Home › Glossary › Letter Y

Yudhishthira

World Religion
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

Want to hear it? Click the Listen button to hear the browser speak the word using text-to-speech!

The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

The eldest Pandava brother in the Mahabharata, known for his unwavering commitment to truth and dharma, even at great personal cost.

Detailed Definition
Yudhishthira, also called Dharmaraja, personifies righteousness, patience, and moral integrity. His adherence to truth leads to both his greatness and his suffering—such as losing his kingdom in a dice game. In the epic’s final test, he refuses to abandon a dog (symbolizing dharma) to enter heaven, proving his virtue. In poetry, he represents the ideal king and the soul’s steadfast pursuit of ethical clarity. Poets use his character to explore the burdens of leadership, the subtleties of dharma, and the quiet heroism of consistency in a world of moral ambiguity.
Example
Example in poetry:
Epic poetry honors "Yudhishthira the just, eldest Pandava who never told a lie"; A poet exploring dharma writes "Yudhishthira wagered everything in dice, righteousness tested by fate"; In narrative verse based on Mahabharata, "Yudhishthira's chariot rode slightly above earth, truth lifting him"; Contemporary poetry uses "Yudhishthira's dilemma at heaven's gate, choosing dogs and compassion over paradise"; A poet reflecting on integrity writes "like Yudhishthira I try to speak truth, though the world demands deception"; Mythological poetry depicts "Yudhishthira in exile, king become hermit, dignity undiminished"
Additional Notes
Yudhishthira, the eldest of the five Pandava brothers in the Mahabharata, is renowned as "Dharmaraja" (King of Dharma) for his unwavering adherence to truth and righteousness. His character is tested profoundly, most famously when he must choose to abandon his wife and brothers one by one on a mountain climb, and in a game of dice where he loses his kingdom. For poets and scholars, Yudhishthira represents the complex and often painful nature of dharma, where absolute truth can conflict with worldly attachments and responsibilities, making him a tragic and deeply philosophical hero.
Also Known As
Dharmaraja Ajatashatru Pandavas
Skip to main content