Birth of the Pandavas

The Pandavas and Kauravas – Their Birth, Upbringing, and Connections in Hindu Mythology

Pandu, the Crowned King of the Kurus

When Pandu came of age, he was crowned the king of Hastinapura, the capital of the Kuru dynasty. A chieftain of the Yadava clan, named Soora, had a cousin, Kunti Bhoja, who was childless. To fulfill his cousin’s wish for progeny, Soora gave him his eldest daughter, Prita, who came to be known as Kunti.

The Yadavas are central to Hindu mythology, being the clan of Krishna, who later played a pivotal role in the Mahabharata. Kunti’s marriage to Pandu linked the Kurus with the Yadavas, symbolizing a unification of two powerful dynasties.

Pandu also married Madri, the sister of Shalya, the king of the Madra kingdom. These alliances were not only politically significant but also cosmically ordained, setting the stage for the birth of the Pandavas. Bheema’s legendary strength was later showcased during the slaying of Bakasura, the fearsome demon who terrorized villages, reinforcing his role as a protector of the innocent.

Dhritarashtra’s Marriage and Gandhari’s Sacrifice

Pandu’s elder brother Dhritarashtra, though blind, was married to Gandhari, the princess of Gandhara. Upon learning of her husband’s blindness, Gandhari tied a dark cloth around her eyes and vowed never to see the world, making her blind by choice. This act symbolized her devotion but also foreshadowed the blindness of judgment that would later plague her family.

Interestingly, Gandhari’s ten younger sisters were also married to Dhritarashtra, a common practice at the time to strengthen familial bonds. This reflects parallels with other myths, such as Dasharatha’s multiple queens in the Ramayana, illustrating the importance of royal alliances.

The Curse of Sage Kindama

Pandu’s fateful hunt, where he shot a stag in the act of mating, revealed the animal to be Sage Kindama and his wife, who had taken the form of deer to enjoy uninhibited intimacy. The dying sage cursed Pandu:

“Since you killed me at the most tender moment of my life, may you too die the instant you approach a woman with amorous intent.”

This curse draws parallels with Indra’s curse for his act of seducing Ahalya and reminds us of the consequences of disturbing divine or sacred acts. This pivotal event drove Pandu to renounce his throne and retreat to the forest with his wives, leaving Hastinapura under Dhritarashtra’s rule.

Kunti’s Boon from Sage Durvasa

In the forest, Pandu lamented his childlessness, learning from sages that a man without progeny could not attain heaven. It was then that Kunti revealed the boon she had received from the fiery sage Durvasa during her childhood. Durvasa, impressed by her service during his stay at her father’s palace, had granted her a Mantra to summon any deity and bear a child by them.

Kunti’s divine gift is reminiscent of other miraculous births in Hindu mythology:

• Karna, her firstborn son, set adrift in infancy, parallels Moses or Satyavati – Grandmother of Pandu and Dhritharashtra, who was also found as a child in unusual circumstances.
• Draupadi, born from the sacrificial fire, reflects the divine intervention seen in Kunti’s children.

The Birth of the Pandavas

Yudhishthira

At Pandu’s request, Kunti invoked Yama, the god of justice, to father their first child. Yudhishthira, born of Yama, embodied the virtues of truth and righteousness. His birth as the eldest prince of the Kurus established his claim to the throne, akin to Rama’s birth in the Ikshvaku – An Ancestor of Rama dynasty.

Bheema

A year later, Pandu urged Kunti to use the Mantra again. She summoned Vayu, the wind god, resulting in the birth of Bheema, whose immense strength mirrored that of Hanuman (another son of Vayu).

Arjuna

For their third child, Pandu requested Kunti to summon Indra, king of the Devas. Arjuna, born of Indra, was destined to be a peerless warrior. His connection to Indra also tied him to celestial weaponry, as seen in his acquisition of the Pasupatastra and Brahmastra later in life.

Nakula and Sahadeva

Madri, desiring children of her own, learned the Mantra from Kunti and invoked the Ashwini Kumaras, divine twins known for their beauty and healing prowess. She bore Nakula – The Fourth Pandava, renowned for his beauty and equestrian skills, and Sahadeva, known for wisdom and foresight, completing the five Pandavas.

The Birth of the Kauravas

While Pandu’s family grew in the forest, Gandhari, unable to conceive, sought a boon from Vyasa to bear 100 sons. She eventually became pregnant, but after two years, delivered a lump of flesh. Vyasa divided it into 101 pieces and placed them in pots. The first pot gave rise to Duryodhana, whose birth was marked by ill omens, foreshadowing his destructive role in the Kuru dynasty. His 99 brothers and one sister, Dushala, followed soon after.

The method of Gandhari’s childbirth resonates with the myth of Kartikeya, who was born from sparks incubated in water or the womb of the Kritikas (Pleiades stars). This connection highlights the theme of unusual births and divine interventions.

The Death of Pandu and Madri’s Sacrifice

One spring day, amidst the beauty of the forest, Pandu was overcome with desire for Madri. Forgetting Kindama’s curse, he approached her and met his end. Overwhelmed with guilt, Madri chose to join her husband in death, committing Suttee on Pandu’s funeral pyre. Before her sacrifice, she entrusted her twins, Nakula and Sahadeva, to Kunti’s care.

Madri’s sacrifice draws parallels to Savitri, who followed her husband Satyavan into the realm of Yama to reclaim his life, symbolizing the ultimate devotion of a wife.

Return to Hastinapura

After mourning Pandu’s death, Kunti and the Pandavas returned to Hastinapura, accompanied by the sages. Bhishma, Vidura, and Dhritarashtra welcomed them warmly. However, Vyasa, foreseeing the impending conflict driven by Duryodhana’s jealousy, advised his mother Satyavati and her daughters-in-law, Ambika and Ambalika – The Mother of Pandu, to renounce worldly life and retreat to the forest.

Their return marked the beginning of the Pandavas’ formal education and public life, as detailed in the early Mahabharata episodes on the Pandavas’ return and initial training.

This foreshadows the Vanaprastha (retirement) stage of life prescribed in Hindu Dharma and parallels similar renunciations, such as Dasharatha’s grief-driven detachment after sending Rama to exile.

Key Themes and Connections

Conclusion

The intertwined destinies of the Pandavas and Kauravas reflect the complexity of human relationships and divine interventions in Hindu mythology. Through curses, boons, and karmic cycles, the Mahabharata emphasizes the inevitability of cosmic justice and the pivotal role of Dharma in shaping the fate of individuals and dynasties. These themes connect deeply with other epics, underscoring the universal truths that govern existence in Hindu philosophy.