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Vikarna
In the Hindu epic ''Mahabharata'', Vikarna () was the third Kaurava, a son of Dhritarashtra and Gandhari, and a brother to the crown prince Duryodhana. Vikarna is also referred to as the most reputable of the Kauravas. Vikarna was the only Kaurava who opposed the humiliation of Draupadi, the wife of his cousins, the Pandavas, after Yudhisthira lost her freedom in a game of dice to Duryodhana. Etymology The word ''Vikarna'' has two meanings. Basically it is made from two words. First word is ''vinā'' () or ''vishāla'' (), while second word is ''karna'' (. ''vinā'' means 'without' and ''vishāla'' means 'large'. And ''karna'' means 'ears'. So this name contains two meanings. Either it is 'the one who is earless' or 'large eared'. This could say something about his character. It is possible that the name Vikarna basically came from his character of either not listening to anyone(self-esteemed) or who listens and captures wisdom through his (large)ears. While Karna cheere ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kurukshetra War
The Kurukshetra War (), also called the Mahabharata War, is a war described in the Hindu Indian epic poetry, epic poem ''Mahabharata'', arising from a dynastic struggle between two groups of cousins, the Kauravas and the Pandavas, for the throne of Hastinapura. The war is used as the context for the dialogues of the ''Bhagavad Gita. Background The ''Mahābhārata'' is an account of the life and deeds of several generations of a ruling dynasty called the Kuru (Hindu mythology), Kuru clan. Central to the epic is an account of a war that took place between two rival families belonging to this clan. Kurukshetra (literally "Kshetram, Region of the Kurus"), also known as Dharmakshetra (the "Region of Dharma"), was the battleground on which the Kurukshetra War was fought. The first ''Mahābhārata'' says that this site was chosen because a sin committed on land was forgiven because of the land's sanctity. The events of the war make up more than a quarter of the ''Mahabharata''. The ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bhima
Bhima (, ), also known as Bhimasena (, ), is a hero and one of the most prominent characters in the Hindu epic ''Mahabharata''. As the second of the five Pandava brothers, Bhima was born to Kunti—the wife of King Pandu—fathered by Vayu, the wind god, which bestowed upon him superhuman strength from birth. His rivalry with the Kauravas, especially Duryodhana, defined much of his life, with this tension ultimately erupting in the Kurukshetra War, where Bhima killed all hundred Kaurava brothers. Bhima's life was filled with extraordinary episodes that showcased his strength and bravery. From childhood, where he was poisoned, to his victories over formidable foes like Bakasura, Hidimba, and Jarasandha, Bhima's adventures are integral to the ''Mahabharata''’s storyline. His raw, earthy nature is reflected in the brutal slaying of his enemies, his immense appetite and his marriage with Hidimbi, a rakshasi (a demoness), who bore him a son, Ghatotkacha, a powerful warrior who woul ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kaurava
''Kaurava'' is a Sanskrit term which refers to descendants of Kuru, a legendary king of India who is the ancestor of many of the characters of the epic ''Mahabharata''. Usually, the term is used for the 100 sons of King Dhritarashtra and his wife Gandhari. Duryodhana, Dushasana, Vikarna and Chitrasena are the most popular among the brothers. They also had a sister named Dussala and a half-brother named Yuyutsu. Etymology The term ''Kauravas'' is used in the ''Mahabharata'' with two meanings , *The wider meaning is used to represent all the descendants of Kuru. This meaning, which includes the Pandava brothers, is often used in the earlier parts of popular renditions of the ''Mahabharata''. *The narrower but more common meaning is used to represent the elder line of the descendants of Kuru. This restricts it to the children of King Dhritarashtra, excluding the children of his younger brother, Pandu, whose children form the Pandava line. The rest of this article deals ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Yuyutsu
Yuyutsu () is a character in the ancient Hindu epic ''Mahabharata''. He is the son of King Dhritarashtra of the Kuru dynasty, born to a Vaishya-class concubine who serves as a maid to Dhritarashtra's queen, Gandhari. This makes Yuyutsu the paternal half-brother of Duryodhana, the other ninety-nine Kaurava brothers, and their sister Dushala. On the eve of the Kurukshetra War, Yuyutsu defects from the Kaurava camp and joins the Pandavas, becoming the only son of Dhritarashtra to survive the war. Etymology The word ''yuyutsu'' is an adjective formed from the desiderative stem of the verb root "yudh" (fight, wage war), meaning "wishing to fight, bellicose." The Mahabharata cites the following other names for Yuyutsu- * Dhārtarāstra (धार्तराष्ट्र) - son of Dhritarashtra * Kauravya (कौरव्य) - descendant of Kuru Birth Yuyutsu was a son of Dhritrashtra. His birth occurred after Gandhari failed to give birth to a child after a year, despite ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kauravas
''Kaurava'' is a Sanskrit term which refers to descendants of Kuru, a legendary king of India who is the ancestor of many of the characters of the epic ''Mahabharata''. Usually, the term is used for the 100 sons of King Dhritarashtra and his wife Gandhari. Duryodhana, Dushasana, Vikarna and Chitrasena are the most popular among the brothers. They also had a sister named Dussala and a half-brother named Yuyutsu. Etymology The term ''Kauravas'' is used in the ''Mahabharata'' with two meanings , *The wider meaning is used to represent all the descendants of Kuru. This meaning, which includes the Pandava brothers, is often used in the earlier parts of popular renditions of the ''Mahabharata''. *The narrower but more common meaning is used to represent the elder line of the descendants of Kuru. This restricts it to the children of King Dhritarashtra, excluding the children of his younger brother, Pandu, whose children form the Pandava line. The rest of this article deals ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dhritarashtra
Dhritarashtra () was a ruler of the ancient Kuru kingdom, featured as a central character in the Hindu epic ''Mahabharata''. He is also attested in the ''Yajurveda'', where he is acknowledged as the son of King Vichitravirya. According to the ''Mahabharata'', Dhritarashtra’s birth was the result of the ancient practice of ''Niyoga''. After Vichitravirya died childless, his half-brother Vyasa fathered children with Vichitravirya’s widows to continue the Kuru lineage. Dhritarashtra was born blind to Vichitravirya’s elder queen, Ambika. Despite being the eldest, his blindness disqualified him from inheriting the throne, which passed to his younger half-brother, Pandu. However, after Pandu renounced the throne and retired to the forest, Dhritarashtra assumed kingship of the Kuru kingdom, albeit as a nominal ruler heavily influenced by his grandsire, Bhishma, and his eldest son, Duryodhana. Dhritarashtra married Gandhari, a devoted wife who, in a gesture of solidarity, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Draupadi
Draupadi (), also referred to as Krishnā, Panchali and Yajnaseni, is the central heroine of the Indian epic poetry, ancient Indian epic ''Mahabharata''. In the epic, she is the princess of Panchala Kingdom, who later becomes the empress of Kuru kingdom, Kuru Kingdom. She is the Polyandry, common wife of the five Pandava brothers—Yudhishthira, Bhima, Arjuna, Nakula, and Sahadeva—and is renowned for her beauty, courage, devotion, intelligence and rhetorical skills. She is also described as ''sakhi''—a close friend—of the god Krishna. Draupadi, along with her twin brother Dhrishtadyumna, emerges fully grown from a ''yajna'' (fire sacrifice) organized by King Drupada of Panchala. Draupadi’s marriage is determined through a ''svayamvara'' (self-choice ceremony), structured as an archery contest of great difficulty. Arjuna succeeds in the challenge and wins her hand. However, their mother, Kunti, unknowingly instructs her sons to share whatever they had brought home, resu ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Gandhari (character)
Gandhari (, ) is a prominent female character in the ancient Hindu epic ''Mahabharata''. She is the daughter of King Subala, the ruler of Gandhara, and becomes the wife of Dhritarashtra, the blind king of Kuru Kingdom. In a remarkable act of solidarity, Gandhari blindfolds herself for life upon learning of her husband's blindness, choosing to share his condition. Blessed by the god Shiva and the sage Vyasa, she bears one hundred sons through miraculous means, collectively known as the Kauravas, with her eldest, Duryodhana, becoming a key antagonist in the epic. Besides her hundred sons, Gandhari also has a daughter, Dushala. Her brother, Shakuni, becomes a central figure in aiding Duryodhana's schemes against his cousins, the Pandavas. Gandhari is portrayed as a woman of great virtue and moral strength, who nonetheless struggles to dissuade her sons from their destructive path. She speaks out at pivotal moments in the narrative, including during the humiliation of Draupadi. ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Duryodhana
Duryodhana (, Help:IPA/Sanskrit, [d̪ʊɾjoːd̪ʱən̪ᵊ], ), also known as Suyodhana, is the primary antagonist in the Hindu epic ''Mahabharata.'' He is the eldest of the Kaurava, Kauravas, the hundred sons of King Dhritarashtra and Queen Gandhari (Mahabharata), Gandhari of Kuru dynasty. Born through a miraculous manner, his birth is accompanied by ill-omens. Duryodhana grows up in Hastinapur, Hastinapura and later becomes its crown prince. Driven by innate selfishness, jealousy, and hostility towards his cousins—the five Pandava brothers—Duryodhana frequently plots against them, aided by his principal allies: his trickster uncle Shakuni, his loyal friend Karna, his devoted brother Dushasana and his blind and indulgent father Dhritarashtra. Duryodhana's envy culminates in the infamous dice game, where he humiliates Draupadi, the queen of the Pandavas. This incident provokes Bhima, the second Pandava, to vow that he will one day smash Duryodhana's thigh. Later, with the he ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dushasana
Dushasana (), also spelled Duhshasana, Dussasana or Duhsasana, also known as Sushasana, is an antagonist in the Hindu epic '' Mahabharata''. He was second eldest among the Kaurava princes and the younger brother of Duryodhana. Dushasana's jealousy and herd mentality were the two qualities said to have led to his downfall in the Mahabharata. Etymology His name derives from the Sanskrit words ''duḥ-'' "hard" and ''śāsana'' "rule"; thus ''duḥśāsana'' means " ne who ishard to rule." Birth and early life When Dhritarashtra's queen Gandhari's pregnancy continued for an unusually long time, she beat her womb in frustration and out of jealousy towards Kunti, the wife of Pandu, who had just given birth to Yudhishthira (the eldest of the five Pandava brothers). At this, a hardened mass of grey-coloured flesh emerged from her womb. Gandhari was devastated and called upon Vyasa, the great sage who had prophesied she would give birth to one hundred sons, to redeem his words. ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dushala
Dushala (), sometimes spelled as Duhshala, was the princess of Hastinapura, and the only daughter of King Dhritarashtra and Queen Gandhari in the Hindu epic ''Mahabharata''. She was born after the birth of her Kaurava brothers and her paternal half-sibling, Yuyutsu. She is married to Jayadratha, the king of Sindhu. She had a son named Suratha. She was very beautiful like her mother. Being the only princess of the most mighty Empire, she was very much loved by all the members of the royal family, particularly her elder brother, Duryodhana. Legend When Jayadratha tried to kidnap and molest Draupadi and failed, some of the Pandavas decided to slay him. But on Yudhishthira's plea to prevent Dushala from becoming a widow, they left him alone, just shaving his head. Later, Jayadratha played a vital role in getting Abhimanyu, the son of Arjuna, killed in the Kurukhsetra war to satiate his vengeance. But Arjuna, with the help of Krishna, decapitated him. Later, during the Ashva ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Shakuni
Shakuni (, , ) is one of the antagonists of the Hindu epic ''Mahabharata''. He was the prince of the kingdom of Gandhara when introduced, later becoming its king after the death of his father, Subala. He was the brother of Gandhari (Mahabharata), Gandhari and the maternal uncle of the Kauravas. Portrayed as crafty and devious, Shakuni supported his nephews, particularly the eldest, Duryodhana, in plotting against their cousinsthe Pandavas. It was Shakuni who played the game of dice against Yudhishthira, one of the seminal events in the epic. Using his skills of manipulation and foul play, he won the game twice, causing the exile of the Pandavas and the consolidation of the power of the Kauravas. During the Kurukshetra War between the Kauravas and the Pandavas, Shakuni was killed by the youngest Pandava, Sahadeva. Etymology and epithets The Sanskrit word ''Śakuni'' means 'a large bird', often used for denoting a vulture. Other figures with the same name include a Nāga, serpent, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
