Kunti, Satyavati's Grand
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unti, Satyavati’s grand- Part III: Five Holy Virgins, Five Sacred Myths daughter-in-law, is a remarkable study in K 1 womanhood. Kunti chooses the handsome Pandu in a bridegroom- “One-in Herself” choice ceremony, svayamvara, only to find Bhishma snatching away her Why Kunti Remains a Kanya happiness by marrying him off again immediately to the captivating Madri. Pradip Bhattacharya She insists on accompanying her husband into exile and faces a horripilating situation: her beloved husband insists that she get son after In the first two parts of this quest we have explored two of son for him by others. It is in this 2 the five kanyas, Ahalya and Mandodari of the Ramayana, husband-wife encounter that Kunti’s seeking to understand what makes them such remarkable individuality shines forth. At first she women, as well as describe what special features firmly refuses saying, “Not even in characterise all these kanyas.We are now entering the dense thought will I be embraced by another (I.121.5).” forest of the Mahabharata to discuss Kunti. To help the Her statement is somewhat readers through its thickly interwoven maze of relationships, devious, as already she has embraced I have provided the broad linkages of these characters in a Surya and regained virgin status by separate box (see opposite page).* virtue of his boon after delivering Karna. It is, however, evidence of her and tries to persuade her urging that Shvetaketu’s scriptural directive for resolve to maintain an unsullied (a) she will only be doing what is implicitly obeying the husband’s reputation. Unlike her grandmother-in- sanctioned by the northern Kurus commands: law Satyavati, who had no problems (I.122.7); (b) the new custom of being “The woman who, with summoning her illegitimate son faithful to one’s husband is very commanded by her husband Vyasa to keep the Hastinapura recent; (c) precedents exist of Sharad- to procreate children, refuses, dynasty running, Kunti does not andayani, Madayanti, Ambika and is guilty of the sin of infanticide.” acknowledge the existence of her pre- Ambalika.3 ; Finally, he quotes (I.122.19) marital son. Nothing must interfere with the chances of Pandu’s restoration to the throne. She does not tell Pandu about Karna, even when, while trying to persuade her, he enumerates various categories of sons who are scripturally permissible, including kanin (one born to the wife before marriage). Children born with the sanction of her husband would be a completely different proposition from one born to her in adolescence as an unmarried princess. Hence, Kunti urges Pandu to emulate Vyushitashva, who died prematurely because of sexual over- indulgence like Pandu’s father, but whose wife Bhadra obtained seven This Kangra painting ca 1800 painting shows Draupadi, the Pandavas, and their sons by embracing his corpse. Pandu mother, Kunti, eating a meal; then their figures are repeated as they lie down to refuses to invite death-in-intercourse sleep. Draupadi’s brother eavesdrops on their nighttime conversation to ascer- with Kunti—though ironically that is tain the identity of the ascetics. He then hastens back to report to his father to stop precisely what he does with Madri— worrying about Draupadi because the ascetics are indeed princes in disguise. No.143 25 This makes no impact on Kunti. She Only now, Kunti reveals the ace up cannot be browbeaten and her her sleeve: where her husband had Kunti cannot be character is far stronger than her wanted her to approach some eminent browbeaten and her husband’s. She gives in only when Brahmin, she has the power to summon Pandu abjectly begs her: character is far stronger any god to her bed. Like her than her husband’s. “Sweet lady, grandmother-in-law Satyavati I fold my palms revealing her final weapon Vyasa to joining the tips Bhishma only in the last extremity, Kunti consumption, that drives her all through of my lotus-leaf fingers shares the secret of her mantra only and I implore you her life. Yet, just as Kunti was denied listen to me!” (I.122.29) after Pandu has been virtually brought the choice of her sons’ fathers, she too Look at the sheer grace and power to his knees. However, the choice of denies her daughter-in-law Draupadi of of her reply: the impregnators remains wholly any say in choosing her husband and “Best of Bharatas! Great adharma Pandu’s; Kunti has no say in it. Let us ensures that all her five sons, not just it is for a husband to ask not forget that she had chosen Pandu Arjuna who won her, wed her. repeatedly a favour: as her husband from among all the How pregnantly succinct is shouldn’t a wife assembled kings. Perhaps it is this Vyasa’s account of Kunti’s encounter anticipate his wishes?” (I.122.32) love, never trumpeted for public with Dharma! Relationship of Characters of Mahabharata to Each Other The sage Parashara forces himself eyes permanently)à 100 sons called the Pandu’s plea, Kunti teaches the mantra on the fisher-maidKali (dark)- Kauravas (Duryodhana, Duhshasana to Madri who invokes the twin Matsyagandha (fish-odorous)- etc.), one daughter Duhshala, and Ashvinikumarasà Nakula and Satyavati who is ferrying him across another son Yuyutsut from a Vaishya Sahadeva. These are the five the Yamunaà Krishna (dark) maidservant when Gandhari was Pandavas. Dvaipayana (born-on-an-island) Vyasa pregnant. Gandhari’s brother Shakuni Pandu forces himself on Madri and (the arranger). becomes their advisor. dies in coitus. Entrusting her sons to Shantanu, king of Hastinapura, Shura of the Yadavas of Mathuraà Kunti, Madri dies too. Kunti returns to Hastinapura with the five Pandavas. marries (m.) Gangaà Devavrata- Pritha, whom he gifts away in childhood Jealous of their cousins’ claim to the Bhishma (of the terrible vow), who to his childless friend Kuntibhoja who throne, the Kauravas conspire with abjures the throne and vows celibacy to renames her Kunti. The sage Durvasa Shakuni and Karna to kill them. The obtain the agreement of Satyavati to gives her an incantation (mantra) Pandavas flee into a forest where a marry his father. whereby she can summon anyone, even a rakshasi Hidimba m. Bhimaà Shantanu m. Satyavatià god, for begetting a son. To experiment, Ghatotkacha. Chitrangada (killed in a duel) & she invokes Suryaà Karna, whom she The Pandavas reach the kingdom of Vichitravirya who becomes king in sets afloat in a basket in the river, as she Panchala where Arjuna wins the hand adolescence, with Bhishma as regent. is unmarried (see Part II). of its king Yajnasena-Prishat-Drupada’s Vichitravirya m. Ambika and Karna is rescued by a childless miraculously born daughter Yajnaseni Ambalika, princesses of Kashi charioteer Adhirath and his wife Radha. (emerging from the sacrificial altar)- (Benares) whom Bhishma abducts for Duryodhana makes Karna ruler of Anga Krishnaa (dark)-Parshati (daughter of this purpose. The youth dies without and his fast friend. Prishat)-Panchali (of Panchala)- progeny. Bhishma refuses to break his A son of Shura is Vasudeva, whose Draupadi (daughter of Drupada). She vow and practice levirate on the widows sons Balarama and Krishna are Pritha’s becomes the common wife of the five as requested by the Queen-mother nephews. brothers. Satyavati. She summons her illegitimate In a svayamvara Kunti m. Pandu. Dhritarashtra asks the Pandavas to make their home in the forest of son Vyasa who is a famous sage by now. Immediately, Bhishma pays heavy Khandavaprastha. Balarama and Reluctantly he agreesà blind bride-price and brings Madri as Pandu’s Krishna assist the Pandavas in building Dhritarashtra and pale (jaundiced?) second wife. Pandu is childless, being their capital Indraprastha by clearing the Pandu. The latter rules, as the former is cursed to die if he ever engages in coitus. forest of Khandava. disqualified because of his blindness. In grief, he exiles himself with his wives Arjuna m. Subhadra, sister of Dhritarashtra m. Gandhari in the Himalayas. Dhritarashtra rules. Balarama and Krishnaà Abhimanyu (Bhishma had terrorised her father into At his insistence, Kunti uses the mantra who m. Uttara daughter of king Virataà giving her in marriage, whereupon she to summon Dharmaà Yudhishthira; Parikshit who becomes king of blinds herself by tying a cloth over her Vayuà Bhima; Indraà Arjuna. At Hastinapura at the end of the epic. * an “a” signifies “parent of”; an “m.” signifies “married”; a “—”indicates alternative names for the same character; the main name of the character is given in bold. No.143 26 ‘He smiled. thrusts her daughter-in-law. In the “Kunti, what can I give you?” dice-game it is Karna, her first-born, She smiled, who, because of this very “A son.”’ (I.123.4) pronouncement, declares her There is no coy coquetry here, daughter-in-law Draupadi to be a no bashfulness. A need is voiced whore. to someone who is known and it is It is significant that all this occurs fulfilled. In the epic, Dharma is in the Himalayas where even today in Vidura’s other name. He is Kunti’s the Garhwal region polyandry is devara, younger brother-in-law, practised. Pandu, as we have seen who is scripturally designated as above, had sought to persuade Kunti the proper person to approach when pointing out that she would only be levirate (niyoga) is required. We adopting the custom of “the northern notice the difference when Kunti Kurus”. Later, when proposing that summons Vayu (I.123.15). Here she Draupadi marry all the Pandavas, is described as smiling shyly, for he Yudhishthira assures the shocked is a stranger. Does this not remind Drupada that it is the custom of their us of another woman whose smile Surya appears at Kunti’s call ancestors for brothers to have a was also so mature and meaningful: common wife.