Pandavas

The five brothers at the heart of the Mahabharata — the protagonists of the war; Arjuna is the third.

Overview

The five Pandava brothers are the protagonists of the Mahabharata. Their kingdom is rightfully that of the eldest brother, but it is seized by their Kaurava cousins, led by Duryodhana. They endure years of suffering before the war that ends the epic.

Krishna is their advisor — in Swami’s phrasing, “God himself is their advisor.” Arjuna, the third brother and the great hero of the war, receives the Gita directly.

As of Ep 1, only Arjuna has his own character page; the other four brothers (Yudhishthira, Bhima, Nakula, Sahadeva) will be added when lectures give them weight.

Related concepts and entities

• Opposed by the kauravas
• Their advisor is krishna
• Members with pages so far: arjuna
• Context: mahabharata, kurukshetra

Lecture evidence

• Ep. 1 [34:22]: The five Pandava brothers are the good guys; Arjuna is the third.
• Ep. 1 [34:00]: God himself is their advisor — Krishna.