Story of Kaurava

General Information.

Those who were born in the family of the famous King Kuru. Descended in the following order from Vīṣṇu:—Brahmā—Atri—Candra Budha—Purūravas—Āyus—Nahuṣa—Yayāti—Pūru—Janamejaya—Prācinvān—Pravīra—Namasyu—Vītabhaya—Śuṇḍu—Bahuvidha—Saṃyāti—Rahovādī—Raudrāśva—Matināra—Santurodha—Duṣyanta—Bharata—Suhotra—Suhotā—Gala—Garda—Suketu—Bṛhatkṣetra—Hasti—Ajamīḍha—Ṛkṣa—Saṃvaraṇa—Kuru. This is the genealogy of Kuru. From Kuru the genealogy continues as follows:—Jahnu—Suratha—Viḍūratha—Sārvabhauma—Jayatsena—Ravaya—Bhāvuka—Cakroddhata—Devātithi—Ṛkṣa—Bharata—Pratīca—Śantanu. Śantanu had two wives Gaṅgā and Satyavatī. Bhīṣma was born of Gaṅgā. Vyāsa was born to Satyavatī before her marriage. from the hermit Parāśara. After the marriage, from Śantanu, two sons Citrāṅgada and Vicitravīrya were born to her. A Gandharva killed Citrāṅgada. Bhīṣma brought the three daughters of the King of Kāśī, Ambā, Ambikā and Ambālikā as wives of Vicitravīrya, but on the way knowing that Ambā was in love with the King of Śālva, she was sent back. Ambikā and Ambālikā became the wives of Vicitravīrya. Shortly Vicitravīrya also died. With a view to continue the royal family, Satyavatī sent for Vyāsa, so that he might beget children of Ambikā and Ambālikā. At the time of coition Ambīkā closed her eyes to avoid seeing the uncouth face of Vyāsa. So she got as son Dhṛtarāṣṭra who was blind from birth. Seeing the ugly figure of Vyāsa Ambālikā turned pale and so the son born to her was pale in colour. He was called Pāṇḍu. From Dhṛtarāṣṭra, Duryodhana and his brothers were born and from Pāṇḍu were born the Pāṇḍavas. All members born in the family of Kuru were known as Kauravas. But later, the sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra came to be known by the name 'Kauravas'.

The origin of Kauravas.

(Duryodhana and his brothers). Dhṛtarāṣṭra married Gāndhārī the daughter of Subala the King of Gāndhāra. Once Vyāsa reached the palace weary with hunger and thirst. Gāndhārī gave Vyāsa food and drink. Vyāsa was pleased with her and told her that she might ask for any boon. She said that she wanted to get hundred sons from Dhṛtarāṣṭra. Vyāsa granted the boon. Gāndhārī became pregnant. Even after two years she did not deliver. She heard that Kuntī, the wife of Pāṇḍu had given birth to a child. Gāndhārī became sad. She crushed her womb and gave birth to a lump of flesh. Understanding this, Vyāsa came there and cutting the lump into hundred and one pieces kept them in ghee-pots. Advising Gāndhārī to keep the pots in secret, Vyāsa went to the Himālayas. The pots were broken at the proper time and hundred sons and a daughter came out. Besides them Dhṛtarāṣṭra had another son named Yuyutsu by a Vaiśya woman.

The hundred and one sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra beginning with Duryodhana are the Kauravas.

Names of the Kauravas.

Duryodhana, Duśśāsana, Dussaha, Duśśala, Jalagandha, Sama, Saha, Vinda, Anuvinda, Durdharṣa, Subāhu, Duṣpradharṣaṇa, Durmarṣaṇa, Durmukha, Duṣkarṇa, Karṇa, Vikarṇa, Śala, Sattva, Sulocana, Citra, Upacitra, Citrākṣa, Cārucitra, Śarāsana, Durmada, Durvigāha, Vivitsu, Vikaṭānana, Ūrṇanābha, Sunābha, Nanda, Upananda, Citrabāṇa, Citravarmā, Suvarmā, Durvimoca, Ayobāhu, Mahābāhu, Citrāṅga, Citrakuṇḍala, Bhīmavega, Bhīmabala, Vālaki, Balavardhana, Ugrāyudha, Suṣeṇa, Kuṇḍadhāra, Mahodara, Citrāyudha, Niṣaṅgī, Pāśī, Vṛndāraka, Dṛḍhavarmā, Dṛḍhakṣatra, Somakīrti, Anūdara, Dṛḍhasandha, Jarāsandha, Satyasandha, Sadāsuvāk, Ugraśravas, Ugrasena, Senānī, Duṣparājaya, Aparājita, Kuṇḍaśāyī, Viśālākṣa, Durādhāra, Dṛḍhahasta, Suhasta, Vātavega, Suvarcas, Ādityaketu, Bahyāśī, Nāgadatta, Ugraśāyī, Kavacī, Krathana Kuṇḍī, Bhīmavikrama, Dhanurdhara, Vīrabāhu, Alo,lupa, Abhaya, Dṛḍhakarman, Dṛḍharathāśraya, Anādhṛṣya, Kuṇḍabhedī, Virāvī, Citrakuṇḍala, Pramatha, Apramāthin, Dīrgharoman, Suvīryavān, Dīrghabāhu, Suvarmā, Kāñcanadhvaja, Kuṇḍāśin, Virajas, and Yuyutsu. Duśśalā (daughter). (Mahābhārata. Ādi Parva, Chapters 67 and 117). (For further details about the Kauravas see under Duryodhana and Duśśāsana).