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Mahipala — Prince of Chedi, Son of Shishupala, Killed in the Kurukshetra War
Mahipala · Mahipala of Chedi · son of Shishupala
Mahipala was a son of Shishupala, king of Chedi, and the grandson of King Damaghosha and Queen Shrutashrava, a daughter of Shurasena of Mathura. He is identified in the Mahabharata as the youngest son of Shishupala. He participated in the Kurukshetra War and was killed by Dushasana, a son of the blind king Dhritarashtra and a member of the Kaurava forces, on the ninth day of that war, by means of an exploding arrow. His textual record is brief; he is named among Shishupala's sons and his death in battle is recorded, but no extended narrative of his life or deeds is preserved in the primary sources.
✦ The Name
The name Mahipala is a compound of mahi, meaning the earth, and pala, meaning guardian or protector. The compound means protector of the earth or guardian of the land, a name appropriate to a royal prince of kshatriya lineage. The primary sources offer no further etymological comment in relation to this figure.
✦ Lineage
- Father: Shishupala — king of Chedi; son of Damaghosha and Shrutashrava; first cousin of Krishna through his mother; killed by Krishna at the Rajasuya of Yudhishthira.
- Paternal grandmother: Shrutashrava — daughter of Shurasena of Mathura and sister of Vasudeva, the father of Krishna.
- Elder brothers: Dhrishtaketu — eldest son of Shishupala, king of Chedi, killed by Drona on the fourteenth day of the Kurukshetra War; Sarabha — who became king of Chedi after Dhrishtaketu's death; Suketu — also named among the sons of Shishupala.
- Sister: Karenumati — married to the Pandava Nakula; mother of Niramitra.
✦ Death in the Kurukshetra War
Mahipala fought on the side of the Pandavas in the Kurukshetra War, the same alignment his elder brother Dhrishtaketu maintained as commander of the Chedi contingent. The Chedi Kingdom article in the Mahabharata reference tradition records that Mahipala was killed on the ninth day of the war by Dushasana, a son of Dhritarashtra and one of the Kaurava leaders, who struck him with an exploding arrow. The ninth day of the Kurukshetra War was a day on which the Kaurava forces, led by Bhishma, pressed the Pandava alliance severely, and several warriors on the Pandava side fell during this period. The Mahabharata does not provide an extended account of Mahipala's combat before his death; his end is recorded as one among the series of notable deaths catalogued for that day's fighting.
✦ Textual Note
The Mahabharata's record of Mahipala is limited to his identification as a son of Shishupala and the notice of his death at Dushasana's hands on the ninth day. No narrative of his earlier life, his conduct as a prince, or his specific martial deeds is preserved in the surviving primary text. His profile is accordingly brief, reflecting the limited scope of the textual evidence rather than any uncertainty about his existence within the tradition.
✦ References
Primary Sources
- Mahabharata, Bhishma Parva (ninth day of battle): Records Mahipala's death at the hands of Dushasana by an exploding arrow on the ninth day of the Kurukshetra War.
Secondary Sources
- Wikipedia, article "Chedi Kingdom": Attests Mahipala's death at Dushasana's hands on the ninth day of war.
- Wikipedia, article "List of Characters in the Mahabharata": Names Mahipala among the four sons of Shishupala.
- Kiddle / Kids Encyclopedia, article "Chedi Kingdom": Corroborates the ninth-day death by Dushasana's exploding arrow.