Sages & Others
Sharadvan
शरद्वान्
The Sage Born Holding Arrows
Who was Sharadvan?
Sharadvan (शरद्वान्): The Sage Born Holding Arrows, one of the sages and supporting figures in the Mahabharata. Son of Gautama, born with arrows already in his hands, who took to the science of weapons as other brahmanas take to the Vedas and grew formidable enough that Indra sent the apsara Janapadi to break his penance.
Quick Facts
| Sanskrit name | शरद्वान् |
|---|---|
| Title / Epithet | The Sage Born Holding Arrows |
| Faction | Sages & Others |
| Key traits | austere, martial, continent, exacting |
| Notable relationships | Father: Kripa, Father: Kripi, Son: Gautama, Father of his foundlings: King Shantanu |
| Featured in | 1 story |
About Sharadvan
Son of Gautama, born with arrows already in his hands, who took to the science of weapons as other brahmanas take to the Vedas and grew formidable enough that Indra sent the apsara Janapadi to break his penance. He fled the temptation, but his seed fell on a clump of heath and split into twins, found beside his abandoned bow and deerskin by a soldier of Shantanu's hunting party. He came later to the palace to declare his lineage and taught his son the four branches of the science of arms, making Kripa the first weapons master of the Kuru house.
In Their Words
The children in thy house are mine, O king, and the science of arms goes with them.
Sharadvan
Traits
- austere
- martial
- continent
- exacting
Story Appearances
Character Arc
- Born With ArrowsA child gripping shafts before he could grip anything else
- The Dancer in the WoodsA penance broken by a woman in a single cloth
- The Lineage ClaimedA sage walking into a palace to name his own children
Key Relationships
- FatherKripa
- FatherKripi
- SonGautama
- Father of his foundlingsKing Shantanu
Places in Sharadvan's Story
Drawn from the story Sharadvan appears in.
Related Characters
Others counted among the Sages & Others.