Main Characters Of Mahabharata

In the earlier episodes, we have stepped into the sacred curtain of Mahabharata — first through Satyavati, the mother of destiny, and then through Vyasa, the one who wove destiny into words.

Now, the Mahabharata begins to unfold its divine gallery. Its cast is not made of mortals alone — it is a theatre of devas, rishis, amshavataras, and souls carrying the weight of past karmas. Every name is a vibration, every birth a consequence, every role a ripple in dharma’s ocean.

Let us now meet the main characters, around whom this vast epic pulses and breathes.

Bhishma — the Vasu who stayed

He was no ordinary mortal. He was one among the Ashta Vasus, the eight elemental deities born to Dharma and Vasu, a daughter of Daksha. When they offended Sage Vasishta, they were cursed to be born on earth. Ganga, the celestial river herself, agreed to be their mother and release them from the curse by ending their lives immediately after birth.

But one Vasu had to stay — the one who had led the act. That was Bhishma.

He lived.
And he became dharma’s guardian. His vow of lifelong celibacy and loyalty to Hastinapura earned him the name Bhishma — the one of terrible, awe-inspiring resolve.

Vidura — dharma born in humility

Once, Sage Animandavya was wrongfully punished, impaled on a spear due to a childish mistake done in a previous birth. When he reached Yamaloka, he questioned Dharmaraja — the ruler of death himself.

'Where is justice in this?'

Seeing the imbalance in karma’s ledger, he cursed Dharmaraja: You shall be born on earth — not as a king, but as the son of a maid.

Thus was born Vidura — dharma in human form, but walking the earth in humility. Yamaraja had to incarnate twice — once as Vidura, and again as Yudhishtira, in different generations.

Sanjaya — the seer in the chariot

A Suta, born of a noble charioteer lineage, Sanjaya was more than just a driver to Dhritarashtra. He was a seer, gifted with divine sight, capable of witnessing the Kurukshetra war from afar. A voice of wisdom in the ear of the blind king — a mirror held up to destiny.

Karna — born with the sun’s armor

Born of Suryadeva himself, Karna came into this world with golden armor and divine earrings — the markings of greatness. Yet, fate twisted his path. Born to Kunti before her marriage, he was cast away in secrecy and grew up among charioteers — a prince in disguise, torn between loyalty and truth, forever seeking acceptance.

Krishna and Balarama — the Lord descends

Vishnu himself came down — as Krishna, the charioteer of Arjuna, the knower of time, the destroyer of illusion. And with him, his brother Balarama, the master of the plough, strength incarnate.

Krishna had two companions in battle: the valiant Satyaki and the formidable Kritavarma.

Drona — the son of thought

Born not from a womb, but from Sage Bharadwaja’s thoughts — from his seed dropped in wonder at the apsara Ghritachi — Drona emerged in a Dronee (cave), and hence his name.

His wife was Kripi, sister of Kripacharya, both of whom were born in a similar manner — from Sage Sharadwan’s seed falling upon a blade of grass. This too is the world of Mahabharata — where creation dances in forms beyond understanding.

Drupada’s lineage

From the yagagni of King Drupada came forth two souls:

• Dhrishtadyumna, born with a bow in hand, fated to slay Drona.

• Draupadi, the fire-born queen of the Pandavas, whose heart held the pain and power of ages.

And Shikhandi — born a daughter, transformed into a man through the blessing of the yaksha Sthoonakarna, became the unspoken edge of Bhishma’s downfall.

Shakuni — the mind of manipulation

Son of King Subala of Gandhara, and brother of Gandhari, Shakuni was not just a dice-player. He was born from Nagnajit, a disciple of Prahlada — and carried the cunning of asuras cloaked in royal robes.

The royal brothers and their births

Vyasa, the great sage, fathered the next generation of Kuru princes:

• From Ambika came Dhritarashtra, blind yet towering.

• From Ambalika came Pandu, the fair-skinned warrior.

• From a maid came Vidura, the quiet flame of dharma.

Pandu’s lineage through devas

• Yudhishthira — son of Yama, the calm king of truth.

• Bhima — son of Vayu, the storm in human form.

• Arjuna — son of Indra, wielder of divine weapons.

• Karna — already born through Surya to Kunti before marriage.

Madri, Pandu’s second wife, gave birth to Nakula and Sahadeva, the twin sons of the Ashwini Kumaras, who are themselves sons of Surya.

The Kauravas

From Gandhari, who carried a lump of flesh in her womb, came one hundred sons, shaped by Vyasa into full-bodied warriors.
Among them, eleven became maharathis — great warriors:

Duryodhana, Dushasana, Dussaha, Durmarshana, Vikarna, Chitrasena, Vivimshati, Jaya, Satyavrata, Purumitra, and Yuyutsu — the last being born of a Vaishya woman, making him a Karana by varna.

The next generation

• Abhimanyu, son of Arjuna and Subhadra, Krishna’s sister.

• Ghatotkacha, son of Bhima and the rakshasi Hidimba.

• Five sons of Draupadi —

  • Prativindhya (Yudhishthira)

  • Sutasoma (Bhima)

  • Shrutakarma (Arjuna)

  • Shatanika (Nakula)

  • Shrutasena (Sahadeva)

Beyond them marched thousands — kings, warriors, sages, queens — each carrying their own storms, their own scars.

But these…
These are the divine seeds from which the forest of Mahabharata rises.

The stage is now set. The players are named.
The Dharma-yuddha waits.

Ramaswamy Sastry and Vighnesh Ghanapaathi