Pandava
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- This article is about mythohistorical figures of India. For the spider genus known as Pandava, see (Titanoecidae).
In the Mahabharata, the Pandavas (singular Pandava, in Sanskrit: पाण्डव pāṇḍavaḥ) are the five acknowledged sons of Pandu, by his two wives Kunti and Madri. They are
(sons of Pandu's first wife Kunti),
(sons of his second wife Madri).
The five Pandavas have distinct traits:
- Yudhishtira - righteous and truthful.
- Bheema - known for his strength, and his appetite.
- Arjuna - the great archer, also learnt dance from the deity (called Apsaras) in Indra's court.
- Nakula and Sahadeva - proficient horsemen and swordsmen.
As Pandu is cursed with death if he ever has intercourse with his wives, the actual fatherhood of the children is traditionally attributed to various gods, by the boon that was given to Kunti by Durvasa. According to the story, Kunti was allowed to call on each of the devas for a son, who would be immediately borne to her (see also the story of Karna). She was also able to transfer the boon to Madri. The five brothers are
- Yudhishtira's fatherhood to Yama, the Lord of Righteousness.
- Bheema to Vayu, the Lord of Wind
- Arjuna to Indra, the ruler of heaven.
- Nakula and Sahadeva to the Ashwini Gods twins, the Divine Physicians.
All five brothers have multiple wives, though all are married to the princess Draupadi too. For example, Arjuna had four wives including Subhadra and Draupadi. Among the numerous towns and cities founded or visited by the five brothers individually or together, five prasthas (cities) are prominently mentioned and still exist. These were Indraprastha (Delhi), Panprastha (Panipat), Sonprastha (Sonipat), Tilprastha (Tilpat) and Vyagprastha (Bagpat).
The Pandavas engaged in the Mahabharata war with their one hundred cousins, the Kauravas.
In the early 19th century, religionist Godfrey Higgins speculated that an ancient secret religious order, Pandeism, held Pandu and the Pandavas among their figures of worship, and that the reach of this group had extended all the way from India to Ireland.
| The Mahabharata by Krishna Dwaipayana Vyasa | |
|---|---|
| Characters | |
| Kuru Dynasty | Others |
| Santanu | Ganga | Bhishma | Satyavati | Chitrāngada | Vichitravirya | Ambika | Ambalika | Vidura | Dhritarashtra | Gandhari | Shakuni | Subhadra | Pandu | Kunti | Madri | Yudhisthira | Bhima | Arjuna | Nakula | Sahadeva | Duryodhana | Dushasana | Yuyutsu | Dushala | Draupadi | Hidimbi | Ghatotkacha | Ahilawati | Uttara | Ulupi | Chitrāngadā | Amba | Barbarika | Babruvahana |Iravan | Abhimanyu | Parikshita | Virata | Kichak | Kripa | Drona | Ashwatthama | Ekalavya | Kritavarma | Jarasandha | Satyaki | Mayasura | Durvasa | Sanjaya | Janamejaya | Vyasa | Karna | Jayadratha | Krishna | Balarama | Drupada | Hidimba | Dhristadyumna | Shalya | Adhiratha | Shikhandi |
| Other | |
| Pandava | Kaurava | Hastinapura | Indraprastha | Kingdoms | Kurukshetra war | Bhagavad Gita | |
| Hinduism | Hindu mythology | Indian epic poetry |  |
|---|---|
| Female Deities: Saraswati | Mariamman | Lakshmi | Dakshayani | Gayatri | Parvati | Durga | Shakti | Kali | Sita | Devi | Radha | Mahavidya | more... | |
| Male Deities: Brahma | Vishnu | Shiva | Rama | Krishna | Ganesha | Murugan | Hanuman | Ayyanar | Indra | Surya | more... | |
| Texts: Vedas | Upanishads | Puranas | Ramayana | Mahabharata | Rigveda | |
