Kauravas

Vrishaka

वृषक

Prince of Gandhara

Who was Vrishaka?

Vrishaka (वृषक): Prince of Gandhara, one of the Kauravas in the Mahabharata. Son of Suvala and brother of Shakuni, one of the maternal uncles of Duryodhana's line who fought for the Kauravas.

Quick Facts

Key facts about Vrishaka
Sanskrit nameवृषक
Title / EpithetPrince of Gandhara
FactionKauravas
Key traitsunfailing, fraternal, tenacious, doomed
Notable relationshipsBrother: Shakuni, Brother: Achala, Slayer: Arjuna, Brother-in-Law: King Dhritarashtra
Featured in2 stories

About Vrishaka

Son of Suvala and brother of Shakuni, one of the maternal uncles of Duryodhana's line who fought for the Kauravas. Immediately after Bhagadatta fell, he and his brother Achala attacked Arjuna together from front and behind and pressed him hard, and Arjuna answered by cutting the car of Suvala's son to pieces and sending five hundred Gandharas after it. Mounted at last on one chariot side by side, the two brothers were killed by a single arrow.

In Their Words

We came into this field on one car and we shall not leave it on two.

Vrishaka

Traits

  • unfailing
  • fraternal
  • tenacious
  • doomed

Story Appearances

2 further tales on this site name Vrishaka, in canonical reading order.

Character Arc

  1. Two Bows on One ManHe and Achala pierce Arjuna from front and rear together
  2. The Car Cut DownSteeds, driver, bow, umbrella and standard go to pieces at once
  3. One Arrow, Two BrothersThey fall side by side from the same chariot

Key Relationships

Places in Vrishaka's Story

Drawn from the stories Vrishaka appears in.

Others counted among the Kauravas.