Pandu

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For the Tamil actor, see Pandu (actor). For the locality in Guwahati, see Pandu, Guwahati. For the 2021 film, see Pandu (film).

Pandu
Chandravamsha
FatherVyasa
MotherAmbalika

Pandu (

romanized: Pāṇḍu, lit. 'pale') was the king of Kuru Kingdom, with capital at Hastinapur in the epic Mahabharata. He was the foster-father of the five Pandavas, who are the central characters of the epic.[1]

Pandu was born pale, to Vichitravirya's second wife, Ambalika. Pandu married Kunti and Madri. Following sage Kindama's curse, his sons were born through the boons bestowed upon his wife Kunti by a number of deities, owing to his inability to bear children.[2]

Birth and early life

When

Bahlika Kingdom.[3] There ensued a succession crisis in Hastinapura. Satyavati then invited her son Vyasa to impregnate the queens Ambika and Ambalika under the Niyoga practice. When Vyasa approached Ambalika, she was frightened by his scary appearance, and she had become pale in disgust; hence, her son was born pale. Thus, Pandu's name means pale.[4][5]

Pandu along with his elder half-brother

Kripacharya.[6] Bhishma also taught Pandu in the fields of archery, politics, administration and religion. He was an excellent archer and Maharathi (warrior).[7]

Reign and marriage

When it came time to nominate an heir,

Kalinga, Magadha, etc., and thus re-established their supremacy over all the kings and increased the span of his empire.[9]

Pandu was married to

Vasudeva and grandfather of Krishna). His second wife was the princess of the Madra kingdom Madri. The marriage was proposed by Bhishma.[11]

Kindama's curse

Pandu shoots Kindama, who is disguised as a deer.
Pandu shoots Kindama, who is disguised as a deer.

While hunting in a forest (looking from a distance, his vision partially obscured by plants and trees), Pandu saw a couple of deer in the process of

lovemaking, but was not remorseful for his actions either. King Pandu argued with sage Kindama by misquoting sage Agastya's ruling on the right of Kshatriyas' on hunting. Sage Kindama then cursed Pandu that were he to approach his wives with the intent of making love, he would die.[12][13]

Exile and Pandavas birth

Upset and seeking to repent his deed, Pandu handed his kingdom to Dhritarashtra and left for exile in the forest. There, he started to lead the life of an ascetic with his wives.[12]

Birth of Pandu's foster sons

As a consequence of Kindama's curse, Pandu became incapable of fathering any children. One day, Pandu was regaling the story of his birth and his wish of becoming a father to his first wife,

Dharmaraja, the deity of death and righteousness. Kunti chanted her mantra and the deity granted her Yudhishthira. Later, Pandu expressed his desire for a powerful son. This time, Kunti invoked Vayu and Bhima was born. Pandu suggested Kunti to invoke Indra and a valiant son, Arjuna, was born. Pandu felt bad for Madri's childlessness, and thus requested Kunti to share her mantra with her. Heeding his request, Kunti revealed her mantra once to Pandu's younger wife. Madri invoked the Ashvin twins, and then gave birth to Nakula and Sahadeva.[15]

Death

One day, Pandu forgot about the curse and was suddenly filled with lust for Madri. Despite her pleas, he proceeded to engage in sexual intercourse with her. After the act, his curse was fulfilled and he died. His body was cremated within the forest. Attributing her husband's death to herself and swept by remorse, Madri took her own life after handing her children over to Kunti.[16]

See also

  • Pandava
  • The Pandeism of Godfrey Higgins
  • Historicity of the Mahabharata

References

  1. ^ www.wisdomlib.org (21 February 2020). "Pandu, Pāṇḍu, Paṇḍu, Pandū, Pamdu, Pamde: 38 definitions". www.wisdomlib.org. Retrieved 16 September 2023.
  2. ^ "Hinduism: An Alphabetical Guide", by Roshen Dalal, p. 230, publisher = Penguin Books India
  3. Sacred-texts.com
    . Retrieved 15 August 2012.
  4. ^ www.wisdomlib.org (28 January 2019). "Story of Ambālikā". www.wisdomlib.org. Retrieved 16 November 2022.
  5. ISBN 0-333-93076-2
    .
  6. ^ "The Mahabharata, Book 1: Adi Parva: Sambhava Parva: Section CV". Sacred-texts.com. Retrieved 15 August 2012.
  7. ^ "The Mahabharata, Book 1: Adi Parva: Sambhava Parva: Section CVI". www.sacred-texts.com. Retrieved 31 August 2020.
  8. ^ Witzel, Michael (1995). "Early Sanskritization: Origin and Development of the Kuru state" (PDF). EJVS. Archived from the original (PDF) on 11 June 2007.
  9. ISBN 9780595401871
    .
  10. ^ "The Mahabharata, Book 1: Adi Parva: Sambhava Parva: Section CXII". www.sacred-texts.com. Retrieved 31 August 2020.
  11. ISBN 978-1-5437-0576-8
    .
  12. ^
    ISBN 9788170814320
    .
  13. ISBN 9788170702313
    .
  14. ^ "Pandava". Puranic Encyclopedia: a comprehensive dictionary with special reference to the epic and Puranic literature. Delhi, India: Motilal Banarsidass, Delhi. 1975. p. 562.
  15. ^ "The five pandavas and the story of their birth". aumamen.com. Retrieved 31 August 2020.
  16. ISBN 978-981-4459-88-4
    .

External links

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