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.
Sage Kindama to Pandu
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!
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.
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.
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.
Pandu to Kunti
Tamil Translation:
இது என் சொந்த முட்டாள்தனத்தின் விளைவு. ஆனால் குழந்தை இல்லாதவர்களுக்கு மறுமையில் உலகங்கள் இல்லை என்று கேள்விப்பட்டிருக்கிறேன்.
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 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.
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.
Your co-wife does not have children either. Let the right offspring also be fathered on her.
Pandu to Kunti
Tamil Translation:
உன் துணை-மனைவிக்கும் குழந்தைகள் இல்லை. அவளுடைய சரியான சந்ததிக்கும் நான் தந்தையாகிறேன்.
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.
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.
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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