Pandavas

The Pandavas are the five brothers central to the Mahabharata, heirs to the Kuru kingdom of Hastinapura. They are the sons of King Pandu and his wives Kunti and Madri. Each has a divine father: Yudhishthira is the son of Yama, Bhima of Vayu, Arjuna of Indra, and Nakula and Sahadeva are twins born to Madri by the Ashvins. The name Pandava derives from Pandu.

The brothers’ lives are tightly linked with their cousins, the Kauravas, who oppose them for succession to the throne. After Pandu’s death, disputes over succession lead to an extended exile for the Pandavas, and after a failed peace initiative, the war of Kurukshetra becomes unavoidable. The exile lasts thirteen years, with the final year spent incognito; the Kauravas refuse to restore their kingdom, prompting the conflict.

Draupadi, wife of Arjuna, becomes wife to all five brothers, a shared marriage that shapes much of their journey and the political dynamics of the period. The Pandavas seek to reclaim a rightful throne and uphold dharma, with Krishna playing a crucial adviser and charioteer role for Arjuna.

The Kurukshetra War ends in a decisive victory for the Pandavas but at immense cost. After the war, Yudhishthira is crowned king of Hastinapura and the Pandavas rule for a number of years before renouncing worldly life and undertaking a final journey to the Himalayas; all but Yudhishthira fall during the ascent, and he is said to reach heaven.