Mahabharata Characters — Common Questions
Who was the mother of the Pandavas?
Kunti was the mother of the three eldest Pandavas — Yudhishthira, Bhima, and Arjuna — born through her boon to invoke the gods Dharma, Vayu, and Indra. The two youngest Pandavas, the twins Nakula and Sahadeva, were born to Madri, the second wife of Pandu. Kunti raised all five as her own. Read more →
Who was the strongest Pandava?
Bhima was the physically strongest of the five Pandavas — son of Vayu, the wind god, with the strength of ten thousand elephants. He killed all 100 Kaurava brothers, including Duryodhana, and avenged the humiliation of Draupadi. Arjuna was the greatest archer, but Bhima was the strongest in raw power. Read more →
What is Krishna's role in the Mahabharata?
Krishna is the divine guide of the Mahabharata — an avatar of Vishnu who serves as Arjuna's charioteer at Kurukshetra and speaks the Bhagavad Gita to him before the war. He never takes up arms, but his counsel, strategy, and presence shape the outcome of the entire epic. Read more →
Who were the five Pandavas?
The five Pandava brothers were Yudhishthira (the eldest, son of Dharma), Bhima (son of Vayu), Arjuna (son of Indra), and the twins Nakula and Sahadeva (sons of the Ashvins, born to Madri). They were the heroes of the Mahabharata and shared the queen Draupadi as their common wife.
These five characters converge at the battle of Kurukshetra — the setting of the Bhagavad Gita. Their stories are the reason the Gita was spoken. To understand what Krishna taught, it helps to understand who he was teaching it for, and why it was necessary.
See also: Mahabharata Timeline · Gita for Beginners