Pandava jananam

Mahabharata Adiparva Sambhavaparva section 119-125
Sri Sadgurbhyoh namah

Having thus been cursed by the deer, Pandu lost his procreative powers. He declared to his wives and the kingdom that he is taking to ascetism and he started to dwell in Himalayas along with his two wives and with other rishis, siddhas, charanas , ascetics. He did penance for long years and acquired religious merit equal to a brahmarshi. Pandu, knowing that without offspring one is incomplete, then says to Kunti, "One has to repay four kind of debts, debts to Deva (gods) by doing yajna (sacrifices) , debt to Rishis (ascetics) by studies of scriptures, propogating truth, meditation, teaching and debt to Pitris (ancestors) by producing progeny, offspring and conducting religious customs to propitiate ancestors, and debt to Manushya (Humans ) by being kind to others, unoffensive to others and doing good to fellow humans. I have repaid the 3 debts I owe in my life viz Deva runa, Pitr runa and manushya runa. But having been cursed by deer that I cannot unite with a woman, I cannot have offspring, hence cannot repay my debt to ancestors and I am doomed to hell. It has been the valid practice sanctioned by religion for a wife to produce offspring through a kind person if her husband is unable to produce sons. There are the following methods to produce offspring in the following order,

1) One's own son through wedded wife

2) The son born by another man with one's wife out of kindness

3) The son born to one's wife through another man for monetory consideration

4) The son born to the wife after the husband's death

5) The son born to a maiden

6) The son born if wife is unchaste

7) The son given in adoption

8) The son bought

9) The son who gives himself for adoption

10) The son received with a pregnant bride

11) The brother's son

12) The son begotten upon a wife of lower caste

So please produce offspring by following any of the above means".

Kunti refuses that she cannot do this as at is unvirtuous for a woman to accept the embraces of another man other than her husband. The Pandu tells her that the current practice of a woman having one husband is established by Rishi Swetaketu for humans. But during olden days a woman is considered a free person, and she is at liberty to choose her man as she pleases.

Kunti then tells Pandu about the Mantra she got from Durvasa that can grant her children and she asks Pandu which celestial she has to summon. Pandu says, "summon God of Justice as we need a virtuous son". At Pandu's command Kunti concieves through the power of mantra son of God of Justice (Yama). The son thus born was virtuous througout his life and devoted for the good of all creatures and he harboured no enimity towards anyone. As he was born, a celestial voice declares "This child will be a king and rule the whole earth and will be known for his virtue and justice".

Pandu then asks Kunti to produce another offspring as a Kshatriya without strength is a no kshatriya. The Kunti summons through the power of mantra, the God of wind. He arrives on a deer speedily, and Kunti gives birth to her second son through him. The son thus born was endued with enormous power, strength, vigor, mighty arms and grew up to be undefeatable in three worlds.

When he was born a celestial voice said "He is the most powerful man and will be undefeatable in war". Another extraordinary thing happened at the birth of this child. Kunti tries to hurriedly getup due to the fear of a tiger roar, unmindful of the child in her lap. The child was dropped from her lap onto a stone on the mountain. The mountain rock gets shattered at the impact that child makes on contact, while the infant himself is uninjured and unaffected. Looking at that infant Pandu and other rishis are dumbstuck. That child is named Bhima, the terrible. The deeds that this child did in the story of Mahabharata are unmatched.

Pandu requests kunti to have a third child who will be known in three world for his fame. Pandu performs penance for 1 year to propitiate Indra (King of Gods). Indra appears before Pandu and grants a boon that a son will be born to Pandu through his amsha (Portion of Indra). Kunti then summons Indra through the power of the mantra and she begets a son who is like a second Indra in splendour. This child is named Arjuna. He is known far and wide for his archery and his fame spreads throughout the worlds as an unmatched archer and warrior. All the celestials visit the ashram they are staying upon the birth of this child. And the rishis, munis of the ashram witnessed this wondrous site of celestials visit and wondered at the sight of sons of Pandu.

Madri then learns the mantra from kunti and she with the permission of her husband Pandu, summons the celestial doctors the twin Ashwins and begets twins Nakula and Sahadeva.

Thus born the 5 sons of Pandu who are known as Pandavas. The eldest one is called Yudhistira the just, second one Bhima of mighty arms, third Arjuna the archer, Nakula and Sahadeva.

Hari OM