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SAHADEVA I The fifth among the Pāṇḍavas. facts about Sahadeva are related under the headings, Dharmaputra, Bhīma, arjuna, Nakula and Pāṇḍavas. only those facts, which have not been so related are given hereunder. ) 1) A brief biographical sketch. Sahadeva was the son of Pāṇḍu by his wife Mādrī. two sons, Nakula and Sahadeva were born to Mādrī by the Aśvinīdevas. along with Yudhiṣṭhira, Bhīma and arjuna, sons of Kuntī, Nakula and Sahadeva spent their childhood in the company of Sages at Śataśṛṅga mountain. Pāṇḍu died and Mādrī followed him in the funeral pyre. after that the Pāṇḍavas lived at Hastināpura under the care of Kuntī. When the ‘lac-palace’ was burnt down, they took themselves to the forest and ruled the kingdom with Indraprastha as capital. The Pāṇḍavas, who were defeated in the game of dice went again into the forest. their going into the forest has been described as follows by Vidura. Yudhiṣṭhira, covering his face with cloth and Bhīma stretching out his powerful hands moved into the forest. arjuna followed them throwing up sand particles. Sahadeva went rubbing his face with earth, Nakula, the most handsome of men, followed them, his body smeared with dust. Pāñcālī, her face concealed in hair and weeping went behind the king. sage Dhaumya with Kuśa grass in his hands, accompanied them chanting vedic hymns. [Sabhā Parva, Chapter 80] . Dhṛtarāṣṭra asked Vidura why the Pāṇḍavas assumed these different poses and attitudes and Vidura answered him thus: Yudhiṣṭhira covered his face to show that he would not retaliate in anger though he had lost the kingdom due to cheating. Bhīma stretched out his hands to show that he was unrivalled in manual power. arjuna threw out sand to say that he would shoot his arrows into the enemy camp like particles of sand. Sahadeva rubbed earth on his face as he did not want anybody to distinguish his face. Nakula, the most handsome of men, smeared his face with dust so that, on the way, women should not desire him. When the Pāṇḍavas returned after twelve years' stay in exile in the forest and one year's stay incognito Duryodhana refused to allot them even a single house, and war for eighteen days between the Kauravas and the Pāṇḍavas was fought in the field of Kurukṣetra. The Kauravas were wiped out. Yudhiṣṭhira became king and performed the Rajasūyayajña after which the Pāṇḍavas went out on the great journey and gave up their lives. 2) other information about Sahadeva. (1) he was dedicated to the service of elders. [Ādi Parva, Chapter 1, Verse 114] . (2) he was exceptionally handsome. [Ādi Parva, Chapter 67, Verse 111] . (3) In the fight that followed arjuna's endeavour to capture king Drupada to be presented as Gurudakṣiṇā (tuition fee to Droṇa, who trained the Pāṇḍavas in the use of arms) Nakula and Sahadeva protected the wheels of arjuna's chariot. [Ādi Parva, Chapter 137, Verse 27] . (4) A son called Śrutasena (Śrutakarman) was born to him of Pāñcālī. [Ādi Parva, Chapter 220, Verse 80] . (5) he had also married the daughter of king Dyutimān of Madra called Vijayā and the couple had a son called Suhotra. [Ādi Parva, Chapter 95, Verse 80] . (6) he defeated Virāṭa, the Matsya king in battle. [Sabhā Parva, Chapter 31, Verse 2] . (7) he conquered the southern kingdoms on the orders of Yudhiṣṭhira. [Sabhā Parva, Chapter 30] . (8) he defeated Dantavaktra in battle. [Sabhā Parva, Chapter 31, Verse 59] . (9) he defeated Nīla, king of Māhiṣmatī, in a fierce battle and collected taxes from him. [Sabhā Parva, Chapter 31, Verse 59] . (10) he deputed Ghaṭotkaca to collect taxes from Vibhīṣaṇa, king of Laṅkā. Vibhīṣaṇa sent Ghaṭotkaca back with a lot of gold and gems. Vibhīṣaṇa also deputed 88,000 Rākṣasas to carry the gold etc. ---10--- . (11) he was Yudhiṣṭhira's minister during the Rājasūya yajña. ---11--- . (12) after the yajña was over, he conducted Droṇa and Aśvatthāmā back to their palaces. ---12--- . (13) he took the vow that he would kill Śakuni. ---13--- . (14) In the battle that followed the abduction of Draupadī by Jayadratha, the chariot of Yudhiṣṭhira went out of action and he, therefore, rode in the chariot of Sahadeva. ---14--- . (15) during his life-incognito he thought of assuming the name Tantripāla. ---15--- . (16) he went to king Virāṭa disguised as Vaiśya called Ariṣṭanemi and got himself appointed as head of the king's dairy. ---16--- . (17) he, in the guise of a dairy-man, used to give milk, butter-milk etc. to the Pāṇḍavas. ---17--- . (18) Sañjaya emphasized the fact that Sahadeva was a heroic warrior to Dhṛtarāṣṭra. ---18--- . (19) When Yudhiṣṭhira, during the great war, divested himself of his armour and started towards the Kaurava army, Sahadeva questioned the action. ---19--- . (20) On the first day of the battle he fought a duel with Durmukha. ---20--- . (21) he defeated Vikarṇa, Śalya and others in the battle. ---21--- . (22) he annihilated the cavalry of the Kauravas. ---22--- . (23) he ran away from the battle-field. ---23--- . (24) he fought a duel with Kṛpācārya. ---24--- . (25) he fought with Śakuni. ---25--- . (26) he fought again with Durmukha. ---26--- . (27) he killed Nirmitra, the Trigarta prince. ---27--- . (28) In the fight with Karṇa he got defeated. ---28--- . (29) he defeated Duśśāsana in battle. ---29--- . (30) When Sātyaki was about to kill Dhṛṣṭadyumna, he pacified the former by a tactful speech. ---30--- . (31) he defeated Pauṇḍrarāja. ---31--- . (32) he defeated Duśśāsana again. ---32--- . (33) he got wounded in the fighting with Duryodhana. ---33--- . (34) he defeated Ulūka. ---34--- . (35) he killed Śalya's son. ---35--- . (36) he killed Ulūka, son of Śakuni. ---36--- . (37) he killed Śakuni. ---37--- . (38) after the war, Yudhiṣṭhira allotted Durmukha's palace to Sahadeva. ---38--- . (39) In the matter of dharmārthakāmas (righteousness, material wealth and enjoyment of love life) he attached more importance to artha (material resources). ---39--- . (40) during the Rājasūya the duty of managing domesstic affairs was entrusted to him by Vyāsa and Yudhiṣṭhira. ---40--- . (41) after the great war he visited and saluted Kuntī, who lived in the forest then. ---41--- . (42) In the great journey (Mahāprasthāna) he walked in front of Pāñcālī and behind Nakula. ---42--- . (43) Synonyms used in Mahābhārata for Sahadeva: Āśvineya, Aśvinīsuta, Bharataśārdūla, Bharatasattama, Kauravya, Kurunandana, Mādrīputra. Mādreya, Nakulānuja, Pāṇḍava, Pāṇḍunandana, Tantripāla, yama, Yamaputra. SAHADEVA II A maharṣi, who lived in the court of indra. ---43--- . SAHADEVA III A king in ancient india. he lived in the court of yama worshipping the latter. ---44--- . SAHADEVA IV A son of Jarāsandha about whom the following facts are collected from the Mahābhārata. (1) Asti and Prāpti, two wives, of Kaṁsa were the sisters of this Sahadeva. ---45--- . (2) he was present at the wedding of Draupadī. ---46--- . (3) after the death of Jarāsandha he took refuge with Śrī Kṛṣṇa, who crowned him king of Mathurāpurī. [M.B. Southern text, Sabhā Parva, Chapter 24] . (4) In the great war he came to the help of Yudhiṣṭhira with one akṣauhiṇī (division of army). ---48--- . (5) he was one of the seven Mahārathins of the Pāṇḍava army. [Udyoga Parva, Chapter 187, Verse 11] . (6) he was killed in the great war by Droṇa. ---50--- . SAHADEVA V A Rākṣasa, son of Dhūmrākṣa and father of Kṛśāśva. [Bhāgavata, Skandha 9] . SAHADEVA VI A king of the solar dynasty, son of Dharmandhana (or Dharmanandana) and father of Jayatsena. [Bhāgavata, Skandha 9] . SAHADEVA VII A king of the solar dynasty, son of Sudāsa and father of Somaka. ---53--- .
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