Top 10 Warriors in Ramayana and Mahabharata

According to Hindu mythology there are 5 classes of warrior excellence.

Rathi: A warrior capable of attacking 5,000 warriors simultaneously.
Atirathi: A warrior capable of contending with 12 Rathi class warriors or 60,000
Maharathi’s: A warrior capable of fighting 12 Atirathi class warriors or 720,000
Atimaharathi’s: A warrior capable of fighting 12 Maharathi warriors simultaneously
Mahamaharathi’s: A warrior capable of fighting 24 Atimaharathi’s simultaneously

Here is the list of top 10 warriors in Ramayana and Mahabharata that I consider based on the warrior classes and other powers they possess.

For Ramayana, there are a considerable amount of equally powerful warriors like Lava, Kusa, Parashurama, Kartavirya Arjuna etc during that era. But I have left such warriors out for various reasons.

Who are the Most Powerful Warriors in Ramayana and Mahabharata

10. Angada

Class : Atirathi

Race: Vanara (half man-half monkey)

Notable mention : He is Nephilim (Son of Vali)

Angada, the fierce son of vali, has killed many great warriors from Lanka, including, Ravana’s son, Narantaka, and Mahaparshva, chief general of Ravana’s army. Angada and his mother were the main reason for convincing Sugriva to help Lord Rama to find his wife, Sita. When he was sent to lanka for diplomatic reason where he was humiliated, he challanged the members of Ravan’s court to lift his leg from the ground at which everyone failed.

9. Atikaya

Class: Maharathi

Race: Rakshasas

Notable mention: Had an armor that can be pierced only by Brahmastra

Atikaya,the son of Ravana and the younger brother of Indrajit. Once upon a time when he infuriated Lord Shiva atop Mount Kailasha, the deity hurled his Trishula (divine trident) at Atikaya, but Atikaya caught the Trishula in mid air and folded his hands before the lord in a humble manner.

One who pleased Lord Shiva no doubt one of top 10 warriors in Ramayana and Mahabharata. Lord Shiva benevolently blessed Atikaya with the secrets of archery and divine weapons. An invincible armor of Lord Brahma was granted to Atikaya, owing to which Lakshmana killed him using Brahmastra.

8. Jambavan

Class: Maharathi

Race: Rikshas (Were-bears)

Notable mention: He was created by Brahma himself to aid Rama.

Jambavan, the King of the Bears, has received a boon from Lord Rama that he would have a long life, and have the strength of ten million lions. It is he who makes Hanuman realize his immense capabilities and encourages him to fly across the ocean to search for Sita in Lanka. A well known strongest warrior in Hindu mythology. Several years later during Mahabharata era, he even managed to put a tough fight with Lord Krishna.

7. Kumbhakarna

Class: Maharathi

Race: Rakshasas

Notable mention: He was massive colossus that 1000 elephants could walk over him.

Kumbhakarna, the gigantic brother of Ravana is a fearsome monsterous-Rakshasas who sleeps for six months at a stretch, rising for only one day and then returning to his slumber. Kumbhakarna can slay hundreds of warriors by the sweep of his hand or step of his foot. He injured Hanuman, and knocked Sugriva unconscious and took him prisoner, but was ultimately killed by Rama. When Ravana heard of his brother’s death, he faints and proclaims that he is truly doomed.

6. Lakshmana

Class: Maharathi

Race: Human

Notable mention: He is a quarter manifest of Vishnu and avatar of Adi shesha.

Lakshmana,the quick-tempered brother of Lord Rama is as powerful and excellent a warrior as his brother, and slayed extremely powerful demons, including Atikaya and Indrajit. He also posses many celestial weapons.

5. Vali/Sugriva

Class: Maharathi

Race: Vanara

Notable mention: Vali- Demigod (Son of Indra) /Sugriva -Demigod (Son of Surya)

Though Vali didn’t fight in the war,he and his twin brother Sugriva were equally matched in power ,Vali outmatched him by his boon that he had received, according to which anyone who fought him in single-combat lost half his strength to Vali, thereby making Vali invulnerable to any enemy. This boon alone is enough to acknowledge the fact, when its comes to single-combat, Vali one of the most powerful warrior in Ramayana and Mahabharata will be victorious if the enemy uses his brute strength alone.

4. Ravana

Class: Maharathi

Race: Rakshasas

Notable mention : King of Rakshasas and the grandson of Pulastya (one of Brahma’s Mind sons)

Ravana, a rakshasa is the king of Lanka. He was son of a sage named Vishrava and daitya princess Kaikesi. After performing severe penance for ten thousand years he received a boon from the creator-god Brahma: he could henceforth not be killed by gods, demons, or spirits. He is portrayed as a powerful demon king who disturbs the penances of rishis. Vishnu incarnates as the human Rama to defeat him, thus circumventing the boon given by Brahma.

3. Lord Rama

Class: Maharathi (equal to 7-8 maharathi)

Race: Human

Notable mention: He is the seventh avatar of Lord Vishnu and the only one to posses Vaishnavastra other than Indrajit and Parashurama during this era.

Rama ,the seventh avatar of god Vishnu, he is the eldest and favourite son of Dasharatha, the king of Ayodhya and his Chief Queen, Kausalya.Rama single-handedly slays the 14,000 demon hordes of Khar (in one hour, according to the Ramayana), the demons Maricha and Subahu, Ravana’s chief commander Prahasta and is responsible for the ultimate killing of Ravana himself.

2. Indrajit a.k.a Meghnadha

Class: Atimaharathi

Race: Rakshasas

Notable mention : Possessed all three ultimate weapons of Trimurti’s and many more celestial weapons, can spread darkness and ignorance among enemies which greatly empowered the might of the Rakshasas, Master of Sorcery and Archery.

Meghnadha,the eldest son of demon king Ravana was an excellent warrior. He was given the name ‘Indrajit’ after defeating Indra, the king of Devas by Lord Brahma. A boon granted to him that no one could win him over a battle field if he had completed Yagna and boarded his celestial chariot.

He coupled his supreme fighting skills with various stratagems to inflict heavy losses on Vanara army before his death. Indrajit is one of the few warriors in hindu mythology who is in Atimaharathi class.

1. Hanuman

Class: Maharathi (equal to 7–8 maharathis)

Race: Vanara

Notable mention: He is a Demi-god(Son of Vayu), Incarnation of Lord Shiva (or Rudra) and the greatest devotee of Lord Rama.

Hanuman,who belonged to a half-man half-monkey race was an invincible warrior. He, the son of a vanara king Kesari was the minister of Sugriva and was considered a formidable solider in the vanara army. Mostly importantly he played a major role in the battle by killing thousands of demons and reviving his fellow soldiers and his Lord Rama. Hanuman is immune to all celestial weapons including-Brahmastra, Vaishnavastra, Pashupatastra and others.

Top 10 Warriors in Mahabharata

For Mahabharata, As per Bhishma in Mahabaratha, there are three classes of warriors: Rathi, Atirathi and Maharathi. I have considered only warrior fought in Kurukshetra war.

10. Bhima/Duryodhana

Class: Rathi(both were equal to 8 Rathi)

Both of them where equally skilled with mace and were equally powerful in their one on one. They were almost equal to Atirathi. However Bhima, being the half brother of Hanuman had learned a few tricks from him which helped him in the final battle.

9. Satyaki

Class: Atirathi

Satyaki was the greatest natural-born human warriorin the Mahabharata. He was taught by Arjuna. Everyone else who fought is either a demigod, nephilim, or son of some great sage, or perhaps born under extraordinary circumstances. He is regarded as almost equal of Arjuna. However had no knowledge of Chakravyuha.

8. Ashwatthama

Class: Maharathi

Ashwatthama had knowledge of some great weapons and ranks third in killing the most number of warriors in the war.He is the avatar of one of the eleven Rudras. He is cursed with immortality. He was born with a gem in his forehead which gives him power over all living beings lower than humans.

This gem is supposed to protect him from attacks by ghosts, demons, poisonous insects, snakes, animals etc.He was also responsible for leading the night raid at the end of 18th day of the war and killing all the remaining Panchala army and sons of Pandavas.

7. Ghatotkacha (Night Form)

Class: Atirathi

He is a master Illusionist who can baffle almost all celestial weapons. Karna had to use one of the most powerful weapons in the world to take down this guy, and even then, he took an entire legion with him just by falling down on them. He killed in masses like hundreds and thousands in one blow. Infact when Ghatotkacha realized that he was going to die, that he assumed a gigantic size. When the huge body fell, it crushed one akshuhini of the Kaurava army.

6. Abhimanyu

Class: Maharathi

Abhimanyu is a consummate warrior almost equal to his father. When he enters the unbreakable Chakra vyuha, he holds the entire Kuru host, with Drona, Karna and hundreds of other heroic warriors, in addition to hundreds of thousands of foot soldiers at bay single-handedly. He is killed however, by deceit and a merciless and unlawful slaying while he is unarmed and without a chariot, by the Kauravas.

5. Bhagadatta

Class: Maharathi

Bhagadatta fought on the side of the Kauravas. He is very well known for his skill on his elephant. During the course of this battle, Bhagadatta fired an irresistible weapon called Vaishnavastra on Arjuna.However, Arjuna was saved from death by the timely intervention of Krishna.

Krishna let himself to be cushion for that potent weapon, which turned into a garland and fell on Krishna. The Vaishnavastra was only known to Lord Krishna, Narakasura, Bhagadatta, Pradyumna and Parashurama during the Mahabharata age.

4. Drona

Class: Maharathi

Drona is a great master of Vedic military arts and almost every celestial weapon. He is invulnerable to any attack as long as he holds a weapon of any sort. This is the reason why the only way Pandavas could kill him was for him to throw down all weapons, which he does after hearing the death of his son.

He also has great religious knowledge and wisdom. He becomes the second Kuru commander, and Arjuna is his favorite student. Drona’s refused to teach Karna because Karna was not a prince, lays the foundation for the great Karna-Arjuna rivalry.

3. Arjuna

Class: Maharathi (Equal to 2 Maharathi)

He is one of the greatest archer on Earth and equal to Karna. Arjuna also pleased Lord Shiva who gave him his personal celestial weapon Pashupatastra, Lord Indra and others gods gave him all celestial weapons on his visit to heaven, he is also responsible for slaying the mighty demon race of Kalkaiya’s, Puloma’s and Nivatkavacha’s. One of the great Hindu warriors of India in my book.

Arjuna vanquished Bhishma with the help of Sikhandini. He exterminated an entire Akshauhini of warriors and Maharathas in one day. He also destroyed the armies of the Samshaptakas, Trigartas, and Narayanas. These armies had millions of soldiers and heroic warriors. Arjuna plays the role of the protagonist in the great epic. He holds Gandiva, the personal bow of Lord Varuna.

2. Karna

Class: Maharathi (Equal to 2 Maharathi)

Karna,the son of Surya was born with kavach and kundal. They were armor of divine origins and could not be pierced with any kind of weapons. He donated his kavacha kundalas to Lord Indra, Lord Indra pleased with his generosity gave him the Shaktiastra that could slay immortals. This weapon used to kill Ghatotkacha who was on rampage on the 14th day of war.

Karna’s prowess is equal to Arjuna’s in terms of Archery, however, he possessed strength and other war skills much more than Arjuna. There are many occasions where he over powered Arjuna.According to Krishna, Karna had all the qualities of the five Padavas – the Righteousness of Yudhisthira, strength of Bhima, war skills of Arjuna, Handsomeness of Nakula and Wisdom of Sahadeva. He had Vijaya bow the bow once held by Lord Shiva.

1. Bhisma

Class: Maharathi (Equall to 2 or 3 Maharathi)

Bhisma,the most consummate warrior trained by Parashurama, Bhisma is indestructible by any warrior when he lifts his weapons. Having defeated his preceptor himself, as well as all the kings of the earth, he is the Commander in Chief of the Kuru Army. He has a boon to die when he desired. Bhisma was well versed with tactical formations of the military in those days. Only Drona, Krishna, Karna, & Arjuna could be compared to the vast knowledge that Bhishma possessed. Making him the strongest warrior in hindu mythology.

But there is warrior whose power is more than all of them in the above list and was in the battle field of Kurushetra.

Lord Krishna

Class: Maharathi (More than 5 Maharathi)

Technically speaking Krishna didn’t really fight in the war but he is the one responsible for orchestrating the dead of all big shots. He was the eight incarnation of Maha Vishnu and possessed knowledge on all weapons. He is omnipotent, omnipresent and omniscient. His great power can only be matched by Trimurti’s.

The warriors in the Ramayana and Mahabharata represent the highest ideals of strength, duty, and sacrifice. While the Ramayana emphasizes dharma through disciplined warriors like Rama, Lakshmana, and Hanuman, the Mahabharata showcases complex heroes like Arjuna, Bhishma, and Karna who face intense moral and emotional struggles on the battlefield.

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