In the Hindu epic Mahābhārata, the Pandava (Sanskrit: पाण्‍डव pāṇḍavaḥ; also, Pandawa) are the five acknowledged sons of Pandu (Sanskrit: पांडु), by his two wives Kunti and Madri. Their names are Yudhisthira, Bhima, Arjuna, Nakula and Sahadeva. Although, Karna is told by Lord Krishna that according to the laws and ethics he is the first son of Kunti making him the eldest Pandava. Hence, he is also a Pandava and one could say that there were six pandavas instead of five. All five brothers were married to the same woman, Draupadi. (Each brother also had multiple other wives.)

Together, the brothers fought and prevailed in a great war against their cousins the Kauravas, which came to be known as the Battle of Kurukshetra. They unknowingly fought their brother Karna who was separated from them before their birth. (Karna was born previously.)

The story begins with the introduction of the brothers' parents. Amongst the primary antagonists was Duryodhan (Sanskrit: दुर्योधन) named Suyodhan (Sanskrit: सुयोधन) at birth, but took the name Duryodhana (roughly meaning 'unconquerable') of his own free will^{[citation needed]}. He was the eldest of the 100 brothers known as the Kauravas, who were born to the blind king of Hastinapura Dhritarashtra and his queen Gandhari (princess of Gandhara).