Bharatayuddha (, ) or Bharat Yudha (or similar) is a term used in

Indonesia Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania, between the Indian Ocean, Indian and Pacific Ocean, Pacific oceans. Comprising over List of islands of Indonesia, 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, ...

for the

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 thr ...

, and to describe the Javanese translation and interpretation of the ''

Mahabharata The ''Mahābhārata'' ( ; , , ) is one of the two major Sanskrit Indian epic poetry, epics of ancient India revered as Smriti texts in Hinduism, the other being the ''Ramayana, Rāmāyaṇa''. It narrates the events and aftermath of the Kuru ...

''. The ''Mahabharata'' was translated into

Old Javanese Old Javanese or Kawi is an Austronesian languages, Austronesian language and the oldest attested phase of the Javanese language. It was natively spoken in the central and eastern part of Java Island, what is now Central Java, Special Region o ...

under the reign of king Dharmawangsa of Medang (r. 990-1006).Helen Creese, ''Women of the Kakawin World: Marriage and Sexuality in the Indic Courts of Java and Bali'', 2004, Eastgate,

Armonk, New York Armonk is a Hamlet (New York), hamlet and census-designated place (CDP) in the Administrative divisions of New York#Town, town of North Castle, New York, North Castle, located in Westchester County, New York, United States. The corporate headquar ...

, p. 253 The current version was started by Sedah in 1157, and finished by mpu Panuluh. Mpu Panuluh also wrote the '' Kakawin Hariwangsa''. According to the Javanese tradition, the war between descendants of emperor Bharata was already destined by the

gods A deity or god is a supernatural being considered to be sacred and worthy of worship due to having authority over some aspect of the universe and/or life. The ''Oxford Dictionary of English'' defines ''deity'' as a God (male deity), god or god ...

long before the Pandavas and Kauravas were born. The tradition also maintained that the Kurukshetra battlefield is not located in the present-day

Haryana Haryana () is a States and union territories of India, state located in the northern part of India. It was carved out after the linguistic reorganisation of Punjab, India, Punjab on 1 November 1966. It is ranked 21st in terms of area, with les ...

state of

India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...

, but rather in

Dieng Plateau The Dieng Plateau, often called simply Dieng (; ) is a plateau in Central Java, Indonesia that forms the floor of the caldera complex on the Dieng Volcanic Complex. Administratively, this plateau is included in the territory of Banjarnegara Regen ...

Central Java Central Java (, ) is a Provinces of Indonesia, province of Indonesia, located in the middle of the island of Java. Its administrative capital is Semarang. It is bordered by West Java in the west, the Indian Ocean and the Special Region of Yogya ...

. Therefore, the Javanese considered the ''Mahabharata'' epic happened in

Java Java is one of the Greater Sunda Islands in Indonesia. It is bordered by the Indian Ocean to the south and the Java Sea (a part of Pacific Ocean) to the north. With a population of 156.9 million people (including Madura) in mid 2024, proje ...

and not in India.

Overview

In indonesian version the Kings and Queens were the descendant of Gods. The story begins at Batara Guru, who became the first king of the kingdom of 'Medang Kamulang'. It is often portrayed through the form of Javanese

Wayang ( , ) is a traditional form of puppet theatre play originating from the Indonesian island of Java. The term refers both to the show as a whole and the puppet in particular. Performances of wayang puppet theatre are accompanied by a ''gamel ...

. A characteristic feature of the Indonesian ''Mahabharata'' is that it gives more autonomy to other characters apart from the main characters - Krishna, Arjuna, Bhisma, Duryodhana. In the Indonesian version of ''Mahabharata'' more is said about the character of Shalya etc. The main characters and places are: # Bisma (

Bhishma Bhishma (), also known as Pitamaha, Gangaputra, and Devavrata, is a central figure in the Hindu epic Mahabharata. He was a statesman and military commander of the ancient Kuru Kingdom. Renowned for his wisdom, valor, and unwavering principles, ...

- as in Indian Version) Who is the great grandfather of the Pandawas and Kurawas. # King Pandu Dewanata ( Pandu - In Indian Version) Father of the five Pandawas. # Destarata ( Dhritrashtra - In Indian Version) Eldest brother of King Pandu Dewanata who is blind and fathers 100 Kurawa brothers. # Dewi Kunti (

Kunti Kunti (, un̪t̪iː ), also known as Pritha (, ">r̩t̪ʰaː/nowiki>, ), is a prominent female character in the ancient Hindu epic '' Mahabharata''. She is chiefly recognised as the mother of the central characters—the five Pandavas—h ...

- In Indian Version) Mother of Yudistira, Bima and Arjuna and wife of Pandu # Gendari ( Gandhari - In Indian Version) Mother of Kauravas. # Madrim ( Madri - In Indian Version) Mother of the ashwin twins Nakula and Sadewa and wife of Pandu # Karna ( Karna - In Indian Version) The son of Kunti and the God Surya himself. He was faithful friend of Duryudana. # Durna ( Drona - In Indian Version) The great teacher and mahaguru to both the Kurawas and Pandawas. He was the father of Ashwatthama. # Duryudana (

Duryodhana Duryodhana (, Help:IPA/Sanskrit, ̪ʊɾjoːd̪ʱən̪ᵊ ), 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 Gan ...

- In Indian Version) Eldest Kurawa brother who wants to be the king and hates the Pandavas. He was a great warrior and a great friend. # Sangkuni (

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), ...

- In Indian Version) King of Gandhar, most skilled Player of Dice game, uncle and well wisher of the Kurwas. # Arjuna (

Arjuna Arjuna (, , Help:IPA/Sanskrit, �ɾd͡ʒun̪ə is one of the central characters of the ancient Hindu epic ''Mahabharata''. He is the third of the five Pandava brothers, and is widely regarded as the most important and renowned among them. ...

- In Indian Version) Third Pandawa brother born of

Indra Indra (; ) is the Hindu god of weather, considered the king of the Deva (Hinduism), Devas and Svarga in Hinduism. He is associated with the sky, lightning, weather, thunder, storms, rains, river flows, and war. volumes Indra is the m ...

. He was the greatest Archer of the epic. Arjuna was also the greatest and invincible warrior. Krishna was his best friend. Favourite of Bhisma and Drona. # Yudistira (Punta Dewa/Dharmawangsa) ( Yudhisthira - In Indian Version) Eldest Pandawa brother, a great king, patient and non violent by nature. Despite Kauravas hated him, he loved them and always wanted end the rivalry. # Bima (

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 ...

- In Indian Version) Second Pandawa brother born of the Wind God, a very strong man with strength of thousands of elephants, a giant. # Srikandi ( Shikhandi - In Indian Version) elder sister of Draupadi, a warrior princess and a skilled archer, she becomes a man by exchanging her feminity with a yaksha to kill bhisma unfairly as Bhishma denied to use weapons against an enuch Shikhandi. # Dropadi (

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 K ...

- In Indian Version) Younger sister of Srikandi, in Indonesian version, she is married to only Yudisthir after an archery competition won by Bhima for his elder brother; and heroine of the Mahabharata. # Hastinapura ( Hastinapura - In Indian Version) Original kingdom of Kurus. # Amarta ( Indraprastha - In Indian Version) New kingdom made by the Pandawas by Maya who was the only creature whom Arjuna spared when he burnt entire Khandava forest. # Mt Indrakila: The place where Arjuna goes to meditate before the 'Bharata Yudha' or 'War of India' and where he receives many divine arrows.

References

{{Works based on the Mahabharata, state=collapsed Javanese culture Works based on the Mahabharata

Overview

See also

References