M221 - Birth of Pandavas

Pandu was excited by his information. He asked Kunti  to summon the God of Justice, the most virtuous of all celestials. Kunti did accordingly.

By the command of her husband Pandu, Kunti invited Yamaraja. He is most pious and devoted to Lord Vishnu. Indeed, he is a mahajanas and will not pollute our dynasty with sin. Kunti abided by Pandu's order and prepared to call the demigod Yamaraja. (At this time Gandhari had been pregnant for one whole year.) Kunti repeated the incantation that Durvasa Muni had imparted to her, and Yamaraja appeared. By him she conceived a child that was equal to the great Yamaraja himself. When the child was born, there was a celestial voice from the heavens that announced, This child will possess divine consciousness, and he will be the foremost of virtuous. He will become famous as one who rules by the will of God. Endowed with invincibility and truthful speech, he will become the emperor of this earth. This first son of Pandu will be named Yudhisthira, and his fame shall be celebrated throughout the heavens.

Pandu was overjoyed by the birth of such a pious son, and he again ordered Kunti, The wise have declared that a king must be endowed with physical strength, otherwise he is no warrior. Therefore, call for Vayu, the mighty demigod of the wind. Kunti then summoned the celestial being Vayu, and coming before her, the wind god inquired, O Kunti, please tell me why you have called me. Smiling with modesty, she replied, Please give me, O best of the celestials, a child endowed with super human strength and a robust body. Let him be capable of humbling the pride of everyone. Vayu then conceived a child by her who was destined to become the strongest human on earth. When the child was born, a voice from the heavens announced, This child shall be known as Bhima, and by his physical prowess he will conquer all men. 

One day, shortly after Bhima's birth, Kunti was holding him in her lap. The child had just fallen asleep, when suddenly a lion roared. Kunti rose, forgetful that the child was on her lap. The child fell down the mountain side and pulverized a large stone upon which he fell. The child was not hurt in the least, but Pandu was amazed at the sturdy body of his son.
After the birth of Bhima, Pandu desired more children. He told Kunti to practice austerities for one year, and he himself stood on one leg from morning till evening every day in rapt meditation, hoping to satisfy Indra, the King of heaven. Indra, being pleased with Pandu, appeared before him and said, I will give you, O King, a child who will be celebrated for all time. He shall annihilate the impious and give joy to the virtuous. He will be a great devotee of the one Supreme Lord.

King Pandu then called for Kunti, and told her to summon Indra. Kunti, following the order of her husband, called Indra, and by him a child was born that was to be the intimate friend of Lord Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Upon the birth of this child, a celestial voice from the heavens announced, This child shall be known as Arjuna. He will be equal in bowmanship to the great Kartavirya, and in prowess he will resemble Lord Shiva. Invincible in battle, he will propagate the fame of the Kuru dynasty far and wide. After acquiring all celestial weapons, he will retrieve the fortunes of your dynasty. After these prophetic words were heard, kettledrums rolled, and the heavenly gods and rishis showered flowers on the Earth.

The celebrated Pandu was overjoyed and approached his wife aspiring for more children. However, before Pandu could speak, Kunti warned, The wise do not sanction a fourth child even in case of emergency. The woman who has intercourse with four different men is called a prostitute, and with a fifth she is called a harlot. Therefore, O great King, because you are learned in the scriptures, please do not ask me again to bear children.

 After the birth of Kunti's first three sons, Madri approached Pandu requesting, O great King, I have no objection if you do not favor me. However, my great grief is that while Kunti and I are equal, I am childless. If Kunti could teach me to have children in the same way that she has conceived these children, then I would be satisfied. Please ask her on my account. Pandu then lovingly requested Kunti to teach the mantra to Madri so that she could also have children. Kunti readily agreed, and told Madri, Think of some demigod you favor and certainly by him you shall bear children. Madri thought of the twin Asvini-kumara demigods, and within a matter of seconds, they appeared before her. They gave her two children named Nakula and Sahadeva, who were unrivaled on earth for personal beauty. As soon as they were born, a voice from the heavens proclaimed, In prowess and beauty these two children shall excel even the twin Asvins themselves.

Thus five children were born to Pandu, and the great King felt fully satisfied to see the good quality of his children. As they grew, they were favored by the great sages in that region.