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BRIEF BIOGRAPHIES OF MAHABHARATA CHARACTERS
ABHIMANYU: The son of Arjuna and Subhadra. Said to be an incarnation of the moon-god Soma's son. He was slain in the battle of Kuruksetra when just sixteen. He married Uttara, King Virata's daughter, and fathered Pariksit.

ADHIRATHA: A leader of the sutas, the caste generally employed as charioteers. He found Karna after Kunti had cast him away in a basket and raised him as his own son. His wife's name was Radha, and thus Karna was known as Radheya.

AGNIVESHA: A rsi who underwent severe austerities on Mount Mahendra. He was expert in the use of weapons, and both Drona and Drupada studied under him. He received the Agneyastra (fire weapon) from the Rsi Bharadvaja, and passed it on to Drona.

AKRURA: Krsna's uncle and a famous Vrsni. He was a commander of the Yadava army and also acted as one of Krsna's advisors.

ALAMBUSHA: A rakshasa who fought for Duryodhana in the Kuruksetra war. He was Baka's brother, and bore enmity toward Bhima because Bhima slew his brother. He killed Arjuna's son Iravan, and was himself killed by Bhima's son, Ghatotkaca.

AMBA: The king of Kashi's eldest daughter. Bhisma abducted her from her svayamvara to be his brother's bride. Having already committed herself to Shalva, Bhisma released her. When Shalva rejected her as a wife because she had been touched by another, she developed an intense hatred for Bhisma. She worshipped Siva and obtained a boon that she would kill Bhisma in her next life. She was then reborn as Sikhandi.

AMBALIKA: The king of Kashi's youngest daughter. She was abducted by Bhisma from her svayamvara and married Vicitravirya. Later she became Pandu's mother by union with Vyasadeva.

AMBIKA: Second daughter of the king of Kashi, abducted from her svayamvara by Bhisma. She married Vicitravirya and, after his death, became Dhrtarastra's mother by union with Vyasadeva.

ANGARAPARNA: A Gandharva chief; also known as Citraratha, who met the Pandavas when they were fleeing from Varanavata after the burning of the lac house.

ARJUNA: Third son of Pandu and Kunti, begotten by Indra. He is famous as Krsna's dear friend and he heard the Bhagavad-gita from Him. He is known by nine other names: Dhananjaya (winner of wealth), Vijaya (always victorious), Swetavahana (he whose chariot is drawn by white horses), Phalguna (born under the auspicious star of the same name), Kiriti (he who wears the diadem), Bhibatsu (terrifying to behold in battle), Savyasachi (able to wield a bow with both hands), Jisnu (unconquerable), and Krsna (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 Madri.

ASHVATTHAMA: Son of Drona and Kripi. When he was young, his father was impoverished. Some of Asvatthama'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. Asvatthama is said to be a partial expansion of Siva.

BABRUVAHANA: Son of Arjuna and Citrangada, who became the ruler of Manipura.

BAHLIKA: Younger brother of Santanu. He lived a long life and was an advisor to Dhrtarastra. He became a commander in Duryodhana's army during the Kuruksetra war. He was finally killed by Bhima.

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 ksatriyas are descendents either of Chandra, the moon-god, or Surya, 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 Mahabharata era to call his descendents by his name. Bharata was born from the union of King Dushyanta and the daughter of Kanva Rsi, named Shakuntala. The story of their marriage and Bharata's birth is recounted in the Mahabharata's Adi Parva.

BHIMASENA: Pandu and Kunti's second son, sired by Vayu, the wind- god. After the great war he was installed by Yudhisthira as crown prince. A story is told in the Skanda Purana that Bhima 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 Krsna. Wanting to curb Bhima's pride, Krsna took him on Garuda and traveled a long way to the south, where they came to a great lake many miles wide. Krsna sent Bhima to find the source of the lake. Bhima ran around its perimeter, but could not discover its source. As he ran he encountered a number of powerful Asuras. Bhima found himself unable to defeat them and he ran to Krsna for shelter. Krsna lifted and threw the lake away and dispersed the Asuras. He said to Bhima, "This lake was contained in Kumbhakarna's skull, the Raksasa killed by Rama in a previous age. The warriors who attacked you were from a race of demons who fought with Ravana against Rama." Bhima's pride was thus curbed.

BHISMA: Son of Santanu, known as the "grandfather" of the Kurus. Although he never became king, he officiated at Hastinapura as regent until Vicitravirya was of age. He is said to be an incarnation of Dyau, the chief Vasu (see Appendix Three). The original text of the Mahabharata contains an entire Parva, the Shanti Parva, devoted to Bhisma'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 Bhima had released. Citrasena was also the name of a king of Trigarta who fought with the Kauravas, and also the name of one of Karna's sons.

DEVAKI: Krsna'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 rsi who became the Pandavas' guru and guide. The younger brother of Devala, another famous rsi.

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 Sisupala, king of the Cedis, who befriended the Pandavas and supplied them with an akshauhini division of troops for the Kuruksetra war. He was slain by Drona. After the war, his sister married Nakula. He was said to be one of the celestial Visvadevas incarnating on earth.

DHRITARASTRA: The blind son of Vyasadeva, born of Ambika after the death of her husband, Vicitravirya. He became king in Hastinapura after Pandu 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 Panchala, and wife of the five Pandavas. In her previous life she was an ascetic woman named Nalayani who received a boon from Siva 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 Satyabhama, one of Krsna's principal wives. She was said to be an expansion of the Goddess Laksmi. Also known as Pancali.

DRONA (DRONACHARYA): The Kurus' martial teacher. The sage Bharadvaja once caught sight of the Apsara Ghrtachi and, as a result, semen fell from his body, which he caught in a pot. Drona was later born from that pot. He was taught by Agnivesya and Parasurama. Said to be an expansion of Brhaspati, the celestial seer and preceptor of the gods.

DRUPADA: King of the Panchala province in Bharata. He was a staunch ally of the Pandavas, respected as the senior most king among their allies. He formed an enmity with Drona after the latter had come to him for charity and had been refused. Drona finally killed him in the Kuruksetra war. Drupada was also known as Yajnasena, and is said to be an expansion of the celestial Maruts.

DURVASA: A powerful rsi famous for his quick temper. The Puranas and Mahabharata contain many stories about Durvasa. He is particularly famous for having granted Kunti the boon that she could summon any god to do her will, which resulted in the births of the Pandavas from five principal deities. He is said to be an expansion of Siva.

DURYODHANA: Eldest of Dhrtarastra's sons and leader of the Kauravas. >From childhood he formed an enmity with the Pandavas, which later resulted in the Kuruksetra war. He was killed by Bhima and went to the heavenly planets as a result of his adherence to ksatriya 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 Draupadi and the Pandavas, and as a result Bhima vowed to kill him and drink his blood. He did so during the great war.

EKALAVYA: Son of Hiranyadhanu, a Nisadha tribal chief. He became quite skilled in archery by worshipping Drona, but he was ultimately cursed by him. He was killed by Krsna.

GANDHARI: Daughter of the king of Gandhara, who became Dhrtarastra's wife. Having once pleased Vyasadeva by her service, she was blessed by the sage that she would have one hundred sons. After marrying the blind Dhrtarastra, 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 Kunti.

GANGA: A goddess who appears in this world as the river Ganges. She was Bhisma's mother (see Appendix Three). Her origin is described in various Vedic texts, including Bhagavata Purana and Ramayana. The river water descends from the spiritual world after touching Lord Visnu's foot and is thus considered sacred.

GHATOTKACHA: The son of Bhima and the Rakshashi Hidimbi. He became a leader of the Raksasas and assisted the Pandavas in the Kuruksetra war. Karna killed him with Indra's celestial Sakti weapon.

INDRA: King of the gods, also known as Purandara and Sakra. The Vedas contain numerous stories about this deity, who became Arjuna's father.

JARASANDHA: King of Magadha and a powerful enemy of Krsna. His father, Brhadratha, 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 Jarasandha, meaning `joined by Jara.' The Bhagavata Purana describes the history of his inimical relationship with Krsna. He was killed in a wrestling match with Bhima.

JAYADRATHA: King of Sindhu who married Dhrtarastra'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 Kuruksetra.

KAMSA: Maternal uncle of Krsna who usurped the throne from his father, Ugrasena. He was killed by Krsna. Details of his life are found in the Bhagavata Purana.

KARNA: Firstborn son of the Pandavas' mother Kunti 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 Anga. He was killed by Arjuna at Kuruksetra and went to the sun planet. Other names of Karna include Vasusena, Vaikarthana and Radheya.

KRIPA (KRIPACHARYA): Son of the sage Saradvan, who was once practicing asceticism in the forest when he saw the Apsara Janapadi. He passed semen, which fell into a clump of reeds, and a boy and girl were born from it. They were named Krpa and Kripi. They were found and brought to Santanu, who was later told of their origin by Saradvan. Krpa was taught Dhanurveda, the martial arts, by his father, and he became one of the Kurus' martial teachers. He survived the Kuruksetra war and counseled the Pandavas when they ruled the world. Later, they appointed him preceptor of their grandson, Pariksit.

KRISHNA: Said by the Vedas to be God, the Supreme Person, who is the origin of all other incarnations of the Godhead such as Visnu and Narayana. The Bhagavata Purana contains extensive descriptions of His qualities and activities. He spoke the Bhagavad-gita to Arjuna at the beginning of the Kuruksetra war.

KRITAVARMA: A chief in the Yadu dynasty. A devotee of Krsna, he was the commander of the Yadu army. Krsna offered the army to Duryodhana for the Kuruksetra war, and thus they and Krtavarma fought against the Pandavas. Krtavarma survived the war, but was later killed at Prabhasa during a fratricidal quarrel among the Yadus.

KUNTI: The Pandavas' mother. She was the sister of Vasudeva, Krsna's father. Her own father, Surasena, had given her as a baby to his close friend King Kuntibhoja, who had no children. She was named Prtha at birth, but became better known as Kunti after being raised by Kuntibhoja.

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 Kuruksetra, named after Kuru, is considered sacred.

KUVERA (VAISHRAVANA): God of riches and one of the four universal protectors or Lokapalas. Known as the celestial treasurer.

MARKENDEYA: An ancient rsi said to have lived through thousands of ages. The Mahabharata contains many stories about him.

NAKULA: One of the twin sons of Pandu and Madri, begotten by the twin Asvini gods. He was a maharatha warrior renowned for his expertise with a sword. He conquered the western regions of Bharata, before Yudhisthira's Rajasuya sacrifice. Along with Draupadi, he married a princess of Chedi named Karenumati.

NARADA: A celestial sage also known as Devarshi, or the rsi among the gods. He is famous as a devotee of Krsna and frequently assists Him in His pastimes on earth. The Vedas contain innumerable references to Narada's activities and teachings.

PANDU: Father of the Pandavas born to Vicitravirya's widow queen Ambalika by the grace of Vyasadeva.

PARASARA: A powerful rsi, grandson of Vasista, who fathered Vyasadeva by conceiving him with Satyavati when she was still a maiden. Once Satyavati 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 Parasara shrouded from view by creating volumes of mist. Vyasadeva was immediately born and grew at once to manhood.

PARASURAMA: A rsi said to be an empowered incarnation of Visnu. He is famous for having annihilated all the ksatriyas 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 Bhisma, Drona and Karna. The Mahabharata contains various stories about his exploits.

PARIKSIT: Posthumous son of Abhimanyu, the Pandavas installed him as king in Hastinapura when they retired. He was named Pariksit, 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 Pandava. One of the two twin sons of Madri fathered by the Asvini gods. He conquered southern Bharata before Yudhisthira's Rajasuya sacrifice. Famous for his perceptive powers and intelligence, he was appointed as Yudhisthira's personal advisor after the Kuruksetra war. Besides being married to Draupadi, he married a princess of Madra named Vijaya.

SANJAYA: Dhrtarastra's charioteer and secretary. Although he belonged to the suta caste, he was a spiritually advanced disciple of Vyasadeva, who gave him the power to see the events during the Kuruksetra war. Consequently, he narrated all the battle scenes to Dhrtarastra.

SATYAKI: A Vrsni hero who became Arjuna's martial disciple. He was a close friend of Krsna. A powerful maharatha, he fought for the Pandavas at Kuruksetra, surviving both the war and subsequent massacre of sleeping soldiers by Asvatthama. He died at Prabhasa during the fratricidal battle among the Yadus.

SHAKUNI: Son of King Suvala and brother of Gandhari. Acted as close confidant and mentor to Duryodhana. Although a powerful ksatriya, 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 Kuruksetra by Sahadeva.

SHALVA: King of Saubha. He fought Bhisma for Amba's hand after Bhisma kidnapped her from her svayamvara. Due to his strong friendship with Sisupala, whom Krsna killed, he became Krsna's enemy. He attacked Dwaraka in the huge airplane he had received from Siva. Said to be an incarnation of the Asura Ajaka, Krsna killed him.

SHALYA: Ruler of Madra and brother of Pandu's second wife Madri. Although the Pandavas' friend, and having a particular friendship with Yudhisthira, he was tricked by Duryodhana into fighting for the Kauravas at Kuruksetra. Said to be an incarnation of the Daitya Samhlada, Yudhisthira killed him in the war.

SANTANU: Great grandfather of the Pandavas and Kauravas, and Bhisma's father from his union with Ganga (see Appendix Three). After retirement, he went to Mount Archika in the Himalayas 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 Yaksa named Sthunakarna. Remembering his enmity from his previous life, he vowed to kill Bhisma. It was due to him that Arjuna was able to approach and finally slay Bhisma. Asvatthama killed him during the night slaughter of the sleeping Pandava warriors.

SISHUPALA: King of Chedi and an avowed enemy of Krsna. 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 Ravana). Krsna killed him at Yudhisthira's Rajasuya sacrifice.

SUBHADRA: Krsna'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 Draupadi, 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 Kuruksetra war, having taken a vow to kill him. He was slain by Arjuna.

ULUPI: Daughter of the Naga king Kauravya, who became Arjuna's wife. They had a son named Iravan, who was killed at Kuruksetra. 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 Hastinapura 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 Pariksit.

VASUDEVA: Krsna's father, after whom Krsna Himself is named. Details of his life and previous births are given in the Bhagavata Purana.

VIDURA: Son of Vyasadeva and a palace maidservant. He was said to be an expansion of Yamaraja, the lord of justice. Once a rsi 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 Yamaraja 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 Yamaraja to take birth on earth as a sudra. Thus he became Vidura.

VIRATA: King of Matsya, where the Pandavas spent their final year in exile. He joined with the Pandavas in the Kuruksetra war, bringing an akshauhini division of warriors. Drona killed him in the battle. He was said to be an expansion of the celestial Maruts.

VYASADEVA: The sage who authored the Mahabharata. Born from the union of Parasara Rsi and Satyavati, he is known as Dwaipayana because he was born on an island (see Parasara). He compiled the Vedas and is said to be an empowered incarnation of Visnu. His son's name is Sukadeva, the famous reciter of the Bhagavata Purana.

YADU: Ancient king and founder of the Yadu dynasty, in which Krsna appeared (see family tree in Appendix Four). Details of Yadu's birth and life are given in the original text of the Mahabharata and also the Bhagavata Purana.

YUDHISTHIRA: Eldest Pandava, born from the union of Kunti and the god Dharma. He performed a Rajasuya sacrifice which established him as world emperor. Famous for his adherence to virtue and truth, he is also known as Dharmaraja, as well as Ajatasatru, which means "one who has no enemies." After the war he ruled the world for thirty-six years and was succeeded by Pariksit.