Pandu Cursed

Pandu, though younger, ascended the throne of Hastinapur because his elder stepbrother, Dhritarashtra, was blind from birth. King Pandu ruled well and justly and expanded his realm considerably. After many years of incessant work he was advised some rest. So he went to the countryside for a holiday with his wives Kunti and Madri.

During a hunt he came upon a pair of copulating antelopes. The temptation was too much to resist. With a single arrow he pierced the hearts of both the male and the female. But to his horror the dying creatures emitted a human wail and assumed human forms. In reality the antelopes were the Sage Kidamba and his wife, who desiring to make love in the open had assumed the forms of antelopes. Before dying Kidamba cursed Pandu that the moment he tried to enjoy sexual bliss would be his last.

Pandu returned home in a dejected frame of mind. Though he had two wives, he slept alone that night. He abdicated his throne in favour of Dhritarashtra and decided to retire in the wilderness. Soon he was able to conquer his sexual longings and the three of them lived a contented life together. But Pandu knew that he had to continue his lineage other wise the souls of his ancestors would be troubled and his own soul would not get eternal rest.

He reminded his wives of the tale of his birth. How Vichitraveerya had died childless and through the Sage Vyasa the widowed queens Ambika and Ambalika had given birth to Dhritarashtra and himself. He requested Kunti, the first wife, to beget an heir through a noble and revered sage. But Kunti had another story to tell. When she was a maiden the Sage Durvasa visited her father's home. Impressed by Kunti's devotion to him, he gave her a boon. "Whenever you invoke any demi-God and recite this mantra, the demi-God will be compelled to appear before you and bless you with a son. Memorise the mantra well for you will need it later in your life," said Durvasa. Though Pandu was skeptical he asked Kunti to try it out.

Kunti had tested the mantra earlier. Soon after Durvasa had given it to her, she had invoked the Sun God and recited the mantra. To her surprise the Sun God actually appeared. She pleaded with him to return; saying that she was unmarried and not prepared to have a child. But he replied that Sage Durvasa was known more for his temper than his powers and it was impossible not to follow the boon to its logical conclusion. Thus she gave birth to a boy and immediately set him adrift. The child, who was later to be known as Karna, fought against the sons of Pandu in the battle of Mahabharata. However, Kunti kept her secret and pretended that she was using the boon for the first time.

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