List of characters in the Mahabharata
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The Mahabharata is one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India composed by Vyasa. At its heart lies the epic struggle between the Pandavas and the Kauravas. The central characters include the five Pandava brothers—Yudhishthira, Bhima, Arjuna, Nakula, and Sahadeva—along with their common wife Draupadi. On the opposing side, the hundred Kaurava brothers are led by their eldest brother, Duryodhana. However, the Mahabharata is richly populated with other notable figures including Krishna, Bhishma, Drona, Karna, Kunti, Kritavarma, Kripa, Dhritarashtra, Gandhari, Shakuni, Satyaki, Ashvatthama, Balarama, Vyasa, Vidura, Abhimanyu, Pandu, Satyavati, Amba, etc.
The Mahabharata manuscripts exist in numerous versions, wherein the specifics and details of major characters and episodes vary, often significantly. Except for the sections containing the Bhagavad Gita which is remarkably consistent between the numerous manuscripts, the rest of the epic exists in many versions. The differences between the Northern and Southern recensions are particularly significant, with the Southern manuscripts being more profuse and long. The manuscripts found in the North and South have "great divergence" in details, though the thematic essence is similar. Scholars have attempted to construct a critical edition, relying mostly on a study of the Mumbai edition, the Pune edition, the Kolkata edition and the South Indian editions of the Mahabharata manuscripts.
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