Years passed like gentle winds over the forested lands. Kunti, the princess of the Yadava clan, had now married Pandu, the mighty king of Hastinapura. But destiny was not kind. Pandu also took Madri, the beautiful princess of Madra, as his second wife, and together they lived in fleeting happiness.
But fate soon played its cruel hand.
One fateful day, while hunting deep in the forest, Pandu's arrow unknowingly struck a sage and his wife, who were in the form of deer. The dying sage, his voice weak but filled with divine power, cursed Pandu with his final breath:
Sage:"If you ever approach your wives with desire, death shall take you instantly."
Those words rang like thunder in Pandu's heart. Crushed by guilt and sorrow, Pandu left his royal life behind. He gave his throne to his blind brother Dhritarashtra and chose exile in the silent forests, taking Kunti and Madri with him.
But the forest could not silence one longing—the longing for children.Pandu's heart ached for an heir, a child who would carry his legacy.
Turning to Kunti, he spoke softly:
Pandu:"Kunti, summon the gods. Use your divine mantra. Let us have children, even if destiny forbids me to father them myself."
Kunti, with a steady heart, agreed. Standing beneath the open skies, she chanted the divine mantra the sage once gave her.
The heavens listened.
✨ First, she called upon Yama, the God of Dharma and Justice.From the divine light, a child was born—strong, noble, and wise.They named him Dharma Raju (Yudhishthira), and the gods declared:"He shall always walk the path of justice, even when the world turns against him."
✨ Second, she invoked Vayu, the swift God of Wind.The skies howled and from their embrace came a mighty child.They named him Bhima, and Vayu said:"He carries the strength of a hundred elephants. None shall match his power."
✨ Third, she called upon Indra, the King of Gods.A radiant child descended, his presence shining brighter than the stars.He was named Arjuna, and Indra declared:"He shall become the greatest archer the world will ever know."
Seeing the joy on Kunti's face, Madri's heart longed to feel the same happiness.She humbly approached Kunti and said,
Madri:"Please, teach me the mantra, sister. I too wish to be a mother."
With kindness, Kunti taught her the sacred chant.
✨ Madri then called upon the Ashwini Kumaras, the divine twin gods.They blessed her with two sons, shining with beauty and wisdom.They named them Nakula and Sahadeva, and the gods smiled, saying:"These twins will shine with grace and knowledge unmatched in the world."
The forest, once silent, now echoed with the laughter of five divine children.Pandu, Kunti, and Madri were filled with happiness. For a time, they knew peace.
But happiness is fragile.
One quiet morning, the sunlight danced upon Madri's face. Pandu looked at her, and desire stirred within him—an emotion he had long suppressed.
Blinded by longing, he approached her, unable to resist the beauty before him.
But destiny remembered the curse.
The moment Pandu tried to embrace Madri, his life was claimed in an instant.His body fell lifeless, leaving only silence behind.
Madri, stricken with guilt and grief, held her fallen husband and wept. Unable to bear the sorrow, she made her final choice.
She ended her own life, choosing to follow Pandu into death.
And so, the forest once filled with joy, was now left in silence, broken only by the cries of fate.Kunti, now alone, gathered the five children—sons of gods—and prepared to return to Hastinapura, where new challenges awaited them.