The Mahabharata is one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India composed by Vyasa. At its heart lies the epic struggle between the Pandavas and the Kauravas. The central characters include the five Pandava brothers—Yudhishthira, Bhima, Arjuna, Nakula, and Sahadeva—along with their common wife Draupadi. On the opposing side, the hundred Kaurava brothers are led by their eldest brother, Duryodhana. However, the Mahabharata is richly populated with other notable figures including Krishna, Bhishma, Drona, Karna, Kunti, Kritavarma, Kripa, Dhritarashtra, Gandhari, Shakuni, Satyaki, Ashvatthama, Balarama, Vyasa, Vidura, Abhimanyu, Pandu, Satyavati, Amba, etc.
The Mahabharata manuscripts exist in numerous versions, wherein the specifics and details of major characters and episodes vary, often significantly. Except for the sections containing the Bhagavad Gita which is remarkably consistent between the numerous manuscripts, the rest of the epic exists in many versions.; Quote: "The current text of the Bhagavad gita is well-preserved with relatively few variant readings and none quite serious. This is especially remarkable in the light of the numerous variants for the remainder of the Mahabharata, some of which are quite serious. Secondary insertions are found in individual manuscripts of the Gita, but these are clearly secondary. The number of stanzas in the Gita is 700, a number confirmed by Shankara, and possibly deliberately chosen in order to prevent interpolations." The differences between the Northern and Southern recensions are particularly significant, with the Southern manuscripts being more profuse and long. The manuscripts found in the North and South have "great divergence" in details, though the thematic essence is similar. Scholars have attempted to construct a critical edition, relying mostly on a study of the Mumbai edition, the Pune edition, the Kolkata edition and the South Indian editions of the Mahabharata manuscripts. The most accepted version is the one prepared by scholars led by Vishnu Sukthankar at the Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute, preserved at the Kyoto University, the University of Cambridge and various Indian universities.Critical Edition Prepared by Scholars at Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute BORI, Muneo Tokunaga, Kyoto University (1998)
This list follows the Critical Edition of the Mahabharata, but may have characters exclusive to a particular recension.
A Abhimanyu
Adhiratha Adhiratha was a charioteer from Anga and the foster-father of Karna. According to the Bhagavata Purana, Adhiratha was descended from Yayati and therefore was related to Krishna. He was also the descendant of Romapada, the king of Anga and brother-in-law of Dasharatha's descendant Shighra, king of Ayodhya. His wife was Radha and their biological sons were Shatrunjaya and Chitrasena.
Adrika Adrika was an apsara, who was cursed to become a fish and only to be liberated when she gives birth to a human. Adrika, as a fish, lived in the Yamuna River. Once she came into contact with the semen of Uparichara Vasu and impregnated herself. After 10 months, some fishermen caught her, cut open her womb and found two children, namely Matsyagandha (Satyavati) and Matsya (Satya). After the incident, Adrika was liberated from her curse and returned to heaven.
Agni
Akrura
Alambusha Alambusha was a Rakshasa. In the Kurukshetra War, he fought from the Kaurava side. During the war, he defeated Iravan, the son of the Pandava king Arjuna. Later on the 14th day of the Kurukshetra war, Alambusha was killed by Bhima's demon son, Ghatotkacha.
Alayudha He was a demon and the friend of the another demon named Alambusha. He and Alambusha were killed by Bhima's demon son Ghatotkacha during the night time battle on the fourteenth day of the war.
Agastya
Amba
Ambalika
Ambika
Amitaujas Amitaujas is the mighty warrior of Panchala Kingdom. He was a Maharatha on the side of Pandavas.
Arjuna
Aruni
Ashvapati A king of Madra and the father of Savitri.
Ashvins
Ashvatthama
Astika
Ayu Ayu or Ayus was an ancestor of Shantanu. He was a son of Pururavas and his apsara wife, Urvashi. He married Prabha, an asura princess (daughter of Svarbhanu). He was succeeded by his son Nahusha.
Ayoda Dhaumya Ayoda Dhaumya/Dhaumya was a sage of Avanti. He had three disciples namely Uddālaka Āruṇi of Panchala, Upamanyu and Veda. He even accompanied the Pandavas into the forest of Kurujanghala during their exile. He sang the songs of the Samaveda referring to Yama.
B Babhruvahana
Bahlika
Bakasura
Balandhara Balandhara, sometimes also written as Valandhara, was the princess of Kāśī, daughter of King Devesha and wife of Bhima. They both had a son Sarvaga, who became the King of Kashi after the Kurukshetra War. Sarvaga's granddaughter Vapusthama married Janamejaya, the great-grandson of Arjuna, and bore him two sons – Shatanika and Sahashranika.
Balarama
Banasena He was a son of Karna. He was an excellent mace wielder. On the 16th day of the war, Banasena was fighting with Bhima and later killed.
Bhadra and Madira Bhadra and Madira were 3rd and 4th wives of Vasudeva. They were the daughters of Giribhanu/Sumukha and Padmavati/Pataladevi, and elder sisters of Yashoda. Bhadra's sons were Upanidhi, Gada and Keshi. Madira's sons were Nanda, Upananda, Kritaka and Shura. They cremated themselves with Vasudeva.
Bhadrakali
Bhadrakali is the fierce form of Parvati. To destroy Daksha's yajna, She appeared with Shiva as Virabhadra and destroyed it successfully with their bhuta ganas. She also mentioned in Shalya Parva, when she was the one of followers of Kartikeya.
Bhagadatta
Bharadvaja
Bharata
Bhima
Bhima of Vidarbha In the Vana Parva of the epic, sage Markandeya narrated the story of Nala and Damayanti. Bhima was the king of Vidarbha and the father of Damayanti.
Bhishma
Bhrigu
Bhurishravas
Budha
Brahma
Brihadashva A sage who councels Yudhishthira during his exile, narrates Nalopakhyana and blesses Yudhishthira with skill in dicing.
Brihaspati
C Chandra
Chandravarma Kamboja Chandravarma Kamboja is the first Kamboja king of solar race mentioned by name in the Mahābhārata.Political History of Ancient India, 1953, p 150, Hemchandra Raychaudhuri, University of Calcutta.The People and Culture of Bengal, a Study in Origins: A Study in Origins, 2002, p 564, Annapurna Chattopadhyaya.Lord Mahāvīra and his times, 1974, p 213, Kailash Chand Jain.Ancient Indian History, 1988, p 149, Madhavan Arjunan Pillai. He appears to have been an ancient very powerful and renowned (Vikhyata) ruler of the Kambojas. He finds mention in the Adi Parva section of the epic Mahabharata, where he is stated to be an Asura ruler.Epic Mythology, 1969, p 62, Edward Washburn Hopkins.See epic referential link: .Cf: Candravarma, the King of Kambojas, was the Asura or demon Candra, son of Diti... (Ref: Epic Mythology, 1915, p 62, Edward Washburn Hopkins – Hindu Mythology.Rose, H. A.; Ibbetson, D.; Maclagan, E. D. A Glossary of the Tribes and Castes of the Punjab and North-West Frontier Province, Vol II, Lahore: Government Printing, 1911, pp. 444–445. Archive.org Chitraratha
Chitrasena
Chekitana Chekitana was the son of Kekaya king Dhrishtaketu and Queen Shrutakirti, a Yadava king. He was the leader of Andhaka tribe of the Yadavas. Chekitana was described to be a valorous warrior, who fought with warriors like Susharma, Kripa and Drona. He also rescued Nakula from the clutches of Duryodhana. On the 18th day, he was killed by Duryodhana.
Chitra and Chitrasena Chitra and Chitrasena were brothers and the two kings of the Abhisara Kingdom. Both of them sided with the Kauravas in the Kurukshetra War. Chitra was killed by Prativindhya on the 16th day, whereas Chitrasena was killed by Shrutakarma on the same day.
Chitrāngada
Chitrāngada (Gandharva) Chitrangada was a Gandharva who was jealous of Shantanu and Satyavati's son Chitrangada, for sharing the same name. One day, the Gandharva challenged the prince and killed him in a battle.
Chitrāngada of Kalinga Chitrāngada was the king of the Kalinga kingdom. In the Shanti Parva of the epic, Narada narrated that Chitrangada's daughter (Bhanumati) was married with the Kaurava king Duryodhana. After him, Shrutayudha became the king of Kalinga as he had no son. Possibly, his wife was Chandramudra.
Chitrāngadā
Chitravahana He was the king of Manipura and the father of Chitrangada. He was also the grandfather of Babhruvahana.
D
Daksha
Damayanti
Danda and Dandadhara Danda and Dandadhara is the two princes of Magadha. They fought the side of Kauravas and killed by Arjuna during Kurukshetra war.
Dantavakra
Darada Darada is the king of Bahlika. Shishupala eulogized him when he was born the earth was cleaved because of his weight.
Dasharaja Dasharaja was the fisherman chieftain of Hastinapura and the father of Satyavati. He was the one who asked Satyavati's heir to be the ruler of Hastinapur, due to which Bhishma took a vow of celibacy and a vow not to rule Hastinapur. He is a foster-great-great-grandfather of the Pandavas and the Kauravas.
Devaki
Devasena and Daityasena
Devayani
Devika Devika was the daughter of Govasena, the king of the Sivi kingdom of Shaivya tribe, and the second wife of Yudhishthira they got married in a self choice ceremony. They had a son called Yaudheya.
Dhaumya
Dhrishtadyumna
Dhrishtaketu of Chedi
Dhrishtaketu of Kekeya Dhrishtaketu was the ruler of Kekeya, and his wife was Shrutakirti, a Yadava who was the daughter of Shurasena. Many of Dhrishtaketu's sons participated in the Kurukshetra War, participating on both sides. Vrihadkshatra and Chekitana were two of his notable sons. Dhrishtaketu's daughter Bhadra was married to Krishna, who bore him many sons.
Dhritarashtra
Divodasa
Draupadi
Drona
Drupada
Durga
Durga is also mentioned in the Mahabharata. In Virata Parva and Bhishma Parva of the epic, she was eulogized by Yudhishthira and Arjuna.
Durmasena Durmasena was the son of Dushasana. He helped his father many times in the Kurukshetra war. He was also present inside the Chakravyuha on the thirteenth day of the war. He was deprived of his chariot by Abhimanyu and saved by Ashvatthama by cutting Abhimanyu's arrow in mid air. After that, Durmasena killed brutally injured Abhimanyu in a mace duel. On 14th day, Durmasena was brutally killed by Draupadi's sons, the Draupadeyas, in revenge for Abhimanyu.
Dushala
Dushasana
Dushyanta
Durvasa
Duryodhana
E Ekalavya
G Gandhari
Gandhari's maid The chief maid of Gandhari was the mother of Yuyutsu. When Gandhari was pregnant for more than nine months as two years before giving birth to a lump of flesh cut into 101 pieces and incubated in 101 pots of ghrita for two years, Dhritrashtra, in fear that there would be no heir for him, impregnated the maid named as Sughada. Later Gandhari gave birth to the 100 Kauravas with Duhsala and Sughada gave birth to Yuyutsu.
Ganesh
Ganga
Ghatotkacha
Ghritachi
H Hanuman
Unlike in the Ramayana, Hanuman does not have a large role in Mahabharata. He appears during the exile of Pandavas. In the story, Bhima, Hanuman's foster-brother, performed a penance to gain more strength. Hanuman wanted to test Bhima and appeared as a normal monkey in front of him. The monkey asked Bhima to lift his tail if he believed in his strength. But, Bhima was not able to lift the tail. Later, he realised who the monkey was and apologized. Hanuman then taught battle-skills to Bhima for some time.
Haryyashva A king of Ayodhya, contemporary to Yayati, and one of the husbands of Madhavi with whom he had a son named Vasumanas.
Hayagriva
Hayagriva was the horse headed incarnation numbered ninth in the Dashavatara of Vishnu. He incarnated to slay the demons named Madhu-Kaitabha and successfully killed both of them by beheading through the Sudarshana Chakra and later, he brings the Vedas to Brahma.
Hidimba
Hidimbi
I Ila
Indra