Personality Characteristics of the Panchapandavas in the Mahabharata: An Indigenous Knowledge System Perspective through Adler’s Birth Order Theory
Article Sidebar
Main Article Content
This paper explores the personality characteristics of the five Pandava brothers—Yudhishthira, Bhima, Arjuna, Nakula, and Sahadeva—from the Mahabharata through the lens of Alfred Adler’s Birth Order Theory. The study situates this psychological analysis within the framework of Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKS), emphasizing how ancient Indian epics convey implicit psychological insights. Through qualitative content analysis, the research identifies patterns aligning with Adler’s conceptualization of first-born, middle-born, and youngest child traits. The findings reveal a synthesis between cultural narratives and universal psychological principles, demonstrating the continuing relevance of indigenous literature to modern psychology.
Downloads
References
Adler, A. (1931). What life should mean to you. Allen & Unwin.
Adler, A. (1937). Understanding human nature. Greenberg.
Ansbacher, H. L., & Ansbacher, R. R. (Eds.). (1956). The individual psychology of Alfred Adler: A systematic presentation in selections from his writings. Basic Books.
Cornelissen, R. M. M., Misra, G., & Varma, S. (Eds.). (2011). Foundations of Indian psychology: Theories and concepts (Vol. 1). Pearson Education.
Naidu, L. (2020). Indigenous psychology and the Indian tradition: A conceptual exploration. Indian Journal of Psychological Studies, 65(2), 45–59.
Paranjpe, A. C. (1998). Self and identity in modern psychology and Indian thought. Plenum Press.
Rao, K. R. (2011). Indian psychology: Implications and applications. Springer.
Rao, K. R., & Paranjpe, A. C. (2016). Psychology in the Indian tradition. Springer.
Sharma, M. (2017). Ethical reasoning and character formation in the Mahabharata. Journal of Indian Ethics, 5(1), 23–36.
Stewart, A. E., & Campbell, L. F. (1998). Validity and reliability of the Birth Order Inventory. The Journal of Individual Psychology, 54(1), 41–54.
Subramaniam, V. (2018). Archetypes of virtue: Psychological dimensions of Indian epics. Asian Journal of Psychology and Philosophy, 3(2), 90–106.
Sulloway, F. J. (1996). Born to rebel: Birth order, family dynamics, and creative lives. Pantheon Books.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
All articles published in our journal are licensed under CC-BY 4.0, which permits authors to retain copyright of their work. This license allows for unrestricted use, sharing, and reproduction of the articles, provided that proper credit is given to the original authors and the source.