Sages & Others
Kartavirya
कार्तवीर्य
The Thousand-Armed King of Mahishmati
Who was Kartavirya?
Kartavirya (कार्तवीर्य): The Thousand-Armed King of Mahishmati, one of the sages and supporting figures in the Mahabharata. Arjuna of the Haihayas, lord of Mahishmati on the Narmada, who won a thousand arms in battle by boon and asked, last of all, that righteous men be permitted to correct him whenever he went wrong.
Quick Facts
| Sanskrit name | कार्तवीर्य |
|---|---|
| Title / Epithet | The Thousand-Armed King of Mahishmati |
| Faction | Sages & Others |
| Key traits | mighty, boastful, teachable, doomed |
| Notable relationships | Slain by: Parashurama, Whose calf he seized: Jamadagni, Corrector: Vayu |
| Featured in | 3 stories |
About Kartavirya
Arjuna of the Haihayas, lord of Mahishmati on the Narmada, who won a thousand arms in battle by boon and asked, last of all, that righteous men be permitted to correct him whenever he went wrong. Riding out to demand who on earth was his equal, he was answered by a voice from the empty sky and then argued down by the wind god, who matched every royal claim with a brahmana's feat and left him a warning that his danger would come from the race of Bhrigu. It did: he seized Jamadagni's calf, and Parashurama's axe ended him and in time his whole order.
In Their Words
Is there anywhere in this world a man who is my equal?
Kartavirya
Traits
- mighty
- boastful
- teachable
- doomed
Story Appearances
Stories Featuring Kartavirya
2 further tales on this site name Kartavirya, in canonical reading order.
Character Arc
- The Fourth BoonAsks to be told whenever he is in the wrong
- The Empty SkyA voice answers his boast, and Vayu takes up the argument
- The CalfTakes what belongs to Jamadagni, and the axe follows
Key Relationships
- Slain byParashurama
- Whose calf he seizedJamadagni
- CorrectorVayu
Places in Kartavirya's Story
Drawn from the stories Kartavirya appears in.
Related Characters
Others counted among the Sages & Others.