“Vaishampaayana said, ‘After the birth of Kunti's sons
and also of the hundred sons of Dhritarashtra, the daughter of the king of
Madra privately addressed Pandu, saying, ‘O slayer of enemies, I have no
complaint even if you be unfavourable to me. O sinless one, I have also no
complaint that though by birth I am superior to Kunti yet I am inferior to her
in position. O you of Kuru's race, I do not grieve that Gandhari hath obtained
a hundred sons. However, this is my great grief that while Kunti and I are
equal, I should be childless, while it should so chance that you should have
offspring by Kunti alone. If the daughter of Kuntibhoja should so provide that
I should have offspring, she would then be really doing me a great favour and
benefiting you likewise. She being my rival, I feel an infirmity in asking any
favour of her. O king, if you be favourably disposed to me, then ask her to
grant my desire.’
“Hearing her, Pandu replied, ‘O Maadri, I do revolve
this matter often in my own mind, but I have formerly hesitated to tell you
anything, not knowing how you would receive it. Now that I know what your
wishes are, I shall certainly strive after that end. I think that, asked by me,
Kunti will not refuse.’
“Vaishampaayana continued, ‘After this, Pandu addressed
Kunti in private, saying, ‘O Kunti, grant me some more offspring for the
expansion of my race and for the benefit of the world. O blessed one, you provide
that I myself, my ancestors, and yours also, may always have the funeral cake (Pinda in Sanskrit) offered
to us. O, do what is beneficial to me, and grant me and the world what, indeed,
is the best of benefits. O, do what, indeed, may be difficult for you, moved by
the desire of achieving undying fame. Look at (Lord) Indra, even though he has obtained the sovereignty of Devas, do yet,
for fame alone, perform yagnas. O beautiful one, Brahmanas, well-familiar with
the Vedas, and having achieved high Tapas merit, do yet, for fame alone, approach
their spiritual masters with respect. So also all Rajarishis and Brahmanas
possessed of wealth of Tapas have achieved, for fame only, the most difficult
of feat of Tapas. Therefore, O blameless one, rescue this Maadri as by a raft (by
granting her the means of obtaining offspring), and you achieve imperishable fame by making her a mother of
children.’
“Thus addressed by her lord, Kunti readily accepted,
and said to Maadri, ‘You think, without loss of time, of some Deva, and you
shall certainly obtain from him a child like to him.’ Thinking
for a few moments, Maadri thought of the twin Ashwins (Ashwini Devas), who coming to her with speed fathered upon her two sons that were
twins named Nakula and Sahadeva, unrivalled on earth for personal beauty. As
soon as they were born, a non-physical voice said, ‘In energy and beauty these
twins, shall cross even the twin Ashwins (Ashwini Devas) themselves.’ Indeed possessed of great
energy and beauty, they (Nakula and Sahadeva) lighted the whole region.
“O king (Janamejaya), after all the children were born the
Rishis dwelling on the mountain of a hundred peaks (Shata-Sringa) uttering blessings on them and affectionately
performing the first rites of birth, gave names on them. The eldest of Kunti's children was called Yudhishthira,
the second Bhimasena, and the third Arjuna, and of Maadri's sons, the
first-born of the twins was called Nakula and the next Sahadeva. Those foremost
sons born at an interval of one year after one another, looked like an embodied
period of five years. King Pandu, seeing his children of divine beauty
and of super-abundant energy, great strength and capability, and of largeness
of soul, rejoiced exceedingly. The children became great favourites of the
Rishis, as also of their wives, staying on the mountain of a hundred peaks (Shata-Sringa).
“Some time after, Pandu again requested Kunti on
behalf of Maadri. O king (Janamejaya), addressed by her lord in private, Kunti
replied, ‘O king, having given her the mantra of invocation only once, she has
managed to obtain two sons. O king, I have not been thus cheated by her, I fear
that she will soon surpass me in the number of her children. This, indeed, is
the way of all wicked women. Fool that I was, I did not know that by invoking
the twin Devas (Ashwini Devas) I
could obtain at one birth twin children. O king, I beg you do not command me
any further. Let this be the boon granted (by you) to me.’
“O
king (Janamejaya), thus were born to Pandu five sons who
were fathered by Devas and were endued with great strength, and who all lived
to achieve great fame and expand the Kuru race. Each bearing every auspicious
mark on his person, handsome like Soma (the Moon God), proud as the lion, well-skilled in the use of the bow, and of lion-like
walk, chest, heart, eyes, neck and bravery, those foremost of men, resembling
the Devas themselves in might, began to grow up. Seeing them and their virtues
growing with years, the Maharishis staying on that snowcapped sacred mountain
were filled with wonder. The five Pandavas and the hundred sons of
Dhritarashtra -- that propagator of the Kuru race -- grew up rapidly like a
cluster of lotuses in a lake.’”
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