What's in the Name?

In the past Gandharva Chitrangada fought and killed Shantanuputra Chitrangada because both of them didn’t want to share the name. Paundraka Vasudeva was killed by Krishna Vasudeva. Dasharathi Rama confronted Parashu Rama. 

In the Kurukshetra war fought between thousands of warriors. With 100 Kauravas and so many princes and warriors, many must have shared the names and confusion must have occurred, often.

Sahadeva Pandava and Sahadeva the king of Magadha both fought for Pandavas and latter was killed by Drona,

Jayatsena was prince of Magadha, killed by Abhimanyu, Jayatsena Kaurava was killed by Bhima.

Alamvusha Rakshasa son of Rishyasringa was killed by Ghatotkacha in Dronaparva and Alamvusha Rakshasa son of Jatasura also was killed by him in Karna Parva.

There were three pairs of “Vinda and Anuvinda”. First pair being sons of Gandhari killed by Bhima, second pair was from Avanti, killed by Arjuna and third pair of Kekaya princes killed by Satyaki.

Vrihadvala prince of Gandhara was killed by Arjuna’s son Eravan and Vrihadvala king of Kosala by Abhimanyu.

Name Chitrasena seems to be very popular. In Drona Parva (Ch 134) Kaurava prince Chitrasena was killed by Bhima (still in Ch 166 he fights and gets defeated by Shatanika). In Karna Parva Chitrasena (Ch 6) of sea coast was killed by Samudrasen and Abhira King Chitrasena was slain by Shrutakarma (Ch 14). Panchala warrior Chitrasena (Ch 48) was killed by Karna and Karna’s brother Chitrasena by Yudhamanyu (Ch 83). In Shalya Parva (Ch 10) Nakula dispatches Karna’s son Chitrasena to Yama’s abode.

Even the epic has at times confused. Shatanika son of Nakula was killed by Ashvatthama on 18^th night. But Shatanika Virata’s brother was killed by Bhishma (6/119) by Drona (7/210 and by Shalya (7/165) too!

Gandhari had 100 sons and their names appear with some difference at different places in Mahabharata. Some of the names are Bhimaratha, Bhimabala, Bhimavikrama and Bhimavega. In Bhishma Parva (Ch 64), names of Kauravas killed by Bhima on fourth day include Bhimaratha and Bhima!!

Fortunately, no one shared the names of bows, Gandiva and Vijaya used in the war, neither conches of Pandavas- Panchajanya, Ananta-Vijaya, Poundra-Khadga, Devadatta, Sughosha and Mani-pushpaka. But out of four horses Shaibya, Sugreeva, Meghapushpa and Balaahaka of Krishna’s chariot, name Shaibya is shared by warrior from Pandava side. Supratik was famous elephant of Bhagadatta killed by Arjuna. But Bhima discovered and killed elephant named Ashvatthama and managed to confuse Drona. To confirm the rumor about the death of his son Ashvatthama, Drona asked Yudhishthira if Ashvatthama has really been killed and he got the reply “Ashwathama had died but he was not sure whether it was a human or an elephant- Ashvatthama Hatahatah, naro va Kunjaro va”, Last half of the sentence could not be heard by Drona, which enabled Dhrishtadyumna to behead Drona.

There must be many more names shared by the warriors. With so many names Mahabharata doesn’t give name of son of Duhshasana who had slain Abhimanyu. Durmarshana killed in Shalyaparva by Bhima was son of Gandhari and not her grandson.