M220 - Pandu's Life in the Forest
Pandu began his ascetic way of life along with his two wives, Kunti and Madri. He travelled from place to place in the mountains. By virtue of his strict adherence to austerity, he became the favorite of various groups of ascetics like the Siddhas and Charanyas living in the woods. Many Rishis (sages) also adored Pandu, some treating him as their son, some as their brother and some as their friend. Some even treated him as a Brahmarishi, a title that could be earned only by a Brahmin. One day, Pandu lamented to the sages about his fate of having to go with no children because of the curse delivered on him by sage Kindama. He said, “Men born in this world have four obligations or debts that they owe, one to the gods, one to the rishis, one to their ancestors and one to other men. The gods have to be pleased by performing sacrifices; the debt owed to sages can be repaid by doing meditation and practicing asceticism, the debt owed to the ancestors can be rep...