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64 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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Arjuna
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a) Third-born of the 5 Pandava brothers
b) Son of Indra c) His archery skills won him and his brothers the hand of Draupadi in marriage. |
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Asvatthaman
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a) Son of Drona
b) Killed the Pandava’s 5 sons after the war |
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Bhagavad Gita
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a) Recited by Krishna to Arjuna on the battlefield
b) Elaborates on a number of different Yogic and Vedantic philosophies |
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Brhannada
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a) Arjuna in disguise as a hairdresser
b) Wears bangles to cover his forearms, which have scars of ‘savysachi’ (ambidextrous for archery) |
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Bhakti Yoga
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a) One of the yogas which Krishna recites during the Bhagavad Gita
b) Means ‘worship,’ one can achieve salvation through worship to God. |
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Bhima
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a) Second-born of the 5 Pandava brothers
b) Son of Vayu, the wind god c) Considered the strongest man in the 3 worlds (heaven, hell, earth) |
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Bhishma
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a) Son of Shantanu and Ganga
b) Took a life long vow of celibacy c) Can choose the time of his own death |
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Damayanti
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a) Princess who falls in love with Nala
b) Sees through the disguises of several gods, who disguise themselves as Nala (when Damayanti is choosing her husband) |
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Dhrtarastra
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a) Son of Vyasa, born blind
b) Is updated about the war by his charioteer Sanjaya |
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Dhrstadyumna
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a) Son of King Drupada
b) Pupil of Dronacharya, took the side of Pandavas in the battle, killed Drona in the war. |
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Draupadi
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a) Wife of the 5 Pandavas
b) Dragged by her hair in front of an audience at Hastinapur due to Yuddhistir betting her in a dice game. |
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Dronacharya
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a) Guru to both the Pandavas and Kauravas
b) Is told by Yuddhistir that Asvatthama has died |
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Duryodhana
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a) Eldest son of Dhrtarastra
b) Chief antagonist of the Pandavas c) On par with Bhima in his skill with the mace |
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Duhsasana
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a) Second eldest son of Dhrtarastra
b) Drags Draupadi by her hair in Hastinapur c) Dies by the hands of Bhima (who rips open his chest and drinks his blood) |
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Dyaus
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a) The Sky Father
b) Killed by his son, Indra |
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Ekalavya
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a) Young prince of the Nishadha tribe
b) Gave his right thumb as a dakshina (deed of thanks to teacher) upon Drona’s request |
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Ganga
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a) Goddess of the River
b) Marries the king Santanu, their 8th son is Bhisma |
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Gandhari
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a) Wife of Dhrtarastra
b) Voluntarily blindfolds herself throughout her married life c) Removes blindfold once to look at Duryodhana |
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Ghatotkaca
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a) Son of Bhima and Hidimbi
b) Killed by Karna’s divine weapon in the battle |
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Hanuman
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a) A ‘vanara’ – a human with the tail of a monkey
b) Aids Rama in rescuing Sita from the rakshasa king Ravana |
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Hastinapura
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a) Capital of the kingdom of the Kauravas
b) Prize over which the Kurukshetra War was fought |
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Hidimba
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a) A rakshasa and a forest dweller
b) Wanted to eat the Pandavas, but was killed by Bhima |
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Indraprastha
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o The capital of Khandavaprastha, the Kingdom of the Pandavas
o Was a once barren land that was useless, but was developed and became a glorious city o The great hall/palace was created by Maya (an asura) out of gratitude o Arjuna and Krishna help a poor Brahmin, who turns out to be Agni (God of fire), who rewards Arjuna with Gandiva (his famous bow) and inexhaustible supply of arrows, which he uses to create a canopy over a nearby forest so that Agni can burn it down without Indra putting it out with rain |
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Janamejaya
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o Son of Parikshit (lone descendent of House of Pandu), great-grandson of Arjuna, ruler of the Kuru throne after his father’s death
o The full Mahabharata was first told to him by the sage Vaishampayana when Janamejaya inquired about his ancestors |
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Jarasandha
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o Powerful king who conquered many kingdoms and became Emperor of Magadha
o He hated Krishna because Krishna killed Kamsa, husband of two of Jarasandha’s daughters, so he attacked Krishna 18 times but was defeated each time o Krishna, Bhima, and Arjuna went to Jarasandha disguised as three Brahmins. They told him to pick one to fight, and he ended up picking Bhima, after 27 days of fighting Krishna suggested Bhima ended the fight and he tore Jarasandha length-wise in half |
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Jnana Yoga
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o One of the four basic paths of yoga in Vedanta philosophy
o Path which involves knowing the self, “I am Brahman, the pure, all-pervading Consciousness, non-enjoyer, non-doer, and silent witness” o Nondualist, unity of everything (through Brahman) |
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Karna
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o First son of Kunti, half brother of the Pandavas
o However, was appointed King of Anga by Duryodhana, and fought for the Kauravas o During the game of dice it was his idea that the pandavas and Draupadi be disrobed |
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Karma Yoga
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o One of the four basic paths of yoga in Vedanta philosophy
o Focuses on fulfilling ones duties (dharma) while remaining detached for the consequences of action and in the service of God |
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Kripa
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o chief priest at the court of Hastinapura
o his twin sister (Kripi) married Drona o fought for the Kaurava side, but afterwards was appointed to be acharya (teacher) to Parkishita (Arjuna’s grandson) |
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Krishna Dvaipayana
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Another name for Vyasa, which comes from his complexion that is similar to Krishna's (dark/blue), and the city of his origination. Thought by some to be an incarnation of Vishnu, and considered to be one of the eight individuals to be forever immortal--considered to still exist on earth.
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Krishna
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o The Supreme Lord
o Son of Devaki and Vasudeva, cousin to both the Pandavas and Kauravas o Charioteer for Arjuna during the battle, during which he speaks the Bhagavad Gita |
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Krtavarman
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o Ally with the Kaurava army
o One of the three survivors on the Kaurava side o Had helped Asvatthaman in killing the 5 panchalas and others o Later killed by Satyaki in Dwarka |
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Kicaka
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o Slain by Bhima during the one year of Pandava exile, was attracted to Draupadi, so Bhima dressed up as a women and pretended to be a sleeping Draupadi
o Was one of the commanders-in-chief of King Virata’s army |
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Kunti
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o Mother of the eldest three Pandavas (wife of Pandu)
o Sister of Vasudeva (father of Krishna) o Given a mantra by rishi Durvasa which would allow her to become pregnant with the child of any Deva and have a child with him without pregnancy (she uses this to have the first three pandavas, and tells it to Pandu’s other wife so she can have the second two) |
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Kuru
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o Kingdom which lay in between the Saraswati and the Ganga
o Pandavas and Kauravas were both Kurus o Pandavas ruled Kurujangala (which they were given by Duryodhana so each could rule separate kingdoms), while Duryodhana ruled actual Kuru…Duryodhana ultimately tried to annex Kurujangala back and that led to the war |
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Kuruksetra
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o Place where battle of Mahabharata occurred and where Krishna spoke the Bhagavad Gita
o Literally, city of the Kurus |
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Madri
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o Second wife of Pandu, accompanies Pandu to his self-imposed exile (along with Kunti)
o Beared the sons Nakula and Sahadeva (last two pandavas) with Kunti’s boon to bear the children of Devas o Killed herself on Pandu’s funeral pyre |
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Mahabhisa
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The name of Santanu in his previous birth
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Nakula
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o Twin brother of Sahadeva, son of Madri and Pandu, born from twin Ashwini Gods
o Chosen by Yudhishtara to be the one brother brought back to life after the other four die from drinking water from a lake during their period of exile o Nakula and Sahadeva are said to have special ability of caring for horses and cows |
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Nala
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o Husband of Damayanti, one of the six great Emperors, king of the Nishadha Kingdom
o Lost all his wealth and kingdom to Pushkara (his brother) in dice, but later regained them defeating Pushkara |
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Parasara
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o Father of Vyasa
o He was a sage, but was filled for desire for a fishy smelling ferry-woman, who agreed to elope with him if he removed her fishy smell and restored her virginity (this is Satyavati) o Immediately a child was born, and that child is Vyasa |
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Parasurama
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o Instructor of Karna, whom he thought not to be a Kshatriya (he was rejected by Drona’s school because he was only a charioteer Kshatriya)
o Story he told in class: “One day, Parashurama was sleeping with his head resting on Karna's thigh, when a beetle crawled up and bit Karna's thigh, boring into it. In spite of the bleeding and the pain, he neither flinched or uttered a cry so that his teacher could continue his rest. However, the blood trickled down, reaching Parashurama and awakening him. Convinced that only a Kshatriya could have borne such pain in silence and that Karna had therefore lied in order to receive instruction, he cursed Karna that his knowledge of the Brahmastra would fail him when he needed it most.” o Thus the great Brahmastra weapon Parsurama had taught Karna fails during the battle |
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Pariksit
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o Saved by Krishna after almost being killed when an unborn child by Ashwathama
o Arjuna’s grandson, becomes King over the entire empire after Krishna leaves the material world with Kripa as his counselor o Killed by a snake after being cursed by a Sage’s son, which is the reason why his son Janamejaya hated all nagas and sought to exterminate them |
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Pratipa
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a. king of Kuru Kingdom and unrivalled on earth
??b. son of Dhritarashtra and father to 3 sons?? ---Father of Santanu |
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Puru
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a. the brother of Yadu, head of the Puru (Paurava) tribe
b. son who traded his youth and virility for his father Yayati’s old age --Youngest son of Yayati whom along with his brother Yadu created two of the greatest lineages, Pauravas (ancestors of Kauravas and Pandavas) and Yadavas (ancestor of Krishna) **Side note, Aniruddha's (Krishna's grandson) son Vajra became King of the Yadava lineage at Indraprastha after Krishna left this earth |
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Sahadeva
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a. son of Madri by Pandu—one of the Pandava brothers
b. youngest of the Pandavas and the wises of all of them ---Twin of Nakula, and vowed to kill Shakuni (who was the uncle of Duryodhona and cheated Yuddhistra in dice) |
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Sanjaya
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a. The advisor and charioteer of Dhritarashtra
b. Narrates to Dhritarashtra the action in the climactic battle of Kurukshetra |
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Satyavati
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a. married King Santanu on her father's condition that their children would inherit the throne
b. smelly like a fish, the sage Parashara removed the smell in exchange for sex, and she gave birth to Vyasa |
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Shakuni
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a. he won the kingdom of the Pandavas’ for his nephew through a rigged game of dice
b. he was killed on the battlefield by Sahadeva in the battle of Kurukshetra |
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Sakuntala
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a. beautiful wife of Dushyanta and mother of Bharata
b. Cursed to have her lover forgot her for offending a sage by not listening to him, but was given mercy and said showing the ring would remind Dushyanta of her and their great son Bharata |
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Shalya
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a. king of Madras and friend of the Pandavas
--Tricked by Duryodhana to fight on his side when Shalya was on the way to help the Pandvas. Shalya apologized to the Pandavas but said he had his given his word, so he must fight for Kauravas. He was a great charioteer so he led Karna's chariot, but the whole time he talked shit to Karna and told him the battle was hopeless and the Pandavas would win (so as to dishearten Karna) |
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Santanu
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a. king of Hastinapura and descendant of the Bharata race
b. married Satyavati with the condition that their children would inherent the throne --Father of Bhishma (with his first wife, Ganga, who killed their first 7 children) |
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Santarasa
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a. feeling of calm or peace
b. mentioned in the Gita, and the Mahabharata is supposed to end in santarasa -Basically different texts had different rasa's (or "genre's kinda), Mahabharata is supposed to evoke peace |
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Sikhandin
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-Amba reborn as the daughter of Draupada but raised by as a son by divine vision
-Eventually given a sex change -Goes with Arjuna to kill Bhishma, Bhishma lays down his arms because he knows Sikhandin is really a women, and as he does this Arjuna shoots vast amounts of arrows into him |
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Sisupala
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a. born with a third eye, which disappeared when Krishna picked him up
b. there is a prophecy that he would die at the hands of whoever made his third eye disappear |
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Taksaka
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a. king of serpents, and believed his venom had no antidote
b. killed Parikshit, which caused Parikshit’s son, Janamejaya, to have a large snake sacrifice |
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Uttara
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a. son of King Virata
b. went into battle with Arjuna, disguised as his charioteer (challenged the whole Kaurava army which had come to attack Virata, but was really a wimp, so Arjuna had to fight for him) |
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Uttara (sister)
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a. daughter of King Virata
b. married Arjuna’s son Abhimanyu (more of a political marriage arranged by Krishna so Virata would fight on the Pandava side) |
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Vaisampayana
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a. celebrated ancient Indian sage who was the original teacher of the Black Yajur-Veda
--pupil of Vyasa, who was taught the Mahabharata by him, and then told it to Janamejaya at the great naga sacrifice when Janamejaya asked about his ancestors |
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Vidura
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a. son of a maid-servant (and Vyasa when he comes to father Dhrtirasta and Pandu) who served the Queens of Hastinapura
b. incarnation of Yama, who was cursed by a sage |
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Vasu-s
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a. the attendant deities of Indra and Vishnu—eight total
b. Vasu means “dweller” or “dwelling |
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Vyasa
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a. scribe of both the Vedas and the supplementary texts such as the Puranas (and the Mahabharata)
b. considered to be one of seven immortals who are still in existence according to Hindu belief --Fathered Vidura, Dhrtarastra, and Pandu as request of his mother's (Satyavati) request |
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Yayati
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a. Puranic king and son of king Nahusha
b. He was a scholar of Vedas with two wives -Father of Puru and Yadu among other sons... traded Puru his youth (As a result of a curse) and enjoyed sensual pleasures for 1000 years before making Puru his successor |
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Yudhishthira
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a. principal protagonist in the Kurukshetra War
b. king of Hastinapura and exiled along with the rest of the Pandavas for fourteen years |
