Gandhara kingdom

Gandhara prince Shakuni was the root of all the conspiracies of Duryodhana against the Pandavas, which finally resulted in the Kurukshetra War.

Shakuni's sister was the wife of the Kuru king Dhritarashtra and was known as Gandhari after the area of Gandhāra (which is in modern Afghanistan and Pakistan).

Arjuna defeated Shakuni's son during his post-war military campaign for Yudhishthira's Aswamedha Yajna.

Janamejaya, a Kuru king in Arjuna's line, conquered Takshasila, probably then ruled by the Naga Takshaka.

He conducted a massacre called Sarpa Satra meaning the slaughter of the snakes, in which the Naga race was nearly exterminated.

It is speculated that another super human tribe called the Gandharvas were originally inhabitants of the Gandhara kingdom[citation needed].

[citation needed] Kuru King Dhritarashtra's wife was from Gandhara (a Gandharvi) and she was well known by the name Gandhari.

Subala was present in the self-choice event of Draupadi and in the Rajasuya sacrifice of Pandava king Yudhishthira.

Gaya, Gavaksha, Vrishava, Charmavat, Arjava, and Suka were mentioned as brothers of Shakuni, all of them being the warriors in the Kurukshetra War (6,91) Karna is mentioned to have subjugated Gandharas along with others like the Madrakas, the Matsyas, the Trigartas, the Tanganas, the Khasas, the Pancalas, the Videhas, the Kulindas, the Kasi-kosalas, the Suhmas, the Angas, the Nishadhas, the Pundras, the Kichakas, the Vatsas, the Kalingas, the Taralas, the Asmakas, and the Rishikas (8,8).

Gandhara army united with the Kaurava army right from the camping phase along with the chiefs of the Sakas, the Kiratas, and Yavanas, the Sivis and the Vasatis (5,198) The following are other references that give valuable information on their role in Kurukshetra War:- Arjuna conducted a military campaign after the Kurukshetra War.