Kaurava

The term Kaurava (Sanskrit:कौरव) is a Sanskrit term, that means a descendant of Kuru, a legendary king who is the ancestor of many of the characters of the Mahābhārata.

The term is used in the Mahābhārata with two meanings:
*The wider meaning, to represent all the descendants of Kuru. This meaning, which includes the Pandava brothers, is sometimes used in the Mahābhārata, especially in some of the earlier parts.
*The commoner and narrower meaning, to represent the elder line of the descendants of King Kuru. This restricts it to the children of King Dhritarashtra, as his line is the elder line of descent from Kuru. It excludes the children of the younger brother Pandu, who founds his own line, the Pandava.

The rest of this article deals with the Kaurava in the narrower sense, that is the children of Dhritarashtra, by Queen Gandhari. When referring to these, a more specific term is also frequently encountered - IAST|Dhārtarāṣṭra, a derivative of IAST|Dhṛtarāṣṭra (Dhritarashtra).

According to the standard texts, Gandhari wanted a hundred sons, and Vyasa granted her a boon that she would have these. Another version says that she was unable to have any children for a long time and she eventually became pregnant, but did not deliver for two years, after which she gave birth to a lump of flesh. Vyasa cut this lump into a hundred and one pieces, and these eventually developed into a hundred boys and one girl.

This story should be read in view of the dispute over the succession to the throne of the kingdom. It attributes a late birth to Duryodhana, the eldest son of Dhritarashtra, despite his father's early marriage. This legitimises the case for his cousin Yudhisthira to claim the throne, since he could claim to be the eldest of his generation.

Although all hundred sons have been named, only the first few are normally mentioned in the Mahābhārata. The first five are:

* Duryodhana
* Dushasana
* Dussala (daughter)
* Jalagandha
* Sama

All the male sons of Dritarashtra were killed in the great battle at Kurukshetra.

Sons of the Kauravas fought in the Great War. Duryodhana had 29 sons of which few survived. Upon the death of Dushasan, the second kaurava, Purujit was made Kaurava Yuvaraja. After his death, Sudarsha was made the Yuvaraj. After the defeat of all, Ashwathhama crowned Durmukha, youngest son of Duryodhana as next King and continued struggle. They migrated to the west and formed the Kathi tribe now living in Kathiawar, Gujarat. Fact|date=March 2007

The Kauravas

#Duryodhana
#Dussaasana
#Dussaha
#Dussala
#Jalagandha
#Sama
#Saha
#Vindha
#Anuvindha
#Durdharsha
#Subaahu
#Dushpradharshana
#Durmarshana
#Durmukha
#Dushkarna
#Vikarna
#Saala
#Sathwa
#Sulochana
#Chithra
#Upachithra
#Chithraaksha
#Chaaruchithra
#Saraasana
#Durmadan
#Durvigaahana
#Vivilsu
#Vikatinandana
#Oornanaabha
#Sunaabha
#Nandana
#Upanandana
#Chithrabaana
#Chithravarma
#Suvarma
#Durvimochana
#Ayobaahu
#Mahaabaahu
#Chithraamga
#Chithrakundala
#Bheemavega
#Bheemabala
#Vaalaky
#Belavardhana
#Ugraayudha
#Sushena
#Kundhaadhara
#Mahodara
#Chithraayudha
#Nishamgy
#Paasy
#Vrindaaraka
#Dridhavarma
#Dridhakshathra
#Somakeerthy
#Anthudara
#Dridhasandha
#Jaraasandha - (It Is questionable if Jaraasandha(n?) is a part of the Kaurava Clan. The actual story can be found [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jarasandha] )
#Sathyasandha
#Sadaasuvaak
#Ugrasravas
#Ugrasena
#Senaany
#Dushparaaja
#Aparaajitha
#Kundhasaai
#Visaalaaksha
#Duraadhara
#Dridhahastha
#Suhastha
#Vaathavega
#Suvarcha
#Aadithyakethu
#Bahwaasy
#Naagadatha
#Ugrasaai
#Kavachy
#Kradhana
#Kundhy
#Bheemavikra
#Dhanurdhara
#Veerabaahu
#Alolupa
#Abhaya
#Dhridhakarmaavu
#Dhridharathaasraya
#Anaadhrushya
#Kundhabhedy
#Viraavy
#Chithrakundhala
#Pramadha
#Amapramaadhy
#Deerkharoma
#Suveeryavaana
#Dheerkhabaahu
#Sujaatha
#Kaanchanadhwaja
#Kundhaasy
#Virajass
#Yuyutsu
#Dussala

----

There is another list where some names don't match with the above list.
To quote from Mahabharata, Sambava Parva, Section CXV (http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m01/m01116.htm)
//And during the time when Gandhari was in a state of advanced pregnancy, there was a maid servant of the Vaisya class who used to attend on Dhritarashtra. During that year, O king, was begotten upon her by the illustrious Dhritarashtra a son endued with great intelligence who was afterwards named Yuvutsu. And because he was begotten by a Kshatriya upon a Vaisya woman, he came to be called Karna//

"Thus were born unto the wise Dhritarashtra
- a hundred sons who were all heroes and mighty chariot-fighters, and
- a daughter over and above the hundred, and
- another son Yuyutsu of great energy and prowess begotten upon a Vaisya woman.'"

The Kauravas
1 Duryodhana2 Duhsasana3 Duhsaha4 Duhsala (male)5 Jalasandha6 Sama7 Saha8 Vinda9 Anuvinda10 Durdharsha11 Suvahu12 Dushpradharshana13 Durmarshana14 Durmukha15 Dushkarna16 Vivinsati17 Vikarna18 Sala19 Satwa20 Sulochana21 Chitra22 Upachitra23 Chitraksha24 Charuchitra25 Sarasana26 Durmada27 Durvigaha28 Vivitsu29 Vikatanana;30 Urnanabha31 Sunabha32 Nandaka33 Upanandaka;34 Chitravana35 Chitravarman36 Suvarman37 Durvimochana;38 Ayovahu39 Mahavahu40 Chitranga41 Chitrakundala42 Bhimavega43 Bhimavala44 Balaki45 Balavardhana46 Ugrayudha;47 Bhima48 Karna49 Kanakaya50 Dridhayudha51 Dridhavarman52 Dridhakshatra53 Somakitri54 Anudara;55 Dridhasandha56 Jarasandha57 Satyasandha58 Sada59 Suvak60 Ugrasravas61 Ugrasena62 Senani63 Dushparajaya64 Aparajita65 Kundasayin66 Visalaksha67 Duradhara;68 Dridhahasta69 Suhasta70 Vatavega71 Suvarchas;72 Adityaketu73 Vahvashin74 Nagadatta75 Agrayayin;76 Kavachin77 Krathana78 Kunda79 Kundadhara80 Dhanurdhara;81 Ugra82 Bhimaratha83 Viravahu84 Alolupa;85 Abhaya86 Raudrakarman87 Dridharatha;88 Anadhrishya89 Kundabhedin90 Viravi91 Dhirghalochana92 Pramatha93 Pramathi94 Dhirgharoma;95 Dirghavahu96 Mahavahu97 Vyudhoru98 Kanakadhvaja;99 Kundasi100 Virajas101 Dussala102 Yuyutsu

ee also

*The Kurus

External links

* [http://www.mahabharataonline.com/ Persons and Stories from Mahabharata]