Kunti

For other uses, see Kunti (disambiguation).

Mother of Pandavas in Hindu epic Mahabharata

Kunti

Member of Panchakanya

A 20th century painting by Nandalal Bose, presumed to depict Kunti feeding the Pandavas

Other names| Pritha
Devanagari| कुन्ती
Affiliation|

* Panchakanya
* Kuru Queen

Gender| Female
Genealogy
Parents| Shurasena (father
Marisha (mother)
Kuntibhoja (adoptive father)
Siblings|

* Vasudeva and 13 others (siblings)
* Purujit and Kuntibhoja II (adoptive brothers)

Spouse| Pandu
Children| Sons

* Karna by Surya
(Pre-marital)
* Yudhishthira by Dharmaraja
* Bhima by Vayu
* Arjuna by Indra

Step-sons (Madri)

* Nakula by Nasatya
* Sahadeva by Darsa

Dynasty| Yaduvamsha-Chandravamsha (by birth)
Kuruvamsha-Chandravamsha (by marriage)

Kunti (Sanskrit: कुन्ती, [kun̪t̪iː], IAST: Kuntī), also known as Pritha (Sanskrit: पृथा, [pr̩t̪ʰaː], IAST: Pṛthā), is a prominent female character in the ancient Hindu epic Mahabharata. She is chiefly recognised as the mother of the central characters—the five Pandavas—having given birth to the three eldest, Yudhishthira, Bhima, and Arjuna, while also raising their younger stepbrothers, the twins Nakula and Sahadeva, as her own. She is portrayed as possessing intelligence, beauty and shrewdness.

Born to the Yadava chief Shurasena, Pritha was adopted by her childless uncle, Kuntibhoja, and subsequently bestowed with the name Kunti. During her adolescence, she garnered the favour of the sage Durvasa, receiving a divine mantra which she could use to invoke any god and bear his child. Intrigued and wanting to test its efficiency, she employed this mantra to invoke the sun god Surya, resulting in the birth of her first born son, Karna. Faced with the societal stigma associated with bearing a child out of wedlock, Kunti found herself compelled to abandon her son to safeguard her honour.

Upon reaching marriageable age, Kunti chose Pandu, the king of the Kuru Kingdom, as her husband; he later took a second wife, Madri. Cursed to die instantly if he engaged in intercourse, Pandu retired to the forest with Kunti and Madri. In response to her husband's request to bear children through the practice of niyoga, Kunti invoked the gods—Dharma, Vayu and Indra—through the mantra, resulting in the births of Yudhishthira, Bhima and Arjuna respectively. She later shared the mantra with Madri, who bore Nakula and Sahadeva. After Pandu's untimely death and Madri's self-immolation, Kunti took responsibility for her stepsons and relocated with all the children to Hastinapura, the capital of the Kuru Kingdom

Surviving the perilous events at the Lakshagriha, Kunti, during their concealment, instructed Bhima to save the villagers from Bakasura. A misunderstanding on Kunti's part led to the polyandrous marriage of Draupadi, the princess of Panchala, with the five Pandavas. Following the infamous dicing episode and banishment of the Pandavas, Kunti continued to reside in Hastinapura, cultivating a harmonious relationship with her brother-in-law Vidura. Preceding the Kurukshetra War, Kunti encountered Karna, revealing his true lineage and urging him to align with the Pandava faction. Despite Karna's refusal, she implored him to spare all her sons except Arjuna. Following the Pandavas' victory in the Kurukshetra war, Kunti revealed about Karna to the Pandavas. Years after Yudhishthira's ascension to the throne of the Kurus, Kunti retired to the forest along with other Kuru elders, eventually passing away in a forest fire.

Within Hindu tradition, Kunti is venerated as one of the panchakanya ("five maidens"), embodying ideals of female chastity. Her name is believed to possess purifying qualities, capable of dispelling sin when recited. Kunti is lauded as the epitome of maturity, foresight, and dutiful womanhood.

## Literary background

[edit]

Kunti appears in the Mahabharata, one of the Sanskrit epics originating from the Indian subcontinent, which primarily narrates about conflict between two groups of cousins—the Pandavas and the Kauravas. Composed in Classical Sanskrit, the text is a composite work shaped through centuries of revisions, editing, and interpolations. The text is primarily composed between 300 BCE - 300 CE, with the oldest portions of the extant text likely date to around 400 BCE.[1] Manuscripts of the Mahabharata exist in numerous versions, with substantial variations in the details of key characters and events. An exception is the section containing the Bhagavad Gita, which remains notably consistent across different manuscripts.[2] Significant differences exist between the Northern and Southern recensions, with the Southern versions generally being more elaborate and extended. Scholars have undertaken the creation of a critical edition, primarily drawing from the "Bombay", "Poona", "Calcutta", and "South Indian" editions of the text. The most widely accepted version is that compiled by a team led by Vishnu Sukthankar at the Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute, with copies preserved at Kyoto University, Cambridge University, and various institutions across India.[3]

Quickly after her introduction in the Adi Parva—the first of the eighteen books of the Mahabharata—Kunti emerges as a foundational female figure whose narrative significance sets her apart from her contemporaries, playing a central role in shaping the future course of the epic. Early in the royal genealogies, as Bhishma arranges the marriages intended to restore the Kuru lineage, three women—Gandhari, Kunti, and Madri—are brought into focus. Scholar Alf Hiltebeitel points out that it is Kunti who quickly becomes the "rising star" of the narrative skein that spans chapters 103 to 119. Kunti is uniquely privileged in this section of the text. While Gandhari and Madri are introduced more briefly, an entire adhyaya (chapter 104) is devoted to Kunti’s childhood—making her the only woman marrying into a central royal line in either the Mahabharata or the Ramayana whose girlhood is explored in such depth. Quantitative evidence from this narrative arc underscores Kunti’s prominence: between chapters 103.9 and 119.12, the text allocates 195 verses to Kunti, compared to 85 for Madri and just 36 for Gandhari.[4] According to James L. Fitzgerald, Kunti's main scenes in the Mahabharata all involve her premarital son Karna,[5] and within the epic, which follows the story within a story style of narration, the account of Kunti's origin and Karna's birth has been narrated multiple times, with the most detailed one being found in the Vana Parva (3.287.1-3.292.1).[6]

Pradeep Bhattacharya observes that Kunti’s pivotal decision in the later part of the Adi Parva—having her sons share Draupadi—not only influences the trajectory of the plot but also marks a transition in the epic’s focus from Kunti to Draupadi as the central female figure in the following books. Kunti remains largely in the background following the Adi Parva until the Udyoga Parva, the fifth book of the Mahabharata. Here, she re-emerges during Krishna’s peace mission, having multiple dialogues while blessing Yudhishthira and pursuing Karna, who has aligned himself with the Kauravas, to join the Pandava side.[7] In last part of the eleventh book, Stri Parva, Kunti—who has remained the most reticent among the epic’s principal female figures after Kurukshetra war—finally speaks up to reveal Karna's true lineage to the Pandavas.[5] She exits the main narrative in the Ashramavasika Parva, the fifteenth book.[3]

## Etymology

[edit]

The feminine epithet Kuntī (Sanskrit: कुन्ती) is a patronymic derivative, which the character acquired through her adoption by Kunti-bhoja.[8] The epithet has its roots in the masculine noun Kunti (कुन्ति), which originally referred to a group of people. This ethnonym appears in classical Sanskrit texts such as the Kathaka Samhita, Pāṇini’s Aṣṭādhyāyī (4.1.176), and the Mahabharata. The male variant of the epithet is also used to denote rulers or princes of this lineage.[9]

Kunti's original name is Pṛthā (Sanskrit: पृथा). According to scholar Alf Hiltebeitel, this name means 'the Wide', evoking both the goddess Pṛthivī (lit. 'the Broad Earth') and the description of her as a girl with "wide eyes" in the Mahabharata (3.287.12), reinforcing a symbolic alignment with the vastness and nurturing aspect of the Earth.[8] Madeleine Biardeau observes that while other prominent women in the epic—such as Gandhari ('Woman of Gāndhāra') and Madri ('Woman of Madra')—derive their identities from specific geographic regions, Kunti’s name Pritha links her to the Earth as a whole, not to any one territory.[10]

From a lexical standpoint, linguist Monier-Williams derives Pṛthā from the root pṛtha, related to pṛth, and suggest that it can also mean “the flat or palm of the hand', attested in texts such as the Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa.[11] Building on this, sociologist Irawati Karve interpreted the name to suggest a physical characteristic, writing that it "shows that she was apparently a large big-boned girl". However, Lavanya Vemsani contests Karve’s interpretation, arguing that there is neither linguistic nor textual justification for linking the meaning "palm" to Kunti’s body type. Vemsani emphasizes that the Mahabharata explicitly describes Kunti as a woman of stunning beauty, and instead interprets the palm symbolism as reflecting her supportive hand and steadfast nature, aligning it with broader themes of motherhood and nurturing stability.[12]

## Biography

[edit]

### Early life and family

[edit]

Kunti, originally named Pritha, is born into the lineage of the Yadava clan. Her father, Shurasena, is a chief among the Yadavas and the father of several children, most notably Vasudeva, the future father of Krishna. Pritha, known for her beauty, is given in adoption by Shurasena to his childless cousin and close friend, Kuntibhoja, who is the son of Shurasena’s paternal aunt. Following the adoption, she becomes known as Kunti. Kunti is raised in the royal household of Kuntibhoja, where she is trained in royal duties and received instruction in various disciplines. [13] Later in life, Kunti reveals that she resents this act of adoption. She recalls that she was merely playing with a ball when her father transferred her like wealth, and she felt humiliated by this decision.[8]

Kunti’s family is further detailed in the Bhagavata Purana, a later text focusing primarily on the life of Krishna. According to this account, her mother is identified as Marisha, a princess of the Bhoja lineage. The text also states that Pritha has ten brothers and four sisters.[14]

### Birth of Karna

[edit]

Kunti invokes Surya out of curiosity.

Once Rishi Durvasa visited Kuntibhoja. Being extremely pleased by the all comforts, patience, and devotion offered by Kunti, he offered her a mantra that would invoke any god of her choice and he would bless her with children.

Out of impetuous curiosity, Kunti invoked the god Surya. Bound by the power of the mantra, Surya blessed her with a child. To her surprise, the child was born with his sacred armour on. Out of fear of the public and with no choice, Kunti put the child in a basket and set him afloat the Ganga river. He later became famous as Karna.[15][page needed]

### Marriage and children

[edit]

A late 17th-century painting of Pandu and Kunti from Kashmir

Kuntibhoja organised Kunti's swayamvara. Kunti chose King Pandu of Hastinapur, making her the Queen of Hastinapur.[7][16] Soon after, during his mission to expand his empire, Pandu, on Bhishma's proposal, married Madri, a princess of Madra in order to secure the vassalage of Madra.[7] Kunti was disturbed by her husband's actions, but eventually reconciled with him and treated Madri as a sister.

Pandu, while hunting in a forest, mistakenly shot and killed Rishi Kindama and his wife as they had taken the form of deer to mate. The dying sage then cursed him to die if he tries to embrace or touch his wives. Pandu renounced the kingdom and went into exile with Kunti and Madri.[17]

Pandu could not sire children with his wives due to the curse by sage Kindama. A remorseful Pandu met some sages and asked them a way for heaven and salvation. They said, without children, one can never aspire for heaven. When Pandu expressed to Kunti his despair at the prospect of dying childless, she mentioned the boon granted to her. He happily advised her to beget children by suitable, illustrious men. Thus, Kunti used the boon granted to her by Sage Durvasa to bear three sons—Yudhishthira by Dharmaraja – god of Justice; Bhima by Vayu – god of wind, and Arjuna by Indra – the king of Svarga (Heaven). She also invoked Ashvins for Madri on her behest and Madri gave birth to twin sons, Nakula and Sahadeva.[18][19]

Kunti gave special care to Madreyas (sons of Madri) especially Sahadeva, the youngest one. Madri gave tribute to Kunti by saying

"You are blessed. There is none like you you are my light, my guide, most respect-worthy, reater in status, purer in virtue." [7]

### Widowhood

[edit]

One day, Pandu, forgetting his curse, attempted to embrace his wife Madri. But, as a result of Kindama's curse, he died. Madri committed suicide out of remorse that caused her husband's death. Kunti was left helpless in the forest with her children.[20]

After the death of Pandu and Madri, Kunti took care of all five Pandava children taking them back to Hastinapur. Dhritrashtra's sons never liked them. During their childhood, Duryodhana poisoned and tried to kill Bhima but he was saved. Kunti was hurt by this but was consoled by Vidura. Later the Kuru princes were sent to train under Drona.[21]

### Hiding

[edit]

The Pandavas travelling with their mother

After the princes finished their training, they returned to Hastinapura. After some time Duryodhana and his maternal uncle Shakuni tried to burn Pandavas alive along with Kunti for which they built the palace out of lac (Lakshagriha) in a village named Varanāvata. The Pandavas, though, managed to escape the house of lac with the help of Vidura through a secret tunnel.[22]

After surviving from the Lakshagriha Kunti and five Pandavas lived in Ekachakra village.[23] During their stay, Kunti and the Pandavas become aware of a demon, Bakasura, who ate people. Villagers had to send one member of their family and food to Bakasura, who devour both. When Kunti heard the cries of a Brahmin – who had provided her and her son's shelter in Ekachakra, Kunti consoled him and suggested that instead of a Brahmin's family, her son Bhima would face the demon. Kunti engineered a plot where Bhima would be able to face and kill the demon. The powerful Bhima brought his might to the fore and defeated Bakasura.[24] Later, Bhima slays the rakshasa Hidimba and he is beseeched by Hidimbi, Hidimba's sister, to wed her. Bhima is reluctant, but Kunti ordered Bhima to marry Hidimbi seeing merit in the woman. Hidimbi would go on to birth Ghatotkacha, who later takes part in the Kurukshetra War.[citation needed]

The Pandavas attended the swayamvara of Draupadi in Panchala. Arjuna was able to win Draupadi's hand. The Pandavas returned to their hut and said that they have bought alms (signifying Kanyadan). Kunti misunderstood them and asked the Pandavas to share whatever they had brought. Kunti was shocked after realizing the implications of her words, that is, all of the Pandavas married Draupadi thinking that they are obeying their mother's orders. Therefore, she scolded her children for treating a woman like alms. However, Draupadi accepted this as her fate.[25]

### Role in the events of Hastinapura

[edit]

When Kunti, along with the Pandavas and Draupadi, returned to Hastinapura, they faced many problems including succession dispute between Yudhishthira and Duryodhana. On the advice of Bhishma, Pandavas were given a barren land to rule which was developed into Indraprastha.[26]

When the Pandavas lose the kingdom in a dice game and are forced to go into exile for thirteen years, Kunti is forced by King Dhritarashtra to remain in the capital. She chose to stay in Vidura's house rather than the royal palace.[27]

### Reconciliation with Karna

[edit]

As war approached, Kunti met Karna and in desperation to keep her all children alive, asked Karna to leave the side of Duryodhana and join the Pandavas. Karna denied the offer, as he could not betray his friend. However, he promised Kunti that he would not kill any of his brothers except Arjuna, thus following both Mitra dharma and Putra dharma. He also promised that at the end of the war she would still have five sons, the fifth one be either Arjuna or Karna himself.[15][page needed]

Despite supporting her children, Kunti stayed in the Kaurava camp along with her sister-in-law Gandhari. After the death of Karna, Kunti disclosed the secret of Karna's birth to the Pandavas. A grief-stricken Yudhisthira would curse the women of the world that they shall be unable to keep any secret anymore.[28]

### Later life and death

[edit]

After the Kurukshetra war, Kunti lived with her sons for many years. After she felt that her job in the world was over, she moved to a forest near the Himalayas with her brothers-in-law Vidura and Dhritarashtra, Sanjaya and Dhritarashtra's wife Gandhari. Vidura died two years after they left. Later Sanjaya left for the Himalayas and those remaining perished in a forest fire.[7][29]

## Assessment

[edit]

According to J. A. B. van Buitenen, translator of the Critical Edition, Kunti is depicted largely self-effacing, conforming to her role as wife and mother, though she asserts herself at key moments.[30]

Pradip Bhattacharya, a scholar of the Mahabharata and author of Panchakanya: "One-in Herself" Why Kunti Remains a Kanya, highlights her as a symbol of strong womanhood, noting her resolve, adaptability, and the critical role she played in her sons’ lives. Kunti’s agency is first demonstrated in her selection of Pandu at her svayamvara and her subsequent loyalty in following him into exile, despite his marriage to Madri. When Pandu requests that Kunti conceive sons through other men, she initially resists, revealing her personal integrity and resolve. She ultimately agrees, however, the choice of divine progenitors is not hers; it rests with Pandu, underlining the limitations of her autonomy within her marriage. Bhattacharya emphasizes her strength and strategic wisdom in managing this role, as she conceals her pre-marital son, Karna, to safeguard Pandu’s honor and to preserve her reputation within the royal household. This contrasts her with her grandmother-in-law, Satyavati, who called upon her pre-marital son Vyasa to extend the royal line of Hastinapura without hesitation. Her refusal to bear a fourth child, invoking scripture as justification, showcases her deep understanding of dharma, which she uses both to assert her autonomy and to protect her dignity.[7]

Within the complex social structure of the Hastinapura court, Kunti carefully navigates adversities, often relying on her confidant Vidura. Bhattacharya highlights her strategic acumen in orchestrating Draupadi’s marriage to all five Pandavas, ensuring unity among her sons and forestalling potential conflicts. This decision, based on customs of the “northern Kurus,” is portrayed as a calculated move that consolidates family loyalty by centering it around a single wife, underscoring Kunti’s commitment to her sons’ shared purpose. Her pragmatism as a mother is further reflected in her morally complex actions to protect her family’s welfare, as seen in her plea to Karna before the war, where she secures his promise to spare all the Pandavas except Arjuna. Though Karna rejects her, Kunti’s determination to shield her sons from harm exemplifies her selfless devotion and emotional resilience.[7]

Kunti’s final retreat to the forest with Dhritarashtra and Gandhari, after her sons’ victory, symbolises a profound act of renunciation. Bhattacharya interprets this as Kunti’s transcendence beyond worldly attachments and family ties, an act that affirms her as a “kanya” or “one-in-herself”—a woman who has achieved independence of spirit and self-possession. Through this retreat, Kunti’s life comes full circle, as she embodies the archetype of the empowered single mother who navigates the vicissitudes of life with resilience and fortitude.[7]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Brockington 1998, p. 26.
2. ^ Minor 1982, p. 1-11.
3. ^ a b McGrath 2004, p. 9-26.
4. ^ Hiltebeitel 2011, p. 383.
5. ^ a b Fitzgerald 1973, p. 21.
6. ^ McGrath 2004, p. 2.
7. ^ a b c d e f g h Bhattacharya, Pradip. ""One-in Herself" Why Kunti Remains a Kanya" (PDF). Manushi India Organization. Retrieved 10 January 2013.
8. ^ a b c Hiltebeitel 2011, p. 388.
9. ^ Monier-Williams 1999, p. 291.
10. ^ Hiltebeitel 2011, p. 384.
11. ^ Monier-Williams 1999, p. 645.
12. ^ Vemsani 2021, p. 46.
13. ^ "The Mahabharata, Book 1: Adi Parva: Sambhava Parva: Section CXI". www.sacred-texts.com. Retrieved 31 August 2020.
14. ^ Tripathi, Kishori Sharan (1969). A Cultural Study of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavata. Banaras Hindu Univ.
15. ^ a b McGrath 2004.
16. ^ "The Mahabharata, Book 1: Adi Parva: Sambhava Parva: Section CXII". www.sacred-texts.com. Retrieved 31 August 2020.
17. ^ Ramankutty, P.V. (1999). Curse as a motif in the Mahābhārata (1. ed.). Delhi: Nag Publishers. ISBN 9788170814320.
18. ^ Perry, Edward Delavan (1885). "Indra in the Rig-Veda". Journal of the American Oriental Society. 11. Journal of the American Oriental Society vol. 11.1885: 121. doi:10.2307/592191. JSTOR 592191.
19. ^ Bhattacharya, Pratip (2004). "She Who Must Be Obeyed, Draupadi: The ill fated one" (PDF). Manushi. Panchakanya 19–30.
20. ^ "Chapter 60-Death of King Pandu and Madri at the same time". The Tales of India. 31 August 2017. Retrieved 31 August 2020.
21. ^ https://web.archive.org/web/20110713024835/http://www.india-intro.com/religion/mahabharat/210-mahabharat-the-story-of-drona-teacher-of-kauravas-and-pandavas.html The Story of Drona – the Teacher of Kauravas and Pandavas
22. ^ "Lakshagraha of Mahabharat". Nerd's Travel. 7 August 2019. Retrieved 31 August 2020.
23. ^ "ASI grants permission to excavate palace Kauravas commissioned to kill Pandavas". India Today. 2 November 2017. Retrieved 8 August 2020.
24. ^ Gopal, Madan (1990). K.S. Gautam (ed.). India through the ages. Publication Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India. p. 75.
25. ^ Johnson, W. J. (2009). "Arjuna". A Dictionary of Hinduism. Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/acref/9780198610250.001.0001. ISBN 978-0-19861-025-0.
26. ^ Narlikar, Amrita; Narlikar, Aruna (20 March 2014). Bargaining with a Rising India: Lessons from the Mahabharata. OUP Oxford. ISBN 978-0-19-161205-3.
27. ^ Mani, Vettam (1 January 2015). Puranic Encyclopedia: A Comprehensive Work with Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature. Motilal Banarsidass. ISBN 978-81-208-0597-2.
28. ^ "The Mahabharata, Book 12: Santi Parva: Rajadharmanusasana Parva: Section VI".
29. ^ Mani pp.442–3
30. ^ Buitenen 1973, p. 16.

### Bibliography

[edit]

* Buitenen, Johannes Adrianus Bernardus (1973). The Mahābhārata: The Book Of Beginning. University of Chicago Press. ISBN 978-0-226-84663-7.
* Fitzgerald, James L. (1973). The Mahabharata, Volume 7: Book 11: The Book of the Women Book 12: The Book of Peace, Part 1. University of Chicago Press. ISBN 978-0-226-25250-6.
* Bhattacharya, Pradip (2004). ""One-in Herself" Why Kunti Remains a Kanya" (PDF). Manushi India Organization.
* Bhattacharya, Pradip (1971). ""Of Kunti and Satyawati." Five Holy Virgins, Five Sacred Myths" (PDF). Manushi: 25.
* Mani, Vettam (1975). Puranic encyclopaedia : a comprehensive dictionary with special reference to the epic and Puranic literature. Robarts - University of Toronto. Delhi : Motilal Banarsidass. ISBN 978-0-8426-0822-0.`{{cite book}}`: CS1 maint: publisher location (link)
* Brodbeck, Simon Pearse (2 March 2017). The Mahabharata Patriline: Gender, Culture, and the Royal Hereditary. Routledge. ISBN 978-1-351-88630-7.
* Brodbeck, Simon; Black, Brian (2007). Gender and Narrative in the Mahabharata. Routledge. ISBN 978-1-134-11994-3.
* Karve, Irawati (July 2006). Yuganta: The End of an Epoch. Orient Longman. ISBN 978-81-250-1424-9.
* Hiltebeitel, Alf (28 July 2011). Dharma: Its Early History in Law, Religion, and Narrative. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-987524-5.
* Vemsani, Lavanya (21 May 2021). Feminine Journeys of the Mahabharata: Hindu Women in History, Text, and Practice. Springer Nature. ISBN 978-3-030-73165-6.
* Brockington, J. L. (1998). The Sanskrit Epics. Brill Academic. p. 26\. ISBN 978-9-00410-260-6.
* Minor, Robert N. (1982). Bhagavad Gita: An Exegetical Commentary. South Asia Books. pp. l–l1. ISBN 978-0-8364-0862-1. Archived from the original on 16 April 2023. Retrieved 28 June 2020.
* Doniger, Wendy (March 2014). On Hinduism. OUP USA. ISBN 978-0-19-936007-9.
* McGrath, Kevin (2004). The Sanskrit Hero: Karna in Epic Mahabharata. Brill Academic. pp. 19–26\. ISBN 978-9-00413-729-5. Archived from the original on 16 April 2023. Retrieved 28 June 2020.
* Pattanaik, Devdutt (2010). Jaya: An Illustrated Retelling of the Mahabharata. Penguin Books India. ISBN 978-0-14-310425-4.
* Walker, Benjamin (9 April 2019). Hindu World: An Encyclopedic Survey of Hinduism. In Two Volumes. Volume I A-L. Routledge. ISBN 978-0-429-62465-0.
* Ghosh, Baisakhi (2016). "Women of Mahabharata in play of power and politics: Sublimation from deprivation to empowerment." (PDF). Journal of Innovative Research and Solutions (JIRAS) 2.2 ().
* Monier-Williams, Sir Monier (1999). A Sanskrit-English Dictionary: Etymological and Philologically Arranged with Special Reference to Cognate Indo-European Languages. Asian Educational Services. ISBN 978-81-206-0369-1.
* Chakrabarti, Arindam; Bandyopadhyay, Sibaji (2017). Mahabharata Now: Narration, Aesthetics, Ethics. Routledge. ISBN 978-1-317-34213-7.
* Dikshitar, V R Ramachandra (1952). The Purana Index (from T To M) Vol-II.
* Sharma, Arvind (2007). Essays on the Mahābhārata. Motilal Banarsidass Publishers. ISBN 978-81-208-2738-7.

## External links

[edit]

Kunti at Wikipedia's sister projects

* Definitions from Wiktionary
* Media from Commons
* Quotations from Wikiquote

* Teachings of Queen Kunti

* v
* t
* e

Mahabharata

Traditional author
and narrators|

* Vyasa
* Vaisampayana
* Ugrashrava Sauti

Books (parvas)|

* Adi
* Sabha
* Vana
* Virata
* Udyoga
* Bhishma
* Bhagavad Gita
* Drona
* Karna
* Shalya
* Sauptika
* Stri
* Shanti
* Anushasana
* Ashvamedhika
* Ashramavasika
* Mausala
* Mahaprasthanika
* Svargarohana

Kingdoms
and Tribes|

* Kuru
* Hastinapur
* Indraprastha
* Kurukshetra
* Panchala
* Kampilya
* Anarta
* Dvaraka
* Gandhara
* Matsya
* Upaplavya
* Madra
* Kunti
* Magadha
* Chedi
* Kashi
* Kosala
* Sindhu
* Shalva
* Avanti
* Anga
* Kekaya
* Kalinga
* Vidarbha
* Pandya
* Trigarta
* Bahlikas
* Kambojas
* Yadavas
* Vrishni
* Bhoja
* Nishadas
* more

Major Events|

* Sarpa Satra
* Lakshagriha
* Svayamvara
* Mayasabha
* Rajasuya
* Vanavasa
* Ghoshyatra
* Ajnatavasa
* Kurukshetra War
* Vishvarupa
* Chakravyūha
* Ashvamedha

Characters|

| Pandavas|

* Yudhishthira
* Bhima
* Arjuna
* Nakula
* Sahadeva

|

Pandava
Alliance|

* Krishna
* Role in the Mahabharata
* Dhrishtadyumna
* Drupada
* Virata
* Satyaki
* Abhimanyu
* Shikhandi
* Dhrishtaketu
* Ghatotkacha
* Uttamaujas and Yudhamanyu
* Upapandavas
* Yuyutsu
* Iravan
* Uttara
* Sahadeva

Kauravas|

* Duryodhana
* Dushasana
* Vikarna
* 97 more

Kaurava
Alliance|

* Bhishma
* Drona
* Karna
* Shalya
* Ashwatthama
* Shakuni
* Kripa
* Jayadratha
* Kritavarma
* Bahlika
* Bhurishravas
* Bhagadatta
* Vinda and Anuvinda
* Susharma
* Sudakshina
* Shrutayudha
* Lakshmana
* Uluka
* Vrishasena

Remaining
Kuru Family|

* Shantanu
* Satyavati
* Chitrangada
* Vichitravirya
* Ambika
* Ambalika
* Dhritarashtra
* Gandhari
* Pandu
* Kunti
* Madri
* Vidura
* Draupadi
* Subhadra
* Hidimbi
* Ulupi
* Chitrāngadā
* Babruvahana
* Uttarā
* Parikshit
* Janamejaya
* Dushala

Other
important|

* Amba
* Balarama
* Chitrasena
* Dhaumya
* Durvasa
* Ekalavya
* Ganga
* Hidimba
* Jarasandha
* Jatasura
* Kichaka
* Kindama
* Lomasha
* Parashurama
* Purochana
* Rukmi
* Sanjaya
* Shishupala
* Sudeshna
* Vyasa
* more

Related|

* Avatars
* Kingdoms
* Vedic era
* Epic-Puranic chronology
* Harivamsha
* Nala Upakhyana
* Rama Upakhyana
* Savitri Upakhyana
* Sarasvati River

Category

Authority control databases

International|

* VIAF

National|

* Germany
* United States
* Czech Republic
* Israel

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