Krishna.

Philosopher, friend and guide to the Pandavas in general and Arjun in particular, redoubtable warrior , skilful diplomat ,compelling orator ,beloved of women, street-smart tactician and, above all, propounder of the Bhagavad Gita,the stern religious call to duty in the face of dilemma, one of the core tenets of Hindu religious practice--it is only as a result of Krishna's accepted divinity that he escapes being nominated as Mahabharata's hero.

Krishna the man was a prince of the Kshatriya Yadava clan( for more about the Yadavas, click this link).The Yadavas claim descent from Yadu, the eldest son of King Yayati, the direct ancestor of the Pandavas and Kauravas(Yayati was succeeded by his youngest son, Puru).

By dint of circumstance, and through political legerdemain in India in 1970, the Yadavas today are listed in most( but not all) Indian states as "Other Backward Classes", entitled to special benefits vis-a-vis other Indians.

Continued.