Madri

Pandu in exile

Once Sage Kindama and his wife wanted to get intimate in open. They turned themselves into an antelope and doe. Pandu crossed that place in the forest when he went for hunt. He hit them wit his arrow. Kindama was attacked. He cursed Pandu that Pandu will never touch a women. If he touch them, he will die on the spot.

You follow dharma and you know the pleasure that comes from satisfaction of desire. But you have killed me before my desire was satiated. Therefore, you will also be united with the five elements! in a similar state, before your desire is satiated.
நீ தர்மத்தைப் பின்பற்றுகிறாய், ஆசையின் திருப்தியால் வரும் இன்பத்தை நீ அறிவாய். ஆனால் என் ஆசை தீரும் முன்பே என்னை கொன்று விட்டாய். ஆதலால் நீயும் இதே நிலையில், உன் ஆசை நிறைவேறும் முன், ஐம்பூதங்களுடன் ஐக்கியமாகி விடுவாய்!
Sage Kindama to Pandu

Whether it is right for Kindama to curse like this itself a debate. But we assumed the curse had an effect.

Pandu was unable to give birth to any child with both Kunti and Madri. This frustrated him too much. To overcome this, he spent his time on hunting. To end a progeny is a pain for anyone. It is their progeny that would help him to find his way to heaven and the route for his next birth. So Pandu was worried if he would die without children. Finally he left Hastinapur in his brother Dhritarashtra’s care and left to forest. Kunti and Madri followed him.

Kindama's curse — Kindama’s curse. Picture credit: wikipedia

Kunti’s children

Meanwhile, Pandu came to know that Gandhari was pregnant. Hapless Pandu realized that he was losing his control on Hastinapur as the ender descendant decides who will rule the country from there on.

The exile life. Picture credit: wikipedia

This is the result of my own folly. But I have heard that in the hereafter there are no worlds for those who are childless.

Tamil Translation:
இது என் சொந்த முட்டாள்தனத்தின் விளைவு. ஆனால் குழந்தை இல்லாதவர்களுக்கு மறுமையில் உலகங்கள் இல்லை என்று கேள்விப்பட்டிருக்கிறேன்.
Pandu to Kunti

Kunti understood Pandu’s grief. She revealed about Sage Durvasa’s boon to her that can help her to summon any God and give birth to its child. Prior to that Kunti explained him the ways of getting children if her husband is unable to procreate in monogamy.

Pandu - Kunti's dialog — Pandu – Kunti’s dialog. Picture credit: wikipedia

Pandu was pleased by this. He requested Kunti to call Yama, the god of dharma. As he wished, Kunti gave birth to Yudhishthira. Then Pandu preferred Vayu, the god of Air. The powerful Bhima was born. The last child of Kunti, Arjuna, was born to Indra.

Kunti invokes Indra: Picture credit: wikipedia

Till today, I think about the real persons behind the names Yama, Vayu and Indra.

Madri’s Twins

Pandu wanted Kunti to give more children. Kunti refused because of the dharma, that says a woman can not sleep with more than four men.

Pandu and Madri in exile. Picture credit: Pinterest

Your co-wife does not have children either. Let the right offspring also be fathered on her.

Tamil Translation:
உன் துணை-மனைவிக்கும் குழந்தைகள் இல்லை. அவளுடைய சரியான சந்ததிக்கும் நான் தந்தையாகிறேன்.
Pandu to Kunti

Pandu asked Kunti to help Madri to give birth to sons as well, so that he can get more more children. Kunti and Madri agreed. Madri preferred to call Ashwini deva-s, the gods of morning and evening stars.

The deva-s came and helped Madri to get Nakula and Sahadeva.

Pandu still asked Kunti to get more kids by Madri. She refused to oblige.

The Pandava-s

Yudhishthira, who followed dharma, being impartial, educated as the chief, Bhima, a strongest to save his elder brother, Arjuna, a brave warrior to get victories after victories, Nakula-Sahadeva with skills in arts, science, finance, administration etc. – these descendants of Pandu are called the Pandava-s.

The Descent of Pandu

Pandu lived happily with his kids in the forest. There comes an end!

One day in his exile life, Pandu saw Madri beautifully dressed in her ornaments and his desire was stirred. Pandu can not and Madri did not resist. But he died as soon as he touched her. Sage Kindama might be out of his grudge then.

Pandu - Madri. Picture credits: Unknown — Pandu – Madri. Picture credits: Unknown

Kunti and Pandava-s arranged for his funeral in the forest itself. Then Madri ascended the funeral pyre with him. Before that she requested Kunti to affectionately rear the twins. Madri might have envied her for her first wife status. Still she might have realized the kind hearted nature of Kunti. She chose to leave her twins under her care while she followed Pandu to eternity.

Kunti took good care of them.

The Pandavas, https://www.deviantart.com/molee/art/Kunti-and-Pandavas-412944958

Thus Pandu’s life ended without going back to Hastinapur. After Pandu left this world, rishi-s took Kunti and Pandava princes back to Hastinapur.

References / Gratitude:

The illustrated Mahabharata, Dorling Kindersley India, Penguin Random House, 1st Ed. 2017
The Mahabharata Set Of 10 Volumes, Bibek Debroy

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Kunti and Karna

Surasena was the chief of Yadu-s. He is the father of Vasudeva. His daughter was named as Pritha, a matchless beautiful girl. Surasena gifted her female child to Kuntibhoja, his father’s sister’s son, as he was childless. In her step-father’s house, she was appointed to greet and honor the gods and guests. She was renamed as Kunti

This virtuous lady served rishi Durvasa during his visit. The delighted rishi taught a mantra to Kunti.

Whichever gods you summon through the use of this mantra, will grant you sons through their grace.

Tamil Translation:
இந்த மந்திரத்தின் மூலம் நீ எந்த கடவுளை அழைத்தாலும், அவர்களின் அருளால் உனக்கு மகன்கள் பிறப்பார்கள்.
– Durvasa to Kunti, Adi Parva, The Mahabharata Set Of 10 Volumes

Though she is still a virgin, she summoned Arka, the sun God, out of curiosity. She became a mother of a warrior. To escape from the blames of her parents and relatives, she left the child in a Wooden deck and left it in water.

He was later saved by Adhiratha and Radha. They named the baby boy as Vasushena and raised as their child.

Kunti marries Pandu

When Kunti was at marriageable age, his father arranged for Swayamvara. Kings across the world were invited to participate. Kunti found Pandu, the king of Hastinapur and the son of Vichitravirya. Kuntibhoja was happy too as this marriage will bring his kingdom close to Kuru dynasty. Kunti was the first grand-daughter-in-law for Satyavati.

Kunti's marriage with Pandu, Painting from Jammu and Kashmir — Kunti’s marriage with Pandu, Painting from Jammu and Kashmir

Pandu marries Madri

Pandu and Kunti did not make any children. Children were seen as important in kingdom as they succeed the throne after his father. It was considered as King’s rights to find additional wives if his queen is unable to make child. Kunti’s reputation was stained due to her premarital liaison as well.

Pandu went on expedition to expand his kingdom. He went to Madra kingdom also. (present day Sialkot in Pakistan). Though it is his inability to give birth to a child with Kunti, he purchased Madri, who was known for her exceptional beauty. She is the princess of Madra and sister of ruler Shalya.

Thereafter, with Devavrata Bhishma, he went to the capital city of the Madra kingdom. Madri, the daughter of the king of Madra, lived there. She was famous in the three worlds and among all the kings for her beauty, which was unmatched on earth. For Pandu’s sake, he bought her with a great deal of riches. Bhishma got the great-souled Pandu married off.
Vaisampayana to Janamejaya, Adi Parva, The Mahabharata Set Of 10 Volumes

Pandu won many kingdoms. He got enormous wealth from the treasuries of such small kingdoms. He gifted it to Bhishma, Satyavati, Ambika and Ambalika as Dhritarashtra preferred. But his inability to beget a child made his life stressful. To win over it, he spent time on hunting in forests.

Gandhara princess agree to marry Dhritarashtra

Bhishma looked for a princess to marry the blind prince Dhritarashtra almost at the same time Pandu got married. He was searching for a beautiful bride from a powerful kingdom. He felt Gandhari, daughter of Gandhara king Suvala, may be a good match. He heard that the princess of Gandhara is not only beautiful but also had a good fortune as she has been granted a boon by Shiva – using which she will be a mother of hundred sons.

Bhishma sent a word to Suvala. Suvala was confused because of the blindness of the elder prince of Hastinapur. But the power of Kuru’s kingdom was an attractive offer to him. He agreed and started the nuptial process.

On hearing about misfortune of her to-be-husband, princess Gandhari decided not to get any external pleasures which was not naturally available to her husband and blind-folded herself using a piece of cloth. Thus a blind folded queen was a strong metaphor in Indian mythology.

O descendant of the Bharata lineage! O king! When Gandhari heard that Dhritarashtra was blind and that both her father and mother had agreed to give her to him, the beautiful one who possessed many qualities picked up a piece of cloth. As devotion to her husband, she tied up her eyes with this, deciding resolutely that she would never experience more than what her husband could….. O descendant of the Bharata lineage! Gandhari of the beautiful hips satisfied all the Kurus with her acts, behaviour, attentiveness and conduct. She was devoted to her husband. She did not even mention other men in her speech.

Tamil Translation:
பரத பரம்பரையில் வந்தவனே! அரசே! திருதராஷ்டிரன் பார்வையற்றவனாகவும், அவளை அவனுக்குக் கொடுக்கத் தன் தந்தையும், தாயும் சம்மதித்ததைக் கேள்வியுற்ற பல குணங்கள் கொண்ட அந்த அழகிய காந்தாரி, ஒரு துண்டை எடுத்தாள். கணவனின் மேல் உள்ள பக்தியாக, தன் கணவனால் முடிந்ததை விட அதிகமாக அனுபவிக்க மாட்டேன் என்று தீர்மானமாக அவள் கண்களைக் கட்டினாள்…. பரத பரம்பரையில் வந்தவனே! மெல்லிடையாள் காந்தாரி தன் செயல்கள், நடத்தை, கவனிப்பு மற்றும் நடத்தை ஆகியவற்றால் அனைத்து குரு வம்சத்தினரையும் திருப்திப்படுத்தினாள். கணவனிடம் பக்தி கொண்ட அவள், தன் பேச்சில் மற்ற ஆண்களைக் குறிப்பிடவே இல்லை.
Vaishampayana to Janamejaya, Adi Parva, The Mahabharata Set Of 10 Volumes

Gandhari entered into Hastinapur with all her riches and traditional offerings. As per their tradition, her brother Shakuni, known to be a destroyer, went along with her.

Dhritarashtra – though he is elder – was forbidden from the throne due his disability. Whatever he lost, he wanted to give it to his son. So he said Gandhari that they should give birth to a son before Pandu, so that his son can lead the seniority.