Wednesday, July 30, 2014

Maternal Uncles (Mamu’s) Of Mahabharata

This is the part one of the series Relationships In Mahabharata. In this part we will list down all Mamu's of Mahabharata. Mamu or Mama or Mamashree, is the Hindi (Indian Language) word for maternal uncle (The brother of one’s mother). Mahabharata the Epic Hindu Mythology seems to have too many characters. Among those most of the critical characters turned out to be Mamu of some or the other characters. If you go through the entire Mahabharata you may found there are lot more Mamus (Maternal Uncles) than Chachus(Paternal Uncles), Mousis (Maternal Aunt’s) or Bua’s(Paternal Aunt’s). It’s quite fascinating that most of the characters in Mahabharata are created based on maternal relations which make many of the Mamu’s as central characters of that epic. I had listed below all Mamu’s (Maternal Uncles) found in entire Mahabharata. Let me know if I had missed anyone. I will start with the most famous Mamu’s or the way they have explicitly mentioned as Mamu/Mama/Mama Shri in Mahabharata and then to the implicit ones.

S.No
Mamu
Of
Details
1.
Kaṁsa' or Kansa (कंस)
Krishna
Kaṁsa' or Kansa is the brother of Devaki, who is married to Vasudeva. Their eighth son Krishna who later killed his Maternal uncle Kansa is the story well known. Kansa can be considered Mamu of Balarama (बलराम) too who is elder brother of Krishna (Seventh son of Vasudev and Devaki) but before birth he got transferred to the womb of Rohini, another wife of Vasudeva. So by birth Balrama is not nephew of Kamsa.
2.
Shakuni (शकुनि)
Kaurava (कौरव)
Shakuni is the Brother of Gandhari, and son of King of Gandhar, Suvala. Gandhari, is married to Dhritarashtra and has 100 Son and 1 Daughter and they collectively called as Kaurava’s. The main characters of Kaurava’s are Duryodhan, Dushashan, Vikarna and Daughter Dushala. It seems remaining 97 Kaurava’s don’t have any substantial role in Mahabharata. Kurava’s especially Duryodhana and Dushashana are very close to Shakuni. Mamu Shakuni was one of the main villains in Mahabharata and one of the key people that caused the Mahabharata war.
3.
Vasudeva (वसुदेव)
Yudhistira, Bhima and Arjuna
Kunti was biological daughter of Shurashena, and also sister of Vasudeva, who is father of Krishna and Balrama. Kunti was first wife of King Pandu and has three sons Yudhistira, Bhima and Arjuna. This relation makes Vasudeva as Maternal Uncle of Yudhistira, Bhima and Arjuna. Before Kunti married to Pandu, she bore Karna to Surya (The Sun), which makes Vasudeva as mama of Karna too.
4.
Shalya(शल्‍य)
Nakula and Shadeva
King Pandu had two wifes one is Kunti and second one is Madri. Shalya was the brother of Madri. Madri was mother of Nakula and Sahadeva. All five sons of Pandu are collectively known as Pandavs. In Mahabharata war Shalya was tricked by Shakuni and Duryodhana to fight against Pandav’s or specifically Nakula and Shadeva. He became commander of Kaurava army on last day of the war and mentioned in Mahabharata as Shalya Parva. Yudhistira Killed him during the war.
5.
Vasudeva (वसुदेव)
Shishupal (शिशुपाल)
Shishupal was son of Srutakriti, who is another sister of Vasudeva. This relation makes Vasudeva his maternal uncle. Like Pandava’s, Shishupal was also a cousin to Krishna but he consider Krishna implacable foe, because Krishna had carried off Rukmini, his intended wife. Krishna had promised Sishupal’s mother that he will only forgive his 100 sins. After Sishupal’s 100th sin Krishna strikes off Shishupala's head with his discus, Sudarshana Chakra.
6.
Balrama and Krishna
Abhimanyu was son of Subhadra and Arjun. Subhadra is Daughter of Vasudeva. In other words sister of Balrama and Krishna. This makes them maternal uncle of Abhimanyu. On 13th Day of Mahabharata war Abhimanyu broke the circular formation (Chakravyuh) Set by guru Drona to Capture King Yudhistira. Abhimanyu saved Yudhistira by entering into the chakravyuh without knowing how to come out of it and lost his life. He learnt about the entering inside the chakravyuh when he was in his mother’s womb.
7.
Kripacharya
Ashwatthama (अश्वत्थामा)
Kripa also known as Kripacharya was the Raaj Guru (Royal Teacher) of Hastinapur and was the Guru (Teacher) of both Kauravas and Panadavas before Drona (द्रोण) became their Guru (Teacher). Dronacharya (Drona + Acharya {Teacher}) Married Kripa’s sister Kripi. Their Son Aswathama is also immortal like his Mama Kripacharya. On the last night of Mahabharata war Ashwatthama along with Kripacharya Killed Upapandava’s, Dristyadyumna and Srikhandini in their sleep and he had been cursed by Krishna for this misdeed.
8.
Hidimb (हिडिम्)
Ghatotkacha (घटोत्कच)
Pandavas escaped from the Lakshagraha plot by Shakuni and reached a dense forest. At night Tired and exhausted, they all fell asleep except Bhima who kept a watch. Hidimb and his sister, Hidimbi (हिडिंबी) were tempted at the sight of the Pandavas and wished to feast on them. For this purpose, Hidimbi changed herself into a beautiful woman and brought them near Hidimba. However, Hidimb came into conflict with Bhima and a great fight took place between Hidimb and Bhima which resulted in Hidimb getting killed. Bhima Married Hidimbi and Ghatotkacha born from tha marriage. As the brother of Hidimbi he is the maternal uncle of Ghatotkacha. 
9.
Dhrishtadyumna (धृष्टद्युम्न)
Upapandavas
Draupadi was married to all five Pandavas. Upapandavas are the five sons born to Draupadi from each of the five Pandavas. They are Shrutavindhya, Sutasoma, Srutakarman, Satanika and Srutasena. Draupadi was born from fire and so is Dhrishtadyumna from the same Yagna(Ritual). All five of them were killed by Ashwathama thinking them as Pandavas on the night of the last day of the war
10.
Kichak or Kichaka
Uttar (उत्तर)  and Uttara (उत्तरा)
Kichak was the army commander of Matsya, the kingdom ruled by Virata (विराट). Kichak was brother of Sudeshna. Sudeshna was the queen of the Matsya Kindom. Virata and Sudeshna had One Son named Uttar (उत्तर) and Daughter Named Uttara (उत्तरा). Some version of Mahabharat mentioned about 4 son of Virata including Uttar. Name of the remaining sons are Shveta, Satanika and Shankha, so Keechaka was maternal uncle of those too. During the 13th year incognito period of the 13 year exile, Pandavas stayed at Matsya or Virata kingdom. Bheema killed Keechaka due to his lust for Draupadi.
11.
Uttar (उत्तर)
Parikshit (परिक्षित्)
Daughter of Virata, Uttara got Married to Abhimanyu (Son of Arjuna). Their Son Parkshit succeded Yudhisthira to the throne of Hastinapur. Like Ghatotkach, Parikshit never able to see his Maternal Uncle Uttar as He died before his birth. All sons of Virata died on very first day of the war. Along with Uttar Shveta, Satanika and Shankha are also Mamu of Parikshit.
12.
Vitararaja
Ved Vyasa, Chitrangada, Vichityaverya
The birth story of Satyavati (सत्यवती) mentioned that she had twin brother who created the Matsya Kingdom. She is the mother of Ved Vyasa who wrote Mahabharata and also of Chitrangada and Vichityaverya from King Shantanu. Satyavati was great grandmother of Kauravas and Pandavas. Her desire that only her blood will rule the kingdom actually triggers Mahabharata. There is no mention of the name of her brother in whole Mahabharata. The name given here is from different version of Mahabharata telling the same story. Please suggest if you find the correct name of Maternal Uncle Vitararaja.
13.
Kauravas (कौरव)
Suratha
Kauravas (कौरव) which includes Duryodhana, Dushashana, Vikarna has in total 100 brothers with only Sister named Dushala. She got Married to Jayadratha, the king of Sindhu. They had a Son named Suratha. During the war, Arjuna hears of his son Abhimanyu’s death due to Jayadradha and vows to kill Jayadradha before the next day's sunset. This is achieved by the help of Krishna. After the war, Yudhishtira, takes out an Ashwamedha Yagya (Horse Sacrifice Ritual) wherein Arjuna follows a sacrificial horse with his army. The horse enters the Sindhu territory. Dussala's son Suradha, who was ruling this land, dies of fright on knowing about the approaching army along with Arjuna.
14.
Rukmi
Pradyumna and his 9 Brothers
Rukmini was wife of Krishna and also sister of Rukmi.  Rukmi planned to forcefully marry her Sister to Shishupal (शिशुपाल) but Rukmini was in love with Krishna so asked him for help her run away from this marriage. Krishna with the help of Arjuna, eloped with Rukmini and Married her. During this incident Krishna was about to kill Rukmi but Rukmini asked him to spare her brother’s life. So Krishna clean shaved Rukmi’s head as humiliation. After this incident Rukmi was never in good terms with Krishna and Rukmini. Rukmi and his kingdom did not participate in Kurukshetra/Mahabharata war. The first son of Queen Rukmini was Pradyumna, and also born of her were Charudeshna, Sudeshna, Charudeha, Sucharu, Charugupta, Bhadracharu,  Charuchandra, Vicharu, and Charu. Pradyumna was the crown prince of Dwaraka
15.
Dhristaketu
Narimitra 
This is very lesser known story that Dristaketu and Karenumati were children of Shishupal (शिशुपाल). Karenumati was wedded to Nakula (One Of The Panadava) and Narimitra is there son. Dhristaketu was an army-general in the army of Pandavas in Kurukshetra/Mahabharata War. Dhristaketu also was slain in battle by Drona. Sarabha is another son of Sishupal so he is Maternal Uncle of Narimitra too.
16.
Dhrishtadyumna (धृष्टद्युम्न)
Kshatradeva
Dhrishtadyumna’s other sister Shrikhandini had a son named Kshatradeva. Nothing much has been written about Kshatradeva in Mahabharata. Shirikhandini and Dhrishtadyumna got killed by Ashwathama on last night of the war.
17.
No Name
Iravan
Ulūpī or Uloopi was one of the Arjuna’s wives. During his exile when Arjuna was in east part of India, the widow Naga princess Uloopi became infatuated with him. Ulūpī induced an unwilling Arjuna to take her for a wife. She was the mother of Iravan. Iravan grew up in Nagaloka, protected by his mother, but was rejected by his maternal uncle because of the latter's hatred of Arjuna. In some version of Mahabharata the person who rejected Iravan was Uloopi’s first husband brother, but none of the version specified any name to that person or character. I am considering him as another unnamed Mamu similar to the Mamu of Ved Vyasa as mentioned above.

NextMaternal Aunts (Mousi's) Of Mahabharata

©Tapas Majumdar

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