While in exile, Kunti, mother of the Pandavas often advised her sons that they share everything they have (or obtain) equally amongst themselves. During that time, Arjuna attended Draupadi's swayamvara and won her hand in marriage. When he returned, he triumphantly declared "Look mother, what I have brought!". Kunti, unmindful of what Arjuna was referring to, unassumingly asked her son to share whatever it is with his brothers. Thus, in order to obey their mot ...

See also:

Draupadi, Draupadi - Birth, Draupadi - Marriage to the Pandavas, Draupadi - Draupadi's Cheer-Haran, Draupadi - Devotion to Krishna

Read more here: » Draupadi: Encyclopedia II - Draupadi - Marriage to the Pandavas

Upapandavas:

Upapandavas (Pandavas): the children of queen Draupadi and the early deceased King Pandu. (BV-3)

(See also: Upapandavas, Hinduism, Hinduism Dictionary, Sanskrit Dictionary, Body Mind and Soul)

Draupadi’s Cheer-Haran, literally meaning stripping of one’s clothes, marks a definitive moment in the story of Mahabharat. It is the central reason of the Mahabharat war, the rivalry between Pandavas and Kauravas being the more general cause. Yudhishthir and his four brothers were the rulers of Indraprastha under the sovereignty of Emperor Dhritarashtra. Dhritarashtra’s son Duryodhan who resided in the capital of the empire Hastinapur was forever jealous of his cousins. Together with his brothers, his friend Karna and ma ...

See also:

Draupadi, Draupadi - Birth, Draupadi - Marriage to the Pandavas, Draupadi - Draupadi's Cheer-Haran, Draupadi - Devotion to Krishna

Read more here: » Draupadi: Encyclopedia II - Draupadi - Draupadi's Cheer-Haran

Pandu was an excellent archer. He became the commander of King Dhritarashtra's army and also ruled the kingdom for him. Pandu conquered the territories of Dasarnas, Kashi, Anga, Vango, Kalinga, Magadha etc. and thus re-established their superiority over all the kings. Pandu got married to Madri, daughter of the King of Madra, and Kunti, King Kuntibhoja of Vrish's daughter. While enjoying in a forest, Pandu shot a Rishi (who was mating), so the Rishi cursed him that, when he approaches his wife with love he will die. Upset, Pandu renounced his kingdom and lived ...

See also:

Pandu, Pandu - Birth, Pandu - Life, Pandu - Death

Read more here: » Pandu: Encyclopedia II - Pandu - Life

Draupadi and her brother Dhristadyumna emerged together from a sacrificial fire that the king had lit to gain a means of revenge on Drona, to whom he had lost half his kingdom. It is believed that Goddess Kali had given a part of her powers to her, for the destruction of the Kauravas. As Drupada was the ruler of the kingdom of Panchala, Draupadi was also known as Paanchali. She was named by Brahmanas as "Krsnā" due to her dark complexion and is very often referred to and addressed by this name ...

See also:

Draupadi, Draupadi - Birth, Draupadi - Marriage to the Pandavas, Draupadi - Draupadi's Cheer-Haran, Draupadi - Devotion to Krishna

Read more here: » Draupadi: Encyclopedia II - Draupadi - Birth

Pandavarani (Sanskrit). Lit., the "Pandava Queen"; Kunti, the mother of the Pandavas. (All these are highly important personified symbols in esoteric philosophy.)

(See also: Pandavarani, Theosophy, Spirituality, Body mind and Soul, Spiritual Dictionary, )

mahabharata:

the epic of krishna, pandavas & kauravas

(See also: mahabharata, Hinduism, Hinduism Dictionary, Sanskrit Dictionary, Body Mind and Soul)

On the 13th day of battle, the Kauravas challenge the Pandavas to break a circular battle formation known as the Chakra Vyuha (see Wars of Hindu Mythology). The Pandavas accept the challenge since they know that the knowledge of how to defeat such a formation is known to Krishna and Arjuna. However, on that day, Krishna and Arjuna are dragged into fighting a war on another front. Since the Pandavas have accepted the challenge already, they have no choice but to attempt to use young lad Abhimanyu, who has knowledge on how ...

See also:

Abhimanyu, Abhimanyu - Birth Education and War, Abhimanyu - Abhimanyu's death, Abhimanyu - Arjuna's Great Revenge, Abhimanyu - Explanation of his Death, Abhimanyu - See Also

Read more here: » Abhimanyu: Encyclopedia II - Abhimanyu - Abhimanyu's death

Sakuni

Duryodhana’s Uncle who gambled with the Pandavas on Duryodhana’s behalf, forcing the Pandavas into exile.

(See also: Sakuni, Bhakti, Bhakti Yoga, Bhakti Dictionary, Body Mind and Soul)

Karna:

Karna. Half-brother of the Pandavas. Valiant but unfortunate eldest son of Kunthi by the Sun deity. Ally of the Kauravas in the war with Pandavas.

(See also: Karna, Hinduism, Hinduism Dictionary, Sanskrit Dictionary, Body Mind and Soul)

Nakula:

Nakula. One of the Pandava brothers.

(See also: Nakula, Hinduism, Hinduism Dictionary, Sanskrit Dictionary, Body Mind and Soul)

Although loved by all his family, Duryodhana and most of his brothers are seen as inferior to the Pandavas in their adherence to virtue and duty, and respect of elders. Duryodhana is mentored by his maternal uncle Shakuni, who desires the elevation of his sister's children at the expense of the Pandavas. Shakuni masterminds most of Duryodhana's plots to humiliate and kill the Pandavas. Duryodhana is especially jealous of the Pandavas, knowing that Yudhisthira is his rival to the throne of Hastinapura. He also beared a great enmity with Bhima, who dominates the Kauravas in spor ...

See also:

Duryodhana, Duryodhana - Birth, Duryodhana - Omens, Duryodhana - Development, Duryodhana - Karna, Duryodhana - Evil tendencies and schemes, Duryodhana - Usurping the kingdom, Duryodhana - The dice plot and Draupadi's humiliation, Duryodhana - World emperor, Duryodhana - The Kurukshetra War, Duryodhana - Gandhari's blessing and the fight with Bhima, Duryodhana - Death and Heaven, Duryodhana - Modern assessment, Duryodhana - In media

Read more here: » Duryodhana: Encyclopedia II - Duryodhana - Evil tendencies and schemes

Pandus.

See PANDAVAS

(See also: Pandus, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Occultism, Occultism Dictionary)

The core story of the work is that of a dynastic struggle for the throne of Hastinapura, the kingdom ruled by the Kuru clan. The two collateral branches of the family that participate in the struggle are the Kauravas, the elder branch of the family, and the Pandavas, the younger branch. The struggle culminates leading to the Great battle of Kurukshetra, and the Pandavas are ultimately victorious. The Mahabharata itself ends with the death of Krishna, and the subsequent end of his dynasty, and ascent of the Pandava brothers to Heaven. ...

See also:

Mahabharata, Mahabharata - Scope, Mahabharata - Background and history, Mahabharata - The central story, Mahabharata - The books, Mahabharata - Jaimini's version, Mahabharata - In modern times, Mahabharata - Another Viewpoint

Read more here: » Mahabharata: Encyclopedia II - Mahabharata - The central story

Kurukshetra: (Sanskrit) An extensive plain near Delhi, scene of the great war between the Kauravas and Pandavas.

See: Mahabharata, Bhagavad Gita.

(See also: Kurukshetra, Hinduism, Body Mind and Soul)

Kunti (Sanskrit). The wife of Pandu and the mother of the Pandavas, the heroes and the foes of their cousins the Kauravas, in the Bhagavad-gita. It is an allegory of the Spirit-Soul or Buddhi. Some think that Draupadi, the wife in common of the five brothers, the Pandavas, is meant to represent Buddhi: but this is not so, for Draupadi stands for the terrestrial life of the Personality. As such, we see it made little of, allowed to be insulted and even taken into slavery by Yudhishthira, the elder of the Pandavas and her chief lord, who represents the Higher Ego with all its qualifications.

(See also: Kunti, Theosophy, Spirituality, Body mind and Soul, Spiritual Dictionary, )

After Karna's death, Kunti informed the Pandavas that she was Karna's mother and that he was the eldest of the Pandavas. The Pandavas grieved for Karna. Yudhisthira, particularly, was incensed on hearing that his mother had kept secret from him and his brothers Karna's true identity, whom it would have been their duty in life to serve and revere as their elder, as his four brothers had served and revered him. He laid a bane on all women that from then on, they would nev ...

See also:

Karna, Karna - Birth, Karna - Upbringing, Karna - Training, Karna - King of Anga, Karna - The Tragedy of Karna, Karna - The Ride with The Lord, Karna - The Great War: Kurukshetra, Karna - Karna's Honor and Dishonor in Battle, Karna - After Karna's Death, Karna - Contrast with Arjuna, Karna - Parallels, Karna - Iliad, Karna - Bible

Read more here: » Karna: Encyclopedia II - Karna - After Karna's Death

When his sister is bethroted to a young brahmin of five, who wins the martial contest at her swayamvara, Dhristadyumna secretly follows the five brahmins and his sister, only to discover that they are in fact the five Pandavas: Yudhisthira, Bhima, Arjuna, Nakula and Sahadeva. Taking the advice of Lord Krishna and Arjuna, Dhristadyumna is installed as the Commander in Chief of the Pandava Army. ...

See also:

Dhristadyumna, Dhristadyumna - Birth, Dhristadyumna - In the War, Dhristadyumna - Killing Drona, Dhristadyumna - Death

Read more here: » Dhristadyumna: Encyclopedia II - Dhristadyumna - In the War

Pandu (Sanskrit). "The Pale", literally; the father of the Pandavas Princes, the foes of the Kurava in the Mahabharata.

(See also: Pandu, Theosophy, Spirituality, Body mind and Soul, Spiritual Dictionary, )

Jayadratha

The king of Sindhu-desha and brother-in-law of Duryodhana. He once kidnapped Draupadi, the wife of the Pandavas, and so the Pandavas captured and humiliated him. He was a commander in the Kuru army at Kurukshetra and was killed by Arjuna.

(See also: Jayadratha, Bhakti, Bhakti Yoga, Bhakti Dictionary, Body Mind and Soul)

Duryodhana

The eldest son of Dhritarashtra and chief rival of the Pandavas. He made many attempts to cheat the Pandavas of their right to the Kuru throne. After arrogantly ignoring the good advice of Bhishma, Drona, and Krishna he perished with his ninety-nine brothers in the Kurukshetra battle.

(See also: Duryodhana, Bhakti, Bhakti Yoga, Bhakti Dictionary, Body Mind and Soul)