In the Mahabharata, a Hindu epic text, the Pandavas are the five acknowledged sons of Pandu, by his two wives Kunti and Madri, who was the princess of Madra. Their names are Yudhishthira, Bhima, Arjuna, Nakula and Sahadeva. All five brothers were married to the same woman, Draupadi.
Together the brothers fought and prevailed in a great war against their cousins the Kauravas, which came to be known as the Kurukshetra War.
The word Pandava is derived from their father's name, Pandu (Sanskrit: पाण्डु) and means "descendants (sons) of Pandu". The other epithets of the Pandava group are:
Arjuna and Bhima had conquered the eastern and southern kingdoms, and during the Rajasuya Yagna, Arjuna subjugated the northern kingdoms. He defeated the Asura tribes of Nivatakavachas, the Kalakeyas and the Paulomas. Along with Krishna, he burnt down the Khandava forest. During the Ashwamedha Yagna, he conquered the entire world. According to Yudhishthira, of all the Pandavas, Draupadi loved Arjuna the most. Krishna gave him the knowledge of Bhagavad Gita. During the Kurukshetra War, Arjuna slew Bhagadatta, Susharma, Sudakshina, Jayadratha, Shrutayu and Karna. He was the only Pandava brother to know the secret of the Chakravyuha military formation. Arjuna was also skilled in playing musical instruments, singing, dancing and poetry, and taught these skills to his daughter-in-law, Uttarā. Arjuna's grandson, Parikshit, succeeded the Pandavas as king.