Buffeted by circumstances

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Buffeted by circumstances

By Hari Krishnan

harikrishnan

 

Emergencies and peculiar circumstances do batter us in life. Left

with no choice, we sometimes resort to sanctions and concessions.

But one should know that such concessions should be availed only for

a reasonable number of times and one should know when to stop, too.

This is what this incident, involving Kunti, tells us.

 

The curse of sage Kindhama that prevented him from the act of

procreation greatly anguished Pandu. He decided to give up his

kingship and live in the jungle forever, until his death. He came

back to the palace, gave away large sums, gold and diamonds from his

treasury to scholars, to the poor and to the needy. And then he

returned to the jungle, accompanied by Kunti and Madri and led the

life of a hermit for a long time.

 

 

 

The thought that the Kuru lineage would stop with him was nagging

him every now and then, especially so in view of the fact that the

marriage of his elder brother Dhrthrastra with Gandhari had not yet

borne fruit at that time. `Every man owes a duty to the sages, God

and his ancestors,' he would tell Kunti and Madri almost everyday.

(See: Of precautions and strange problems for the three duties that

a person owes.) "I have discharged my duty to the sages and to God.

I have also discharged the duty that I owe to my country and peers.

The only duty that I am unable to discharge is the one that I owe to

my ancestors. That duty can be discharged only by begetting

children," he would bemoan every time.

 

Years rolled by. Pandu spent his time in penance and performed

austerities along with Kunti and Madri, and was greatly respected by

the sages in the forest. It occurred to him one day that the

solution to his problem has a precedence. The scriptures accept the

appointment of a gnyaathi in such circumstances. Obtaining children

through another person. That should not sound strange for us who

live in an age of test tube babies, artificial insemination and

surrogate mothers. In fact, Pandu was born that way.

 

He opened the subject with Kunti, to convince her about the

situation and to accept his solution. She was hesitating to open the

subject all this time. She had the solution with her in the form of

the mantra taught to her by Dhurvasa. But she had her own

reservations about using the mantra. When Pandu learnt that the

panacea was close at hand, he was so happy and he convinced her that

it was a peculiar circumstance that demands the use of the mantra

and therefore it was absolutely right for them to use it. He

suggested that she invoke Dharma so that they get a boy, who is the

very embodiment of rectitude. And thus was Dharmaputra -

Yudhisthira - born.

 

After a year of the birth of Dharma, who would be known for his

wisdom and penchant for Dharma, Pandu wanted another child who would

establish their kingdom by his strength. Kunti invoked Vayu and

Bhima was born to them. The next year, Pandu asked her to invoke

Indra and Arjuna was born. Pandu, who wanted more children, asked

Kunti for a fourth child. Kunti firmly refused. "There should be a

limit to any desire," she said. "We were childless and we now have

three unparalleled children. That should suffice. You know my lord,

that this is not a normal situation. We are resorting to a solution

that is prescribed for emergencies and peculiar circumstances. I

will not subject myself to any such request, even if it is from you,

any further," she answered.

 

It was at that time that Madri opened her heart to have children of

her own. She expressed that desire to Pandu. Pandu asked Kunti to

teach the mantra to Madri. The handsome twins, Nakula and Sahadeva

were born to her by invoking the twins, Aswini Devas.

 

Published on 27th June 2003

Hari Krishnan

harikrishnan

http://www.chennaionline.com/festivalsnreligion/Articles/epicstory57.

asp