Pandavas24
The five sons of Pandu, their wife Draupadi, their sons and the kings who stood with them.
Yudhishthiraयुधिष्ठिरThe Righteous KingBhimaभीमThe Mighty PandavaArjunaअर्जुनThe Supreme ArcherNakulaनकुलThe Handsome TwinSahadevaसहदेवThe Wise TwinDraupadiद्रौपदीThe Fire-Born QueenAbhimanyuअभिमन्युThe Young HeroQueen Kuntiकुन्तीPrincess of the VrishnisQueen Madriमाद्रीPrincess of MadraShikhandiशिखण्डीThe Reborn AvengerUttaraउत्तरThe Boastful PrinceUttaraaउत्तराMother of the Last HeirSatyakiसात्यकिThe Invincible VrishniBabruvahanaबभ्रुवाहनThe Son Who Slew His FatherIravanइरावान्The Serpent PrinceVrishaketuवृषकेतुThe Last Son of KarnaSubhadraसुभद्राSister of KrishnaUlupiउलूपीThe Naga PrincessChitrangadaचित्राङ्गदाThe Warrior Princess of ManipuraVirataविराटKing of MatsyaSudeshnaसुदेष्णाQueen of MatsyaDrupadaद्रुपदKing of PanchalaDhrishtadyumnaधृष्टद्युम्नCommander of the Pandava ArmyGhatotkachaघटोत्कचRakshasa Prince
Kauravas16
Duryodhana and his brothers, together with the warlords and schemers who fought for Hastinapura.
Duryodhanaदुर्योधनThe Eldest KauravaDushasanaदुशासनThe Cruel PrinceShakuniशकुनिThe Master of DiceKarnaकर्णSon of SuryaYuyutsuयुयुत्सुThe Righteous KauravaShalyaशल्यThe Reluctant GeneralBhagadattaभगदत्तThe Elephant KingSusharmaसुशर्माKing of the TrigartasJayadrathaजयद्रथKing of SindhuKritavarmaकृतवर्माThe Yadava Who Chose DuryodhanaVrishasenaवृषसेनKarna's Valiant SonDussalaदुःशलाThe Only DaughterPurochanaपुरोचनThe Architect of FireAshwatthamaअश्वत्थामाSon of DronaKripaकृपRoyal Preceptor of HastinapuraUlukaउलूकEnvoy of the Kauravas
Kuru Dynasty24
The elders, queens and forebears of the Kuru line, from Bhishma and Vidura back to the founding kings.
Pritha (Kunti)पृथाAdopted daughter of Kuntibhoja, originally daughter of Shura.King Dushyantaदुष्यन्तA great king of the Puru lineage. Met and married...ShakuntalaशकुंतलाDaughter of sage Vishvamitra and apsara Menaka, adopted by Kanva....Emperor Bharata (Sarvadamana)भरतSon of Dushyanta and Shakuntala, an exceptionally powerful emperor after...Bhishmaभीष्मThe Terrible VowDronaद्रोणThe Great TeacherKing Dhritarashtraधृतराष्ट्रThe Blind KingViduraविदुरThe Wise CounselorQueen Gandhariगान्धारीPrincess of GandharaKing YayatiययातिThe AncestorDevayaniदेवयानीDaughter of ShukraSharmishthaशर्मिष्ठाAsura PrincessPuruपुरुAncestor of KurusKing Shantanuशान्तनुThe Kuru EmperorSatyavatiसत्यवतीThe Fisher QueenKing Chitrangadaचित्राङ्गदThe Kuru KingKing Vichitraviryaविचित्रवीर्यThe Kuru KingQueen Ambikaअम्बिकाQueen of HastinapuraQueen Ambalikaअम्बालिकाQueen of HastinapuraKing Panduपाण्डुThe Pale KingSanjayaसंजयThe Divine WitnessKanikaकणिकThe Counselor of RuthlessnessParikshitपरीक्षित्Heir of the Kuru LineJanamejayaजनमेजयKing of the Snake Sacrifice
Divine Beings26
Gods, celestial guides, avatars and the divine parents whose boons shape every turn of the epic.
Krishnaकृष्णThe Divine GuideHanumanहनुमानThe Divine MonkeyKachaकचDisciple of ShukraGoddess Gangaगङ्गाThe River GoddessThe Eight VasusवसवःThe Cursed GodsSage Vyasaव्यासThe Compiler of the VedasSage Durvasaदुर्वासThe Wrathful SageSage Kimdamaकिन्दमThe Ascetic in Deer FormSuryaसूर्यThe Sun GodNaradaनारदThe Wandering SageParashuramaपरशुरामThe Warrior SageMarkandeyaमार्कण्डेयThe Deathless SageDhaumyaधौम्यPriest of the PandavasChitrasenaचित्रसेनKing of the GandharvasSaramaसरमाThe Divine HoundGaneshaगणेशThe Divine ScribeIndraइन्द्रKing of the DevasShivaशिवThe Great GodVishnuविष्णुThe PreserverBrahmaब्रह्माThe CreatorYamaयमLord of Dharma and DeathLakshmiलक्ष्मीGoddess of FortuneDhanvantariधन्वन्तरिPhysician of the GodsVasukiवासुकिKing of the NagasGarudaगरुडKing of BirdsChitrarathaचित्ररथKing of the Gandharvas
Sages & Others45
Rishis, teachers, demons, charioteers and the many supporting figures who carry the story forward.
Sage Kanvaकण्वA great ascetic and foster father of Shakuntala.Eklavyaएकलव्यThe Self-Taught ArcherShukracharyaशुक्राचार्यPreceptor of AsurasVrishaparvaवृषपर्वKing of DanavasYaduयदुAncestor of YadavasPrincess Ambaअम्बाThe Eldest Princess of KashiKing Shalvaशाल्वKing of SoubhaBarbarikaबर्बरीकThe Warrior of Three ArrowsHidimbiहिडिम्बाThe Rakshasi QueenKichakaकीचकThe Lustful CommanderTakshakaतक्षकKing of the NagasMayaमयासुरArchitect of the AsurasBalaramaबलरामWielder of the PloughJarasandhaजरासन्धEmperor of MagadhaShishupalaशिशुपालKing of ChediRukminiरुक्मिणीQueen of DwarakaRukmiरुक्मीPrince of VidarbhaAstikaआस्तीकSavior of the SerpentsJaratkaruजरत्कारुAscetic Father of AstikaUtankaउत्तङ्कThe Devoted DiscipleUpamanyuउपमन्युThe Blinded DiscipleVaishampayanaवैशम्पायनFirst Reciter of the EpicKadruकद्रूMother of SerpentsVinataविनताMother of GarudaYashodaयशोदाFoster Mother of KrishnaNandaनन्दChief of the CowherdsKamsaकंसTyrant of MathuraPutanaपूतनाThe Demoness NurseKaliyaकालियSerpent of the YamunaHidimbaहिडिम्बRakshasa of the ForestBakasuraबकासुरDemon of EkachakraSudamaसुदामाFriend of KrishnaKirmiraकिर्मीरRakshasa of KamyakaJatasuraजटासुरThe Disguised AbductorNahushaनहुषThe Fallen King of HeavenSatyabhamaसत्यभामाQueen of DwarakaAdhirathaअधिरथThe Charioteer FatherParasharaपराशरSage Father of VyasaUparichara Vasuउपरिचर वसुThe Sky-Going King of ChediVashishthaवशिष्ठSage of the Vasus' CurseAnimandavyaअणीमाण्डव्यThe Impaled SageBhriguभृगुPatriarch of the BhargavasPoulomaपुलोमाWife of BhriguVasudevaवसुदेवFather of KrishnaDevakiदेवकीMother of Krishna