Tag: history

Vasudeva (also spelled Basudeva) was the biological father of Lord Krishna in Hindu mythology. He was the husband of Devaki and brother of Kunti. Krishna was born to Vasudeva and Devaki but raised by Nand Baba and Yashoda in Gokul to protect him from Kansa.

Karna was the eldest son of Kunti, born before her marriage to Pandu through her invocation of Surya (the sun god). Kunti abandoned the infant Karna, who was raised by a charioteer. Yudhishthira, Bhima, and Arjun were her sons after marriage, making them younger than Karna.

King Pandu died due to a curse placed upon him. While hunting in the forest, he accidentally killed a sage (Rishi Kindama) who was in the form of a deer engaged in intimacy with his wife. The dying sage cursed Pandu to die if he ever approached his wives with physical desire.

In the Mahabharata epic, Sakuni (Duryodhana's maternal uncle) masterminded the infamous dice game that led to the Pandavas' exile and was a key instigator of the Kurukshetra war. His manipulation and cunning tactics, particularly during the gambling match, sowed seeds of the conflict. While Duryodhana was the face of the opposition, Sakuni's scheming was crucial.

Jarasandha (also spelled Jarasandh or Zarasandh) was the king of Magadha who could only be killed by splitting his body into two halves and throwing them in opposite directions. According to the Mahabharata, Bhim killed him in a wrestling match by following this exact method, using Krishna's strategic guidance.

Sanjay (Sage Vyasa's disciple) narrated the entire Kurukshetra war to Dhritarashtra using his divine sight. Krishna spoke the Gita only to Arjun. The world was paused but others did not hear it directly. Dhritarashtra was blind and received it through Sanjay.

When Yudhisthira ascended to Svargaloka (heaven), only a loyal dog accompanied him. The dog revealed himself as Dharma (righteousness) in disguise. No other being - human or animal - was permitted to enter with him.

Bhishma's mother was Ganga, the river goddess. She married King Shantanu and bore Bhishma (originally named Devavrata). After Bhishma's birth, she left Shantanu. Yamuna and Saraswati are other sacred rivers. Menaka was a celestial nymph.

The slogan 'Jai Hind' was popularized by Subhas Chandra Bose and adopted as the national salute of independent India. While other leaders used it, Bose is most closely associated with its origin and widespread adoption through the INA. Jagdish Chandra Bose was a scientist, not related to this slogan.