Yudhishthira: Son of Dharma

Eldest Pandava, son of Dharma. The dice, the exile, the half-lie to Drona, the dog on the mountain.

Also called Dharmaraja · Ajatashatru · Bharata

King of the Kurus

Who Yudhishthira is

Yudhishthira is Kunti’s first son as queen, called from Dharma, raised as Pandu’s heir. The recitation names him Dharmaraja and Ajatashatru. He is the man who should not play and does.

The dice lose him the kingdom, his brothers, himself, and Draupadi. The war wins it back at a cost he keeps counting. He tells Drona that Ashwatthama is dead — adding ‘the elephant’ under his breath — and lives with that as well.

Names and spellings

Canonical name in this graph: Yudhishthira. Common Mahabharat spellings and titles stay in the aliases rather than being repeated in every heading.

Parents and foster-parents

Spouses

Children

Teachers

In the recitation

Shakuni — the game in the sabha
Uluka — the insulting embassy
Virata — thirteenth year in disguise
Dharma — the yaksha’s questions in the lake
Drona — ‘Ashwatthama is dead’ — the elephant
Duryodhana — the dice, then the war for the kingdom

Narrative role

Adi Parva A voice from the sky names him at birth and says he will rule. He is older than Duryodhana. That is the first quarrel the house never settles.
Sabha Parva Shakuni invites him. He will not refuse a challenge in the hall. Each stake is worse. Draupadi’s question is the one he cannot answer.
Vana Parva The yaksha at the lake asks him questions after the four brothers have fallen. He answers. They rise. That is the other face of the same man who played dice.
The last ascent A dog walks with him. Indra wants the dog left behind. He will not. The dog is Dharma. The recitation lets him into heaven still arguing about his brothers.

How Yudhishthira is related

How is Yudhishthira related to Shakuni? The game in the sabha. Shakuni throws; Yudhishthira accepts every deeper stake. Shakuni
How is Yudhishthira related to Drona? Teacher, then the half-lie that makes Drona lay down his weapons: ‘Ashwatthama is dead,’ and the word elephant said softly. Drona
How is Yudhishthira related to Draupadi? Husband and the man who staked her. Their son Prativindhya dies in the night raid. Draupadi
How is Yudhishthira related to Duryodhana? The cousin he will not kill in single combat until the war has already emptied both sides. Duryodhana

Source notes

Mahabharata text (Adi, Sabha, Vana, Drona, Mahaprasthanika), Ganguli. Dharma as divine parent is recorded beside Pandu. Last reviewed 12 September 2026.

See the methodology for how foster, niyoga, divine, and story-bonds are labelled. Send a correction via About.

Tie to another name

Edited by Jesal Chauhan. Last substantive review 12 September 2026.

Open Interactive Map