Mahabharata: A Modern Retelling (95 page)

Bharatavarsha
[Bhaa·ra·ta·var·sha,
SUUSU; HLLHL
]: ancient name for India south of the Himalaya

Bhargavas
[English plural; singular: Bhaar·ga·va,
SUU; HLL
]: brahmin descendants of Bhrigu

Bhima
[Bhee·ma,
SU; HL
]: (1) second of the five Pandava brothers; fathered by Vayu, god of the wind; (2) Damayanti’s father

Bhishma
[Bheesh·ma,
SU; HL
]: son of Shantanu and Ganga; Bharata patriarch

Bhrigu
[Bhri·gu,
SU; HL
]: a seer

Bhurishravas
[Sanskrit singular; Bhoo·ri·shra·vas,
SUSU; HHLL
]: an ally of the Kauravas

Brahma
[Brah·ma,
SU; HL
]: god of created beings

Brahma’s Head
[Brahma as above]: powerful celestial weapon, also known as
Pashupata

Brahmadatta
[Brah·ma·dat·ta,
SUSU; HLHL
]: king; friend of the bird Pujani

Brahman
[Brah·man,
SU; HL
]: universal soul; essence of all that is

brahmins
[as in English;
SU
]: highest class in the social hierarchy; priests, guardians of the Vedas

Brihadashva
[Bri·ha·dash·va,
UUSU; LLHL
]: a sage

Brihannada
[Bri·han·na·daa,
USUU
;
bri
·
han
·
na
·
d
ā
,
LHLH
]: Arjuna’s alias at Virata’s court

Brihaspati
[Bri·has·pa·ti,
USUU; LHLL
]: preceptor/priest to the gods

Chandalas
[English plural; singular: Chaan·daa·la,
SSU
;
ch
ā
n
·
d
ā
·
la
,
HHL
]: a lowborn and despised community

Charvaka
[Chaar·vaa·ka,
SSU; HHL
]: a rakshasa posing as a brahmin

Chekitana
[Che·ki·ta·na,
SUSU; HLLL
]: Vrishni warrior; ally of the Pandavas

Chitrangada
[masculine; Chi·traan·ga·da,
USUU; HHLL
] elder of Shantanu’s two sons by Satyavati

Chitrangadaa
[feminine; Chi·traan·ga·daa,
USUS; HHLH
] mother of Arjuna’s son Babhruvahana

Chitrasena
[Chi·tra·se·na,
SUSU; HLHL
]: king of the gandharvas

Chitravahana
[Chi·tra·vaa·ha·na,
SUSUU; HLHLL
]: king of Manalura

Chyavana
[Chya·va·na,
SUU; HLL
]: a great seer

Damayanti
[Da·ma·yan·tee,
UUSS; LLHH
]: wife of Nala

Danavas
[English plural; singular: Daa·na·va,
SUU; HLL
]: a type of demon

danda
[dan·da,
SU
;
da
n
·
d
a
,
HL
]: rod of royal authority

Daruka
[Daa·ru·ka,
SUU; HLL
]: Krishna’s charioteer

Devadatta
[De·va·dat·ta,
SUSU; HLHL
]: Arjuna’s conch

Devasthana
[De·va·sthaa·na,
SUSU; HHHL
]: a great ascetic

Devavrata
[De·va·vra·ta,
SUSU; HHLL
]: Bhishma’s original name

dharma
[dhar·ma,
SU; HL
]: righteousness; right conduct

Dharma
[as above]: god of righteousness; Yudhishthira’s father

Dharma King
[as above]: a title for Yudhishthira

Dhaumya
[Dhaum·ya,
SU; HL
]: the Pandavas’ household priest

Dhrishtadyumna
[Dhrish·ta·dyum·na,
SUSU
;
dhrish
·
t
a
·
dyum
·
na
,
HHHL
]: Panchala warrior; son of Drupada; brother of Draupadi

Dhrishtaketu
[Dhrish·ta·ke·tu,
SUSU
;
dhrish
·
t
a
·
ke
·
tu
,
HLHL
]: ally of the Pandavas

Dhritarashtra
[Dhri·ta·rash·tra,
SUSU
;
dhri
·
ta
·
r
ā
sh
·
t
ra
,
HLHL
]: blind king of the Bharatas; son of Vyasa; father of the Kauravas

Draupadi
[Drau·pa·dee,
SUS; HLH
]: daughter of Drupada; wife to the five Pandavas

Drona
[Dro·na,
SU
;
dro
·
n
a
,
HL
]: great brahmin weapons teacher

Drupada
[Dru·pa·da,
SUU; HLL
]: king of Panchala; father of Draupadi, Dhrishtadyumna, and Shikhandin

Duhshala
[Duh·shaa·laa,
SSS; HHH
]: only daughter of Dhritarashtra and Gandhari

Duhshanta
[Duh·shan·ta,
SSU; HHL
]: father of Bharata, founder of the Bharata lineage

Duhshasana
[Duh·shaa·sa·na,
SSUU; HHLL
]: second son of Dhritarashtra and Gandhari

Durjaya
[Dur·ja·ya,
SUU; HLL
]: one of Dhritarashtra’s sons

Durmashana
[Dur·ma·sha·na,
SUUU; HLLL
]: one of Dhritarashtra’s sons

Durmukha
[Dur·mu·kha,
SUU; HLL
]: one of Dhritarashtra’s sons

Durvasas
[Sanskrit singular; Dur·vaa·sas,
USU; HHL
]: a seer

Duryodhana
[Dur·yo·dha·na,
USUU; HHLL
]: eldest son of Dhritarashtra and Gandhari; leader of the Kauravas

Dvaipayana
[Dvai·paa·ya·na,
USUU; HHLL
]: (1) a name for Vyasa; (2) lake where Duryodhana hides at the end of the war

Dvapara age
[Dvaa·pa·ra,
SUU; HLL
]: second-worst of the four ages; also personified as an evil being

Dvaraka
[Dvaa·ra·kaa,
SUS; HLH
]: Krishna’s city

Dyumatsena
[Dyu·mat·se·na,
SUSU; HLHL
]: Savitri’s father-in-law

Ekalavya
[E·ka·lav·ya,
SUSU; HLHL
]: a tribal youth, son of the king of the nishadas

Gandhari
[Gaan·dhaa·ree,
SSS; HHH
]: Gandhara princess; wife of Dhritarashtra; mother of the hundred Kauravas

gandharvas
[English plural; singular: gan·dhar·va,
USU; HHL
]: celestial musicans and accomplished fighters

Gandiva
[Gaan·di·va,
SUU
;
g
ā
n
·
d
i
·
va
,
HLL
]: Arjuna’s bow

Ganesha
[Ga·ne·sha,
USU
;
ga
·
n
e
·
sha
,
LHL
]: elephant-headed god; scribe of the
Mahabharata

Ganga
[Gangaa,
SS; HH
]: (1) sacred river; (2) goddess of the river

Garuda
[Ga·ru·da,
SUU
;
ga
·
ru
·
d
a
,
LLL
]: celestial eagle

Gautami
[Gau·tam·i,
SUU; HLH
]: a wise brahmin woman

Ghatotkacha
[Gha·tot·ka·cha,
USUU
;
gha
·
t
ot
·
ka
·
cha
,
LHLL
]: half-rakshasa son of Bhima and Hidimbaa

ghee
[as in English]: clarified butter, used in rituals

Govinda
[Go·vin·da,
SUU; HLL
]: a name for Krishna

Granthika
[Gran·thi·ka,
SUU; HLL
]: Nakula’s alias at Virata’s court

Hanuman
[Ha·nu·maan,
UUS; LLH
]: divine monkey

Harishchandra
[Ha·rish·chan·dra,
USSU; LHHL
]: an emperor of previous times

Hastinapura
[Has·ti·naa·pu·ra,
SUSUU; HLHLL
]: City of the Elephant; the capital of the Bharata kingdom

Hidimba
[Hi·dim·ba,
USU
;
hi
·
d
im
·
ba
,
LHL
]: rakshasa killed by Bhima

Hidimbaa
[Hi·dim·baa,
USS
;
hi
·
d
im
·
b
ā
,
LHH
]: Hidimba’s sister; wife of Bhima; mother of Ghatotkacha

Himalaya
[Hi·ma·la·ya,
USUS; LHLL
]: great mountain range in the north of Bharatavarsha

Himavat
[Hi·ma·vat,
SUU; LLL
]: Himalaya

Indra
[In·dra,
SU; HL
]: powerful god; father of Arjuna

Indraprastha
[In·dra·pras·tha,
SUSU; HHHL
]: beautiful city created by the Pandavas

Iravat
[I·raa·vat,
USU; LHL
]: Arjuna’s son by Ulupi

Jaimini
[Jai·mi·ni,
SUU; HLL
]: one of Vyasa’s disciples

Jalasandha
[Ja·laa·san·dha,
USSU
;
LHHL
]: a son of Dhritarashtra

Jamadagni
[Ja·mad·ag·ni,
UUSU; LLHL
]: seer of ancient times; father of Rama Jamadagnya

Jambavati
[Jam·ba·va·tee,
SUUS; HLLH
]: one of Krishna’s wives

Janaka
[Ja·na·ka,
SUU; LLL
]: a king claiming to have achieved moksha

Janamejaya
[Ja·na·me·ja·ya,
UUSSU ; LLHLL
]: king, descendant of the Pandavas, to whom the Mahabharata is recited

Jarasandha
[Ja·raa·san·dha,
USSU; LHHL
]: king of Magadha, killed by Bhima

Jarita
[Ja·ri·taa,
SUS; LLH
]: bird, wife of Mandapala

jaya
[ja·ya,
SU; LL
]: victory

Jayadratha
[Ja·yad·ra·tha,
SUSU; LHLL
]: Sindhu king; husband of Duhshala

Jayatsena
[Ja·yat·se·na,
USSU; LHHL
]: ally of the Pandavas

Jimuta
[Jee·moo·ta,
SSU; HHL
]: wrestling contestant at Virata’s court

Kailasa
[Kai·laa·sa,
SSU; HHL
]: northern mountain, home of gods

Kali age
[Ka·li,
SU; LL
]: worst of the four ages; worst throw at dice; personified as an evil being

Kampilya
[Kam·pil·ya,
USU; HLL
]: capital of the Panchala kingdom

Kanika
[Ka·ni·ka,
SUS; LLL
]: Dhritarashtra’s minister

Kanka
[Kan·ka,
SU; HL
]: Yudhishthira’s alias at Virata’s court

Kanva
[Kan·va,
SU; HL
]: seer; adoptive father of Shakuntala

karma
[as in English]: natural law whereby acts have consequences for the doer

Karna
[Kar·na,
SU; HL
]: premarital son of Kunti by the sun god; friend of Duryodhana

Kashyapa
[Kash·ya·pa,
SUU; HLL
]: a rishi’s son

Kauravas
[English plural; singular: Kau·ra·va,
SUU; HLL
]: descendants of Kuru; name given to the hundred sons of Dhritarashtra and Gandhari

Kaushika
[Kau·shi·ka,
SUU; HLL
]: an ascetic

Khandava Forest
[Khaan·da·va,
SUU
;
kh
ā
n
·
d
a
·
va
,
HLL
]: forest tract destroyed by Arjuna and Krishna

Kichaka
[Kee·cha·ka,
SUU; HLL
]: Virata’s general; would-be seducer of Draupadi, killed by Bhima

Kirmira
[Kir·mee·ra,
USU; HHL
]: rakshasa killed by Bhima

Kripa
[Kri·pa,
SU; HL
]: Bharata princes’ first weapons teacher

Kripi
[Kri·pee,
US; LH
]: sister of Kripa; wife of Drona

Krishna Dvaipayana
[Krish·na Dvai·paa·ya·na,
SU SSUU
;
krish
·
n
a dvai
·
p
ā
·
ya
·
na
,
HL HHLL
]: a name for Vyasa

Krishna Vasudeva
[Krishna as above; Vaa·su·de·va,
SUSU; HLHL
]: avatar of Vishnu; cousin and supporter of the Pandavas