Other than a few lesser-known tales, when you talk about Indian mythology mostly you are talking about the two epics written in Sanskrit named the Ramayana and the Mahabharata. Like many other mythological tales, Indian mythology also deals with humans having superpowers and skills and is being ruled and guided by their worshipped gods and goddesses. In this article, you are going to have a look at the 10 great heroes of Hindu Mythology.
10 Great Heroes of Hindu Mythology | Indian Mythology –
Lord Krishna
Lord Krishna plays the central role in the Mahabharata as he was the charioteer of Prince Arjuna in the epic war of Kurukshetra between Kauravas and Pandavas. Krishna supported the Pandavas as they were on the good side and were contemplating if they should take revenge on their brothers for their actions or not. Krishna played the character of guide, and Mahabharata is the collection of advice that he gave the Pandavas, especially Arjuna. These are the pieces of advice that are applicable in today’s life and will always be as they talk about what is morally wrong and ethically correct to do as a human being.
Lord Rama
Lord Rama is one of the most worshipped deities of Indian mythology. Ramachandra is the seventh avatar of Lord Vishnu. His tale is told in length in the Indian epic named Ramayana which means Rama’s journey. In Ramayana, Rama along with brother Lakshmana and wife Sita went into exile for 13 years. During exile, Sita was abducted by Ravana and Rama with the help of his close friend and follower Hanuman saved Sita.
Lord Brahma
Lord Brahma is considered as ‘The Creator’ within the supreme divinity which also includes Lord Vishnu and Lord Shiva. His other names are Virinchi, Prajapati, and Svayambhu. Brahma’s weapon is the deadly Brahmastra. His symbol is the lotus flower and his mount is Hamsa or swan.
Lord Shiva
Lord Shiva is one of the most powerful gods of the Hindu religion and Indian Mythology. He is considered the god of death and time. Shiva is also considered as ‘the destroyer’ within the supreme deity that governs the universe according to Indian Mythology, which includes two other dominant gods Vishnu and Brahma. He is believed to reside in Mount Kailash. His signature weapon is his trishula.
Karna
Karna is one of the major characters of Mahabharata. He is the son of princess Kunti who is also the mother of the Pandavas, and Surya, the son of god. He was unaware of the identity of his real mother and father till the beginning of the battle of Kurukshetra. Kunti was an unmarried teenager when Karna was born and this is why she left him and he grew up with Radha and Adhiratha Nandana who raised him like his real son and never disclosed that they are not his real parents. He was on the side of Kauravas in the epic battle being the closest friend of Duryodhana.
Arjuna
Arjuna is considered the most skilled warrior in the epic. He is the son of Pandu and Kunti; and the third brother among the Pandavas. He was the favorite student of Dronacharya, as he was best at handling every weapon. Lord Krishna was his closest friend and mentor in the battle. He got the opportunity to view the divine and real structure of Lord Krishna. The knowledge he received from him during the battle which includes the lessons of life is compiled in Bhagavad Gita, the holy book of Hinduism. Hindus believe that this book includes every life lesson and solution.
Indrajit
Indrajit is also known as Meghanada was the possessor of heaven or Indra Loka and prince of Lanka. He played a major role in the conflict between Rama and Ravana in Ramayana. Using the Brahmastra he managed to kill over 670 million Vanaras, who helped Rama, in a day making him one of the greatest warriors of Indian mythology.
Abhimanyu
Without a doubt, Abhimanyu is one of the greatest heroes of Indian mythology. He singlehandedly went inside the Chakravyuha, killed some of the major warriors, and altered the path of the epic. Abhimanyu was the son of the great Arjuna. He was as furious as Arjuna and a very obedient and disciplined warrior. He managed to enter the puzzle of Chakravyuha but was not familiar with the exiting root of the riddle. The Kauravas took the advantage of having this glorious warrior alone and killed him unethically, against the rules of war.
Bhima
Bhima was the second brother of the Pandavas. He was different from his other brothers because of his firm stature and strength. He had a son named Ghatotkacha with Hidimbi. Bhima was furious during the dice game that commenced the battle of Kurukshetra. He swore to kill Dushasana and drink his blood as he tried to strip Draupadi during the game. During the battle, his charioteer was Krishna’s son and he managed to kill around 1,705,860 men and 787,320 beasts.
Dronacharya
Dronacharya was the guru of the brothers Pandavas and Kauravas. He was the teacher of the advanced military system. Dronacharya was the master of divine weapons as well. He also fought against the Pandavas with Kauravas in the battle of Kurukshetra.
Also Read: 10 Ancient Epics From Around The Globe
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