Upapandavas

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In the Hindu epic Mahabharata, the Upapandavas (IAST: Upapāṇḍava, Sanskrit: उपपण्डव, lit. junior Pandavas), also known as Pandavaputras (IAST: Pāṇḍavaputra, Sanskrit: पाण्डवपुत्र, lit. sons of Pandavas), Draupadeyas or Panchakumaras (IAST: Pañcakumāra, Sanskrit: पञ्चकुमार, lit. five sons) are the five sons of Queen Draupadi from each of the five Pandavas. They are Prativindhya, Sutasoma, Shrutakarma, Shatanika and Shrutasena.[1][2] They fought the battle on the side of the Pandavas, and all were Atirathis as said by Bhishma but not much is said in the Mahabharata about the brothers.

They had many other brothers from their fathers. 3 of the other brothers took part in the War - Abhimanyu, Ghatotkacha and Iravan. All 8 of these brothers perished in the War.

The Upapandavas, along with Abhimanyu, also battled demon king Alambusha, on the 9th day. On the 11th day, they together encountered and defeated by Vrishasena, the son of Karna.

Prativindhya[edit]

Prativindhya (IAST: Prativindhya, Sanskrit: प्रतविन्ध्य, lit. shining like the sun or towards Vindhya) or Shrutavindhya (IAST: Śrutavindhya, Sanskrit: श्रुतविन्ध्य, lit. related to the Buddhi[3]) was son of Yudhishthira and Draupadi and was the eldest of the Upapandavas. He had an elder sister, Suthanu. He was described to be a skilled fighter, known to face troops like "the thunder-wielding Shakra (Indra)".[4] In the Kurukshetra War, Prativindhya fought Shakuni.[5] On the 9th day, Prativindhya struck Alambusha unconscious. On the 14th night, he combatted some of the Kauravas along with Sutasoma. On the 15th day, he stopped Ashwatthama's advance by holding him off long enough . He killed Chitra, the king of Abhisara, on the 16th day.[6] He had a son Yaudheya, according to Matsya Purana.[7]

Sutasoma[edit]

Sutasoma (Sanskrit: सुतसोम, lit one who has extracted soma or the one who has the beauty of the moon[8]) was son of Bhima and Draupadi, second of the Upapandavas. He excelled in Mace fighting and archery. He combatted the Kaurava prince Vikarna on the first day of the war. He played a major role in the battle by nearly killing Shakuni. Sutasoma, on the 12th day, stopped the advance of the mighty Kaurava Vivismati, towards Dronacharya. He also battled some of the Kauravas on the 14th night, accompanied by his brother Prativindhya.[9]He played a major role along with Yudhishthira and other Upapandavas in holding off Dushasana and the other Kauravas on the 15th day.[10]

Shatanika[edit]

Shatanika (IAST: Śatānīka, Sanskrit: शतानीक, lit. he who has hundred troops) was son of Nakula and Draupadi. He was the third of the Upapandavas. He was named after a famous Rajarshi in the Kuru lineage who had that name and he was considered to be an avatar of Visvadevas. He is also nominated as a deputy commander-in-chief of forces under his uncle and teacher Dhrishtadyumna, in charge of Vyuha planning.[11] He massacred the army of Kaurava ally Bhutakarma, as well as Bhutakarma.[12] Shatanika also defeated Kaurava prince Dushkarna on the 6th day.[13] Shatanika also defeated Jayatsena, Chitrasena and Shrutakarman - 3 Kauravas. Shatanika also killed a prince of Kalinga. Shatanika caused huge destruction of the Kaurava army on the 17th day too.[14]

Shrutasena[edit]

Shrutsena (IAST: Śrutasena, lit. the commander of the army of celestials) was son of Sahadeva and Draupadi and the fourth of the Upapandavas, like his father he too was very smart and intelligent. In the Chatahurdi analysis of the Mahabharata, he was defeated by Shakuni during the battle; he killed Shala, the younger brother of Bhurishravas on the 14th day of the war.[15] He fought with many other warriors like Dushmanara and Durmukha and defeated them. He also killed the son of Kaurava warrior Devavraddha.[16]

Shrutakarma[edit]

Shrutakarma (IAST: Śrutakarma, lit. he who is known for his good deeds) was the son of Arjuna and Draupadi, [17] the youngest of the Upapandavas. His horses were supposed to bear the colour of kingfishers.[18] He was a capable archer like his father. He defeated Kamboja ruler Sudakshina on the first day. He also battled and defeated the Kaurava Jayatsena on the 6th day.[19] He fought against Dushasana and Ashwathama in an archery duel in the battle and gave them a good fight. He killed King Chitrasena, another king of Abhisara, on the 16th day.

Order of their birth[edit]

Draupadi had five sons. Their order of birth was not same as that of their fathers, as there is a slight change -

1. Prativindhya- Yudhishthira and Draupadi's son

2. Sutasoma - Bhima and Draupadi's son

3. Shatanika - Nakula and Draupadi's son

4. Shrutasena - Sahadeva and Draupadi's son

5. Shrutakarma - Arjuna and Draupadi's son

This is because, the first 4 children of Draupadi were born during first exile of Arjuna, so, after begotting sons from the first 2 brothers, it is Nakula's turn to enter Draupadi's chambers in Arjuna's absence, and after him, comes Sahadeva. After Arjuna returns from his exile, he fathers his son Shrutakarma, from Draupadi.

Death[edit]

Ashwatthama propitiates Shiva before making a night attack on the Pandava camp

On the last night of the war after Duryodhana's death and the Kaurava's defeat, Ashwathama gathered the only other surviving Kaurava warriors - Kritavarma and Kripacharya, and attacked the Pandava camp on the 18th night of the Kurukshetra war. He killed Dhrishtadyumna, Shikhandi, and many other prominent warriors of the Pandava army while they were sleeping.

Ashwatthama killed all the Upapandavas who were awake by then along with Shikhandi in battle when they came out of their chambers after hearing the screams of other soldiers to fight Ashwatthama. In some versions of the story, he believes them to be the five Pandava brothers due to darkness; in others, he purposefully attacks the Pandavas' heirs in order to hurt the Pandavas emotionally by destroying their lineage.

Ashwatthama was eventually cursed by Krishna for his heinous act of attempting to kill the baby Parikshit in the womb of Uttara, to roam the world for 3000 years with loneliness, incurable bruises and ulcers.

In the Jataka tales version of the Mahabharata, Parikshit's mentors included both Sutasoma. Prativindhya, Shrutakarma, and Shatanika at least(who even in Sauptika Parva is shown as wounded not dead) have definite longer lives in Jatakas.

According to the original Mahabharata epic Ashwatthama didn't killed the Upapandavas in their sleep instead he killed them in a fair night battle.

Citations[edit]

  1. ↑ Menon, Ramesh (2006). The Mahabharata : a modern rendering. New York: iUniverse, Inc. ISBN 9780595401888.[unreliable source?]
  2. ↑ van Buitenen, J.A.B., ed. (1981). The Mahābhārata. Translated by van Buitenen (Phoenix ed.). Chicago: University of Chicago Press. ISBN 9780226846644.
  3. ↑ N.V., Thadani. The Mystery of the Mahabharata: Vol.4.
  4. ↑ http://ancientvoice.wikidot.com/mbh:prativindhya
  5. ↑ Mahabharata Book Six (Volume 1): Bhishma. October 2016. ISBN 9781479852123.
  6. ↑ https://www.facebook.com/MahabharatKiGalatiyan/posts/chitrasena-chitrasena-who-art-thou-chitrasenathe-other-son-of-dhritrashtrachitra/663235267122692/
  7. ↑ <https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/yaudheya
  8. ↑ N.V., Thadani. The Mystery of the Mahabharata: Vol.4.
  9. ↑ https://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m07/m07165.htm
  10. ↑ Roy, Pratāp Chandra (14 June 2015). The Mahabharata. ISBN 9781451015799.
  11. ↑ Parmeshwaranand, Swami (2001). Encyclopaedic dictionary of Purāṇas (1st ed.). New Delhi: Sarup & Sons. ISBN 9788176252263.
  12. ↑ Parmeshwaranand, Swami (2001). Encyclopaedic dictionary of Purāṇas (1st ed.). New Delhi: Sarup & Sons. ISBN 9788176252263.
  13. ↑ https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/mahabharata/d/doc118436.html
  14. ↑ The Mahabharata: Volume 7. June 2015. ISBN 9788184759440.
  15. ↑ Parmeshwaranand, Swami (2001). Encyclopaedic dictionary of Purāṇas (1st ed.). New Delhi: Sarup & Sons. ISBN 9788176252263.,
  16. ↑ https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/shrutakarma
  17. ↑ John Dececco, Devdutt Pattanaik (2014). The Man Who Was a Woman and Other Queer Tales from Hindu Lore. Routledge. ISBN 9781317766308.
  18. ↑ . ISBN 9781451018264. {{cite book}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  19. ↑ https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/mahabharata/d/doc118436.html

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