The youngest of the children of Paṇḍu, the Sakyan. She was so beautiful that seven kings begged to be allowed to marry her. Her father, unable to decide between her suitors, put her in a boat with thirty-two companions and launched the boat upon the Gaṅgā. The boat arrived in the course of the following day at Goṇagāmaka in Sri Lanka, where the women landed, dressed as nuns. In due course they came to Upatissagāma, where the king, Paṇḍuvāsudeva, warned by soothsayers, awaited their arrival and married Bhaddakaccānā.

Later, six of her brothers came to Sri Lanka and settled in different parts; the brothers were Rāma, Uruvela, Anurādha, Vijita, Dīghāyu, and Rohaṇa. The seventh brother, gāmaṇi, stayed at home.

Bhaddakaccānā had ten children, the eldest being Abhaya and the youngest Ummāda-Cittā. Mhv.viii.18 ff; ix. 1, 9 f; Dpv.x.1 ff.