Pandavas

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A group of five heroic brothers from Hindu mythology known for their righteousness and valor in the epic Mahabharata
2. Legendary figures depicted as sons of King Pandu, exemplifying ideals of honor, justice, and familial loyalty in ancient Indian literature
3. Central characters in the Mahabharata, representing the struggle between good and evil, embodying dharma in their actions and decisions

Etymology: The Pandavas take their name from Pandu, a king of the Kuru lineage who, in the great Sanskrit epic the Mahabharata, is cursed to die if he ever lies with a woman. Unable to father children in the usual way, he and his wives turn to divine help, and his five sons are counted as his heirs even though several were born through such arrangements. The name therefore means "sons of Pandu" and carries the family relationship in its very form. Pandu himself is described as a mytho-historical figure, meaning he sits somewhere between legend and possible real history, and the name has become the standard way of referring to the five brothers as a group. In English the word is used almost exclusively for this group, so it names a family rather than any single person.