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The fourth of the पाण्डवस् . माद्री , the second of the two wives of पाण्डु meditated on the twin gods अश्विनीदेवस् , and recited one of the मन्त्रस् given to कुन्ती by the hermit दुर्वासस् and the two sons नकुल and सहदेव were born to her from those gods. It is mentioned in महाभारत , आदि पर्व , Chapter 67, Stanza 111 that नकुल and सहदेव were immensely handsome.

Story of नकुल till the भारत battle

Naming and such other rituals after birth were performed for नकुल also as in the case of the other पाण्डव children, by the hermits who lived in शतशृङ्ग . The ceremony of investiture with the ब्रह्मा string was conducted by कश्यप the priest of वसुदेव . The royal hermit शुक taught नकुल archery and swordsplay, in his boyhood. When पाण्डु died, माद्री jumped into the funeral pyre and died leaving her two sons with कुन्ती . After this the hermits of शतशृङ्ग took कुन्ती and her five sons to भीष्म at हस्तिनापुर .

At हस्तिनापुर , नकुल learned archery under the great teacher द्रोण . According to the instruction of the teacher, अर्जुन had to fight with him (teacher) on the completion of the teaching and during that fight नकुल and सहदेव were the guards of अर्जुन 's chariotwheels. As नकुल was such an expert in wielding the weapons, he got the name 'Atirathi'. [mh-1-138-30 ] Mahābhārata • Ādi parva . When the lac-palace was completed at वारणावत , the पाण्डवस् shifted to that mansion by the instruction of धृतराष्ट्र . When the lac-palace was set fire to, the पाण्डवस् escaped by way of an underground passage and reached the banks of the गङ्गा . There नकुल and सहदेव fell down weary and exhausted. भीम carried them on his shoulders. After बक had been killed, they proceeded to पाञ्चालपुर , where at the स्वयंवर (marriage) पाञ्चाली became the wife of the पाण्डवस् . They returned to हस्तिनापुर . A son named शतानीक was born to नकुल by पाञ्चाली . [mh-1-95-75 ] Mahābhārata • Ādi parva .

After that नकुल married करेणुमती , the daughter of the King of चेदि . A son named निरमित्र was born to the couple. [mh-1-95-70 ] Mahābhārata • Ādi parva .

नकुल was then sent to the kingdoms of the west for regional conquest, by धर्मपुत्र . The wealth of the kingdoms he had conquered, was carried on ten thousand camels to the capital हस्तिनापुर . [mh-2-32-1 ] Mahābhārata • Sabhā parva . After the राजसूय (imperial consecration) of युधिष्ठिर , नकुल went to गान्धार to escort सुबल and his sons. After the defeat of युधिष्ठिर in the game of dice, the पाण्डवस् went to live in the forest. At that time नकुल put soil all over his body and sat on the ground because of his profound grief. In the forest, once जटासुर carried away नकुल . (See under Jaṭāsura) . नकुल killed क्षेमङ्कर , महामह and सुरथ in the forest At द्वैतवन (a forest) नकुल went to a lake to fetch water and was killed by धर्मदेव who appeared in the form of a crane. At the request of धर्मपुत्र , who came afterwards, all the पाण्डवस् including नकुल were brought to life again, by धर्म .

During the pseudonymity of the पाण्डवस् at the city of विराट , नकुल assumed the name ग्रन्थिक . When the period of pseudonymity expired, नकुल fought with the त्रिगर्तस् on behalf of the King विराट . On the return of the पाण्डवस् after the expiry of their forest-life and pseudonymity, when दुर्योधन announced that he would give not even a single dot of land to them, नकुल was very eager to decide the matter by a battle. He proposed that the King द्रुपद should be made the chief captain of the army.

Nakula in the भारत -battle

The following is the part played by नकुल in the battle of कुरुक्षेत्र .

There was a combat between नकुल and दुश्शासन on the first day of the battle. [mh-6-45-23 ] Mahābhārata • Bhīṣma parva .

नकुल fought with शल्य and was wounded. [mh-6-83-1 ] Mahābhārata • Bhīṣma parva .

He fought with शकुनि . [mh-6-105-11 ] Mahābhārata • Bhīṣma parva .

He engaged विकर्ण in a combat. [mh-6-110-11 ] Mahābhārata • Bhīṣma parva .

नकुल defeated विकर्ण . [mh-7-106-12 ] Mahābhārata • Droṇa parva .

नकुल defeated शकुनि . [mh-7-169-16 ] Mahābhārata • Droṇa parva .

He defeated दुर्योधन in a fight. [mh-7-187-50 ] Mahābhārata • Droṇa parva .

नकुल killed the King of अङ्ग . [mh-8-22-13 ] Mahābhārata • Karṇa parva .

He retreated on being defeated by कर्ण . [mh-8-24-45 ] Mahābhārata • Karṇa parva .

He fought with द्रोण . [mh-8-48-34 ] Mahābhārata • Karṇa parva .

नकुल fought with दुर्योधन again and was wounded. [mh-8-56-7 ] Mahābhārata • Karṇa parva .

He fought with वृषसेन . [mh-8-61-36 ] Mahābhārata • Karṇa parva .

नकुल killed चित्रसेन , सत्यसेन and सुषेण the sons of कर्ण . [mh-9-10-1 ] Mahābhārata • Śalya parva .

After the भारत -battle

After the battle, नकुल explained to युधिष्ठिर , the duties of a house holder. [mh-12-12-1 ] Mahābhārata • Śānti parva .

On the instruction of युधिष्ठिर , नकुल became the chief captain of the army. [mh-12-41-12 ] Mahābhārata • Śānti parva .

After the battle, the palace of दुर्मर्षण the son of धृतराष्ट्र was given to नकुल by धर्मपुत्र . [mh-12-44-10 ] Mahābhārata • Śānti parva .

After the battle when युधिष्ठिर performed the horse sacrifice, नकुल and भीमसेन stood as protectors of the city. [mh-14-72-19 ] Mahābhārata • Āśvamedhika parva .

नकुल went to the forest to see कुन्ती , who was engaged in penance during her latter days. [mh-15-25-8 ] Mahābhārata • Āśramavāsika parva .

The end

At the 'great departure' ( महाप्रस्थान ) of the पाण्डवस् , नकुल died in the forest. It is mentioned in महाभारत , स्वर्गारोहण पर्व , Chapter 4, Stanza 9, that after death नकुल and सहदेव attained the position of the अश्विनीदेवस् .

The name नकुल

It is stated in महाभारत , विराट पर्व , Chapter 5, Stanza 25 that the name ' नकुल ' was given to him because there were none more handsome than he in the family ( कुल ) of the पाण्डवस् .