Supratika Supratika – the elephant – is one of the eight Diggajas, each representing the eight quarters, mentioned in Puranas. Supratika was also the elephant used by Bhagadatta in the Kurukshetra war. Supratika – a Diggaja The eight Diggajas – male elephants that bear the world together are: Airavata, Pundarika, Vamana, Kumuda,…
Bhagadatta Bhagadatta was the son of Naraka, king of the Pragjyotisha and second in line of kings of Naraka dynasty. He was succeeded by his son Vajradatta. He sided with Duryodhana in the Mahabharata war as he was an enemy of Krishna. He was a leader of great army of Kiratas and Chinas. Bhagadatta was…
Shikhandi Shikhandi (Sanskrit: शिखण्डी, Śikhaṇḍī, lit. lock on the crown of the head) was born as a daughter named Shikhandini to Drupada, the Panchala king, and later became Shikhandin after obtaining manhood from a Yaksha named Sthuna. In his past life, Shikhandi was Amba, one of the three Kashi princesses, who wanted to kill…
Dhrishtadyumna Dhrishtadyumna (Sanskrit: धृष्टद्द्युम्न, dhṛṣṭadyumna, lit. he who is courageous and splendorous), also known as Draupada (Sanskrit: द्रौपद, lit. son of Drupada), was the son of Drupada and brother of Draupadi and Shikhandi. He was the commander of the Pandava army during the Kurukshetra War. Dhrishtadyumna killed Drona, the royal guru, when he was meditating which was against the rules of engagement. Birth The king…
Drupada Drupada (Sanskrit: द्रुपद, lit. firm-footed or pillar), also known as Yajnasena (Sanskrit: यज्ञसेन, lit. father of Draupadi), was the son of King Prishata and was the Panchala king. His capital was known as Kampilya. Conflict with Drona Drupada, son of King Prishata, and Drona study together under the tutelage of Rishi Bhardwaja, Drona’s father. They become great friends and Drupada assures…
Gandhari Gandhari (Sanskrit: गांधारी, lit. A girl from Gandhara) was a princess of Gandhara (modern day Kandahar) and the wife of Dhritarashtra, the blind king of Hastinapura, and the mother of a hundred sons, the Kauravas, the eldest of whom was Duryodhana. As a maiden, Gandhari is noted for her piety and virtuous…
Duryodhana Duryodhana (Sanskrit: दुर्योधन, literally means Dur= Extremely hard Yodhana= Yudh/Fight; the one with whom the fight is extremely hard) also known as Suyodhana, was the eldest of the Kauravas, the hundred sons of blind king Dhritarashtra and Gandhari. Being the first born son of the blind king, he was the crown…
Kripa Kripa (Sanskrit: कृप, Kṛpa in IAST transliteration), also known as Kripacharya (Sanskrit: कृपाचार्य) or Krupacharya or better phonetically written as Kṛpāchārya was the grandson of Rishi Gautama, son of Sharadvat and is one of the seven Chiranjivis. He was born in a particularly extraordinary manner. He along with his sister Kripi were adopted by King Shantanu. Later on Kripa became an acharya,…
Ashwatthama Ashwathama (Sanskrit:Aśvatthāmā) or Drauni is the son of guru Drona and the grandson of the sage Bharadwaja. Ashwatthama is a mighty Maharathi who fought on the Kaurava side against the Pandavas in the Kurukshetra War. Ashwatthama is considered as avatar of one of the eleven Rudras and one of the seven Chiranjivis. Along with his maternal uncle Kripa, Ashwatthama is believed to be a…
Drona Droṇa (Sanskrit: द्रोण, Droṇa) was royal preceptor to the Kauravas and Pandavas; an avatar of Brihaspati. He was the son of rishi Bharadwaja and a descendant of sage Angirasa. He was a master of advanced military arts, including the divine weapons or Astras. Since Droṇa was not born from a womb, but from a vessel made of leaf, he was…