Many a times we come across different people with same name around us. We smile over the weird co-incidence or blame the swelling population for shortage in proper nouns!
But knowingly or unknowingly we compare the two individuals only to find the vast difference between them.
Main reasons for namesakes is either coincidence or respect. Parents name their children on their favorite gods or celebrities or their ancestors.
Mahabharata had its shares of namesakes. The epic is filled with such occurrences. I have enlisted few and interesting pairs with same name but totally different character.
- Ashwathama: The last Kuru warlord & Ashwathama: The Elephant
This is probably the most famous namesake, which changed the tide of the war on Pandava’s side. ‘Same-name’ was the root cause of the most infamous incidence of killing Kuru generalissimo Drona by foul tactics.
Unable to get rid of mighty Drona by fair means, Krishna the mastermind, conspired a witty way-out. He asked Bhima to kill an innocent elephant named Ashwathama namesake of Drona’s son and announce it loudly. Thinking it was his son who is dead, Drona tried to confirmed the news with Yudhishthira, (wrongly famed to be a fair one). Opportunist, megalomaniac and a notorious liar, Yudhishthira agreed the hearsay attempting to be ambiguous. But it had desired effect!
Drona dropped his weapons in agony and sat down to meditated. Thus unarmed and grief-stricken warrior was decapitated by unjust Pandava’s Commander-in-chief, Dhrishtadyumna.
It was an example of cheap-trick which was possible only because of namesake.
- Chitrangada: The Kuru king & Chitrangada: The Gandharv King
Chitrangada was the eldest son of Shantanu and Satyavati. He ascended the throne after his father. He was able, just and brave. Soon his name and fame reached far and wide along with his glory.
And it invited an unwanted and uninvited trouble. A Gandharv King also named Chitrangada, came and challenged him for a duel. A fierce battel took place between the two, it lasted for 3 long years! In the end the Gandharv’s King emerge victorious.
The exact reason for the enmity is not known but it seems that the Gandharv was unhappy with Kuru King’s repute. And having same name shadowed him. Thus namesake played a major part in this episode.
- Sahadeva: The Youngest Pandava & Sahadeva: Jarasandha’s son
We all are aware of Sahadeva, the youngest and introvert Pandava. We are also aware of Jarasandha, Krishna’s arch rival who was torn apart by Bhima. But very less is known about his son also named Sahadeva.
After Jarasandha was killed, his son Sahadeva ascended the throne. Surprisingly he fought form Pandava’s side in the Kurukshetra war and perished.
This pair of namesakes were aloof. Only thing common between them was that the fought side by side.
- Radha: Krishna’s Lover & Radha: Karna’s foster mother
This is interesting. Radha, a milkmaid from Vrundavan, was very dear to Krishna during his early years. She is famous as consort of lord Krishna. She is also considered to be his lover. There are many episodes such as Ras-krida, bal-lilla where she is mentioned.
Another namesake was Radha, wife of Adhirath, a charioteer of King Dhritarashtra. She is famous because she is the foster mother of might Karna! She was the one who brought an abandoned child as her own. That the reason Karna is sometimes addressed as ‘Radheya.’
- Lakshmanaa: King Duryodhana’s daughter & Lakshmanaa: Krishna’s wife
Lakshmanaa was King Duryodhana’s only daughter born with her twin brother Lakshman Kumara. She was a beautiful girl. She was abducted by Krishna’s son Sambh from her self-choice ceremony.
Likewise Lakshmanaa was the name of Krishna’s wife. One among the eight principle wives (Ashtabhariya). She was also very beautiful. Even she was abducted Krishna from her self-choice ceremony.
This pair of namesake was associated with divine beauty. Apart from their abduction and marriage they had one more thing in common, and that was, they share their name with a divine nymph (Apsara) named Lakshmanaa.
- Vijaya: The celestial bow & Vijaya: Sahadeva’s wife
Along with people with same name the epic also have weird namesakes. Like Ashwathama, the common name for a man and an animal, Vijaya was namesake of a weapon and a person.
Vijaya was the name of a celestial bow wielded by Karna in the battle. It was gifted to him from his teacher Parshurama. It was divine bow used by Lord Shiva and Indra. The bow was unbreakable and charged with mantra which amplified the power of the arrows shot through it. Thus it made its wielder literally invincible. That is the precise reason why Karna was murdered when he was unarmed.
Vijaya was also name of Sahadeva’s maternal sister whom he married and begot upon her a son named Suhatra.
- Sons of Dhritarashtra & Others
There are many namesake in this lot. I have mentioned a few interesting ones…
- Karna: The king of Anga & Karna: Kuru Prince
Karna, the tragic hero of the epic, King Duryodhana’s best friend shared his name with one of his friend’s brother. Nothing is mentioned about the namesake Prince.
- Bhima: One of the Pandava & Bhima: Kuru Prince
Yes! One of Duryodhana’s brother had same name as his prime antagonist. We can infer that Bhima killed Bhima in the war.
- Jarasandha: King of Magadha & Jarasandha: Kuru Prince
Jarasandha the King of Magadha is a famous character in the epic. He is credited to make the ‘Almighty’ flee from Mathura to Dwarka. His birth and death also are as illustrious as his legendary. He was slain by Bhima in a duel. One of the Kuru Prince was his namesake.
- Vinda and Anuvinda: Avanti Princes & Vinda and Anuvinda: Kuru Princes
Vinda and Anuvinda were brothers and Princes of Avanti from south. They fought from Kaurava’s in the great battle of Kurukshetra and were martyrs. Likewise Duryodhana also had two brothers namesake, who were also martyrs in the same war.
- Ugrasena: King of Mathura & Ugrasena: Kuru Prince
Ugrasena was the King of Mathura and grandfather of Krishna. He was jailed by his own son Kamsa before he was restored as King by Krishna. Later he moved to Dwarka along with other Yadavs. One of Kuru Prince had the same name.
Enthralling Mahabharata! 