Hanuman was born to Anjana, a vanara woman who was cursed by Brihaspathi for having pestered him to marry her. Hanuman was extremely radiant at birth and as a little baby, had once jumped into the sky to eat up the sun thinking it was a fruit! During a scuffle among Devendra, Rahu and Hanuman, Indra injured the child Hanuman and Vayudeva got angry with him. In retaliation, he took away the child and went into a cave. The world became bereft of air...

Ravana was born to Kaikasi and Vishravasa, and Pulatsya (son of Prajapathi Brahma) was his grandfather. Kumbhakarna and Vibhishana were his brothers and Shoorpanakha was his sister. As he was born with ten heads, he was known as Dashagreeva, Dashanana, etc. He went to Gokarna with his brothers and performed such severe penance that Lord Brahma appeared before him and granted him a boon by virtue of which he would be immune to death at the hands of...

Drona was Sage Bharadwaja's son and the ultimate authority in archery. He learnt the skills of archery and secrets of Agneyastra from Agnivesha, his father's disciple and taught archery only to kshatriyas. His son, Aswathama, was once ridiculed by some rich boys for not being able to afford drinking milk. Being stung by his poor condition, Drona thought of taking up teaching archery to make some money to improve the family's financial condition. He...

Arjuna was Kunti and Pandu's son born, when Kunti invoked Devendra. At the time of his birth, a loud thunder proclaimed that he would be equal to Vishnu in courage, to Shiva in prowess and would uphold the name of the Kuru clan. He was Drona's best student who learnt the use of Brahmastra upon saving his teacher from the fatal grip of a crocodile. He was able to fulfill his guru's wish and thus brought King Drupada to Drona. He agreed to fight against...

Narada, Lord Brahma's son, was asked to leave Satyaloka, be born twice as a human being in order to understand the trials and tribulations of earthly life. So first, he was born as a gandharva when he invented the Veena. Second, he was born as a son of a housemaid who worked in a brahmin's house. Thus his mind was filled thoughts of God and service to Him. God appeared before him saying that he had fulfilled his purpose. Soon after, there was the...

Known as Bhishma Pitamaha, Bhishma was actually Devavratha, King Shanthanu and Mother Ganga's son. He received a boon from his father that he could choose his own time of death. He vowed never to get married and remained the constant guide, teacher, philosopher and friend to the Pandavas and the Kauravas. He kept his promise of never contesting the King's throne. Accordingly, after his father's death he made his brothers, Chitrangada and later, Vichitravirya,...

Sri Rama , an avatar of Lord Vishnu, was born to King Dasharatha and Queen Kausalya after the king performed the Aswamedha and Putrakameshthi yajnas. Rama and his three brothers had all the qualities of kshyatriyas and endeared themselves to one and all in Ayodhya. Sage Viswamitra once came to the king's palace and requested for Rama to be sent to protect his yajna from two demons' interference. Much to the king's consternation, Rama and Lakshmana...

Vali and Sugreeva were born to a vanara maiden as a boon from Indra and Suryadeva respectively. Vali was crowned the king of Kishkinda. As a result of a number of boons he became invincible. When Ravana challenged his might, he simply carried the demon under his arm and smashed him down thus humiliating him. Ravana had to bow down to him and seek his friendship. There ensued a battle between Vali and Dundhubi, who came in the form of a wild buffalo....