M118 - Glory of King Pandu

 As days passed after Kunti gave birth to Karna, time has arrived for Kunti to get married, her foster father, Kuntibhoja invited princes and kings from other kingdoms to be present for svayamvara (wedding) ceremony where she has to pick her husband. The budding youthful Kunti, upon entering the assembly hall, saw the handsome Pandu, broad-chested and endowed with unsuppressable prowess. He was like the moon amidst its many luminaries. Advancing with modesty, she placed the wedding garland around Pandu's neck, and thus she accepted the Kuru prince as her beloved husband. King Kuntibhoja arranged for the wedding functions and bestowed upon Pandu a large dowry. Afterwards, Pandu took his new wife back to Hastinapura and gave her the opulence she deserved.


Sometime later, Bhishma set his heart upon getting Pandu married to a second wife as a result of an alliance to avoid war. Accompanied by his army, Bhishma went to the kingdom of Madra. taking along with him several sages, Brahmins and other councilors. He was received by the King of Madra  in an appropriate way. After extending his hospitality to Bhishma and his entourage, King Salya politely asked Bhishma of the purpose of his visit.  Bhishma said, 'I have come here to seek your beautiful sister Madri for Pandu. You are worthy of an alliance with us and we too are worthy of an alliance with you.' King Salya said, “There is no one other than a member of your family with whom I can enter into an alliance. But there is a custom in our family which I can’t violate.' Bhishma was aware of the custom referred to by Salya. He said, 'I respect your family custom and I will comply with it.' He then offered to Salya a lot of gold, precious stones, ornaments, clothes, elephants, horses and chariots as gift. Accepting these gifts, Salya gave away his sister. Bhishma brought her back to Hastinapura where she was united to Pandu on auspicious day.

Pandu lived happily in the company of his two wives for about a month. After thirty days, he left the palace for conquering the world,  taking leave from his wives, Bhisma, Dritharashtra and other elders. With his vast army, consisting of many akshauhini divisions of soldiers, Pandu subjugated one country after another (A solid phalanx of 21,870 chariots, 21,870 elephants, 109,650 infantry and 65,000 calvary is called an akshauhini). He first conquered the robber tribes of Asarna. He next headed toward the kingdom of Magadha, where there reigned a King named Dhirga. This King was proud of his strength and had made numerous offenses against other monarches. Pandu broke the strength of his army and killed him on the field of battle. Taking everything in the King's treasury, he marched into Mithila and subjugated the Videhas kingdom. He then conquered the kingdoms of Kashi, Sumbha, and Pundra. When all the kings of the world were thus defeated, they considered Pandu to be a demigod like Indra, the King of heaven. They paid tribute to him and offered all kinds of wealth to gain his favor. On hearing of Pandu’s victories, people of Kuru kingdom exclaimed 'The glory of the achievements of Santanu,  and of the wise Bharata, which was about to die, has been revived by Pandu'.

Thus the Kuru King returned to his capital, taking with him his acquired opulence.

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