Kaurava
The term Kaurava (Sanskrit: कौरव) is a Sanskrit term, that means the descendants of Kuru, a legendary king who is the ancestor of many of the characters of the Mahābhārata.
The term is used in the Mahābhārata with two meanings:
- The wider meaning, to represent all the descendants of Kuru. This meaning, which includes the Pandava brothers, is often used in the earlier parts of popular renditions of the Mahābhārata.
- The narrower but more common meaning, to represent the elder line of the descendants of King Kuru. This restricts it to the children of King Dhritarashtra, as his line is the older line of descent from Kuru. It excludes the children of the younger brother Pandu, who founds his own line, the Pandava.
The rest of this article deals with the Kaurava in the narrower sense, that is the children of Dhritarashtra by Gandhari. When referring to these, a more specific term is also frequently encountered - Dhārtarāṣṭra, a derivative of Dhṛtarāṣṭra (Dhritarashtra).
According to the standard texts, Gandhari wanted a hundred sons, and Vyasa granted her a boon that she would have these. Another version says that she was unable to have any children for a long time and she eventually became pregnant, but did not deliver for two years, after which she gave birth to a lump of flesh. Vyasa cut this lump into a hundred and one pieces, and these eventually developed into a hundred boys and one girl.
This story should be read in view of the dispute over the succession to the throne of the kingdom. It attributes a late birth to Duryodhana, the eldest son of Dhritarashtra, despite his father's early marriage. This legitimises the case for his cousin Yudhisthira to claim the throne, since he could claim to be the eldest of his generation.
Although all hundred sons have been named, only the first few are normally mentioned in the Mahābhārata. The first five are:
- Duryodhana
- Dushasana
- Dussala (daughter)
- Jalagandha
- Sama
All the sons of Dhritarashtra excluding Yuyutsu (born of Dhritarashtra's marriage with a Vaysya woman, thus a step brother of Duryodhana) were killed in the great battle at Kurukshetra.
To quote from Mahabharata, Sambava Parva, Section CXV <http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m01/m01116.htm>
And during the time when Gandhari was in a state of advanced pregnancy, there was a maid servant of the Vaisy class who used to attend on Dhritarashtra. During that year, O king, was begotten upon her by the illustrious Dhritarashtra a son endued with great intelligence who was afterwards named Yuvutsu. And because he was begotten by a Kshatriya upon a Vaisy woman, he was subject to the constant taunts of the Kaurava.
"Thus were born unto the wise Dhritarashtra
- a hundred sons who were all heroes and mighty chariot-fighters, and
- a daughter over and above the hundred, and
- another son Yuyutsu of great energy and prowess begotten upon a Vaisya woman.'"
The Kauravas [1]
- Duryodhana
- Dussaasana
- Dussaha
- Dussalan
- Jalagandha
- Sama
- Saha
- Vindha
- Anuvindha
- Durdharsha
- Subaahu
- Dushpradharsha
- Durmarshana
- Durmukha
- Dushkarna
- Vikarna
- Sala
- Sathwan
- Sulochan
- Chithra
- Upachithra
- Chithraaksha
- Chaaruchithra
- Saraasana
- Durmada
- Durvigaaha
- Vivilsu
- Vikatinanda
- Oornanaabha
- Sunaabha
- Nanda
- Upananda
- Chithrabaana
- Chithravarma
- Suvarma
- Durvimocha
- Ayobaahu
- Mahabaahu
- Chithraamga
- Chithrakundala
- Bheemavega
- Bheemabela
- Vaalaky
- Belavardhana
- Ugraayudha
- Sushena
- Kundhaadhara
- Mahodara
- Chithraayudha
- Nishamgy
- Paasy
- Vrindaaraka
- Dridhavarma
- Dridhakshathra
- Somakeerthy
- Anthudara
- Dridhasandha
- Jaraasandha
- Sathyasandha
- Sadaasuvaak
- Ugrasravas
- Ugrasena
- Senaany
- Dushparaaja
- Aparaajitha
- Kundhasaai
- Visaalaaksha
- Duraadhara
- Dridhahastha
- Suhastha
- Vaathavega
- Suvarcha
- Aadithyakethu
- Bahwaasy
- Naagadatha
- Ugrasaai
- Kavachy
- Kradhana
- Kundhy
- Bheemavikra
- Dhanurdhara
- Veerabaahu
- Alolupa
- Abhaya
- Dhridhakarmaavu
- Dhridharathaasraya
- Anaadhrushya
- Kundhabhedy
- Viraavy
- Chithrakundala
- Pradhama
- Amapramaadhy
- Deerkharoma
- Suveeryavaan
- Dheerkhabaahu
- Sujaatha
- Kaanchanadhwaja
- Kundhaasy
- Virajass
- Yuyutsu [2]
- Dussala (Daughter)
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ Puranic Encyclopedia of Vettom Mani. Mahabharata Aadiparvam – chapter 67 Compiled by T.J.Neriamparampil
- ^ Yuyutsu is the son of Dhrutharaastrar in a vysya maid servant. During the kurushethra war he joined with pandavas. He was the caretaker of king Parikshit, son of Abhimanyu, when Parikshit was a minor.
