M123 - Pandu Invites his Death
After the birth of his five sons, Pandu again approached Kunti at the behest of Madri. Kunti said, "When I gave her the formula for invoking it once, she managed to obtain two sons. She has deceived me. If I give her the formula again, she will end up having more children than me. This is the way of wicked women. I was a fool to have not used the formula to get two children at a time. I beseech you not to command me to give the formula to Madri once again. Let this be a boon granted to me by you."
One day, King Pandu was wandering about the woods with his wife Madri. It was springtime and the forest flowers were in bloom, casting their scent in all directions. Birds like the parrot, the cuckoo, the crane, and the peacock were singing sweetly, and the bees were humming. Bewildered by the atmosphere, Pandu became attracted to his wife, and forgetting the curse of the Sage Kindama, forcibly embraced her. Madri tried to resist the advances of her husband, but it was of no use. Impelled by fate, the great King, overwhelmed by passion, ended his life, trying to pleasure his beautiful wife.
Embracing the dead body of her husband and weeping aloud, Madri called out for Kunti. Kunti heard her cries and came to where Madri lay with Pandu. Viewing the dead body of Pandu, Kunti fell to the ground lamenting. She was overpowered by separation, and she chastised Madri repeatedly for not resisting the King. Madri replied with tears in her eyes, "Revered sister, I resisted the king, but he could not control himself, as if he was determined to make the curse take effect." Madri related to her all that happened and how she tried to stop Pandu's advances. Kunti then decided, I am the eldest wife, and therefore the religious rite of Sati belongs to me. You must now take care of the children and see that they are raised properly.
Madri resisted by saying to Kunti, it is I who should enter fire with our husband. He approached me for pleasure and his desires being unfulfilled, ascended to the heavens. Therefore, I shall accompany him to Yamaraja's abode to satisfy him. If I survive, I shall certainly not be able to raise your children as if they were my own. But you shall be able to raise my sons as if they were your own. Therefore, let my body be burnt with his. Kunti reluctantly agreed to the proposal. With tearful eyes and sorrowful hearts, they built a funeral pyre and laid the dead body of Pandu upon it. Eventually, Madri ascended the funeral pyre of Pandu.
After the mourning period was over and all ceremonial functions were duly completed, the Pandavas returned to Hastinapura. The citizens of the Kuru kingdom continued to grieve over Pandu, who had been occupying a special place in their hearts due to his virtues, valor, simplicity and sacrifice.
Vyasa told his mother Satyavati, "The past has gone by pleasantly, but the future has many sorrows in store. The world has passed its youth like a happy dream and it is now entering on disillusionment, sin, sorrow and suffering. Time is inexorable. You need not wait to see the miseries and misfortunes that will befall this race. It will be good for you to leave the city and spend the rest of your days in a hermitage in the forest." Satyavati agreed and retired to the forest along with her two daughters in law, Ambika and Ambalika passed through holy asceticism to the higher regions of bliss and spared themselves the sorrows of their children.
One day, King Pandu was wandering about the woods with his wife Madri. It was springtime and the forest flowers were in bloom, casting their scent in all directions. Birds like the parrot, the cuckoo, the crane, and the peacock were singing sweetly, and the bees were humming. Bewildered by the atmosphere, Pandu became attracted to his wife, and forgetting the curse of the Sage Kindama, forcibly embraced her. Madri tried to resist the advances of her husband, but it was of no use. Impelled by fate, the great King, overwhelmed by passion, ended his life, trying to pleasure his beautiful wife.
Embracing the dead body of her husband and weeping aloud, Madri called out for Kunti. Kunti heard her cries and came to where Madri lay with Pandu. Viewing the dead body of Pandu, Kunti fell to the ground lamenting. She was overpowered by separation, and she chastised Madri repeatedly for not resisting the King. Madri replied with tears in her eyes, "Revered sister, I resisted the king, but he could not control himself, as if he was determined to make the curse take effect." Madri related to her all that happened and how she tried to stop Pandu's advances. Kunti then decided, I am the eldest wife, and therefore the religious rite of Sati belongs to me. You must now take care of the children and see that they are raised properly.
Madri resisted by saying to Kunti, it is I who should enter fire with our husband. He approached me for pleasure and his desires being unfulfilled, ascended to the heavens. Therefore, I shall accompany him to Yamaraja's abode to satisfy him. If I survive, I shall certainly not be able to raise your children as if they were my own. But you shall be able to raise my sons as if they were your own. Therefore, let my body be burnt with his. Kunti reluctantly agreed to the proposal. With tearful eyes and sorrowful hearts, they built a funeral pyre and laid the dead body of Pandu upon it. Eventually, Madri ascended the funeral pyre of Pandu.
After the mourning period was over and all ceremonial functions were duly completed, the Pandavas returned to Hastinapura. The citizens of the Kuru kingdom continued to grieve over Pandu, who had been occupying a special place in their hearts due to his virtues, valor, simplicity and sacrifice.
Vyasa told his mother Satyavati, "The past has gone by pleasantly, but the future has many sorrows in store. The world has passed its youth like a happy dream and it is now entering on disillusionment, sin, sorrow and suffering. Time is inexorable. You need not wait to see the miseries and misfortunes that will befall this race. It will be good for you to leave the city and spend the rest of your days in a hermitage in the forest." Satyavati agreed and retired to the forest along with her two daughters in law, Ambika and Ambalika passed through holy asceticism to the higher regions of bliss and spared themselves the sorrows of their children.
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