Mahabharata: A Modern Retelling (96 page)

Krishnaa
[Krish·naa,
SU
;
krish
·
n
ā
,
HH
]: “the dark one,” name of Draupadi

Krita age
[Kri·ta,
SU; LL
]: first and best of the four ages of the world; best throw at dice

Kritavarman
[Kri·ta·var·man,
SUSU; LLHL
]: Krishna’s kinsman; ally of the Kauravas

kshatriyas
[English plural; singular: Ksha·tri·ya,
SUU; HLL
]: the ruling class; warriors; second-highest class in the social hierarchy

Kubera
[Ku·be·ra,
USU; LHL
]: god of treasure

Kunti
[Kun·tee,
SS; HH
]: first wife of Pandu; mother of Karna, and of the five Pandavas; sister of Krishna’s father

Kuntibhoja
[Kun·ti·bho·ja,
SUSU; HLHL
]: adoptive father of Kunti

Kurukshetra
[Ku·ru·kshe·tra,
SUSU; LHHL
]: “Kuru’s field,” the plain on which the great war is fought

Lakshmana
[Laksh·ma·na,
SUU
;
laksh
·
ma
·
n
a
,
HLL
]: son of Duryodhana

Lapita
[La·pi·taa,
SUU; LLH
]: bird in the Khandava Forest

Left-handed Archer
: name for Arjuna

Likhita
[Li·khi·ta,
SUU; LLL
]: brahmin brother of Shankha

Lomapada
[Lo·ma·pa·da,
SUUU; HLLL
]: a king of Anga

Lomasha
[Lo·ma·sha,
SUU; HLL
]: a seer

Madhu
[Ma·dhu,
SU; LL
]: demon killed by Vishnu

Madhusudana
[Ma·dhu·soo·da·na,
SUSUU; LLHLL
]: “killer of Madhu,” a name for Vishnu

Madras
[English plural; singular: Ma·dra,
SU; HL
]: a people

Madri
[Maa·dri,
SU; HL
]: Pandu’s second wife; mother of Nakula and Sahadeva

Mahabharata
[Ma·haa·bhaa·ra·ta,
USSUU; LHHLL
]: the present epic poem

Maitreya
[Mai·tre·ya,
SUU; HLL
]: a great sage

Malavi
[Maa·la·vee,
SUS; HLH
]: mother of Savitri

Mandapala
[Man·da·paa·la,
SUSU; HLHL
]: bird in the Khandava Forest

Mandhatri
[Maan·dhaa·tri,
SSU; HHL
]: a great archer and king

Manu
[Ma·nu,
SU; HL
]: the first man

Markandeya
[Maar·kan·de·ya,
SUSU
;
m
ā
r
·
ka
n
·
d
e
·
ya
,
HHLL
]: a great seer, famously long-lived

Marutta
[Ma·rut·ta,
USU; LHL
]: an ambitious king

Matali
[Maa·ta·li,
SUU; HLL
]: Indra’s charioteer

Matanga
[Ma·tan·ga,
USU; LHL
]: boy who tried to become a brahmin

Matsya
[Mat·sya,
SU; HL
]: land ruled by King Virata

Maya
[Ma·ya,
SU; LL
]: demon architect

Mlecchas
[English plural; singular: Mle·chchha,
SU; HL
]: barbarians

moksha
[mok·sha,
SU; HL
]: final release from the cycle of birth and death

Mudgala
[Mud·ga·la,
SUU; HLL
]: devout gleaner

muni
[mu·ni,
SU; LL
]: a holy man

Naga
[Naa·ga,
SU; HL
]: snake deity

Nahusha
[Na·hu·sha,
SUU; LLL
]: Pandavas’ ancestor, who turned into a serpent under Agastya’s curse, and resumed his human form when saved by Yudhishthira

Nakula
[Na·ku·la,
SUU; LLL
]: one of the Pandava brothers; twin son of Pandu and Madri; fathered by the Ashvins

Namuchi
[Na·mu·chi,
SUU; LLL
]: demon killed by Indra

Nara
[Na·ra,
SU; LL
]: deity/seer associated with Arjuna; companion of Narayana

Narada
[Naa·ra·da,
SUU; HLL
]: a great seer, traveler in the three worlds

Naraka
[Na·ra·ka,
SUU; LLL
]: a demon

Narayana
[Naa·raa·ya·na,
SSUU
;
n
ā
·
r
ā
·
ya
·
n
a
,
HHLL
]: (1) a name for Vishnu; (2) a divine seer

Narayaniya
[Naa·raa·ya·nee·ya,
SSUSU
;
n
ā
·
r
ā
·
ya
·
n
ī
·
ya
,
HHLHL
]: devotional hymn to Narayana

Nila
[Nee·la,
SU; HL
]: ally of the Pandavas

nishadas
[English plural; singular: ni·shaa·da,
USU; LHL
]: a forest tribal people

Nivatakavachas
[English plural; singular: Ni·vaa·ta·ka·va·cha,
USUSUU; LHLLLL
]: demon enemies of Indra, defeated by Arjuna

Oghavati
[O·gha·va·tee,
SUUS; HLLH
]: (1) river at Kurukshetra; (2) Sudarshana’s wife

Paila
[Pai·la,
SU; HL
]: one of Vyasa’s disciples

Panchajanya
[Paan·cha·jan·ya,
SUSU; HLHL
]: Krishna’s conch

Panchala
[Paan·chaa·la,
SSU; HHL
]: (1) kingdom ruled by Drupada; (2) the people of that kingdom

Pandavas
[English plural; singular: Paan·da·va,
SUU; HLL
]: the five sons of Pandu; also their forces in the war

Pandu
[Paan·du,
SU
;
p
ā
n
·
d
u
,
HL
]: brother of Dhritarashtra, fathered by Vyasa; father of the five Pandavas

Pandyas
[English plural; singular: Paand·ya,
SU
;
p
ā
nd
·
ya
,
HL
]: allies of the Pandavas

Parashara
[Pa·raa·sha·ra,
USUU; LHLL
]: a seer; father of Vyasa by Satyavati

Parikshit
[Pa·rik·shit,
USU; LHL
]: heir to the Bharata kingdom after Yudhishthira; father of Janamejaya

Parvati
[Paar·va·tee,
SUS; HLH
]: wife of Shiva

Pashupata
[Paa·shu·pa·ta,
SUSU; HLLL
]: supreme celestial weapon

Pradyumna
[Pra·dyum·na,
USU; LHL
]: Krishna’s son

Prahlada
[Prah·laa·da,
SSU; HHL
]: wise chief of demons

Prasena
[Pra·se·na,
USU; LHL
]: Karna’s son

Prithu
[Pri·thu,
SU; LL
]: the first king

puja
[poo·jaa,
SS; HH
]: act of worship

Pujani
[Poo·ja·nee,
SUS; HLH
]: a wise bird

Purochana
[Pu·ro·cha·na,
USUU; LHLL
]: Duryodhana’s agent in the burning of the lacquer house

Pushkara
[Push·ka·ra,
SUU; HLL
]: Nala’s brother

Radha
[Raa·dhaa,
SS; HH
]: Karna’s adoptive mother

rajasuya yajna
[raa·ja·soo·ya yaj·na,
SUSU SU; HLHL HL
]: imperial consecration sacrifice

rakshasa
[raak·sha·sa,
SUU; HLL
]: ogre

Rama
[Raa·ma,
SU; HL
]: hero of the
Ramayana

Rama Jamadagnya
[Raa·ma Ja·mad·aag·nya,
SU UUSU; HL LLHL
]: brahmin warrior; great weapons teacher

Ravana
[Raa·va·na,
SUU
;
r
ā
·
va
·
n
a
,
HLL
]: demon abductor of Sita in the
Ramayana

Rishabha
[Ri·sha·bha,
SUU; LLL
]: a recluse

rishi
[ri·shi,
SU; LL
]: sage

Rishyashringa
[Ri·shya·shrin·ga,
SUSU; LHHL
]: an innocent brahmin youth

Rukmaratha
[Ruk·ma·ra·tha,
SUUU; HLLL
]: Shalya’s son

Sahadeva
[Sa·ha·de·va,
UUSU; LLHL
]: twin son of Pandu and Madri; one of the five Pandavas; fathered by Ashvin

Sairandhri
[Sai·ran·dhree,
SUS; HHH
]: Draupadi’s alias at Virata’s court

Samba
[Saam·ba,
SU; HL
]: Krishna’s son

Samvarta
[Sam·var·ta,
USU; HHL
]: brother of Brihaspati

Sanatsujata
[Sa·nat·su·jaa·ta,
USUSU; LHLHL
]: wise ancient youth

Sanjaya
[San·ja·ya,
SUU; HLL
]: Dhritarashtra’s aide and companion; witness of the entire Kurukshetra war

Sarasvati
[Sa·ras·va·tee,
USUU; LHLH
]: river

Satyabhama
[Sat·ya·bhaa·maa,
SUSU; HLHH
]: Krishna’s wife

Satyajit
[Sat·ya·jit,
SUU; HLL
]: son of Drupada

Satyaki
[Saat·ya·ki,
SUU; HLL
]: Krishna’s kinsman; ally of the Pandavas

Satyasena
[Sat·ya·se·na,
SUSU; HLHL
]: Karna’s son

Satyavat
[Sat·ya·vat,
SUU; LLL
]: Savitri’s husband

Satyavati
[Sat·ya·va·tee,
SUUU; HLLH
]: second wife to Shantanu; mother of Vyasa, and of Chitrangada and Vichitravirya

Savitri
[Saa·vi·tree,
SUU; HLH
]: virtuous wife of Satyavat, who wins him back from Death

Senajit
[Se·naa·jit,
SSU; HHL
]: king, bereaved father

Sita
[See·taa,
SU; HH
]: wife of Rama in the
Ramayana

soma
[so·ma,
SU; HL
]: sacred drink, a Vedic sacrificial offering

Somadatta
[So·ma·dat·ta,
SUSU; HLHL
]: father of Bhurishravas

Subhadra
[Su·bhad·raa,
USUU; LHH
]: Krishna’s sister; Arjuna’s wife

Sudarsha
[Su·dar·sha,
USU; LHL
]: one of Dhritarashtra’s sons

Sudarshana
[Su·dar·sha·na,
USUU; LHLL
]: son of the god of fire

Sudarshana
[Su·dar·sha·na,
USUU; LHLL
]: Krishna’s discus

Sudeshna
[Su·desh·naa,
USU
;
su
·
desh
·
n
ā
,
LHH
]: Virata’s wife

Sudyumna
[Su·dyum·na,
USU; LHL
]: king of Panchala in ancient times

Sulabha
[Su·la·bhaa,
sUU; LLH
]: female ascetic; interrogator of King Janaka

Sumantu
[Su·man·tu,
USU; LHL
]: one of Vyasa’s disciples

Sumitra
[Su·mi·tra,
USU; LHL
]: a king who lives in hope

Sunda
[Sun·da,
SU; HL
]: demon; brother of Upasunda

Surya
[Soor·ya,
SU; HL
]: sun god; father of Karna

Susharman
[Su·shar·man,
USU; LHL
]: king of the Trigartas

Sushena
[Su·she·na,
USU
;
su
·
she
·
n
a
,
LHL
]: Karna’s son

sutas
[English plural; singular: soo·ta,
SU; HL
]: inferior social group of mixed brahmin and kshatriya or kshatriya and vaishya descent; traditionally employed as drivers and bards

svayamvara
[Sva·yam·va·ra,
USUU; LHLL
]: bridegroom choice ceremony

Shakuni
[Sha·ku·ni,
SUU; LLL
]: Gandhari’s brother; close supporter of Duryodhana

Shakuntala
[Sha·kun·ta·laa,
USUU; LHLH
]: mother of Bharata

Shalva
[Shaal·va,
SU; HL
]: (1) Amba’s chosen bridegroom; (2) demonic king of the flying city of Saubha, defeated by Krishna; (3) Mleccha chief

Shalya
[Shal·ya,
SU; HL
]: literally, “dart”; king of Madra, uncle of Nakula and Sahadeva, who fights for the Kauravas

Shankha
[Shan·kha,
SU; HL
]: (1) son of Virata; (2) brother of Likhita