Character

Pandavas

पाण्डवस्Pāṇḍavas

verses
5,112
books
19
chapters
1,033
Members
Arjuna, Yudhishthira, Bhima
Consort of
Draupadi

What the texts say

In the Mahabharata, the Pandavas are the sons of King Pandu: Yudhishthira, son of Kunti, with Bhima and Arjuna, and the two sons of Madri. Mahabharata 3.295.5, 1.124.1 The epic tells that Kunti invoked the deities Dharma, Vayu and Indra, and Madri the two Ashvin twins, so that the Pandavas were born from these five divine powers. Mahabharata (Gita Press) 1.1.115 Driven by envy, Duryodhana resolved with Shakuni, king of Gandhara, on a deceitful game of dice. Mahabharata (Gita Press) 1.1.146 Duryodhana later says that Shakuni won the Pandavas' kingdom in that game, and the epic speaks of a twelve-year banishment in the forest. Mahabharata 5.125.7, 4.42.5 The Mahabharata's list of its books says that a celestial chariot came for Yudhishthira, who would not leave the dog that followed him, and that the dog was Dharma himself, with whom he went to heaven. Mahabharata (Gita Press) 1.2.370

Where to read

Every verse that names Pandavas, book by book.

  1. Mahabharata

    4,639 verses · 877 chapters

    All 4,639 verses in the Mahabharata

    Also in the Gita Press edition: 5,168 verses

    • 1.153.1

      Janamejaya ne poocha, bhai, jab Pandav ne Bakasur ko maara, uske baad unhone kya kiya? Woh to bahut bade veer the.

    • 11.25.28

      Krishna, Pandavon ko koi maar hi nahi sakta tha, tum bhi unke saath the. Drona aur Bhishma se toh woh bach gaye the. Karn aur Kripa se bhi unhone bachke nikla. Sab safe the, kisi ne unko chhua tak nahi.

    • 1.137.3

      Log bole, yeh Duryodhan ka kaam hai. Usne paap kiya hai. Usne Pandavon ko marne ki sochi hai. Yeh sab log chillaye.

  2. Skanda Purana

    167 verses · 48 chapters

    All 167 verses in the Skanda Purana
    • 1.2.2.11

      Arjun, main tumhe ek khushi ki baat batata hoon. Jin logon ki tum bhalai chahte ho, woh sab theek hain. Yadav bhi theek hain aur Pandav bhi.

    • 1.2.39.121

      Kuntey, jahan tum paida hue the wahan ki baat kar raha hoon. Tum apne bhaiyon ke saath Pandu ke bete the. Wahan Kumari Devi bhi rehti hain. Woh Stambhatirtha mein hain. Woh bahut bhagwati hain.

    • 1.2.59.6

      Main tumhe ek kahani sunata hoon jo maine Vyas ji se suni thi. Bahut pehle ki baat hai, Pandavon ne Raja Drupad ki beti ko apna banaya tha.

  3. Bhagavatam

    107 verses · 35 chapters

    All 107 verses in the Bhagavatam
    • 10.49.1

      Shukadeva ne kaha, Akrur Hastinapur gaya. Yeh shehar Puru vansh ke raja logon ke liye famous hai. Wahan usne Dhritarashtra ko dekha, Bhishma Pitamah ko, Vidur ko, aur Kunti ko. Bahlik aur unka beta Somdatt bhi wahan the. Dronacharya…

    • 1.4.7

      Beta, sunno. Pandavon ke vansh mein ek raja tha, Parikshit naam ka. Woh bada bhakt tha. Usne us muni se baat kaise ki? Aur uski wajah se yeh Bhagavat katha kaise bani? Yeh kaise hua batao.

    • 1.7.13

      Jab Kurukshetra ka yuddha khatam hua, dono taraf ke veer mar gaye. Duryodhan ki taang tooti hui thi, woh chillata pada tha. Ashwatthama ne socha, main apne master ko khush karunga. Usne Draupadi ke paanch beton ke sar kaat diye jab woh so…

  4. Devi Bhagavatam

    50 verses · 14 chapters

    All 50 verses in the Devi Bhagavatam
    • 1.6.16

      Dusri tarah ki ladai tab hoti hai jab dushmani gehri ho. Jaise Pandavon aur unke dushmano mein thi. Aur sabse buri ladai woh hai jiska koi wajah hi nahi. Bas kisi baat pe jhagda ho gaya aur ladai shuru.

    • 2.6.58

      Toh aise hue paanch Pandav bhai. Woh sab devataon ke bete the, lekin yahan paida hue. Ek ek karke saal mein paida hue woh jungle mein. Brahmin log, yeh sab bade log the.

    • 2.7.1

      Suta ne kaha, Draupadi paanchon Pandavon ki patni thi. Woh bahut izzat ki jaati thi aur apne patiyo ke saath sachchi thi. Un paanch patiyo se uske paanch bete hue, bahut sunder.

Also named in

Key chapters

The chapters where Pandavas matters most.

  1. Post-Baka-vadha Residence and the Introduction of Yājñasenī’s Svayaṃvara (आदि पर्व, अध्याय १५३)

    Mahabharata 1.153 · 5 verses

    Hidden heroes in a liminal phase

  2. Battlefield Lament and Gāndhārī’s Curse

    Mahabharata 11.25 · 4 verses

    शापश्रवण-प्रतिक्रियाकारिणः, उत्तरकाल-भय-चिन्तकाः

  3. Kirātāvatāra, Durvāsā-upākhyāna, and the Logic of Divine Rescue (Kirātākhyam-avatāra; Pāṇḍava-prasaṅga)

    Shiva Purana 3.1.37 · 22 verses

    Embattled righteous exiles

  4. Aftermath of the Lac House Fire

    Mahabharata 1.137 · 19 verses

    Hidden survivors who transition from palace intrigue to…

  5. Karma, Varṇa-Dharma, and the Ethics of Governance

    Mahabharata 5.29 · 18 verses

    Claimants of rightful share

  6. Vidura Conveys Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Message to Drupada

    Mahabharata 1.198 · 14 verses

    Heirs whose movement determines the next political phase

  7. शल्यवधे कौरवसेनाभङ्गः, भीमस्य गदायुद्धं, दुर्योधनस्य समाह्वानम् (Rout after Śalya’s fall; Bhīma’s mace engagement; Duryodhana’s rally)

    Mahabharata 9.18 · 14 verses

    Victorious pursuers capitalizing on the enemy’s loss of command

  8. Adhyāya 20: Rājadharma Argument for Paternal Inheritance and Timely Conciliation

    Mahabharata 5.20 · 13 verses

    Claimants to paternal inheritance

  9. Pāṇḍu’s Śrāddha, Satyavatī’s Withdrawal, and Childhood Rivalry

    Mahabharata 1.119 · 12 verses

    Heirs being formed, ritually refined yet politically endangered

  10. Jarāsandha-nipātana, rāja-mokṣa, and rājasūya-sāhāyya-prārthanā (Jarāsandha’s fall, liberation of kings, and request for support)

    Mahabharata 2.22 · 11 verses

    Beneficiaries and consolidators of the new political order

Key episodes

  1. Kurukshetra War

    Mahabharata 6-10

  2. Draupadi's Svayamvara

    Mahabharata 1.176-1.182

  3. Gandhari Curses Krishna

    Mahabharata 11.25-11.26

Also known to Wikipedia · Wikidata Q236221