Episode 7

The birth of Five Pandavas- Two Mothers and Five Fathers[i]

The Dharma that underscores in the Narrative

Hi Readers! Here is the story of the birth of Pandavas- two mothers with five celestial fathers. How was it socially accepted? What is the Dharma that underscores the narrative? Please read and reflect.

Dhritarashtra and Pandu Raja are the two sons of Vichitraveerya of the Kuru dynasty. The elder son, Dhritarashtra inherited the throne of Hastinapura (present day Delhi) as he was the eldest son. As he was blind by birth, Pandu Raja became the de facto ruler and expanded the frontiers of the country by virtue of his valor and bravery. He married Kunti, the paternal aunt of Krishna. With the blessings of Bhishma he also married Madri, the lady from Madra desa (present day Punjab). He was so valorous that everyone reposed lot of trust on him as a person who can build an empire for Kurus and retain the lineage of Kurus.

One day Pandu Maharaja went out with his wives to a forest for hunting. With incorrigible pride pricking his senses, he started aiming at all animals that come across his passage. The arrogance of Pandu Maharaj reached its pinnacle that he shot at two deer that were mating in pleasure. The deadly arrows have driven out the lives of the deer. The male deer, before breathing its last, surprisingly looked at Pandu Maharaj and told, ‘Maharaj, I and my wife are in fact Munis, and we took the form of deer for pleasure. Now you have taken out our lives. I agree that it is dharma for a king to kill the animals in a forest.  But, as a ruler of a great empire, you must know the constraints. No king is supposed to kill those that cannot run, those that are in sensuous pleasure, those that are suffering from disease, and those that are giving birth to their kids. You are born in a family of Bharata and how can you deviate the path of dharma?’ 

Pandu Maharaja was impatient to listen the sober words of the deer and arrogantly argued, ‘Kings may display patience with the enemies but not with animals. We don’t get any sin by killing animals due to the boon of sage Agastya’. Before he could finish, the Muni in the form of deer got angry for the king’s refusal to accept his mistake. Instantaneously he cursed the king that he would die whenever he indulges in sensual pleasure with his wives. ‘Your wife also dies along with you’, he roared. Then the deer collapsed to the ground.

The heights of arrogance have dipped to their nadir and Pandu Maharaj was depressed. He advised both his wives to leave for Hastinapura so that he can take up Vanaprasta[ii] and go to forests for penance. Then both his wives wept bitterly and begged his consent for their stay with him and doing services when he was in penance. At last he agreed and both wives were with him only. But the thought of lacking progeny was haunting him always. The tradition believes that those who don’t have children cannot redeem their debt to their forefathers (pitru rina[iii]). How can he have children? The curse of the deer is hanging like a Damocles’ sword over his head. One day he took Kunti into confidence and advised her to have children as per dharma[iv] since he cannot beget children with her. He explained the nuances of dharma and the twelve types of begetting children as per societal morals prevailing in the times.

Kunti was little perturbed. She pleaded as to how she can have children with someone other than her husband. Then she narrated a story of one king by name Vyushitasva. Vyushitasva died at an early age without progeny. His wife Bhadra wept and wept and ultimately hugged the dead body of his husband and refused to leave the place.  A celestial voice from the body blessed her four children. ‘Just as Bhadra had begotten the children by the dead body due to divine blessings, I also can have children from you if you invoke divine blessings while alive’, Kunti argued.

But divine blessings cannot happen for everybody. Having known this limitation, Pandu Maharaja told, ‘Have you not heard the story of the great sage, Svetaketu? One day an old Bramhin wanted to have his mother and held her hand in the presence of his father; and Swetaketu got very angry and restricted and restrained ladies from having an affair with other men. Svetaketu rejected the free sex for ladies and made it a sin”. Pandu Maharaja continued, “but a lady can have children from other man if she was requested by her own husband. Madayanthi, the wife of king Kalmashapada had a son, Ashmaka with sage Vasishta on the advice of her husband. My brothers Dhritarashtra and Vidura and I have born to Ved Vyasa in the same way. Having children with the consent of husband by other men is not far from dharma. One should preserve one’s lineage and for this purpose it is necessary to have children by other means by taking the husband into confidence. You please do as I request you to do and preserve our lineage on the planet’. Kunti could no more reject the idea of her husband. She had a gift (mantra) by sage Durvasa that any person of her choice she can choose for progeny. She asked Pandu Maharaja as to whom she has to choose. Pandu Maharaja advised her to invite Dharma Devata, Vayu (the wind god) and Indra (king of gods). Accordingly she had children Dharmaraja, Bhima and Arjuna from Dharma Devata, Vayu Deva and Devendra.

Upon the request of Pandu Maharaja, Kunti initiated the mantra of sage Durvasa to Madri also. As per the wishes of Pandu Maharaja, she had sons, Nakula and Sahadeva from the twin brothers of Asvin Devatas.

---

[i]  This story is taken from Adi Parva of Maha Bharata by sage Ved Vyasa.

[ii] In Hindu tradition, there are four stages of life- Bramhacharya (the stage of student life in the hermitage of a teacher also called Guru), Grihasta ashrama (leading family life while supporting mendicants), Vanaprastha ashrama (retiring into forest avoiding sensual pleasures. This is a transition stage from Grihasta to Sanyasa; and the last stage is Samnyasa (stage of detachment from worldly pleasures in pursuit of Liberation).

[iii] In Hindu tradition there are three debts for every one born in the society –

1.     Pitru rin (debt to parents and fore fathers) - Since parents are responsible for our birth and upbringing, it is obligatory to take care of them when they are old. To have children and perpetuate the lineage is the tribute that we can do to our fore fathers. (For elaborate details of these three debts one should read the basic tenets of Hinduism).

2.     Dev rin (debt to gods)-  this is the debt to the one who creates and sustains the universe for us. This can be discharged by abiding in prayer and living in harmony with cosmic forces.

3.     Rishi rin (debt to the sages) – The sages has transmitted knowledge to us through Vedas and Upanishads. The debt is discharged by reading and teaching and spreading the gospel of righteousness to all people.

[iv] Maha Bharata discusses the ways of begetting sons. They are as follows:

1.     Svayamjata - स्वयंजात -(also known as Aurasa- औरस) – a son begotten by the man himself from his legitimate wife.

2.     Kshetraja – क्षेत्रज (Also called Niyoga- नियोग) On the advice of husband, a son born to his wife by others

3.     Dattaka- दत्तक –a son born to other parents but given as a gift to a person

4.     Kritrima – कृत्रिम-  Someone who was brought out of affection and reared up as son.

5.     Gudotpanna – गूढोत्पन्ना -a son born from the legally wedded wife by someone without one’s knowledge.

6.     Apaviddha- अपविद्धा -a child deserted by some parents and reared up as son by a person

7.     Kanina-  कनीन- Son secretly born to an unmarried woman. The secretly born child to a maiden in her father’s house is known as the kanina son of the one who marries her.

8.     Sahodha- – सहोढ –a son born to the wife who by the time of marriage was pregnant by some other man.

9.     Kreeta – क्रीत- a child born to other parents and bought for money by a person

10.                        Paunarbhava- पौनर्भव- the son born to a woman  deserted by her husband or a remarried widow by a person

11.                        Svayamdatta- स्वयं दत्त – a boy comes on his own pleading to take him up as a son

12.                        Jnata – ज्ञात -a child of same gotra (In Hindu culture, the term gotra is almost akin to clan. It refers to people who are descendants in an unbroken male line from a common male ancestor.

There are different versions in the order of social acceptability as per Ved Vyasa, Manu and other later law givers of Hindu code of Personal Law. In this the first two types- Aurasa and kshetraja are of higher social order.

Points to Ponder

1.     What is ordained by dharma while hunting the animals?

2.     What was the social life available in Maha Bharata times especially with regard to begetting children?

3.     To have children with a man other than husband is frowned at in the present day society. Discuss how liberal the society in ancient times.

4.     What is the dharmic role of Svetaketu in the Maha Bharata?

Copy