7/31/2016

PandavasAncientHistoryEncyclopedia

Pandavas

byNikulJoshi
publishedon29July2016

PandavaswerethefivepowerfulandskilledsonsofPandu,theKingofHastinapurandhistwo
wivesKuntiandMadri.HastinapurisequatedwiththecurrentmodernIndianstateofHaryana,
southofNewDelhi.ThePandavas-Yudhistira,Bhima,Arjuna,Nakula,andSahadeva-arethe
centralcharactersinthemostapplaudedepicinHinduism,theMahabharata.Thebrotherswere
famouslyinvolvedintheKurukshetraWarwiththeircousinstheKauravasoverwhowouldcontrol
thethroneofHastinapur,andwere,ultimately,victorious.
ThebirthofthePandavasissupposedlytracedbackto3229BCEwhenYudhistirawasborn,andto
3226BCEwhenNakulaandSahadevawereborn.ThemostengagingstoryofthePandavascan
neverbedissociatedfromtheformationofsocialstructuresandpoliticaldecisionsofcurrentIndia,
duetotheinfluenceithashadinthewayoffunctioningandinheritingthevaluesofDharma
establishedduringtheirreign.ThestoryofthePandavasinfluencesmanycultures,especiallyof
India,inthewaymanyHinduhouseholdsmakesdecisions,assessandimplementthemoral
conclusionsoftheiractions.

BIRTHOFTHEPANDAVAS
Thestoryoftheirbirthisratherinterestingandbeyondthegeneralnotionsofbelief.Panduhad
twowives,KuntiandMadri.Akingwaslegallyallowedtohavemultiplewivesinthosetimes.
Interestingly,whilehuntingintheforestofHastinapur,Panduhappenedtohitwithanarrowa
copulatingdeercouple,whowereinfacthumansdisguisedasdeerinordertoenjoymakinglovein
theopen.ThemaledeerwasRishiKidambawho,havingbeingpiercedbythearrow,castacurseon
Panduthathewoulddiethemomentheadvancedtobeintimatewithawomen.Thisseriously
affectedthetwowiveswhowerethennotabletobearabiologicalchildoftheirownthrough
Pandu.Panduthenrenouncedhiskingdomandlivedintheforestasanascetic,aftergivingthe
thronetohiscousin/brotherDhritarashtra,thefatherofthe100Kauravas,withwhomthePandavas
wouldwageawarlater.
http://www.ancient.eu/Pandavas/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=zapier&utm_campaign=FBAHE

1/6

7/31/2016

PandavasAncientHistoryEncyclopedia

ALLFIVEPANDAVASINHERITEDDIVINEQUALITIESFROM
THEIRCELESTIALFATHERS.
Surprisingly,KuntihadreceivedabooninherearlyadulthoodfromafierceandrenownedRishi
DurvasathatshecouldcallanyofthedivineGodsandbearachild.Thisprovedtobeveryuseful
and,throughtheuseofmantrasgiventoherbyDurvasa,KunticalleduponYama,theGodofDeath
andDharma,throughwhomshegavebirthtoYudhistira.ShetheninvokedtheWindGod,Vayu,
throughwhomshebroughtBhimatotheworld,latershecalledIndra,whogaveherArjunaas
anotherPandava.ShethenfeltpityforMadri,whowouldotherwisehavenochildifshedidnot
helpher,sowiththehelpofthemantrasMadricalleduponthetwinAshvins,whoboreherNakula
andSahadeva.Thus,thefivePandavaswerebornthroughthecombinedgraceofthecurseon
Pandu,theboontoKunti,andthecomingoftheGodswhohelpedthetwowivesbearfive
children.AllthePandavasinheriteddivinequalitiesfromtheircelestialfathers.

http://www.ancient.eu/Pandavas/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=zapier&utm_campaign=FBAHE

2/6

7/31/2016

PandavasAncientHistoryEncyclopedia

ArjunawinsDraupadi

CONTESTFORDRAUPADI
ThePandavaswerehumaninnaturebuthaddivinequalitieswhichtheynurturedandbuiltwiththe
helpoftheirpreceptorGuruDrona,aBrahminRishi,whowastheheadteacherofalltheir
education,alongwiththoseofthe100Kauravas,thecousinsofthePandavas.LordKrishna,who
wasthesonofKuntisbrother,playsanequallycentralroleinsupportingthePandavasduringtheir
exileimposedcunninglybytheKauravas.DuringthePandavasexile,theKingofDrupadaorganised
acontest,calledSwayamvar,wherehisdaughter,Draupadi,wouldmarrytheonewhowonthe
contest.Thecontestwastohittheeyeofthecircularlyrotatingfishinthesky-animaginary
construction-withabowandstring,bylookingdownontheimageofthefishinawaterpond
below.Toaddasurprise,therewasasixthPandava,Karna,whohadbeenbornwhenKunti,while
beingsingle,hadcalledtheSunGodSuryatotestthemantra,whogaveherthismagnanimousson.
Butbeingsingleandtosaveheridentityfrombeingmaligned,Kuntireluctantlyhadtoabandon
KarnawhowaspickedupbyachildlesscouplewhoworkedasacharioteerinHastinapur.Karnawas
unmatchableinvigour,knowledge,deeds,charity,andskillsofallkinds.Arjunawastheonlymatch
forhim.Karnatooturnedupatthecontest,buthavingbeendeniedentrybyDraupadiforbeinga
sonofunknownparentsandasonofacharioteer,Arjunawastheonlyonetoaccomplishthefeat
andwinthecontest.

YUDHISTIRA
Yudhistira'snameindicatessteadfastnessatalltimes,evenatwarwhenthingsaremostdifficult.As
hewasthesonofYama,hewasthemostrighteousandsteadfast,afollowerofDharmainallwalksof
life,andshininglikethebrilliantsunintheknowledgeoflaw,ethics,andmorality.Hewasthemost
righteousofthebrothersneverhavingspokenalieinhislife,exceptduringthefinalwarwherehe
wasmadetosuppresstheloudtruththroughneutrality.Hewassuchasteadfastmanofrighteous
deedsthathischariotwhilemovingwouldremainafewinchesabovetheground.Unfortunately,
duetothisfondnessforrighteousness,hewasdupedduringagameofdicewiththeKauravasto
gamblehiswifeDraupadiandlosther.Hisdeedsareenormousandheistheonlyoneoftwo
examples(theotherisLordRama)offthepracticeofrighteousnessinallmodesandconditionsof
life,evenifthatmeantkillingoneself.

BHIMA
BhimawasthesonoftheWindGodVayu,indicatingthefierceforceandbravenessthathe
inherited.Hewasthemightiestofthebrothers,bothinphysicalprowessandinskillandspeed.He
wasfondofeatingandoftentookthelionsshareofthesharedmealsofthePandavas.Hewasfond
ofcooking,wasagreatcookandemployedhimselfasachiefcookinthelastyearofthePandavas
exilewheretheyweretosupresstheiridentityandliveunknowntotheworld.Hewastheonewho
tookanoathtokillthe100Kauravasasaresultoflosingthegameofdiceandwatchinghelplessly
theironlywife,Draupadi,gettingdisrobedbyDushashana,youngerbrotherofDuryodhana.
http://www.ancient.eu/Pandavas/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=zapier&utm_campaign=FBAHE

3/6

7/31/2016

PandavasAncientHistoryEncyclopedia

ArjunaDuringtheBattleofKurukshetra

ARJUNA
Arjunawasthemightiestinskills,matchlessinknowlegde,skills,andsaintlytemper,possessedof
divineweapons,andthemajorresponsibilityofwinningtheKurukshetrawarwasgiventohim,ashe
hadLordKrishnaashischarioteerandadviser.Hisdivineweapons,whenused,vanquishedeven
themostrenownedandskilledwarrior.HewasthebestpalofLordKrishna,andtherecipientofthe
divineknowledgefromKrishna,oftencalledtheBhagavadGita.Duringtheirexile,heenduredthe
mostsevereausteritiesandsacrificesandpleasedLordShivatoappear,whowillinglypresented
himwithadivineweaponforhiswar.

NAKULA
Nakula,beingthesonoftheAshvins,wasthemostskilledwithanimals,especiallyhorsesand
elephants.HewascomparedtotheLordofLove(Cupid)Kamadevaashelookedbeautifulanda
woman-charmer.Hewassteadfastinhisconduct,hadsuperiorknowledgeofhealthandcuresfor
manyoflife'sthreateningdiseases.He,alongwithSahadeva,savedKarnaslifeduringthewaron
http://www.ancient.eu/Pandavas/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=zapier&utm_campaign=FBAHE

4/6

7/31/2016

PandavasAncientHistoryEncyclopedia

Kuntisrequest,whenKarnadonatedhischestweapontoIndra,Arjunasfatherinanactofcharity.
Hewasanexcellentswordfighter,equippedwiththebestofknowledgepertainingtosciences,
warfare,andunusualweapons.

SAHADEVA
SahadevawasthesecondsonoftheAshvinsandMadri,andhewasthewisestandmostmysterious
characterofthePandavas.Pandu,whileonhisdeathbed,requestedhimtoeathisfleshsothathe
couldgetallhisknowledge,andthusSahadevawasthenabletoforeseethefuturewithdiminished
clarityandsavedthePandavaslivesonmanyoccasions.Hewasthebestincattlepreventionand
theirgrowth,wasagreatswordfighterlikeNakula,andhadacquiredallrequisiteknowledgeof
Dharmaandrighteousness.

KARNA
KarnawastheeldestofthePandavabrothersandthesixthPandava,discoveredonlyathis
deathbedinthewarbyhisyoungerbrothers.Hewasmatchlessinskill,weapons,charity,andcould
remainundefeatedevenbythegods.HetookhistrainingfromLordParasurama,afierceBrahmin
andthesixthincarnationofLordVishnu.KarnawasthesonoftheSunGodandlikewisewasmost
brilliantandoutstanding,bothinknowledgeandwarfare.Hewastheonlyonewhocouldsee
throughtheSunforhourswithoutdisturbance,beinghisson.Hecouldhavebeenundefeatedin
thewar,butonlythecunningadviceofLordKrishnatoArjunatokillhimwhilebeingdisarmed
broughthislifetoandend.Throughouthislife,hewascalledaSutaputraorachildwithunknown
parents,andRadhaadoptedhimwhenhegrewup.Hewasincomparableincharityandoncealso
gavehisentirepalaceawaytobeburneddowntohelpthecitizensofhiskingdom.Suchwashis
meritthathispowertogiveawaynevervanishedandprosperityneverlefthim.

ABOUTTHEAUTHOR
NIKULJOSHI
IownarealestatebusinessinMumbai,India.Anavidreaderofphilosophyand
religiousbooks.Writerofmultiplephilosophyandreligiousessays.Seek
intellectualconversations,philosophicalreasoningtoexpandmythinkingto
seektheeternaltruth.

HELPUSWRITEMORE
http://www.ancient.eu/Pandavas/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=zapier&utm_campaign=FBAHE

5/6

7/31/2016

PandavasAncientHistoryEncyclopedia

We'reasmallnon-profitorganisationrunbyahandfulofvolunteers.Eacharticlecosts
usabout$50inhistorybooksassourcematerial,pluseditingandservercosts.Youcan
helpuscreateevenmorefreearticlesforaslittleas$5permonth,andwe'llgiveyou
anad-freeexperiencetothankyou!
BECOMEAMEMBER

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Buck,W.,Mahabharata(UniversityofCalifornia,1973).
Lal,P.,TheMahabharataofVyasa(TarangPaperbacks,1993).
Pattanaik,D.,Jaya(PenguinGlobal,2010).
vanBuitenen,J.A.B.,TheMahabharataVolume1Book1Publisher,1980).
Wilmot,P.,MahabharataBookTwo(ClaySanskrit,2006).
CITETHISWORK

LEGALNOTICE
WrittenbyNikulJoshi,publishedon29July2016underthefollowinglicense:CreativeCommons:AttributionNonCommercial-ShareAlike .Thislicenseletsothersremix,tweak,andbuilduponthiscontentnon-commercially,
aslongastheycredittheauthorandlicensetheirnewcreationsundertheidenticalterms.

ADVERTISEMENT

REMOVEADS

http://www.ancient.eu/Pandavas/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=zapier&utm_campaign=FBAHE

6/6