed by this king. This narration extends into three chapters (Mbh 12.149, 12.150, 12.151).
Janamejaya mentioned by Vyasa
Vyasa mentions about a king Janamejaya to his son Suka. This conversation also comes in the 12th volume (Santi Parva) of MahabharataMahabharata
The Mahabharata is one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India and Nepal, the other being the Ramayana. The epic is part of itihasa....
, within the narration of Bhishma
Bhishma
Bhishma or Bheeshma or Devavrata or 'Bhishma Pitamah' was the eighth son of Kuru King Shantanu who was blessed with wish-long life and had sworn to serve the ruling Kuru king. He was one of the most prominent characters of the great Indian epic, the Mahabharata. He was the grand uncle of both the...
to Yudhisthira
Yudhisthira
In the great Hindu epic Mahabharata, Yudhisthira , the eldest son of King Pandu and Queen Kunti, was king of Indraprastha and later of Hastinapura. He was the leader of the Pandava side in the Kurukshetra War...
.
Mbh 12.233:- King Janamejaya, by giving away his own body, proceeded to high regions of felicity.
Janamejaya mentioned by Dhritarashtra
DhritarashtraDhritarashtra
In the Mahābhārata, Dhritarashtra was King of Hastinapur at the time of the Kurukshetra War, the epic's climactic event. He was born the son of Vichitravirya's first wife Ambika, and was fathered by Vyasa. He was blind from birth, and became father to a hundred children by his wife Gandhari...
mentions to his son Duryodhana
Duryodhana
In the Hindu epic the Mahābhārata, Duryodhana is the eldest son of the blind king Dhritarashtra by Queen Gandhari, the eldest of the one hundred Kaurava brothers, Emperor of the world at that time which means Emperor of India or Bharatvarsha as it was known at that time, cousin and the chief...
about a Janamejaya who conquered many kingdoms in three days. Mbh.12.123.
Janamejaya mentioned by Bhrama to Vasistha
Mbh.13.6:- Was not Janamejaya, who followed the foot-prints of Sakra, checked and put down by the gods for killing a Brahmana woman? ---Brahma to Vasistha.Mention of 80 kings by the name of Janamejaya
Mbh.2.8 These kings were described to be dead and appear in the court of the lord of death, YamaYama (Hinduism)
Yama is the lord of death in Hinduism, first recorded in the Vedas. Yama belongs to an early stratum of Indo-Iranian theology. In Vedic tradition Yama was considered to have been the first mortal who died and espied the way to the celestial abodes, thus in virtue of precedence he became the ruler...
.
Eklavya
Janamejaya, vanquished by Mandhatri
Mbh.7.60:- Mandhatri vanquished, by his bow Janamejaya and Sudhanwan and Jaya and Suna and Vrihadratha and Nriga.Janamejaya mentioned by Drupada
DrupadaDrupada
Drupada , also known as Yajnasena, is a character in the Mahābhārata. He is king of the land of Panchala.In his youth he studies with, and becomes a friend of Drona. Drupada makes him promise to share all his fortunes with him. Later, when Drupada becomes king of Panchaladesa, Drona reminds him...
, in his list of kings to be summoned to aid Pandavas in Kurukshetra War
Kurukshetra war
According to the Indian epic poem Mahābhārata, a dynastic succession struggle between two groups of cousins of an Indo-Aryan kingdom called Kuru, the Kauravas and Pandavas, for the throne of Hastinapura resulted in the Kurukshetra War in which a number of ancient kingdoms participated as allies of...
mentioned about a Janamejaya.
Mbh.5.4
Janamejaya of Solar Dynasty mentioned by Bhishma
Mbh.13.137:- King Janamejaya of the solar race, went to the highest heaven by making a gift of ear-rings, fine vehicles, and cows to Brahmanas. -- BhishmaBhishma
Bhishma or Bheeshma or Devavrata or 'Bhishma Pitamah' was the eighth son of Kuru King Shantanu who was blessed with wish-long life and had sworn to serve the ruling Kuru king. He was one of the most prominent characters of the great Indian epic, the Mahabharata. He was the grand uncle of both the...
to Yudhisthira
Yudhisthira
In the great Hindu epic Mahabharata, Yudhisthira , the eldest son of King Pandu and Queen Kunti, was king of Indraprastha and later of Hastinapura. He was the leader of the Pandava side in the Kurukshetra War...
Janamejaya of hilly country, took part in Kurukshetra War
Mbh.8.6:- Janamejaya of the hilly country, endued with great prowess and accomplished in encounters with the mace, hath, O king, been slain by DhritarashtraDhritarashtra
In the Mahābhārata, Dhritarashtra was King of Hastinapur at the time of the Kurukshetra War, the epic's climactic event. He was born the son of Vichitravirya's first wife Ambika, and was fathered by Vyasa. He was blind from birth, and became father to a hundred children by his wife Gandhari...
's son Durmukha.
The Panchala prince, Janamejaya in Kurukshetra War
Mbh.8.49:- The Pancala prince Janamejaya then pierced Karna with many arrows. Mbh.8.82:- Felling Janamejaya’s driver with broad-faced shafts called Anjalikas, KarnaKarna
Karna or Radheya is one of the central characters in the epic Mahābhārata, from ancient India. He was the King of Anga...
next slew the steeds of that Pancala warrior. Karna
Karna
Karna or Radheya is one of the central characters in the epic Mahābhārata, from ancient India. He was the King of Anga...
then pierced Shikhandi with a dozen keen shafts, and Uttamauja with half a dozen, and Yudhamanyu with three, and then each of the other two, viz., Somaka Janamejaya and Dhrishtadyumna with three shafts.
Janamejaya of Nepa mentioned by Bhima
This Janamejaya is mentioned by BhimaBhima
In the Mahābhārata, Bhima is one of the central characters of Mahabharata and the second of the Pandava brothers...
, as a king of Nepa
Nepa Kingdom
Nepa was a mountainous kingdom mentioned in the epic Mahabharata. It is identified as Nepal, a country located in the mountainous terrain of the Himalayas.- Nepas and king Yudhisthira :...
, who caused the destruction of his own race.
Mbh.7.74
The Naga named Janamejaya
Mbh.2.9 This Janamejaya was a Naga listed among the Naga Kings who attended the court of VarunaVaruna
In Vedic religion, Varuna is a god of the sky, of water and of the celestial ocean, as well as a god of law and of the underworld...
. He was mentioned by Narada
Narada
Narada or Narada Muni is a divine sage from the Vaisnava tradition, who plays a prominent role in a number of the Puranic texts, especially in the Bhagavata Purana, and in the Ramayana...
to Yudisthira.
Mention of an Asura King Janamejaya
Mbh.1.67 A king Janamejaya is said to be born of the Asura class called Krodhaveshas.Parikshit II
The most popular figure with the name Parikshit in MahabharataMahabharata
The Mahabharata is one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India and Nepal, the other being the Ramayana. The epic is part of itihasa....
is the grandson of Arjuna
Arjuna
Arjuna in Indian mythology is the greatest warrior on earth and is one of the Pandavas, the heroes of the Hindu epic Mahābhārata. Arjuna, whose name means 'bright', 'shining', 'white' or 'silver' Arjuna (Devanagari: अर्जुन, Thai: อรชุน, Orachun, Tamil: Arjunan, Indonesian and Javanese: Harjuna,...
. His lineage extends from Arjuna
Arjuna
Arjuna in Indian mythology is the greatest warrior on earth and is one of the Pandavas, the heroes of the Hindu epic Mahābhārata. Arjuna, whose name means 'bright', 'shining', 'white' or 'silver' Arjuna (Devanagari: अर्जुन, Thai: อรชุน, Orachun, Tamil: Arjunan, Indonesian and Javanese: Harjuna,...
as follows:- Arjuna
Arjuna
Arjuna in Indian mythology is the greatest warrior on earth and is one of the Pandavas, the heroes of the Hindu epic Mahābhārata. Arjuna, whose name means 'bright', 'shining', 'white' or 'silver' Arjuna (Devanagari: अर्जुन, Thai: อรชุน, Orachun, Tamil: Arjunan, Indonesian and Javanese: Harjuna,...
-> Abhimanyu
Abhimanyu
Abhimanyu is a tragic hero in the Hindu epic, the Mahābhārata. He is the son of Arjuna and Subhadra, who is the half-sister of Lord Krishna...
-> Parikshit II. He was born as a dead child to princess Uttara, the wife of Abhimanyu
Abhimanyu
Abhimanyu is a tragic hero in the Hindu epic, the Mahābhārata. He is the son of Arjuna and Subhadra, who is the half-sister of Lord Krishna...
. Later Vasudeva Krishna revived him and gave him the name, Parikshit. The famous king Janamejaya
Janamejaya
Janamejaya was a Kuru king. He was the son of Parikshit and Madravati. He was the grandson of Abhimanyu and the great-grandson of Arjuna, the valiant warrior hero of the Mahābhārata. He was ascended to the Kuru throne following the death of his father. His significance comes as the listener of the...
IV was his son, onto him the epic Mahabharata
Mahabharata
The Mahabharata is one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India and Nepal, the other being the Ramayana. The epic is part of itihasa....
was narrated by Vaisampayana
Vaisampayana
Vaishampayana was the traditional narrator of the Mahabharata, one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India. He was an ancient Indian sage who was the original teacher of the Black Yajur-Veda. The Ashvalayana Grihya Sutra mentions him as Mahabharatacharya...
the disciple of Krishna Dwaipayana Vyasa.
Parikshit I
He was a king mentioned in the long lineage of Kuru kings.One version of the lineage leading to Parikshit I, goes as follows:-
Samvarana -> Kuru -> Avikshit -> Parikshit I -> (Kakshasena, Ugrasena, Chitrasena, Indrasena Sushena and Bhimasena).
The other version is slightly different.
Samvarana -> Kuru -> Viduratha -> Anaswan -> Parikshit I. which extends to the Kauravas and Pandavas as follows:-
Parikshit I -> Bhimasena -> Pratisravas -> Pratipa -> Santanu -> Vichitravirya -> (Dhritarashtra
Dhritarashtra
In the Mahābhārata, Dhritarashtra was King of Hastinapur at the time of the Kurukshetra War, the epic's climactic event. He was born the son of Vichitravirya's first wife Ambika, and was fathered by Vyasa. He was blind from birth, and became father to a hundred children by his wife Gandhari...
II, Pandu
Pandu
In the Mahābhārata epic, King Pandu is the son of Ambalika and Rishi Ved Vyasa. He is more popularly known as the father of the Pandavas and ruled Hastinapur.-Birth:...
II) -> (Kauravas, Pandavas).
Bharata, the brother of Raghava Rama
Raghava Rama had three brothers, viz, BharataBharata (Ramayana)
In the Hindu epic Ramayana, Bharata was the second brother of the main protagonist Rama, and the son of Dasaratha and Kaikeyi. Dasaratha was the Emperor of Ayodhya and belonged to the Suryavansha or Solar Dynasty...
, Lakshmana
Lakshmana
Lakshmana was the brother and close companion of Rama, and himself a hero in the famous epic Ramayana...
and Shatrughna
Shatrughna
Shatrughna was the youngest brother of Lord Rama in the Hindu epic Ramayana . He is the twin brother of Lakshmana.-Birth and family:...
. Bharata ruled the Kosala kingdom, temporarily in the absence of Rama. Bharata also had conquered the Gandhara Kingdom
Gandhara Kingdom
Gandhara is a kingdom grouped among the western kingdoms in the epic Mahabharata. The epic Ramayana also mentions it as a western kingdom. Gandhara prince Sakuni was the root of all the conspiracies of Duryodhana against the Pandavas, which finally resulted in the Kurukshetra War. Sakuni's sister...
, which was close to Kekeya Kingdom
Kekeya Kingdom
Kekeya is a kingdom grouped among the western kingdoms in the epic Mahabharata. The epic Ramayana also mentions Kekeya as a western kingdom. One of the wives of Dasaratha, the king of Kosala and father of Raghava Rama, was from Kekeya kingdom and was known as Kaikeyi...
Bharata, the great king of Lunar Dynasty
The Emperor Bharata was the son of the King Dushyanta and Sakuntala. Dushyanta was a king in the line of Puru Dynasty, which itself was a branch of the Lunar DynastyLunar Dynasty
In Hindu mythology, the Lunar Dynasty is one of the three principal houses of the Kshatriya varna, or warrior–ruling caste...
. The Kuru dynasty as well as the Srinjaya dynasty of the Panchala kings was derived from the Puru Dynasty. After the rule of Bharata, who almost became a great emperor, the dynasty came to be called as the Bharata Dynasty. The name Bhaarata, an official name of India, with equal status, was derived from this dynasty name.
Lakshmana, the brother of Raghava Rama
Raghava Rama had three brothers, viz, BharataBharata (Ramayana)
In the Hindu epic Ramayana, Bharata was the second brother of the main protagonist Rama, and the son of Dasaratha and Kaikeyi. Dasaratha was the Emperor of Ayodhya and belonged to the Suryavansha or Solar Dynasty...
, Lakshmana
Lakshmana
Lakshmana was the brother and close companion of Rama, and himself a hero in the famous epic Ramayana...
and Sathrughna. Lakshmana was the closest brother to Rama, his companion in all the sojourns, that was described in the epic Ramayana
Ramayana
The Ramayana is an ancient Sanskrit epic. It is ascribed to the Hindu sage Valmiki and forms an important part of the Hindu canon , considered to be itihāsa. The Ramayana is one of the two great epics of India and Nepal, the other being the Mahabharata...
. Lakshmana had undertaken many conquests for the sake of Rama.
Lakshmana the son of Kuru king Duryodhana
This Lakshmana was the son of DuryodhanaDuryodhana
In the Hindu epic the Mahābhārata, Duryodhana is the eldest son of the blind king Dhritarashtra by Queen Gandhari, the eldest of the one hundred Kaurava brothers, Emperor of the world at that time which means Emperor of India or Bharatvarsha as it was known at that time, cousin and the chief...
the enemy of Pandavas as per the epic Mahabharata
Mahabharata
The Mahabharata is one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India and Nepal, the other being the Ramayana. The epic is part of itihasa....
. Lakshmana took part in the Kurukshetra War
Kurukshetra war
According to the Indian epic poem Mahābhārata, a dynastic succession struggle between two groups of cousins of an Indo-Aryan kingdom called Kuru, the Kauravas and Pandavas, for the throne of Hastinapura resulted in the Kurukshetra War in which a number of ancient kingdoms participated as allies of...
. His main antagonist was Abhimanyu
Abhimanyu
Abhimanyu is a tragic hero in the Hindu epic, the Mahābhārata. He is the son of Arjuna and Subhadra, who is the half-sister of Lord Krishna...
the son of the Pandava
Pandava
In the Hindu epic Mahābhārata, the Pandava are the five acknowledged sons of Pandu , by his two wives Kunti and Madri. Their names are Yudhisthira, Bhima, Arjuna, Nakula and Sahadeva. Although, Karna is told by Lord Krishna that according to the laws and ethics he is the first son of Kunti making...
, Arjuna
Arjuna
Arjuna in Indian mythology is the greatest warrior on earth and is one of the Pandavas, the heroes of the Hindu epic Mahābhārata. Arjuna, whose name means 'bright', 'shining', 'white' or 'silver' Arjuna (Devanagari: अर्जुन, Thai: อรชุน, Orachun, Tamil: Arjunan, Indonesian and Javanese: Harjuna,...
.