Sages & Others
Vibhavasu
विभावसु
The Brother Who Became a Tortoise
Who was Vibhavasu?
Vibhavasu (विभावसु): The Brother Who Became a Tortoise, one of the sages and supporting figures in the Mahabharata. A great Rishi of old, elder brother of Supratika, wrathful and unwilling ever to divide the family property.
Quick Facts
| Sanskrit name | विभावसु |
|---|---|
| Title / Epithet | The Brother Who Became a Tortoise |
| Faction | Sages & Others |
| Key traits | covetous, wrathful, learned, obstinate |
| Notable relationships | Brother: Supratika, Devourer: Garuda |
| Featured in | 1 story |
About Vibhavasu
A great Rishi of old, elder brother of Supratika, wrathful and unwilling ever to divide the family property. When Supratika kept pressing for a partition, the two cursed each other in turn, and Vibhavasu became a tortoise while his brother became an elephant. Fighting on in those shapes in a lake, they were carried off together in Garuda's talons and eaten on a branch of the great banyan, the meal that gave him strength for the theft of the amrita.
In Their Words
It is from great foolishness that men divide what has never yet been divided.
Vibhavasu
Traits
- covetous
- wrathful
- learned
- obstinate
Story Appearances
Character Arc
- The Quarrel Over WealthTwo Rishi brothers refuse to divide their inheritance
- The Exchange of CursesElephant and tortoise are made out of two ascetics
- Carried OffGaruda lifts both of them from the lake in one grip
Key Relationships
Places in Vibhavasu's Story
Drawn from the story Vibhavasu appears in.
Related Characters
Others counted among the Sages & Others.