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{{Short description|100 sons of King Dhritarashtra and Gandhari in the epic Mahabharata}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2020}}
{{Use Indian English|date=May 2018}}
[[File:Panda_and_Kaurava_armise_face_each_other.jpg|thumb|Kaurava army (left) faces the Pandavas. A 17th–18th century painting from [[Mewar]], [[Rajasthan]].]]

'''Kaurava''' is a [[Sanskrit]] term which refers to descendant of [[Kuru (Hindu mythology)|Kuru]], a legendary king of [[India]] who is the ancestor of many of the characters of the epic ''[[Mahabharata]]''. Usually, the term is used for the 100 sons of King [[Dhritrashtra|Dhritarashtra]] and his wife [[Gandhari (Mahabharata)|Gandhari]]. [[Duryodhana]], [[Dushasana]], [[Vikarna]] and Chitrasena are the most popular among the brothers. They also had a sister named  [[Duhsala|Dussala]] and a half-brother named [[Yuyutsu]].

== Etymology ==
The term ''Kauravas'' is used in the ''Mahabharata'' with two meanings ,
*The wider meaning is used to represent all the descendants of Kuru. This meaning, which includes the [[Pandava]] brothers, is often used in the earlier parts of popular renditions of the ''Mahabharata''.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Monier-Williams|first=Sir Monier|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FzRDAQAAMAAJ&q=Kauravas|title=A Sanskṛit-English Dictionary Etymologically and Philologically Arranged: With Special Reference to Greek, Latin, Gothic, German, Anglo-Saxon, and Other Cognate Indo-European Languages|date=1872|publisher=Clarendon Press|language=en}}</ref>
*The narrower but more common meaning is used to represent the elder line of the descendants of Kuru. This restricts it to the children of King [[Dhritarashtra]], excluding the children of his younger brother, [[Pandu]], whose children form the Pandava line.

The rest of this article deals with the Kaurava in the narrower sense, that is, the children of Dhritarashtra [[Gandhari (character)|Gandhari]]. When referring to these children, a more specific term is also used – {{IAST|Dhārtarāṣṭra}} ([[Sanskrit]]: धार्तराष्ट्र), a derivative of Dhritarashtra.{{Citation needed|date=February 2022}}

==Birth of Kauravas==
[[File:Duryodhana with his brothers 1598 from Razmnama.jpg|thumb|Duryodhana with his brothers 1598 from Razmnama]]
After [[Gandhari (character)|Gandhari]] was married to [[Dhritarashtra]], she wrapped a cloth over her eyes and vowed to share the darkness that her husband lived in.  Once Sage Krishna Dwaipayana [[Vyasa]] came to visit Gandhari in [[Hastinapur]] and she took great care of the comforts of the great saint and saw that he had a pleasant stay in [[Hastinapur]]. The saint was pleased with Gandhari and granted her a boon. Gandhari wished for one hundred sons who would be as powerful as her husband. Dwaipayan [[Vyasa]] granted her the boon and in due course of time, Gandhari found herself to be pregnant. But two years passed and still, the baby was not born.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Kauravas|url=https://www.worldhistory.org/Kauravas/|website=[[World History Encyclopedia]]|access-date=2020-05-05}}</ref> <!-- Why is Kunti relevant here?  -->. After two years of pregnancy, Gandhari gave birth to a hard piece of lifeless flesh that was not a baby at all. Gandhari was devastated as she had expected a hundred sons according to the blessing of Rishi [[Vyasa]]. She was about to throw away the piece of flesh while Rishi [[Vyasa]] appeared and told her that his blessings could not have been in vain and asked Gandhari to arrange for one hundred jars to be filled with [[ghee]]. He told Gandhari that he would cut the piece of flesh into a hundred pieces and place them in the jars, which would then develop into the one hundred sons that she so desired. Gandhari told [[Vyasa]] then that she also wanted to have a daughter. [[Vyasa]] agreed, cut the piece of flesh into one hundred and one-pieces, and placed them each into a jar. After two more years of patient waiting the jars were ready to be opened and were kept in a cave. [[Bhima]] was born on the same day on which [[Duryodhana]] was born thus making them of the same age. [[Arjuna]], [[Nakula]], and [[Sahadeva]] were born after [[Duryodhana]] was born.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.india-intro.com/religion/mahabharat/67-mahabharat-kunti-gandhari-birth-of-pandavas-kauravas.html |title=Mahabharat Chapter 6 - Birth of Pandavas and Kauravas |access-date=3 September 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924034305/http://www.india-intro.com/religion/mahabharat/67-mahabharat-kunti-gandhari-birth-of-pandavas-kauravas.html |archive-date=24 September 2015 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==Children of Dhritarashtra==
The children of [[Dhritarashtra]] by [[Gandhari (character)|Gandhari]] are also referred by a more specific and frequently encountered term - {{IAST|Dhārtarāṣṭra}}, a derivative of {{IAST|Dhṛtarāṣṭra}} (Dhritarashtra).{{Dubious|date=August 2022}}

According to the epic, 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.<ref>[http://www.kidsgen.com/fables_and_fairytales/indian_mythology_stories/the_birth_of_the_pandavas_and_kaura.htm The Birth of the Pandavas and Kauravas]</ref>

The birth of these children is relevant to the dispute over the succession of the kingdom's throne. It attributes the late birth of [[Duryodhana]], the eldest son of [[Dhritarashtra]], despite his father's early marriage and legitimizes the case for his cousin [[Yudhishthira]] to claim the throne, since he could claim to be the eldest of his generation. All the sons of [[Dhritarashtra]] (excluding [[Yuyutsu]]) were killed in the [[Kurukshetra War|Battle of Kurukshetra]].

==Names of the Kauravas==
The ''Mahabharata'' itself provides the list of names in order of their birth when Kuru descendant [[Janamejaya]] inquires about the names. The following list has been adapted from Section 108.1 of the ''[[Adi Parva]]'' (Critical Edition):{{sfn|Buitenen|1973a|p=245}}
{{div col begin|colwidth=12em}}
{{numbered list|Duryodhana|Yuyutsu|Duhshasana|Duhsaha|Duhshala|Jalasandha|Sama|Saha|Vinda|Anuvinda|Durdharsha|Subahu|Dushpradharshana|Durmarshana|Durmukha|Dushkarma|Karna|Vivimshati|Vikarna|Sulochana|Chitra|Upachitra|Chitraksha|Charuchitra|Sharasana|Durmada|Dushpragaha|Vivitsu|Vikata|Urnanabha|Sunabha|Nanda|Upanandaka|Senapati|Sushena|Kundodara|Mahodara|Chitrabana|Chitravarma|Suvarma|Durvimochana|Ayobahu|Mahabahu|Chitranga|Chitrakundala|Bhimavega|Bhimabala|Balaki|Balavardhana|Ugrayudha|Bhimakarma|Kanakayu|Dridhayudha|Dridhavarma|Dridhakshatra|Somakirti|Anudara|Dridhasandha|Jarasandha|Satyasandha|Sadahsuvak|Ugrashrava|Ashvasena|Senani|Dushparajaya|Aparajita|Panditaka|Vishalaksha|Duravara|Dridhahasta|Suhasta|Vatavega|Suvarcha|Adityaketu|Bahvashi|Nagadanta|Ugrayayi|Kavachi|Nishangi|Pashi|Dandadhara|Dhanurgraha|Ugra|Bhimaratha|Vira|Virabahu|Alolupa|Abhaya|Roudrakarma|Dridharatha|Anadhrishya|Kundabhedi|Viravi|Dirghalochana|Dirghabahu|Mahabahu|Vyudhoru|Kanakadhvaja|Kundashi|Viraja}}
{{div col end}}
<!---
Possible OR The Mahabharata notes the names of all Kauravas, of which only Duryodhana, Dushasana, Vikarna and Chitrasena play a significant role: All names are sourced from the same work, cited here<ref>{{Cite book |last=Pattanaik |first=Devdutt |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/692288394 |title=Jaya: an Illustrated Retelling of the Mahabharata |date=2010 |isbn=978-0-14-310425-4 |location=Gurgaon, Haryana, India |oclc=692288394}}</ref><ref>{{Citation |title=The Mahabharata. volume 1: Volume 1: (sections 1 to 15) |date=2015 |access-date=2025-04-15 |edition=This edition published 2015 |isbn=978-0-14-342514-4 |translator-last=Debroy |translator-first=Bibek}}</ref>

{{div col|colwidth=10em|gap=.5em}}<div style="margin-top:-.3em">
# [[Duryodhana]]
# [[Dushasana]]
# [[Vikarna]] *
# Chitrasena ^
# Vivisanti
# Duhsaha
# Duhsala
# Jalasandha
# Sama
# Saha
# Vinda * 
# Anuvinda *
# Durdharsha
# Subahu/Suvahu
# Dushpradarshana
# Durmarshana *
# Durmukha *
# Dushkarma *
# Karna *
# Bhima ^
# Vivimshakti
# Vikarna
# Sulochana
# Chitra * 
# Upachitra * 
# Chitraksha
# Charuchithra
# Sharasana
# Durmada * 
# Durviga *
# Vivitsu
# Vikata
# Urnanabha * 
# Sunabha *
# Nandaka * 
# Upanandaka *
# Senapati *
# Chitravana
# Chitravarman
# Suvarman
# Durvimochana
# Ayobahu/Ayovahu
# Mahabahu/Mahavahu
# Chitranga
# Chitrakundala
# Bhimavega
# Bhimavala/Bhimbala
# Balaki
# Balavardhana
# Ugrayudha
# Sushena ^
# Kundhadhara ^
# Mahodara ^
# Kanakaya ^
# Nishangi ^
# Pashi ^
# Vridaraka ^
# Chithrayudha/Dridhayudha 
# Dridhavarma
# Dridhakshatra
# Somakirti
# Anudara
# Dridhasandha
# Jarasandha
# Sathyasandha
# Sadahsuvak
# Ugrasravas
# Ugrasena / Ashvasena
# Senani
# Dushparajaya
# Aparajita
# Kundusayin
# Vishalaksha
# Duradhara / Duravara
# Dridhahastha
# Suhastha
# Vatavega *
# Suvarchas *
# Aadityaketu
# Bahvasi/Vahvashin
# Nagadanta
# Agrayayin / Ugrayayi
# Kavachin
# Krathana
# Kunda/Kundi
# Kundadhara
# Dhanugraha
# Ugra * ^
# Bhimaratha *
# Virabahu/Viravahu
# Alolupa
# Abhaya **
# Raudrakarman **
# Dridharatha(sraya) **
# Anaghrushya/Anadhrishya
# Kundabhedin
# Viravi
# Veeryavan
# Dirghlochana/Pramatha ** 
# Paramathi ** 
# Dhirgharoma **
# Dirghabahu/Dhirghavahu
# Mahabahu
# Vyudhoru ^
# Kanakadhvaja ^
# Kundashi
# Virjasa
</div>{{div col end}}
<small> the count of * next to name indicate the count of other brothers in the same birth.
^ indicate names in one source not in other  </small> --->
All, except Yuyutsu, were born to Dhritarashtra's queen [[Gandhari (character)|Gandhari]]. The Kauravas also had a sister, [[Duhsala]].

==Marriages and children of Kauravas==
All the 100 Kauravas were mentioned to have wives in the [[Adi Parva]].<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m01/m01118.htm | title=The Mahabharata, Book 1: Adi Parva: Sambhava Parva: Section CXVII }}</ref>

==In literature==
[[Harivamsa Purana]] (8th century CE) narrates the Jain version of their story.{{sfn|Upinder Singh|2016|p=26}}

== In popular culture ==
The term Kaurava is used as the name of a [[Planets in science fiction|fictional planetary system]] in the 2008 [[real-time strategy]] video game ''[[Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War – Soulstorm]]'', as well as the names of the system's planets.

==See also==
*[[Kuru kingdom]]
*[[Lunar dynasty]]
*[[Pandava]]
*[[Krishna]]
{{Notelist}}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

==Sources==
*{{Cite book |last=Mani |first=Vettam |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mvXsDwAAQBAJ |title=Puranic Encyclopedia: A Comprehensive Work with Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature |date=2015-01-01 |publisher=Motilal Banarsidass |isbn=978-81-208-0597-2 |language=en}}
* {{Cite book |last=Sørensen |first=Søren |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=c1ROAQAAMAAJ&q=jayatsena+&pg=PA355 |title=An Index to the Names in the Mahabharata: With Short Explanations and a Concordance to the Bombay and Calcutta Editions and P. C. Roy's Translation |date=1904 |publisher=Williams & Norgate |language=en}}
*{{Cite book |last=McGrath |first=Kevin |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HNckDwAAQBAJ&q=raja+yudhishthira |title=Raja Yudhisthira: Kingship in Epic Mahabharata |date=2017-05-16 |publisher=Cornell University Press |isbn=978-1-5017-0821-3 |language=en}}
*{{Cite book |last=James L. Fitzgerald |url=https://archive.org/details/isbn_0226252507 |title=The Mahabharata: The Book of the Women; The Book of Peace, Part One |date=2004 |publisher=The University of Chicago Press |others=Internet Archive |isbn=978-0-226-25250-6 |language=English}}
*{{Cite book |last=Buitenen |first=Johannes Adrianus Bernardus |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=i8oe5fY5_3UC&q=buitenen+mahabharata |title=The Mahābhārata|date=1973a |publisher=University of Chicago Press |isbn=978-0-226-84663-7 |language=en}}
*{{Cite book |last=Buitenen |first=J. A. B. van |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wFtXBGNn0aUC&q=buitenen+mahabharata |title=The Mahabharata, Volume 3: Book 4: The Book of the Virata; Book 5: The Book of the Effort|date=1973b |publisher=University of Chicago Press |isbn=978-0-226-84665-1 |language=en}}
* {{citation |last=Singh |first=Upinder |author-link=Upinder Singh |title=A History of Ancient and Early Medieval India: From the Stone Age to the 12th Century |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Pq2iCwAAQBAJ |publisher=[[Pearson Education]] |date=2016 |isbn=978-93-325-6996-6 |ref={{sfnref|Upinder Singh|2016}} }}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* [http://www.mahabharataonline.com/ Persons and Stories from Mahabharata]

{{Mahabharata}}
[[Category:Kauravas| ]]
[[Category:Characters in the Mahabharata]]
[[Category:Kingdoms of the Puru clan]]
[[Category:Kuru dynasty]]