Kunti.

 

King Kuntibhoja of Vrish is elan, had no children of his own so he adopted a daughter of his brother as her own. The daughter was named Kunti. She was a girl of very pleasant manner and good qualities. Once Sage Durvasa, who was a great Rishi, but feared by all, due to his terrible temper, paid a visit to King Kuntibhoja. Durvasa was very much pleased by the devotion of the girl Kunti. While parting, he gave her a boon. He taught her an incantation by reciting it she could invoke any god to visit her.

As she was very young and full of curiosity, once while watching the sunrays falling on the river flowing near her palace, she recited the incantation, just out of curiosity, without realizing its significance. Lord Sun was standing before her bewildered eyes. When she was told the meaning of incantation she was very frightened and begged Lord Sun to excuse her childish impetuousness. Lord Sun said the incantation given by Durvasa was infallible. He took her and having pity on the young Kunti he said that after the birth of the Son her virgin state would be restored and she would be free from any sin. In due course a son was born. The child was of extra-ordinary splendour and he was born with a ‘Kavacha’ and ‘Kundala’. Kunti wrapped the child in a piece of silk and putting him in a wooden basket set him a float in the Ganga. She could never forget the shinning child with divine Kavacha and Kundala.

After a lapse of several years. Kunti grew up into a pretty woman and chose Pandu as her husband in Swayamvar. Bhishma organised the marriage of Dhritarastra and Pandu. Dhristarastra with Gandhari and Pandu with Madri and Kunti lived in peace and joy for some years. Pandu being a great warrior conquered the territories of Dasarnas, Kashi, Anga, Vango, Kalinga etc. He also subdued Magadha. Under Pandu the kurus re-established their superiority over all the kings.

After this campaign, Pandu and the two queens went to a forest for enjoyment and relaxation. Pandu was a great hunter. Living in the forest during the Vasanta when all the flowers were blazing forth into their blooms and the air was redolent with their fragrances. Pandu spent many happy days there with his wives in the heaven like environs of the Himalayan slopes.

In that forest lived a pious Rishi couple very much devoted to each other. As the Rishi wanted to enjoy the conjugal pleasures without restraints and it was only permitted to the animals, not to man, he and his wife were living as a couple of deer. Once while mating they were seen by Pandu, who shot them with an arrow. The Rishi and his wife, mortally wounded by the arrow, transformed into their true forms. He addressed Pandu, "Being from the line of the kings of the linear race, how you could forget the basic rules of Dharma?" It is forbidden by the Shastras to kill any animal while he is mating. This sinful action of yours will cost you your life. Whenever you approach your wife, filled with love, you shall die.” The Rishi couple died before Pandu would plead with them. Worried, he returned to his Ashrama. He told his wives about the terrible curse and his resolve to stay back in the forest. He lost all interest, and did not wish to return to his kingdom. Hastinapura, he sent back all his attendants and servants to Hastinapura, the wives stayed back, with him discarding all their silk, fineries and jewelleries.

Pandu spent many years living in the forest, like a hermit, with his wives. He had lost all desires and had abandoned all hopes. Gradually, a worrisome thought started growing in him. He had no sons and it is written in the scriptures that one who has no sons goes to hell. He told his wives about this thought which had been constantly worrying him. He requested his wives to conceive through some Rishi. So that heirs could be born to them. He could not have taken his wives due to the curse of the Rishi.

Then, Kunti told the king about the boon of Duravasa by which she could invoke any God to visit her. The king was immensely pleased. He decided that Lord of Dharma be invoked as his son would indeed, be a worthy son. Kunti invoked the Lord of Dharma and a son was born in due course. The child was named Yudhisthira. He was an image of Lord of Dharma himself in his behaviour and demeanour. Pandu was very happy and after a year he wanted Kunti to bear another son. This time Vayu the most powerful, among the devas, was invoked. When this son of Vayu was born he was named Bhimasena. Heavens proclaimed that he would be the most powerful and the most affectionate on the earth.

Pandu, now having two sons was not yet satisfied. He wanted another son. These time the lord of Gods, Indradeva, himself was invoked. It is said that the son born of Indra would be a great hero and very righteous. The child was named Arjuna. Pandu became even more avaricious and wanted more sons but Kunti refuse this time and said that, updharma a desperate remedy is allowed only three times. If done any more times, dharma is destroyed, and then the king asked Kunti to teach the incantation to Madri who did not have any children. Kunti taught the incantation to Madri. She invoked Ashwini Kumar twins, the physicians to the gods. She was blessed with twins, Nakula and Sahdeva. These sons were extremely handsome. They were proclaimed by the heavens to be brave and wise too.

Pandu spent fifteen years with his wives and sons full of happiness, peace and serenity. Once while Kunti was away to an ashram with the sons and Madri and Pandu were alone, the king was over whelmed by the passion. He had not seen any woman during these long years with desire. Now he could not control himself and before the act could be consummated he dropped dead. Lamentations of Madri, Kunti and their sons went to sky. Madri, full of repentance, decided to burn herself on the funeral pyre of her husband. Kunti having the charge of her young sons returned to Hastinapura.

Draupadi - The Pandavas reached the city of Kampilya. They stayed in the house of a potter and were daily going around for alms. They heard in the city about the preparation for the Swayamvar of Draupadi. A huge hall was erected for the purpose and all Kings of far and near kingdom, had been invited. On the top of a pole one fish was made, which was constantly revolving. The pole was fixed in the centre of the hall. There was kept a vessel full of water. Watching the reflection of the fish with five arrows the eye of the fish had to be pierced. It was hoped that if Pandavas were alive then Arjuna would certainly come to this contest, as he was not one to let go off such a challenge. Everyone was eagerly waiting for the day.

On the day appointed all the kings who had assembled were seated with due honour on the thrones put in the hall. The stage where the bow was placed Dhristadhyumna came escorting his sister Draupadi. Draupadi, resplendent in the dress of a bride was holding the "Varmala " the garland to be worn by the winner by her hand. Draupadi, it was proclaimed by the heavens, was to be the cause of destruction of the Kshatriyas on the earth.

Sacred mantras were chanted by the Brahmins and the ceremony started. Dhristadhyumna announced that, anyone piercing the eye of the fish with one of the five arrows, just by seeing the rotating fish, reflecting in the water kept in a vessel was to be declared the winner and Draupadi would put the Varmala around his neck. Everyone was eager to win her.

One by one all the mighty kings renowned for their valor tried and failed. Some were not able to string the bow even, whereas some missed the mark very nearly. Duryodhana failed, Jarasandha, Sishupal etc. all failed. Then Karna started towards the bow. Everyone watched with bated breath. Karna stringed the bow and intently looking in the water at the eye of the fish took aim. At that moment Draupadi’s voice was heard. She declared that she would never marry a Suta-Putra, Burning with shame and insult; he came back to his seat.

Krishna along with his brother Balarama and other princes had also come to witness the ceremony. But they had decided not to participate in it. Their eyes were eagerly searching for the Pandavas. They spotted the Pandavas sitting among the Brahmins. When all the kings failed to shoot at the eye of the fish, Arjuna, with the permission of Yudhisthira, came to the stage and took the bow in his hands. In no time he took aim and shot the arrow, which pierced the eye of the fish, and the fish came down on the floor. A big chaos was made. All the kings united together tried to prevent Arjuna from taking Draupadi . They were all defeated. Finally Draupadi garlanded Arjuna chosing him as her husband.

The most disappointed person in the whole drama was Drupada. He had hoped that Arjuna would be there to win the contest and Drupadi’s hand. The unknown Brahmin was a big surprise. He asked his son Dhristadhymna to follow the Brahmin to ascertain his true identity. In the meantime, the Pandavas had reached their place of stay with Draupadai. Yudhisthira told Kunti that they had brought "Bhiksha" (alms) Kunti asked them to divide it amongst themselves. When Kunti realised that the Pandavas had meant Draupadi by "Bhiksha" great consternation ensued. The Pandavas were dumb struck. They said that Arjuna won Draupadi, but the words of the mother were more sacred than all the scriptures to them. They decided that Draupadi would be common wife to all five of them. Such an assuagement was not entirely prohibited by the scriptures.

In the meantime Krishna, Balaram and Dhristadhymna reached there. All of them were happy to meet the Pandavas. It was the first meeting between Krishna and Pandavas, though they were cousins. They sat there talking for a long time. In the meantime emissaries and Brahmins sent by Drupada came there; He wanted the wedding to be solemnized in the palace with due pomp and grandeur. All went to the palace.

When Drupada heard about Draupadi being married to all five Pandavas, he was very upset and he thought this very much against the dharma. Arguments of Yudhisthira etc. could not convince him. At that time sage Vyasa came there. Vyasa was the embodiment of dharma and righteousness. His opinion was sought on the ticklish issue of Draupadi’s marriage to all five Pandavas. He said that though shastras sanctioned such marriage in rare cases and there were precedents in the past, in the case of Draupadi it was according to the Dharma. She had in her previous birth obtained a boon from Lord Shiva that she would get five husbands in her present life. It was a secret not known to anyone. Lord Shiva’s boon cannot be against the dharma. So it was held lawful by Vyasa that Draupadi should marry all the five Pandava brothers.

On an auspicious day, Vyasa solemnized the marriage. The Pandavas spent some time very happily in Drupada’s palace.