Kaurava

The term Kaurava (Sanskrit: कौरव) is a Sanskrit term, that means a descendant 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 sometimes used in the Mahābhārata, especially in some of the earlier parts.
• The commoner and narrower 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 elder 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 Queen 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 male sons of Dritarashtra were killed in the great battle at Kurukshetra.

Sons of the Kauravas fought in the Great War. Duryodhana had 29 sons of which few survived. Upon the death of Dushasan, the second kaurava, Purujit was made Kaurava Yuvaraja. After his death, Sudarsha was made the Yuvaraj. After the defeat of all, Ashwathhama crowned Durmukha, youngest son of Duryodhana as next King and continued struggle. They migrated to the west and formed the Kathi tribe now living in Kathiawar, Gujarat.

The Kauravas

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 Vaisya 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 Vaisya woman, he was subject to the constant taunts of the kauravas.

"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

2 Duhsasana

3 Duhsaha

4 Duhsala (Female)

5 Jalasandha

6 Sama

7 Saha

8 Vinda

9 Anuvinda

10 Durdharsha

11 Suvahu

12 Dushpradharshana

13 Durmarshana

14 Durmukha

15 Dushkarna

16 Vivinsati

17 Vikarna

18 Sala

19 Satwa

20 Sulochana

21 Chitra

22 Upachitra

23 Chitraksha

24 Charuchitra

25 Sarasana

26 Durmada

27 Durvigaha

28 Vivitsu

29 Vikatanana

30 Urnanabha

31 Sunabha

32 Nandaka

33 Upanandaka

34 Chitravana

35 Chitravarman

36 Suvarman

37 Durvimochana

38 Ayovahu

39 Mahavahu

40 Chitranga

41 Chitrakundala

42 Bhimavega

43 Bhimavala

44 Balaki

45 Balavardhana

46 Ugrayudha

47 Bhima

48 Karna

49 Kanakaya

50 Dridhayudha

51 Dridhavarman

52 Dridhakshatra

53 Somakitri

54 Anudara

55 Dridhasandha

56 Jarasandha

57 Satyasandha

58 Sada

59 Suvak

60 Ugrasravas

61 Ugrasena

62 Senani

63 Dushparajaya

64 Aparajita

65 Kundasayin

66 Visalaksha

67 Duradhara

68 Dridhahasta

69 Suhasta

70 Vatavega

71 Suvarchas

72 Adityaketu

73 Vahvashin

74 Nagadatta

75 Agrayayin

76 Kavachin

77 Krathana

78 Kunda

79 Kundadhara

80 Dhanurdhara

81 Ugra

82 Bhimaratha

83 Viravahu

84 Alolupa

85 Abhaya

86 Raudrakarman

87 Dridharatha

88 Anadhrishya

89 Kundabhedin

90 Viravi

91 Dhirghalochana

92 Pramatha

93 Pramathi

94 Dhirgharoma

95 Dirghavahu

96 Mahavahu

97 Vyudhoru

98 Kanakadhvaja

99 Kundasi

100 Virajas

101 Dussala

102 Yuyutsu

See also

• The Kurus

External links

• Persons and Stories from Mahabharata