Character

Yudhishthira

युधिष्ठिरYudhiṣṭhira

verses
4,115
books
21
chapters
1,367
Sibling of
Bhima, Arjuna
One of
Pandavas
Child of
Kunti

What the texts say

In the Mahabharata, Yudhishthira is the firstborn son of Pandu, foretold as foremost among those who uphold dharma. Mahabharata 1.114.6 Having obtained the kingdom, he governed the earth in accordance with dharma, together with his brothers. Mahabharata 1.200.6 Though he knew the stratagem of Shakuni, who had invited him to play, Yudhishthira went again to the dice-game. Mahabharata 2.67.5, 2.53.1 Dharma, appearing as a Yaksha, questioned him, and he answered correctly and in full. Mahabharata 1.1.113 Later he refused a heavenly chariot without the dog that followed him, and the dog proved to be Dharma. Mahabharata (Gita Press) 1.2.370

Where to read

Every verse that names Yudhishthira, book by book.

  1. Mahabharata

    3,272 verses · 1,035 chapters

    All 3,272 verses in the Mahabharata

    Also in the Gita Press edition: 21,333 verses

    • 3.297.13

      Yudhishthir ne kaha, tum Rudraon mein bade ho ya Vasuon mein ya Maruton mein? Main poochhta hoon ki tum kaun ho bhagwan. Yeh kaam kisi pakshi ne nahi kiya hai.

    • 2.58.1

      Shakuni ne kaha. Yudhishthir, tune Pandavon ka bahut paisa haar ke diya hai. Kunti putra, ab bata, tere paas aur kitna paisa bacha hai jo abhi tak nahi gaya?

    • 17.3.1

      Vaishampayan ne kaha. Phir Indra ne aasman aur dharti goonj di. Woh apna rath le kar Arjun ke paas aaye. Unhone kaha, chalo, rath pe baitho.

  2. Skanda Purana

    311 verses · 150 chapters

    All 311 verses in the Skanda Purana
    • 3.1.18.30

      Pehle ke time mein Yudhishthira ne wahan naha liya. Usne Shiv ji ko dekha. Ek jhooth bolne ka dosh uspe tha, woh turant saaf ho gaya.

    • 3.1.21.9

      Ek baar Yudhishthira ne Krishna ko bulaya. Usne Krishna ki puja ki, izzat di. Phir usne Krishna se sawaal poocha. Krishna ko log jagah ke malik kehte hain, unki aankhein kamal jaisi hain.

    • 5.3.227.6

      Yeh Maheshwari Ganga hai, jo Maheshwar ke shareer se nikli hai. Isko log Dakshin Ganga bulate hain. Yeh baat main tumhe bata raha hoon, Yudhishthir.

  3. Bhagavatam

    201 verses · 40 chapters

    All 201 verses in the Bhagavatam
    • 7.10.24

      Narad ji ne kaha, Raja sahab, Prahlad ne bhi wahi kiya jo Bhagwan ne kaha tha. Usne apne baap ke baad ke sab kaam kiye. Phir pandit logon ne use raj tilak karke raja banaya.

    • 7.15.21

      Raja, bahut pandit hain jo bahut kuchh jaante hain. Logon ke doubts bhi saaf kar dete hain. Bade bade sabha mein baithne layak hain. Par jab khush nahi rehte, apni jagah se, to neeche gir jaate hain.

    • 1.13.3

      Jab Vidur wapas aaye toh sab log bahut khush hue. Yudhishthira aur unke bhai, Dhritarashtra, Yuyutsu, Sanjay, Kripacharya, Kunti, Gandhari, Draupadi, Subhadra, Uttara, Kripi aur bachhon ke saath aur bhi bahut auratein sab milke unse milne…

  4. Padma Purana

    123 verses · 69 chapters

    All 123 verses in the Padma Purana
    • 3.40.16

      Tab beech mein Raja Yudhishthir, Kunti ka beta, apne bhaiyon ke liye dukhi tha. Woh baar-baar sochta rehta tha.

    • 3.45.1

      Yudhishthir ne kaha, maine jo Prayag ki baat suni hai, usse mera dil saaf ho gaya hai. Ab aap mujhe batao, wahan jaane se kya milta hai? Jo kabhi khatam na ho, aisa phal kaisa hai?

    • 3.46.1

      Yudhishthir ne kaha, maine suna hai ki Brahma ne Puran mein bataya hai. Usme likha hai ki teerth hazaron mein hain, sau aur das hazar bhi. Sab mein punya hai.

Also named in

Key chapters

The chapters where Yudhishthira matters most.

  1. Yakṣa-saṃvāda: Yudhiṣṭhira’s Interrogation at the Guarded Water

    Mahabharata 3.297 · 25 verses

    Dharma-centered examiner and respondent

  2. Escalation of Wagers and Shakuni’s Repeated Declarations of Victory

    Mahabharata 2.58 · 25 verses

    Tragic agent of self-undoing

  3. Adhyāya 3: Indra’s Invitation and Yudhiṣṭhira’s Refusal to Abandon the Dog (Svargārohaṇa Test)

    Mahabharata 17.3 · 14 verses

    Moral center

  4. Yudhiṣṭhira’s Enumeration of Stakes in the Dice Match

    Mahabharata 2.54 · 18 verses

    Principal speaker and wagering agent

  5. Dharma-pratyabhijñāna and Vara-pradāna (धर्मप्रत्यभिज्ञानम् · वरप्रदानम्)

    Mahabharata 3.298 · 5 verses

    Moral center and discerning interlocutor

  6. Droṇavadha-saṃniveśaḥ: The Convergence Toward Droṇa’s Fall (Book 7, Chapter 164)

    Mahabharata 7.164 · 10 verses

    Ethical fulcrum: truth-bound king compelled into ambiguity for…

  7. Entry into the Yakṣa-Lake Episode

    Mahabharata 3.296 · 7 verses

    Moral diagnostician and commander of the search

  8. Janaka-Sulabhā Dialogue on Mokṣa and Non-attachment

    Mahabharata 12.308 · 1 verse

    Philosophical inquirer seeking a practicable mokṣa-path within…

  9. The Commencement of the Great Departure

    Mahabharata 17.1 · 7 verses

    Moral and political pivot: converts historical catastrophe into…

  10. Adhyāya 41: Yudhiṣṭhira’s Gurv-anumati and Strategic Counsel (युधिष्ठिरस्य गुर्वनुमतिः)

    Mahabharata 6.41 · 29 verses

    Dharma-centered strategist who converts reverence into moral…

Key episodes

  1. Arjuna and the Bird on the Tree

    Mahabharata 1.123

  2. The Game of Dice

    Mahabharata 2.53-2.63

  3. The Yaksha's Questions (Yaksha Prashna)

    Mahabharata 3.295-3.298

  4. Abhimanyu and the Chakravyuha

    Mahabharata 7.33-7.48

  5. "Ashvatthama Is Dead": The Fall of Drona

    Mahabharata 7.164-7.165

  6. The Mace Duel: Bhima Breaks Duryodhana's Thigh

    Mahabharata 9.54-9.58

  7. The Destruction of the Yadavas and Krishna's Departure

    Mahabharata 16.1-16.9

  8. Yudhishthira and the Dog: The Great Departure

    Mahabharata 17.1-17.3

Also known to Wikipedia · Wikidata Q983067