Sages & Others
Mandhata
मान्धाता
Emperor of the Whole Earth
Who was Mandhata?
Mandhata (मान्धाता): Emperor of the Whole Earth, one of the sages and supporting figures in the Mahabharata. Son of Yuvanaswa, born from his father's side after the king drank the consecrated butter meant for his queen, and suckled on Indra's own finger, from which he took his name.
Quick Facts
| Sanskrit name | मान्धाता |
|---|---|
| Title / Epithet | Emperor of the Whole Earth |
| Faction | Sages & Others |
| Key traits | Prodigious, Conquering, Devout, Restless |
| Notable relationships | Foster Nurse: Indra, Sought His Sight: Narayana, Vanquished King: Marutta |
| Featured in | 7 stories |
About Mandhata
Son of Yuvanaswa, born from his father's side after the king drank the consecrated butter meant for his queen, and suckled on Indra's own finger, from which he took his name. He grew to manhood in a hundred days and brought the whole earth under him in a single day, vanquishing Angada, Marutta and Vrihadratha; the land from sunrise to sunset is called the field of Mandhata. Late in his reign he performed a great sacrifice simply to look at Narayana, and was answered by a god wearing Indra's shape.
In Their Words
I have conquered from where the sun rises to where he sets. Teach me now the duty that came first from the first of gods.
Mandhata
Traits
- Prodigious
- Conquering
- Devout
- Restless
Story Appearances
Stories Featuring Mandhata
5 further tales on this site name Mandhata, in canonical reading order.
- The Golden PloughThe sacrifice a king held because the one he wanted was forbidden him
- The Day the Rod VanishedWhat happened to the world when Chastisement disappeared
- Kamandaka and the Sinning KingA king who repents asks a rishi by what acts a sin is destroyed
- The Thousand Doors to HeavenA guest who cannot answer counts the ways men have got in, then names one serpent worth asking
- The Names That Cleanse SinAsked what destroys sin, Bhishma answers with a litany of gods, rivers, mountains, sages and kings
Character Arc
- The FingerIndra gives him suck and gives him his name
- The Single DayThe whole earth comes under his sway before nightfall
- The RequestAsks the god in Indra's form for the first of all duties
Key Relationships
Places in Mandhata's Story
Drawn from the stories Mandhata appears in.
Related Characters
Others counted among the Sages & Others.