dharme cārthe ca kāme ca mokṣe ca bharatarṣabha
yad ihāsti tad anyatra yan nehāsti na tat kva cit
yad ihāsti tad anyatra yan nehāsti na tat kva cit
"In the realm of dharma, artha, kama, and moksha, (ethics, economic development, pleasure, and liberation), whatever is found in this epic may be found elsewhere, but what is not found here will be impossible to find anywhere else."
Mahābhārata, Adi Parva 56.33)
Appendix 1: Karṇa’s Birth
Once the great sage Durvāsā visited King Kuntībhoja. He stayed for some days in the king’s palace and was attended by Kuntī, then a young girl. Due to her expert service and humble attitude, the sage became pleased with her. He gave her a mantra with which she could summon any god and have him do her bidding.
After the sage had left, Kuntī was sitting alone in her room. She gazed out her window and saw the sun rising. Suddenly, she found herself gifted with celestial sight. She was able to see the personified form of the sun. Seeing the effulgent and beautiful deity, her mind became attracted. She began to wonder about the mantra. Did it actually work? Could she summon the sun-god himself? The girl recited the mantra as she thought of Sūrya. To her amazement, he appeared before her, filling her room with brilliance. The deity, who had a complexion like molten gold and was adorned with shining bracelets and a diadem, smiled at the astonished maiden. “What would you have me do?” he asked.
Kuntī almost cowered before the god. “O lord, go back to the place from where you came,” she replied in a bashful voice. “It was only childish curiosity that made me call you. Pray forgive me for my folly.”
“O slender-waisted girl, I will return as you request, but first I must do something for you. It is not proper that my visit should go in vain. Indeed, the gods’ acts always bear fruit. You have desired me. I will therefore bestow upon you a splendid child, furnished with his own armor and celestial earrings to endow him with full power.”
Kuntī’s mouth fell open in horror as the god continued. “O maiden, I will only leave after having enjoyed you. If you do not comply with my words and gratify my desire, then I will curse you, your father, and the Brahmin who foolishly gave you the mantra without knowing your character.”
Sūrya told Kunt that all the other gods were laughing at him to see his plight. The girl had called him with desire in her heart and was now rejecting him. He would not leave without giving her a son.
Kuntī spoke in an imploring voice. “O great lord of rays, please go to your own abode. Surely such an outrage is not befitting you. I am a maiden and cannot surrender myself to a man until I am properly married. My father, mother, or other superiors must first bestow me upon another. I will not abandon virtue. In this world, keeping her body pure is considered a woman’s highest duty.”
Kuntī again explained that it had only been childishness and naivete that had made her use the mantra. She begged the god to forgive her and to leave.
Sūrya would not relent. “It is because you are only a girl that I am already so lenient. Where others might have been punished for insulting me so, I am instead offering you the boon of a powerful child like myself. If I go without enjoying you, I will be the object of ridicule among the celestials. Therefore, surrender yourself to me and receive a son who will be extolled in all the worlds.”
Afraid to commit sin, Kuntī repeatedly tried to sway the god from his purpose, but to no avail. He remained unmoved. Finally she said, “O lord of the world, how will I be saved from sin and the world’s censure? How will the reputation of my house be protected? It seems that my surrendering to you is an act condemned by scripture. Please instruct me how it may be done without my losing my chastity. Surely the virtue, reputation and, indeed, the life of all beings rests in you. Tell me how your proposal may be consistent with virtue.”
Sūrya assured her that there would be no sin in her having intercourse with him. “How could I, who desires the welfare of all beings, cause anyone to commit a sinful act, which leads only to suffering? Do not fear. Even after uniting with me, you will remain a virgin. O fair-complexioned girl, you need have no doubt.”
Assured and seeing that she had no choice, Kuntī assented to the god’s request. He at once entered her by his yogic power and, overwhelmed by his energy, she fell senseless to her bed. The god then departed. Ten months later, Kuntī gave birth to a son as beautiful as a celestial. No one but one or two of her most trusted servants knew of her pregnancy and of the birth.
When the child was born, Kuntī saw that he was adorned with bright earrings and a natural coat of mail. His eyes resembled those of a lion and his shoulders, even as a newborn baby, were broad. Kuntī consulted with her nurse as to what to do with the boy. She was torn. This was her first-born son, the offspring of the powerful sun-god, but how could she keep him? Although the deity had assured her that she would remain a virgin, who would believe it? How could it ever be acceptable for a maiden to have a child? Who would accept her as a wife if she had already given birth?
Kuntī finally concluded that the baby had to be cast away. He was the great Sūrya’s son. Surely Sūrya would protect him. Kuntī also prayed to Viṣṇu for the boy’s welfare. Then, along with her nurse, she took the child in a large wicker basket to the bank of the Ganges. She sat on the river bank gazing at the baby for some time. Tears fell from her eyes and she cried out in pain as she contemplated losing the child. Her anguished voice carried across the water.
“O my son, may all the creatures inhabiting the earth, heavens and waters protect you. May Varuṇa, god of the waters, and Pavana, god of the winds, carry you safely away. May your powerful father, the god of shining rays, watch over you.”
Kuntī beseeched many of the gods to look after her son and prayed that he would find a good father and mother. “What a dream she has dreamed who will adopt you as her son,” she cried. “Blessed is that lady who will see you crawl on the ground, your radiant face covered in dust and your dark and curling locks strewn about. Fortunate are they who will hear your inarticulate speech and who will see you grow to manhood, like a lion in the Himālayan forests.”
Having wept long and bitterly, Kuntī at last closed the basket and pushed it out into the flowing river. She watched as it bobbed away on the waters. Then, supported by her nurse, she made her way back to the palace.
The basket finally came to rest in still waters near the city of Champa. There, Adhiratha, leader of the suta tribe, had gone to the river with his wife, Radha. The lady saw the basket and had it brought onto the bank. When it was opened, the couple saw with amazement the effulgent child lying there. Radha at once took the infant onto her lap and asked her husband if she could take him home. She had been praying to the gods for a son and considered that this baby must be a gift from them. With her husband’s permission, she brought the child home and raised him with tenderness as her own son. They named him Vasusena, but later he became known as Karṇa and Radheya.
2: Karṇa Cursed
When Karṇa attained manhood he approached Droṇa in order to learn the secrets of the brahmāstra. Droṇa replied, however, that the knowledge he desired should only be given to a qualified Brahmin who had practiced vows, or to an accomplished kṣatriya who had undergone penance. “O Radheya, you are neither. Indeed, you hail from the suta class of śūdras. I will not instruct you.”
Burning with anger, Karṇa bowed before Droṇa and left for the Mahendra mountain, where he knew he would find Paraśurāma. When he found the sage, Karṇa bowed at his feet and said, “I am a Brahmin from Bhṛgu’s race. Kindly instruct me in weaponry. I desire to know the brahmāstra.”
Paraśurāma received him kindly and agreed to teach him. Karṇa then lived at the sage’s ashram and learned many types of warfare and weaponry from him. While residing on the heavenly mountain, he became a favorite of the many Siddhas and Gandharvas who sported there. He would often go about with his bow and sword, hunting game and the wild beasts.
Once, while hunting, he accidentally slew a Brahmin’s cow. Distraught, he went at once to the Brahmin and told him what had happened. Dropping to the ground before the sage, he said in a tearful voice, “O best of men, I have killed your cow quite against my will and desire. Forgive me! Please allow me to make some recompense.”
But the Brahmin, seeing his beloved cow lying dead, was filled with anger. His face turned red and he took hold of his sacred thread, signifying his intention to curse Karṇa. “O wicked one, you deserve death for this crime. You will suffer the fruit of your foolishness even in this life. When you finally meet in battle with your mortal enemy, your chariot will be swallowed by the earth. As you have carelessly cut down my cow, so will your head be cut off by your foe. Go now, O vile man!”
Karṇa tried to appease the Brahmin, but he would not relent. “My words will not prove false,” he replied. Finally Karṇa went away, hanging his head in sorrow.
Karṇa remained in Paraśurāma’s ashram for some time, pleasing the sage by his aptitude for learning and by his humble service attitude. Paraśurāma taught him everything about the Brahmā weapon, as well as other powerful missiles, such as the mighty Bhārgava astra.
One day, the sage took a walk in the woods, taking Karṇa with him. After some time, he became tired and lay down to rest on a grassy slope, placing his head on Karṇa’s lap. As the ṛṣi slept, a large insect crawled onto Karṇa’s leg and began to burrow into his flesh. Digging deeply, the insect drank Karṇa’s blood. Not wanting to disturb his guru, Karṇa did not move. He sat without showing the least sign of pain.
After some minutes his warm blood ran onto Paraśurāma’s face and awakened him. When he saw the eight-legged insect on Karṇa’s leg, he melted it with his glance. A Rākṣasa suddenly rose into the sky and addressed Paraśurāma with folded palms. “O best of ascetics, you have saved me from a hellish existence. Formerly I lived in the higher planets, but one day I assaulted Bhṛgu’s wife, who cursed me to become an insect. When I begged for mercy, he told me I would be released from the curse when I came in contact with Rāma, the son of Jamadagni. You have rescued me. Thank you, O sage. I will now depart.”
The Rākṣasa vanished, leaving the ṛṣi glaring at Karṇa. “O wretch!” he exclaimed. “How can you be a Brahmin? No Brahmin could tolerate such pain. Only a kṣatriya has such patience. Tell me the truth--who are you?”
Trembling, Karṇa replied, “O lord, I am Karṇa and I have been born in the suta race, a mixture of Brahmins and kṣatriyas. Coming to you as my teacher, O scion of Bhṛgu’s line, I saw you as my father. Thus did I call myself a member of Bhṛgu’s family. Forgive me, for I am your humble servant.”
Paraśurāma smiled through his anger. Looking down at Karṇa, who had prostrated himself on the earth with folded palms, the sage said, “Greedy for weapons, you have lied to me. Therefore, I say this: When you face your greatest danger and desperately need your most powerful celestial weapon, you will not be able to remember the mantras. Otherwise, you will be peerless in weaponry. Now leave at once, for this is no place for one who behaves falsely.”
Karṇa went shamefacedly away and later joined Duryodhana in Hastināpura.
3: Bhīṣma’s Heavenly Origin
In ancient times there lived a king named Mahavisha. During his long life he performed great sacrifices and, as a result, ascended to Indra’s abode at the end of his life. Once in an assembly of the gods, with Brahmā present, Mahavisha saw the divinely beautiful Gaṅgā. As he looked at her, a gust of wind suddenly blew away her garments. All the celestials looked away, but Mahavisha continued to gaze at her, captivated by her beauty. For this rudeness, Brahmā cursed him as follows: “You will again be born on earth, but you will return here after one life.”
Mahavisha thought for a moment, remembering all the monarchs on earth. Among them all he considered a king named Pratipa to be the most pious. He therefore asked Brahmā if he might become Pratipa’s son, to which Brahmā agreed.
Gaṅgā, having seen Mahavisha’s unashamed attraction for her, left the assembly thinking of him. As she went away she came across the Vasus, who looked dejected. When she asked them the cause of their despondency, they replied, “We have been cursed by the powerful Ṛṣi Vasiṣṭa. Thus we must soon take birth as men on earth. For this we are sorry.”
Gaṅgā heard how the eight Vasus had tried to take from Vasiṣṭa his heavenly cow, Nandini. Their leader, Dyau, had been implored by his wife to seize the cow, which was able to give anything one desired. Dyau had assented to his wife’s request and, with his brothers’ assistance, had stolen the cow. When Vasiṣṭa discovered the theft, he was furious. Understanding by his mystic power that the Vasus were responsible, he touched holy water and uttered his curse.
The Vasus soon learned of the curse and went before the ṛṣi, remorsefully returning the cow and begging his forgiveness; but Vasiṣṭa said his words could not prove false. Repeatedly requested for mercy, he finally said, “You eight Vasus will all be born on earth, but you will be freed from the curse quickly. Only Dyau, the chief culprit, will have to remain on earth for a full lifetime. He will be virtuous, powerful and learned in the Vedas, but he will not beget offspring. Indeed, he will have to abstain from the pleasures of women.”
The Vasus asked Gaṅgā to go to earth as a woman and become their mother as they did not wish to enter the womb of any human woman. When Gaṅgā asked who they would choose as their father, they replied, “There is a king named Pratipa who will soon have a son named Śantanu. That prince is destined to become our father.”
Gaṅgā was delighted. Śantanu would be an incarnation of Mahavisha. She smiled. “I will surely become your mother. Go where you will. We will soon meet again.”
In due course, the Vasus fell from heaven and Gaṅgā left for earth. Soon after, Śantanu, while wandering along the banks of the Ganges, met the goddess. Struck by her beauty, he felt his hair stand on end. Her features were flawless and she was adorned with fine silk robes as beautiful as the filaments of lotus flowers. His mouth dropped open and he could not take his eyes from her.
Gaṅgā was also attracted to the handsome monarch, and she returned his gaze, her dark eyes meeting his and sending a thrill through his body. Moving closer to her, Śantanu said, “O beautiful one, whether you are a goddess, a Gandharvi, a Dānava, an Asura, or an Apsarā, I beg you to become my wife. You seem to have no protector. Allow me to become your shelter.”
Gaṅgā glanced down demurely. “O King, I will become your wife and obey your commands, but I will make one condition: you must not interfere with my acts, whether they are agreeable or not. You must also never address me in harsh words. If you act in this way, I will remain with you; but if you act otherwise, I will leave immediately.”
The king hardly gave any thought to her request. “Be it so,” he replied at once. He brought her back to Hastināpura and the marriage ceremony was performed that day.
Absorbed in Gaṅgā’s celestial beauty, Śantanu did not notice the passage of time. After a year together, which seemed to him like a few days, Gaṅgā gave birth to a son. But within days of the birth she threw the baby into the Ganges, where it was swept away by the waters. Although horrified, Śantanu remembered Gaṅgā’s conditions and kept silent, not wanting to lose her.
Each year for seven years a boy was born, and each time Gaṅgā took the child to the river and cast him into the water. The king managed to restrain himself, but when Gaṅgā was about to drown the eighth child, he could take no more. He ran after her, shouting, “Stop! O cruel woman, why are you killing our children? Murderess of your sons, you are earning great sins by your acts.”
Gaṅgā stopped by the river bank and turned toward Śantanu. “As you desire a child, I will not kill this one. O King, take the child and raise him as your son. He will doubtlessly bring glory to your line. But in accordance with our agreement, I must now leave.”
Gaṅgā then revealed her identity to the mystified king. She told him about Vasiṣṭha’s cursing of the Vasus. “I have thus released the gods from the ṛṣi’s curse. This eighth child is Dyau, who must remain on earth for a full lifetime.”
Understanding the situation, and realizing that everything had been ordained by destiny, Śantanu tried to change Gaṅgā’s mind, but she was resolute. The king then asked that she take the baby with her to the celestial regions. When the child became a young man, he could return to earth. Gaṅgā agreed. Holding the baby close to her breast, she vanished into the river.
Śantanu returned in sorrow to his capital, Hastināpura. He continued ruling the people, becoming famous for his virtue. He was loved by the citizens and ruled the world with justice and compassion. It was said that if he simply placed his hand on someone, that person would immediately be relieved of all material pains and anxiety.
One day, some years after Gaṅgā had left, the king was hunting near the Ganges. As he pursued a deer along the river bank he noticed that the river water, which had previously been deep and flowing, had become a trickle. Marveling, the king made his way upriver to find the cause. He soon came across a godlike youth who resembled Indra himself. The amiable-looking boy was holding a large bow. It seemed he had checked the river’s flow by damming it with arrows. The king was astonished at this remarkable feat and gazed at the youth, trying to ascertain his identity. The boy suddenly disappeared, and the king, suspecting that it was his son, said to the river, “O Gaṅgā, show me my child.”
As soon as he spoke, the goddess rose from the waters holding the boy by his hand. She approached the king and said, “Here is the eighth son whom we conceived together. O great king, take him now. I have reared him carefully. Instructed by ṛṣis such as Vasiṣṭa, Shukra and Paraśurāma, he has become proficient in all aspects of Vedic knowledge and is expert in arms and warfare.”
Gaṅgā then vanished, leaving the boy with Śantanu. The king took him back to the city, where he would later become famous as Bhīṣma.
Brief Biographies of Main Characters
ABHIMANYU: The son of Arjuna and Subhadrā. Said to be an incarnation of the moon-god Soma’s son. He was slain in the battle of Kurukṣetra when just sixteen. He married Uttarā, King Virata’s daughter, and fathered Parīkṣit.
ADHIRATHA: A leader of the sutas, the caste generally employed as charioteers. He found Karṇa after Kuntī had cast him away in a basket and raised him as his own son. His wife’s name was Radha, and thus Karṇa was known as Radheya.
AGNIVESHA: A ṛṣi who underwent severe austerities on Mount Mahendra. He was expert in the use of weapons, and both Droṇa and Drupada studied under him. He received the Āgneyāstra (fire weapon) from the Ṛṣi Bharadvāja, and passed it on to Droṇa.
AKRURA: Kṛṣṇa’s uncle and a famous Vṛṣṇi. He was a commander of the Yādava army and also acted as one of Kṛṣṇa’s advisors.
ALAMBUSHA: A rakshasa who fought for Duryodhana in the Kurukṣetra war. He was Baka’s brother, and bore enmity toward Bhīma because Bhīma slew his brother. He killed Arjuna’s son Iravan, and was himself killed by Bhīma’s son, Ghaṭotkaca.
AMBA: The king of Kashi’s eldest daughter. Bhīṣma abducted her from her svayaṁvara to be his brother’s bride. Having already committed herself to Shalva, Bhīṣma released her. When Shalva rejected her as a wife because she had been touched by another, she developed an intense hatred for Bhīṣma. She worshipped Śiva and obtained a boon that she would kill Bhīṣma in her next life. She was then reborn as Śikhaṇḍī.
AMBĀLIKĀ: The king of Kashi’s youngest daughter. She was abducted by Bhīṣma from her svayaṁvara and married Vicitravīrya. Later she became Pāṇḍu’s mother by union with Vyāsadeva.
AMBIKĀ: Second daughter of the king of Kashi, abducted from her svayaṁvara by Bhīṣma. She married Vicitravīrya and, after his death, became Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s mother by union with Vyāsadeva.
ANGARAPARNA: A Gandharva chief; also known as Citraratha, who met the Pāṇḍavas when they were fleeing from Vāraṇāvata after the burning of the lac house.
ARJUNA: Third son of Pāṇḍu and Kuntī, begotten by Indra. He is famous as Kṛṣṇa’s dear friend and he heard the Bhagavad-gita from Him. He is known by nine other names: Dhanañjaya (winner of wealth), Vijaya (always victorious), Swetavahana (he whose chariot is drawn by white horses), Phālguna (born under the auspicious star of the same name), Kirīṭī (he who wears the diadem), Bhibatsu (terrifying to behold in battle), Savyasachi (able to wield a bow with both hands), Jiṣṇu (unconquerable), and Kṛṣṇa (dark-complexioned). The name Arjuna means “one of pure deeds.” He is said to be an incarnation of the ancient sage Nara.
ASHVINI KUMARAS: Twin gods who act as celestial physicians. They fathered Nakula and Sahadeva through Mādrī.
ASHVATTHAMA: Son of Droṇa and Kripi. When he was young, his father was impoverished. Some of Aśvatthāmā’s friends, knowing that he had never tasted milk, once gave him a cup of water mixed with flour and told him it was milk. The boy drank it and danced in glee, saying “I have tasted milk!” His father saw this and was cut to the quick. It was this incident that inspired him to go to his old friend Drupada and beg. Aśvatthāmā is said to be a partial expansion of Śiva.
BABRUVAHANA: Son of Arjuna and Citrāṅgadā, who became the ruler of Maṇipura.
BAHLIKA: Younger brother of Śantanu. He lived a long life and was an advisor to Dhṛtarāṣṭra. He became a commander in Duryodhana’s army during the Kurukṣetra war. He was finally killed by Bhīma.
BALARAMA: Son of Vasudeva and Rohini. Said by the Vedas to be an eternal form of the Supreme Lord who sometimes appears in the material world to enact pastimes. More information about Him can be found in the Bhagavata Purana (Srimad-Bhagavatam).
BHARATA: A king in the dynasty of the moon-god (all kṣatriyas are descendents either of Chandra, the moon-god, or Sūrya, the sun-god) who ruled the earth for thousands of years. The earth planet has been named after him, and it was common during the Mahābhārata era to call his descendents by his name. Bharata was born from the union of King Dushyanta and the daughter of Kanva Ṛṣi, named Shakuntala. The story of their marriage and Bharata’s birth is recounted in the Mahābhārata’s Adi Parva.
BHIMASENA: Pāṇḍu and Kuntī’s second son, sired by Vāyu, the wind-god. After the great war he was installed by Yudhiṣṭhira as crown prince. A story is told in the Skanda Purana that Bhīma became a little proud after the war, considering that it was by his own power that he had achieved success in the war. All his brothers attributed their success to Kṛṣṇa. Wanting to curb Bhīma’s pride, Kṛṣṇa took him on Garuḍa and traveled a long way to the south, where they came to a great lake many miles wide. Kṛṣṇa sent Bhīma to find the source of the lake. Bhīma ran around its perimeter, but could not discover its source. As he ran he encountered a number of powerful Asuras. Bhīma found himself unable to defeat them and he ran to Kṛṣṇa for shelter. Kṛṣṇa lifted and threw the lake away and dispersed the Asuras. He said to Bhīma, “This lake was contained in Kumbhakarna’s skull, the Rākṣasa killed by Rāma in a previous age. The warriors who attacked you were from a race of demons who fought with Rāvaṇa against Rāma.” Bhīma’s pride was thus curbed.
BHĪṢMA: Son of Śantanu, known as the “grandfather” of the Kurus. Although he never became king, he officiated at Hastināpura as regent until Vicitravīrya was of age. He is said to be an incarnation of Dyau, the chief Vasu (see Appendix Three). The original text of the Mahābhārata contains an entire Parva, the Shanti Parva, devoted to Bhīṣma’s instructions on religion and morality, which he delivered while lying on the bed of arrows.
CHITRASENA: King of the Gandharvas who taught Arjuna the arts of singing and dancing while he was in heaven. He later captured Duryodhana, whom Arjuna and Bhīma had released. Citrasena was also the name of a king of Trigarta who fought with the Kauravas, and also the name of one of Karṇa’s sons.
DEVAKI: Kṛṣṇa’s mother and the wife of Vasudeva, a chief of the Vrishni clan. Details of her life can be found in the Bhagavata Purana.
DHAUMYA: An ascetic ṛṣi who became the Pāṇḍavas’ guru and guide. The younger brother of Devala, another famous ṛṣi.
DHRISTADYUMNA: Son of Drupada, born from the sacrificial fire. Said in the Vedas to be an expansion of the fire-god, Agni.
DHRISTAKETU: A son of Śiśupāla, king of the Cediś, who befriended the Pāṇḍavas and supplied them with an akshauhini division of troops for the Kurukṣetra war. He was slain by Droṇa. After the war, his sister married Nakula. He was said to be one of the celestial Viśvadevas incarnating on earth.
DHRITARASTRA: The blind son of Vyāsadeva, born of Ambikā after the death of her husband, Vicitravīrya. He became king in Hastināpura after Pāṇḍu retired to the forest. He was the father of the Kauravas. In the Bhagavata Purana it is said that, after practicing yoga, he achieved liberation, merging into the Supreme Brahman at the end of his life.
DRAUPADI: Daughter of Drupada, king of Pañchāla, and wife of the five Pāṇḍavas. In her previous life she was an ascetic woman named Nalayani who received a boon from Śiva that she would have five husbands in her next life. The epitome of womanly skills, she once gave advice on how to serve a husband to Satyabhāmā, one of Kṛṣṇa’s principal wives. She was said to be an expansion of the Goddess Lakṣmī. Also known as Pāñcālī.
DRONA (DRONACHARYA): The Kurus’ martial teacher. The sage Bharadvāja once caught sight of the Apsarā Ghrtachi and, as a result, semen fell from his body, which he caught in a pot. Droṇa was later born from that pot. He was taught by Agniveśya and Paraśurāma. Said to be an expansion of Bṛhaspati, the celestial seer and preceptor of the gods.
DRUPADA: King of the Pañchāla province in Bharata. He was a staunch ally of the Pāṇḍavas, respected as the senior most king among their allies. He formed an enmity with Droṇa after the latter had come to him for charity and had been refused. Droṇa finally killed him in the Kurukṣetra war. Drupada was also known as Yajnasena, and is said to be an expansion of the celestial Maruts.
DURVASA: A powerful ṛṣi famous for his quick temper. The Puranas and Mahābhārata contain many stories about Durvāsā. He is particularly famous for having granted Kuntī the boon that she could summon any god to do her will, which resulted in the births of the Pāṇḍavas from five principal deities. He is said to be an expansion of Śiva.
DURYODHANA: Eldest of Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s sons and leader of the Kauravas. From childhood he formed an enmity with the Pāṇḍavas, which later resulted in the Kurukṣetra war. He was killed by Bhīma and went to the heavenly planets as a result of his adherence to kṣatriya duties. He was said to be an expansion of Kali, the god presiding over the dark age.
DUSHASHANA: Duryodhana’s eldest brother and one of his inner circle of close advisors. He grievously offended Draupadī and the Pāṇḍavas, and as a result Bhīma vowed to kill him and drink his blood. He did so during the great war.
EKALAVYA: Son of Hiranyadhanu, a Niṣadha tribal chief. He became quite skilled in archery by worshipping Droṇa, but he was ultimately cursed by him. He was killed by Kṛṣṇa.
GANDHARI: Daughter of the king of Gandhara, who became Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s wife. Having once pleased Vyāsadeva by her service, she was blessed by the sage that she would have one hundred sons. After marrying the blind Dhṛtarāṣṭra, she covered her own eyes with a cloth for the rest of her life. She is thus famous as one of the most chaste ladies in Vedic history. She died in the forest with her husband and Kuntī.
GAṄGĀ: A goddess who appears in this world as the river Ganges. She was Bhīṣma’s mother (see Appendix Three). Her origin is described in various Vedic texts, including Bhagavata Purana and Rāmayana. The river water descends from the spiritual world after touching Lord Viṣṇu’s foot and is thus considered sacred.
GHATOTKACHA: The son of Bhīma and the Rakshashi Hiḍimbī. He became a leader of the Rākṣasas and assisted the Pāṇḍavas in the Kurukṣetra war. Karṇa killed him with Indra’s celestial Śakti weapon.
INDRA: King of the gods, also known as Purandara and Śakra. The Vedas contain numerous stories about this deity, who became Arjuna’s father.
JARASANDHA: King of Magadha and a powerful enemy of Kṛṣṇa. His father, Bṛhadratha, once approached a sage to seek a blessing to have a son. The sage gave him a mango, which the king divided into two, giving half to each of his wives. They each gave birth to half a child, and the king threw away the halves. A Rakshashi named Jara later found the two halves and joined them together, whereupon the body came to life. The child was then named Jarāsandha, meaning ‘joined by Jara.’ The Bhagavata Purana describes the history of his inimical relationship with Kṛṣṇa. He was killed in a wrestling match with Bhīma.
JAYADRATHA: King of Sindhu who married Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s daughter Dushala. When he was born, a heavenly voice announced that he would be a powerful warrior but would be beheaded by an enemy of unparalleled strength. His father, Vridhakshetra, then cursed whomever would cause his son’s head to fall to the ground to himself die, his own head shattering into a hundred fragments. He was killed by Arjuna at Kurukṣetra.
KAMSA: Maternal uncle of Kṛṣṇa who usurped the throne from his father, Ugrasena. He was killed by Kṛṣṇa. Details of his life are found in the Bhagavata Purana.
KARNA: Firstborn son of the Pāṇḍavas’ mother Kuntī from her union with the sun-god (see Appendix One). He became the chief support and best friend of Duryodhana, who made him king of Aṅga. He was killed by Arjuna at Kurukṣetra and went to the sun planet. Other names of Karṇa include Vasusena, Vaikarthana and Radheya.
KRIPA (KRIPACHARYA): Son of the sage Saradvan, who was once practicing asceticism in the forest when he saw the Apsarā Janapadi. He passed semen, which fell into a clump of reeds, and a boy and girl were born from it. They were named Kṛpa and Kripi. They were found and brought to Śantanu, who was later told of their origin by Saradvan. Kṛpa was taught Dhanurveda, the martial arts, by his father, and he became one of the Kurus’ martial teachers. He survived the Kurukṣetra war and counseled the Pāṇḍavas when they ruled the world. Later, they appointed him preceptor of their grandson, Parīkṣit.
KRISHNA: Said by the Vedas to be God, the Supreme Person, who is the origin of all other incarnations of the Godhead such as Viṣṇu and Nārāyaṇa. The Bhagavata Purana contains extensive descriptions of His qualities and activities. He spoke the Bhagavad-gita to Arjuna at the beginning of the Kurukṣetra war.
KRITAVARMA: A chief in the Yadu dynasty. A devotee of Kṛṣṇa, he was the commander of the Yadu army. Kṛṣṇa offered the army to Duryodhana for the Kurukṣetra war, and thus they and Kṛtavarmā fought against the Pāṇḍavas. Kṛtavarmā survived the war, but was later killed at Prabhāsa during a fratricidal quarrel among the Yadus.
KUNTI: The Pāṇḍavas’ mother. She was the sister of Vasudeva, Kṛṣṇa’s father. Her own father, Surasena, had given her as a baby to his close friend King Kuntībhoja, who had no children. She was named Prtha at birth, but became better known as Kuntī after being raised by Kuntībhoja.
KURU: Ancient king and founder of the Kuru dynasty (see family tree in Appendix Four). Due to his performance of sacrifice and asceticism at the site, the place known as Kurukṣetra, named after Kuru, is considered sacred.
KUVERA (VAISHRAVANA): God of riches and one of the four universal protectors or Lokapālas. Known as the celestial treasurer.
MARKENDEYA: An ancient ṛṣi said to have lived through thousands of ages. The Mahābhārata contains many stories about him.
NAKULA: One of the twin sons of Pāṇḍu and Mādrī, begotten by the twin Aśvinī gods. He was a maharatha warrior renowned for his expertise with a sword. He conquered the western regions of Bharata, before Yudhiṣṭhira’s Rājasūya sacrifice. Along with Draupadī, he married a princess of Chedi named Karenumati.
NARADA: A celestial sage also known as Devarshi, or the ṛṣi among the gods. He is famous as a devotee of Kṛṣṇa and frequently assists Him in His pastimes on earth. The Vedas contain innumerable references to Nārada’s activities and teachings.
PANDU: Father of the Pāṇḍavas born to Vicitravīrya’s widow queen Ambālikā by the grace of Vyāsadeva.
PARĀŚARA: A powerful ṛṣi, grandson of Vasiṣṭa, who fathered Vyāsadeva by conceiving him with Satyavatī when she was still a maiden. Once Satyavatī ferried the sage across a river and he was attracted by her beauty. He asked if he could have union with her, promising that by his mystic power she would not lose her virginity. She agreed and they united on an island in the middle of the river, which Parāśara shrouded from view by creating volumes of mist. Vyāsadeva was immediately born and grew at once to manhood.
PARASURAMA: A ṛṣi said to be an empowered incarnation of Viṣṇu. He is famous for having annihilated all the kṣatriyas of the world after his father, Jamadagni, had been killed by a king named Kartavirya. An expert in the Vedic military arts, he was the martial teacher of Bhīṣma, Droṇa and Karṇa. The Mahābhārata contains various stories about his exploits.
PARIKSIT: Posthumous son of Abhimanyu, the Pāṇḍavas installed him as king in Hastināpura when they retired. He was named Parīkṣit, meaning ‘the examiner’, as the Brahmins said he would come to examine all men in his search for the Supreme Lord, whom he saw while still an embryo in his mother’s womb. He became famous as the hearer of the Bhagavata Purana from the sage Sukadeva Goswami.
SAHADEVA: The youngest Pāṇḍava. One of the two twin sons of Mādrī fathered by the Aśvinī gods. He conquered southern Bharata before Yudhiṣṭhira’s Rājasūya sacrifice. Famous for his perceptive powers and intelligence, he was appointed as Yudhiṣṭhira’s personal advisor after the Kurukṣetra war. Besides being married to Draupadī, he married a princess of Madra named Vijaya.
SANJAYA: Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s charioteer and secretary. Although he belonged to the suta caste, he was a spiritually advanced disciple of Vyāsadeva, who gave him the power to see the events during the Kurukṣetra war. Consequently, he narrated all the battle scenes to Dhṛtarāṣṭra.
SATYAKI: A Vṛṣṇi hero who became Arjuna’s martial disciple. He was a close friend of Kṛṣṇa. A powerful maharatha, he fought for the Pāṇḍavas at Kurukṣetra, surviving both the war and subsequent massacre of sleeping soldiers by Aśvatthāmā. He died at Prabhāsa during the fratricidal battle among the Yadus.
SHAKUNI: Son of King Suvala and brother of Gāndhārī. Acted as close confidant and mentor to Duryodhana. Although a powerful kṣatriya, he preferred cunning and underhanded methods to open combat. Said to be an expansion of the deity presiding over the Dvapara age (third in the cycle of four ages), he was slain at Kurukṣetra by Sahadeva.
SHALVA: King of Saubha. He fought Bhīṣma for Amba’s hand after Bhīṣma kidnapped her from her svayaṁvara. Due to his strong friendship with Śiśupāla, whom Kṛṣṇa killed, he became Kṛṣṇa’s enemy. He attacked Dwārakā in the huge airplane he had received from Śiva. Said to be an incarnation of the Asura Ajaka, Kṛṣṇa killed him.
SHALYA: Ruler of Madra and brother of Pāṇḍu’s second wife Mādrī. Although the Pāṇḍavas’ friend, and having a particular friendship with Yudhiṣṭhira, he was tricked by Duryodhana into fighting for the Kauravas at Kurukṣetra. Said to be an incarnation of the Daitya Samhlada, Yudhiṣṭhira killed him in the war.
ŚANTANU: Great grandfather of the Pāṇḍavas and Kauravas, and Bhīṣma’s father from his union with Gaṅgā (see Appendix Three). After retirement, he went to Mount Archika in the Himālayas and practiced asceticism, finally attaining liberation. It is said in the Bhagavata Purana that his elder brother, Devapi, still lives on earth in a place called Kalapa, awaiting the commencement of the next Satya-yuga (golden age) when he will become king.
SHIKHANDHI: Son of Drupada and a reincarnation of Amba. He was born as a woman and later became a man by the grace of a Yakṣa named Sthunakarna. Remembering his enmity from his previous life, he vowed to kill Bhīṣma. It was due to him that Arjuna was able to approach and finally slay Bhīṣma. Aśvatthāmā killed him during the night slaughter of the sleeping Pāṇḍava warriors.
SISHUPALA: King of Chedi and an avowed enemy of Kṛṣṇa. The Bhagavata Purana describes his previous existence as Jaya, a gatekeeper in the spiritual Vaikuntha world. Due to a curse, he and his brother Vijaya had to take birth in the material world for three lives as demons (his other two incarnations were Hiranyaksha and Rāvaṇa). Kṛṣṇa killed him at Yudhiṣṭhira’s Rājasūya sacrifice.
SUBHADRA: Kṛṣṇa’s sister, said to be an incarnation of Yogamaya, the Lord’s personified spiritual energy. Her birth is described in the Bhagavata Purana. She married Arjuna and they had a son named Abhimanyu. Unlike her co-wife Draupadī, no details are given in the original text about how she ended her life.
SUSHARMA: King of Trigarta and brother of Duryodhana’s wife, Bhanumati. He led a huge army and concentrated on fighting Arjuna during the Kurukṣetra war, having taken a vow to kill him. He was slain by Arjuna.
ULUPI: Daughter of the Nāga king Kauravya, who became Arjuna’s wife. They had a son named Iravan, who was killed at Kurukṣetra. She married Arjuna during his one year exile from Indraprastha, only spending one day with him after their wedding. She was reunited with him in Hastināpura after the war.
UTTARA: A princess of Virata whom Arjuna taught dancing during his final year of exile. She married Abhimanyu and their son was named Parīkṣit.
VASUDEVA: Kṛṣṇa’s father, after whom Kṛṣṇa Himself is named. Details of his life and previous births are given in the Bhagavata Purana.
VIDURA: Son of Vyāsadeva and a palace maidservant. He was said to be an expansion of Yamarāja, the lord of justice. Once a ṛṣi named Mandavya was mistaken for a robber. The king arrested and punished him by having him pierced by a lance. The sage later went to Yamarāja and asked why this had happened and was told that in his childhood he had pierced an insect with a blade of grass. Hearing that he had received punishment for a mistake made when he was still an ignorant child, the sage cursed Yamarāja to take birth on earth as a śūdra. Thus he became Vidura.
VIRATA: King of Matsya, where the Pāṇḍavas spent their final year in exile. He joined with the Pāṇḍavas in the Kurukṣetra war, bringing an akshauhini division of warriors. Droṇa killed him in the battle. He was said to be an expansion of the celestial Maruts.
VYĀSADEVA: The sage who authored the Mahābhārata. Born from the union of Parāśara Ṛṣi and Satyavatī, he is known as Dwaipayana because he was born on an island (see Parāśara). He compiled the Vedas and is said to be an empowered incarnation of Viṣṇu. His son’s name is Sukadeva, the famous reciter of the Bhagavata Purana.
YADU: Ancient king and founder of the Yadu dynasty, in which Kṛṣṇa appeared (see family tree in Appendix Four). Details of Yadu’s birth and life are given in the original text of the Mahābhārata and also the Bhagavata Purana.
YUDHISTHIRA: Eldest Pāṇḍava, born from the union of Kuntī and the god Dharma. He performed a Rājasūya sacrifice which established him as world emperor. Famous for his adherence to virtue and truth, he is also known as Dharmarāja, as well as Ajātaśatru, which means “one who has no enemies.” After the war he ruled the world for thirty-six years and was succeeded by Parīkṣit.
Questions to Yudhiṣṭhira
The following questions and answers are not included in the main text:
“What makes one learned? How does one attain an exalted status? What is one’s second self and by what does one become wise?”
“By study of the Vedas one becomes learned. Asceticism raises one to an exalted status. Intelligence is his second self, and serving elders makes one wise.”
“What is the Brahmins’ divine attribute? What is their virtuous practice resembling that of the pious, what is their human attribute, and what practice of theirs resembles that of the impious?”
“Study of the Vedas is the Brahmins’ divine attribute. Their asceticism is like the virtuous practice of the pious, death is their human attribute, and slander by them is their impiety.”
“What is the divine attribute of kṣatriyas, what is their piety and impiety, and what is their human failing?”
“Arrows and weapons constitute their divinity, sacrifice is their piety and abandoning the distressed their impiety. Fear is their human failing.”
“What is the Sāma of sacrifice, what is its Yajur and what can it not do without?”
“Life is the sacrificial Sāma, mind is its Yajur and it is the Ṛg which it cannot do without.”
Yudhiṣṭhira understood his actual meaning. By sacrifice he meant the spiritual sacrifice for obtaining pure knowledge. In the objective sacrifice which one normally performs with fire and mantras, the three Vedas--Sāma, Yajur and Ṛg--are required. In the subjective, spiritual sacrifice, the acquisition of true knowledge, along with life and mind, are as necessary as the mantras of the three Vedas are for the objective sacrifice. Particularly spiritual sacrifice depends upon prayer, which is represented by the Ṛg mantras.
The Yakṣa went on without pause. “What is of greatest value to cultivators, to those that sow, to those wishing for prosperity and to those who bring forth?”
“Rain is the most valuable thing for cultivators, for showers it is the seed, for those desiring prosperity it is the cow and for those who bring forth it is the son.”
“What person, although breathing, endowed with intelligence, respected by the world and enjoying sensual pleasures, is nevertheless said to be not alive?”
“The person who does not satisfy the gods, guests, servants, ancestors and his own self with offerings of sanctified food is said to be dead even though breathing.”
“What is weightier than the earth? What is higher than the sky? What is fleeter than the wind? And what is more numerous than grass?”
“The mother is weightier than the earth. The father is higher than the sky. Mind is fleeter than the wind and thoughts are more numerous than grass.”
Yudhiṣṭhira understood that by serving the mother one was said to obtain the earth and by serving the father one could rise to heaven.
The Yakṣa continued, “What does not close its eyes when sleeping? What does not move after birth? What has no heart, and what swells with its own force?”
“Fish do not close their eyes when sleeping. Eggs do not move after birth. A stone has no heart and a river swells with its own force.”
“Who is the friend of an exile, of a householder, of a sick person and of a dying man?”
“An exile’s friend is his companion, that of a householder is his wife, the physician is a sick person’s friend and charity is a dying man’s friend.”
“Who is the guest of all creatures? What is the eternal religion? O king of kings, what is life-giving nectar, and what pervades this entire universe?”
“Agni is the guest of all creatures. Cows’ milk is life-giving nectar. Offering ghee into fire sacrifices made to the Lord is the eternal religion, and this entire universe is pervaded by air.”
“What is it that wanders alone? What is born again after its birth? What is the antidote to cold, and what is the largest field?”
“The sun wanders alone. The moon is repeatedly born. Agni is cold’s antidote, and the earth is the largest field.”
“What is the highest refuge of virtue? What of fame? What of heaven, and what of happiness?”
“Liberality is virtue’s highest refuge, of fame it is charity, of heaven it is truth, and of happiness the highest refuge is good conduct.”
“What is the soul of a man? Who is the friend given to him by destiny? What is his chief support, and what is his chief refuge?”
“The soul of a man is his son, his wife is the friend given by destiny, clouds are his principal support, and charity his best refuge.”
“What is the best of all laudable objects, of all sorts of wealth and of all kinds of happiness? And what is the most important of all gains?”
“Skillfulness is the most laudable object. Knowledge is the greatest wealth. Health is the greatest gain, and contentment is the highest happiness.”
“What is the greatest virtue in the world? What religion always bears fruits? What is it that which if controlled never leads men to misery? And with whom does friendship never break?”
“Abstention from harming any creature is the greatest virtue. The religion of the three Vedas is always fruitful. The mind if controlled never leads to misery, and friendship with the righteous never breaks.”
“What is it that, by renouncing, makes a man dear to others? What is it which if given up never leads to misery? What is it which if renounced leads to wealth, and what is it which if renounced leads to happiness.”
“Giving up pride makes one dear. Abandoning anger never leads to misery. Desire, if renounced, makes one wealthy, and abandonment of avarice leads to happiness.”
“For what does one give charity to Brahmins, to dancers, to servants, and to kings?”
“One gives to Brahmins for religious merit, to dancers for renown, to servants for their support, and one gives to kings for freedom from fear.”
“What is it that envelops the world? What prevents a thing from discovering itself? Why are friends forsaken, and what prevents one from going to heaven?”
“The world is enveloped with darkness. Spiritual ignorance prevents self-discovery. Friends are forsaken due to avarice, and connection with the world bars one from heaven.”
“For what is a person regarded as dead? What causes a kingdom to be seen as dead, and what makes a sacrifice dead?”
“A poor person, although living, is considered as good as dead. A kingdom without a king is considered dead, and a sacrifice without charity is dead.”
“What is the path one should follow? What is spoken of as water, as food, and as poison? What is the proper time for a śraddhā?”
“Following in the footsteps of the righteous constitutes the proper path. Space is spoken of as water in the Vedic texts on cosmogony. The cow is considered as food, as it is from milk that ghee is obtained; ghee is then used in sacrifices, and thanks to sacrifices there is rainfall, from which we get food grains. A request is poison. The proper time for a śraddhā is whenever a qualified Brahmin is available.”
Yudhiṣṭhira was unsure if his answers were satisfying the Yakṣa. He looked at him quizzically. “What is your opinion, O Yakṣa?” But the Yakṣa simply went on placing more questions.
“What is the characteristic of true asceticism? What of self-control? What constitutes forgiveness and shame?”
“Following one’s religious duties is asceticism. Self-control means keeping the mind fixed in remembrance of the Lord. Forgiveness consists of tolerating enmity, and freedom from shame means abstaining from all vile acts.”
“O King, what is said to be knowledge? What is tranquility? What is known as the greatest kindness, and what is simplicity?”
“Understanding Brahman is true knowledge. A peaceful heart is tranquility. Kindness consists of a desire for the welfare of all creatures, and simplicity means equanimity of mind.”
“What is man’s invincible enemy? What is his incurable disease? What man is regarded as honest, and what as dishonest?”
“Anger is the invincible enemy. Covetousness is the incurable disease. A man who is friendly to all creatures is honest, and the cruel man is dishonest.”
“What, O great monarch, is known as ignorance? What is spoken of as pride? What is understood to be idleness? And what is called grief?”
“Not knowing one’s religious duties is ignorance. Pride means thinking oneself to be the doer of acts in this world, without recognizing that there is a supreme power in control of everything. Idleness is not performing one’s religious duty, and ignorance is grief.”
“What is known by the ṛṣis as steadiness, and what as patience? What is said to be the best ablution, and what is spoken of as charity?”
“Steadiness means adhering firmly to one’s religious duties. Patience is controlling the senses. The highest ablution is to cleanse the mind of all impurities, and charity means to protect all creatures.”
“Who is considered learned? Who is an atheist? Who is ignorant? What is spoken of as desire, and what as envy?”
“One who knows his duties is learned. An ignorant man is an atheist, and thus is an atheist ignorant. Desire means longing for worldly things, and envy is nothing more than grief of the heart.”
“What is hypocrisy? What is the grace of the gods? What is called wickedness?”
“Falsely posing as a religious man is called hypocrisy. The grace of the gods is the result of charity. Wickedness means slandering others.”
“Virtue, profit and pleasure are opposed to one another. How then can these three co-exist?”
“When a husband and wife are happily united for the purposes of performing religious duties, then these three can exist together harmoniously.”
“Who, O best of the Bharatas, is doomed to eternal damnation? Speedily answer this question of mine.”
“One who summons a Brahmin for alms, but then gives nothing, is condemned to everlasting hell. He also goes to unending hell who denies the truth of the Vedas, the Brahmins, the gods and the religion of his forefathers. Also that man who although wealthy refuses to give charity must suffer everlasting damnation.”
“O King, tell me with certainty what makes one a Brahmin? Is it birth, good character, learning or study of the Vedas?”
“Hear, O Yakṣa, O worshipable one, what are the true characteristics of a Brahmin? It is by behavior alone that he is recognized. Birth and learning, even knowledge of all the Vedas, are useless if there is no good character. He alone is a Brahmin who performs his religious duties, offering sacrifices and keeping his senses under control. Otherwise he must be considered no better than a śūdra.”
“What is gained by agreeable speech? What is gained by he who acts only after careful thought? What does the man with many friends gain? And what does he gain who is given to virtue?”
“One who speaks agreeably becomes dear to all. One who acts with care obtains whatever he seeks. The man with many friends lives happily in this life, and the virtuous man obtains happiness in the next life.”
Note : In order to keep the story flowing this is abridged some sections and omitted others. For example, there are lengthy narrations unrelated to the story of the Pāṇḍavas, such as the famous tale of Savitri. It was omitted such sections. There is also one complete and lengthy parva devoted to Bhīṣma’s instructions (Shanti parva) delivered on the bed of arrows. And also omitted that
End
(My humble salutations to the lotus feet of Brahmasree Krishna Dharma and Bramhasree Manmatha Dutt and I am most grateful to Swamyjis, Philosophic Scholars and Ascetic Org. for the collection of this great and wornderful Epic of the world. )
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