Mahabharata Blood Relationships - The Complete Picture

This is the last part of the series “Relationships in Mahabharata”. In this series so far we came to know about Maternal Uncles and Aunts along with Paternal Uncles and Aunts of characters in Mahabharata.  If you have not gone through the whole series yet then I will recommend you to go through the previous parts of this series before reading this one. In this article we will know how those characters are actually placed within their direct blood relationships.  
So to represent all major characters I created the complete hierarchy of different dynasties who are involved in the epic Mahabharata. Here I am able to cover many of the major characters but still need to left out many of the characters either due to non-importance or not part of scope for this series. We focused majorly on the characters we used in all previous part of the series, which we have discussed so far. To understand the dynasties, presented below are the hierarchies defined in Mahabharata, I converted those textual hierarchy into pictorial format for better understandings. To understand these pictorial representations legends are mentioned below.

Legends:

1. All men in same generations are marked with same colors. 
   So the colors  represents each generations. E.g. Pandu, Vidur and Vasudev are men from same generations symbolized by orange color. So also Duryodhana, Bheema and Krisna represent another set of generation showed in blue color.
2. All women’s of Mahabharata across dynasties and generations are represented with pink colors. 
3. When a circle is cut into half then that person is consider the child of the person defined above. Now if the circle is just touched the line then that person is spouse of person above the hierarchy and mother or father of person below the hierarchy. E.g. based on this picture Rishi Parashar is father of Ved Vyasa and Spouse of Satyawati. Simlarly when Satyawati is used like Rishi Parashar in any other picture she will be the mother of those characters.
4. The solid blue lines are used for child born naturally from those parents. If used dotted red lines then that child is born via Yagna. The child born using Niyoga is represented by dotted purple lines  
   and if the child is born by some Mantra then its represented
   by dotted blue lines.
5.  All Dynasties are started with  to represented there may be kingdoms or dynasties before that too.

The whole Mahabharata is all about Kuru Dynasty so will start with that. The complete dynasty is mentioned below.

If you are wondering what Satyawati and Matsya Dynasty doing here, is to represent the complete underline story of Mahabharata. So Mahabharata starts because Father of Satyawati or Satyawati (In some version) wants only Satyawati’s blood should rule Hastinapur. So what happened due to that ambition is Devabrata being the apt ruler never able to rule and Chitrangada died in Young Age and Vichitra Virya was never capable of ruling and hence triggers the whole Mahabhrata. When everything settled and Yudhistira became king he was not the direct blood of Satyawati as he was the Mantra Prasad of Dharmaraj Yama. Now Aadi parva of Mahabharata mentioned that Satyawati borned with a Twin brother (See picture above), who actually founded Matsya Kingdom and Uttara who was Mother of Parikshit the final ruler of Hastinapur (As per Mahabharata, will discuss the whole lineage later) was from Matsya Kingdom so finally the Ruler of Hastinapur got the blood of Satyawati, even if its indirectly. Hence, the desire of Satyawati is being fulfilled.

There are many other dynasties which had important characters and role play in Mahabharata. Listed below are the most important ones.

There is one Dynasty which is not been mentioned properly in Mahabharata but almost four daughter in laws and one very important character is from that dynasty. In Mahabharata that kingdom is mentioned as Kashi kingdom. Mahabharata does not provide proper lineage or hierarchical relationships so providing what so ever is available and shown here as illustration purpose only.

In case you are wondering what happens  to Kuru Dynasty after Parkshit. Mentioned below is the complete hierarchy till the last Heir known.

Exclusions:

Mentioned below are some of the points that I have excluded while creating these pictorial representations.

1. Birth or Blood Relationship of Drona and Kripacharya is not included in this picture. As per mythology they are born without any mother involved. 
2. Chedi Dynasty is not shown in list of Dynasties as main characters of that dynasty like Upricari Basu, Sishupal etc. are already included here. This helps in avoiding duplicates and simplifies the contents.
3. Only Rukmini and her 10 sons are included in the Yadav Dynasty, remaining all wives and children of Krishna are not included in these pictures.
4. It’s been mentioned in some version of Mahabharata that Gandhari also has 100 brothers along with Shakuni, not included that part here.
5. As mentioned earlier there are many other important characters surfaced in during various Parva of Mahabharata like Ekalavya, Jarashandha etc. I dd not tried to form there hierarchy as they are not Uncles or Aunts of any other noticeable characters. Simply out of scope of this series.

Last but not least, I want to thank various sources of internet and texts which provided me input for all the articles of this series. Please provide feedback and comments in individual or this articles if you find I missed any of the relationships in this series.

Prev: Paternal AuntsOf Mahabharata 

©Tapas Majumdar

Paternal Aunts (Bua’s) Of Mahabharata

This is the fourth part of the series “Relationships in Mahabharata”. I will recommend to go through the previous parts of this series before reading this one. Paternal Aunts are Sisters of someone’s father and also termed as Bua, Fufi etc. in Hindi language. It’s strange to note that when there are most characters in Mahabharata are someone’s Maternal Uncle (Mamu) but most of the Maternal Uncles are either never married or don’t have any children. So most of the female characters in Mahabharata are Married and have at least one child which brings Maternal Uncles into picture but most of the Maternal Uncles are either never married or don’t have any child listed in Mahabharata. This makes those females listed out from the Paternal Aunts list. Hence this makes the number of characters in Mahabharata as Paternal Aunts as least among the four parts we discussed so far. Listed below are some of the Paternal Aunts.

S.No	Bua	Of	Details
1.	Dushala	Lakshman Kumara and Lakshmana	Dushala is the only daughter of Dhritarastra and only Sister of one hundred Kauravas. It seems in Mahabharata apart from Duryodhana either no one had any children or no name been mentioned for any other children of Kauravas. So being only sister of Duryodhan, Dushala becomes the Paternal Aunt of his Son Laxman Kumara and daughter known as Laxmanna. It’s been mentioned that as Bheema killed all Kauravas so Abhimanyu killed all sons of Kauravas. In any way Dushala was Paternal Aunt (Bua) of All sons of Kauravas including Laxman Kumara and Laxmanna.
2.	Kunti and Srutakriti	Krishna, Balarama and Subhadra	Kunti, Sutrakriti are biological sisters of Vasudeva, father of Balarama, Krishna and Subhadra. This makes Kunti and Sutakriti as Paternal Aunts (Bua) of Balrama, Krishna and Subhadra. Subhadra is also married to Arjuna, one of Kunti’s sons. So Kunti was paternal Aunt of Subhadra before her marriage and became Mother in Law after Subhadra’s marriage.
3.	Shubhadra	Pradyumna and his 9 Brothers	Subhadra being the only sister of Krishna and Balarama becomes Paternal Aunt (Bua) of their respective children. Krishna has lot of children from his different wives and Subhadra was Bua for all of them. As we had focused only on children of Krishna with Rukmini only, so all the ten sons are  Pradyumna, Charudeshna, Sudeshna, Charudeha, Sucharu, Charugupta, Bhadracharu,  Charuchandra, Vicharu, and Charu.
4.	Shubhadra	Nisatha, Ulmuka and Vatsala	As already mentioned above Subhadra is the Paternal Aunt (Bua) of Nisatha, Ulmuka and Vatsala, the three children of Balarama and Rewati.
5.	Gandhari	Uluka (उलूक)and Vrikaashur	Shakuni who is the brother of Gandhari had two sons named Uluka and Vrikaashur. There are not many details been provided about Shakuni’s sons in Mahabharata. Whereas Shakuni who was one of the main villain of Mahabharata and Gandhari who married to Dhritarashtra and had one hundred sons known as Karuvas are the main characters in Mahabharata.
6.	Rukmini	Charumati, Rukmavati	Rukmini who is married to Krishna had a brother named Rukmi. Rukmi had two daughters named Rukmavati and Charumati. This relation makes Rukmini as there paternal aunt. Some text mentions Rukmavati is married to Rukmini and Krishna’s eldest son Pradyumna. Rukmi along with Balarama are the only two persons who did not participated in Kurukshetra war.
7.	Karenumati	Children of Dhristaketu	Dristaketu and Karenumati were children of Shishupal (शिशुपाल). Karenumati was wedded to Nakula (One Of The Panadava). Dhristaketu was an army-general in the army of Pandavas in Kurukshetra/Mahabharata War. It’s mentioned in some of the text in Mahabharata that Dhristaketu and his children were slain in battle but no name been provided for Dhristaketu’s children.  Name or No Name if Dhristaketu had any child then Karenumati was there Paternal Aunt (Bua).

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©Tapas Majumdar

Paternal Uncles of Mahabharata

This is the Part III and continuation of series Relationships In Mahabharata. Please go through the Part I and Part II of this series before reading this article.

In India paternal uncles or brother of someone’s father are categorized in two parts. First one who are elder brothers and the other one who are younger brothers of that person’s father. Father's elder brother (paternal uncle) is mentioned as ताऊ (Taauu) or ताया (Taya) or Taat Shri or Bade Pitaji etc. This is how Father's elder brother is acknowledged in most Hindi speaking areas whereas there will be different names for different region, area and languages to address this term. Similarly Father's younger brother (paternal uncle) is mentioned as चाचा (chacha), Chachu or Kaka etc. in Hindi speaking regions. So to avoid any confusion unless otherwise specified, I will use the English term of Paternal Uncle across this article. Like Maternal Aunts this also follow recursion relationships, which means for two brothers one will be paternal uncles of other's children and vice-versa. So listed below are all the Paternal Uncles of Mahabharata.

S.No	Paternal Auncle	Of	Details
1.	Devavrata (Bhisma)	Dhritarastra, Pandu, and Vidur	Devavrata was the grandfather of Pandavas and Kauravas. He was the Half-brother of Vichtravirya, and being eldest he is the Paternal Uncle (Taauu, Taatshri or Badepitaji) of Dhritarastra, Pandu and Vidur. Devavrata was the eighth son of Shantanu and his first wife Ganga.  Bhishma means one with the terrible oath, referring to his vow of lifelong celibacy and service to whoever sat on throne of Hastinapur. He took this oath so that his father can marry Satyavati (सत्यवती). Chitrangada and Vichtravirya were two sons of Shantanu and Satyavati. Dhritarastra, Pandu are considered as son of Vichtravirya actually born through Ved Vyasa through Niyoga. Vidur been born through same Niyoga by Ved Vyasa is considered as half-brother of Dhritarastra and Pandu. Ved Vyasa is the son of Satyavati before her marriage with Shantanu. Ved Vyasa is the original author or first person to write the epic Mahabharata.
2.	Chitrangada (चित्रांगद)	Dhritarastra, Pandu, and Vidur	Chitrangada and Vichtravirya are two sons of Shantanu and Satyavati. Chitrangada ascended the throne of Hastinapur after his father’s death but died childless while fighting a duel with a Gandharva. Dhritarastra and Pandu were son of Vichtravirya through his two wife Ambika and Ambalika via Niyoga. As Vidur is also borned through same Niyoga so Vidur is also considered as there brother. Hence Chitrangada became Paternal Uncle (Taauu, Taatshri or Badepitaji) of all three.
3.	Pandu	Kaurava, Dushala and Yuyutsu(युयुत्सू)	Pandu is Dhritarastra’s younger brother and Pandu had five sons and Dhritarastra had hundred Sons and one Daughter which includes Duryodhan, Dushashan, Vikarna etc. and collectively known as Kauravas and the only daughter named Dushala. Dhritarastra had also one son named Yuyutsu from Maid of Gandhari named Sukhada. In short Pandu is the Paternal Uncle (Chacha) of all Dhritarastra’s children.
4.	Dhritarastra	Pandava	Pandu has five sons named Yudhishthir, Bheema and Arjuna from his first wife Kunti and Twin brothers Nakula and Sahadeva from his second wife Madri. All five sons of Pandu are collectively known as Pandavas. Dhritarastra been elder than Pandu is Paternal Uncle (Taauu, Taatshri or Badepitaji) of all five son of Pandu.
5.	Vidura	Pandava and Kaurava	As mentioned above Vidura was half-brother of both Dhritarastra and Pandu hence Paternal Uncle (Chachu) of both Kauravas and Pandavas.
6.	Yudhistira, Bheema, Nakula and Sahdeva	Abhimanyu, Babruvahana, Iravan, Srutakarman	In Mahabharata Yudhistira, Bheema, Arjuna, Nakula and Sahdeva are considered as real brothers and son of Pandu even though they were born through Niyoga and from two different mothers. Collectively they are known as Pandava’s. Among Panadava’s Arjuna (The Third Borned) had married the most and had maximum number of children. This makes all his remaining brothers as paternal uncle of his children. Arjuna’s first son Abhimanyu had born from his marriage with Subhadra. Babruvahana by marriage with Chitrāngadā (चित्रांगदा). Iravan with Uolopi. Srutakarman from Droupadi or Draupadi. Hence remaining brothers will be the paternal uncles of Arjuna’s Children. Here Yudhistira and Bheema being elder than Arjuna will be Taauu, Taatshri or Badepitaji and Nakula and Sahadeva been younger than Arjuna will be Chacha of his children. Next four points will follow the similar patterns as remaining four brothers of that particular Pandav are Paternal Uncles of that particular Pandav’s children.
7.	Bheema, Arjuna, Nakula and Sahdeva	Prativindhya and Yaudheya	Yudhistira the eldest son of Pandu had a son named Prativindhya (Named as Shrutavindhya In some texts) from Draupadi and another son named Yaudheya from Devika the daughter of Govasana of the Saivya tribe. Remaining four Pandava’s will be Paternal Uncles (Chachu) of Yudhistira’s two sons.
8.	Yudhistira, Arjuna, Nakula and Sahdeva	Ghatotkacha, Sutasoma and Sarvaga	Bhima had three sons. Ghatotkacha from Hidimbi or Hidimba. Sutasoma from Droupadi and Sarvaga from Valandhara the daughter of the king of Kashi. All Bheema’s brothers are there paternal uncles. Yudhistira will be Taauu, Taatshri or Badepitaji and Arjuna, Nakula and Sahadeva been younger than Bheema will be Chacha of his three children.
9.	Yudhistira, Bheema, Arjuna and Sahdeva	Satanika and Niramitra	Nakula had two sons named Satanika from Droupadi and Niramitra from Karenumati, the daughter of Sishupal. In this case Yudhistira, Bhema and Arjuna will be Taauu, Taatshri or Badepitaji and Sahadeva will be Chacha of his two children.
10.	Yudhistira, Bheema, Arjuna and Nakula	Srutasena and Suhotra	Sahadeva the youngest son of Pandu also had two sons Srutasena from Droupadi and Suhotra from Vijaya, the daughter of Dyutimat, the king of Madra. All four of his brothers are Paternal Uncles (Taauu, Taatshri or Badepitaji) of his children.
11.	Balarama	Pradyumna and his 9 Brothers	Krishna and his wife Rukmini had ten sons. Eldest of them is Pradyumna. Balarama is the elder brother of Krishna which makes him Tatshree or Tau of all ten of them. Krishna did have many other wives and their children. I have not included them in this article but Balarama will be there paternal uncle too.
12.	Krishna	Nisatha, Ulmuka and Vatsala	It’s mentioned in various text that Balarama and his wife Revati had two sons and one daughter. Nisatha and Ulmuka were the two sons and Vatsala was the only daughter. Krishna been the younger brother of Balrama becomes there lovely chachu. In one of the tale of Mahabharata, Abhimanyu (Son of Arjuna) Married Vatsala with the help of Ghatotkacha (Son of Bheema) and Krishna because Abhimanyu loves Vatsala where as Balrama wants to marry his daughter to Laxman Kumara (Son of Duryodhana).
13.	Devapi, Balkika	Devavrata (Bhisma), Chitrangada and Vichtravirya	Shantanu who was the father of Devavrata, Chitrangada and Vichtravirya was the youngest son of King Pratipa. His two brothers Devapi and Balkika have very small role in Mahabharata. Shantanu became default ruler of Hastinapur after his eldest brother Devapi (देवापि) abdicated his inheritance to become a hermit. According to the mythology he is an immortal sage.
14.	Yudhistira, Bheema, Arjuna, Nakula and Sahdeva	Vrishasena, Vrishaketu, Chitrasena, Satyasena, Sushena, Shatrunjaya, Dvipata, Banasena and Prasena	Who are they? These are the nine sons of Karna (कर्ण). Kunti, the mother of Pandavas before marriage to Pandu had another son named Karna. This makes Pandavas as Karna’s brother and Paternal Uncles (Chacha) of Karna’s children. Identity of Karna’s wife is not fully clear, some version mentioned he has only wife named Vrushali and had Nine children from her. Whereas some version mention about a second wife and some of these nine children belongs to that wife. All of Karna’s eight children died in the war and Vrishaketu was the only son survived the war. He was offered to be the King of Indraprastha because of Karna being the eldest brother of Pandavas.
15.	Karna (कर्ण)	Prativindhya, Yaudheya, Ghatotkacha, Sutasoma, Sarvaga, Abhimanyu, Babruvahana, Iravan, Srutakarman, Satanika, Niramitra, Srutasena and Suhotra	Listed here are all sons of Pandavas, and Karna been the eldest brother is the paternal uncle (Tatshree or Tau) for all of them. Among them Ghatotkacha is the eldest.

16.

Dushashana, Vikarna, 96 Brothers

Laxman Kumara and Laxmanna

Duryodhana had One son named Laxman Kumara and Daughter named Laxmanna. His 96 borthers including Dushashana and Vikarna are Paternal Uncles (chachu) of these two characters.

Note: I have only listed direct paternal uncles only. Like been the cousin of Pandavas, all the Kauravas are also paternal uncle of Pandavas children and vice versa.

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©Tapas Majumdar