Dhritarashtra, Pandu, and Vidur - Mahabharat Episode 3
The Greedy, The Lustful & The Responsible
Dear family, welcome back to Episode 3 of "Mahabharat" by Agama's Message. Today, I present the story of three brothers who committed significant errors, illustrating how brothers should not conduct themselves. Regrettably, this tale reflects the reality of many relationships in today's world. I trust that this newsletter sheds light on their mistakes and encourages us to make better decisions.
If you haven't had the chance to read Episode 1 and Episode 2, please feel free to go through them.
A Recap
Vichitravirya passed away before his two wives could conceive. Satyavati, Vichitravirya's mother, summoned her son Sage Ved Vyas (born to her from Sage Parashara) to assist the widowed wives in conceiving through Niyog. With his extraordinary powers, Ved Vyas enabled the two wives to become pregnant. However, he mistakenly impregnated a servant lady, whom he thought was the third wife, resulting in three women carrying royal children to be born.
The first child was born to Ambika, and they named him Dhritarashtra, which means "one for whom the nation was waiting." The second child, born to Ambalika, was named Pandu, derived from his pale yellow complexion. The third child, born to the servant Parishrami, was named Vidura, signifying "skilled, intelligent, wise."
Dhritarashtra
When Vyasa approached Ambika for conception, his terrifying appearance startled her, causing her to close her eyes during their union, resulting in her son being born blind.
Dhritarashtra, along with his younger half-brother Pandu, received military training from Bhishma and Kripacharya. Despite his handicap, Dhritarashtra possessed immense strength, equal to that of one hundred thousand elephants due to a boon from Vyasa, although he could not wield weapons. Legends spoke of his ability to crush iron with his bare hands.
During the selection of an heir, Vidura proposed Pandu as a more suitable candidate since he wasn't blind. Although Dhritarashtra felt bitter about losing his birthright as the eldest son, he willingly relinquished the crown, a decision that later fueled his obsession with power.
Dhritarashtra married Gandhari, a princess from the weakened vassal Gandhara of Hastinapura. After their marriage, Gandhari blindfolded herself to empathize with her husband's blindness, which did not sit well with him as he had hoped she would be his eyes.
Gandhari had a brother named Shakuni, who loved her deeply and would become a formidable rival of Shree Krishna in the future. The Mahabharat was not just a war between two armies but between the minds of Krishna and Shakuni. Gandhari had a fear of darkness, her foolish vow of lifelong blindness to sympathize with her husband, a decision that sparked anger in Shakuni and drove him to seek the destruction of the Kuru lineage.
You might be wondering why the Gandhar king decided to marry his beloved daughter to a blind man who would not become king. It was because Bhishma went there with his army to pressure the kingdom into forming an alliance by arranging his daughter's marriage, ensuring that Hastinapur would not attack the kingdom of Gandhar.
Birth of Kauravas
They had one hundred sons known as the Kauravas, a daughter named Dushala, and a son named Yuyutsu from a maid. During her marriage to Dhritarashtra, Gandhari cared for Dwaipayana, a sage, during his visit to Hastinapur. Because of the high level of care provided by Gandhari, Dwaipayana said that she would give birth to one hundred sons. Dhritarashtra was happy about this boon and thought it would act as his power. Pregnant for nearly two years, Dhritrashtra wanted to have his children before any other brother would so they could get the throne but he was losing his patience hence as an act of revenge he had coitus with Gandhari’s maid resulting in Yuyutsu. Gandhari was later struck in the stomach by Dhritarashtra and gave birth to a hard mass.
After talking to Dwaipayana about giving birth to a lump, the sage told Gandhari to cut the mass into one hundred pieces and place them into one hundred pots with butter. To grant Gandhari a daughter, Dwaipayana told her to cut the lump into one hundred and one pieces. This led to the birth of the first son, Duryodhana, his ninety-nine brothers, and a sister Dussala.
Pandu
When Vyasa approached Ambalika, she was frightened by his terrifying appearance, causing her to pale in disgust; hence, her son was born with a pale complexion. This is the origin of Pandu's name, which means "pale."
Pandu received a comprehensive education in archery, politics, administration, and religion from Bhishma. He excelled as an archer and warrior, earning the title of Maharathi. Eventually, he became the successor to his kingdom and was crowned King of the Kuru Kingdom. His first wife was Kunti, the adopted daughter of Kuntibhoja and the biological daughter of Shurasena, who was the father of Vasudeva Anakadundubhi and the grandfather of Krishna. His second wife was Princess Madri of the Madra kingdom, a marriage proposed by Bhishma.
During a hunting expedition in a forest with his wives, Madri asked Pandy for the golden deer, Pandu, observing from a distance with his vision partially obscured by plants and trees, mistook a couple of golden deer for targets and shot arrows at them. To his horror, he later discovered that the deer were actually the sage Kindama and his wife in disguise, engaged in lovemaking. The dying sage cursed Pandu for his act of killing them in the midst of their intimate moment without remorse. King Pandu tried to argue with the sage, misquoting sage Agastya's ruling on the rights of Kshatriyas in hunting. However, Sage Kindama remained firm and cursed Pandu that if he were to approach his wives with the intent of making love, he would meet his demise.
Distraught by his actions and seeking atonement, Pandu renounced his kingdom, handing it over to Dhritarashtra, and retreated to the forest for exile. There, he adopted the ascetic way of life with his wives by his side.
Birth of Pandavas
Under the weight of Kindama's curse, Pandu found himself unable to father children. One day, while reminiscing about his desire for offspring, Pandu shared with his first wife, Kunti, the story of her child-bearing mantra, taught to her by the sage Durvasa. Excited by the possibility, Pandu urged Kunti to use the mantra to seek sons from worthy deities. He expressed his wish for a righteous son and suggested invoking Dharmaraja, the deity of righteousness and death. Kunti chanted the mantra, and thus Yudhishthira was born.
Pandu's longing for a powerful son led Kunti to invoke Vayu, resulting in Bhima's birth. Encouraged by this success, Pandu suggested invoking Indra for a valiant son, leading to the birth of Arjuna.
Moved by Madri's sorrow due to her childlessness, Pandu asked Kunti to share her mantra with his younger wife. Complying with his request, Kunti revealed the mantra to Madri, who invoked the Ashvin twins, Nakula and Sahadeva, completing the family of five Pandavas.
Death of Pandu
One day, Pandu forgot about the curse and was suddenly filled with lust for Madri. Despite her pleas, he proceeded to engage in sexual intercourse with her. After the act, his curse was fulfilled and he died. His body was cremated within the forest. Attributing her husband's death to herself and swept by remorse, Madri took her own life after handing her children over to Kunti.
Kunti also bore a son many years ago from Surya Dev (the Sun) named Karna, a figure whose story we will explore in later episodes of the Mahabharat.
Vidur
Vidura was born through Niyoga, a sacred practice, between the sage Vyasa and Parishrami, a handmaiden serving the queens Ambika and Ambalika. Despite his birth through this unconventional means, Parishrami conducted herself appropriately during the Niyoga process, leading to the birth of the exceptional Vidura. However, due to his mother's status as a handmaiden rather than a queen, Vidura's position was always perceived as inferior to his two half-brothers.
Throughout his life, Vidura displayed a strong sense of righteousness and wisdom. He attempted to dissuade Yudhishthira from participating in the game of dice, but his efforts were in vain. Vidura also stood up against the humiliation of Draupadi in the Kaurava court, alongside Prince Vikarna, earning Duryodhana's harsh rebuke.
Despite his uncle Dhritarashtra's desire to defend Vidura, he hesitated, remembering Vidura's earlier assertion that a blind man couldn't be a king. This incident deeply affected Vidura, and years later, it influenced his decision to sever ties with the Kurus and align himself with the Pandavas at the onset of the Kurukshetra war. Unlike others like Bhishma, Dronacharya, Kripacharya, and Karna, Vidura's allegiance was not to Hastinapura or Duryodhana but to righteousness and his family.
Krishna held Vidura in high regard for his dedication to people's welfare and his vast knowledge. When Krishna visited Hastinapura as a peace envoy for the Pandavas, he declined Duryodhana's offer to stay in the royal palace, opting instead for Vidura's home. Krishna respected Vidura's neutrality and saw him as a beacon of fairness amidst the Kaurava court's turmoil.
Krishna's decision to stay in Vidura's chambers rather than Duryodhana's was based on the genuine hospitality and lack of ulterior motives in Vidura's offerings. While Duryodhana sought to impress Krishna with luxury, Vidura and his wife's offerings were filled with love and sincerity, reflecting their true intentions.
Lessons
Here are some lessons we can glean from the stories of Dhritarashtra, Pandu, and Vidura:
Dhritarashtra's downfall was his overwhelming greed and desire for vengeance (Tamas). These negative emotions ultimately led to a devastating war and the loss of countless lives, including those of his own family members. Instead of choosing a path of peace and contentment, he allowed his anger to overpower his rational thinking.
Pandu's story is a cautionary tale about the dangers of unchecked desires, symbolized by his representation of lust (Rajas). His inability to control his desires led to tragic consequences, including the accidental killing of an innocent, which ultimately resulted in his own death and left his children fatherless.
On the other hand, Vidura exemplifies goodness (Satva). He prioritized what was necessary and right over personal concerns or fears of consequences. His actions were guided by principles of righteousness and wisdom, making him a beacon of moral clarity in the midst of turmoil.
In our own lives, it's important to strive for qualities of goodness, clarity, and righteousness represented by Vidura. By prioritizing what is necessary we can avoid the pitfalls of unchecked desires and negative emotions, leading to a more fulfilling and harmonious existence.
I'd like to emphasize the idea that humans possess a unique power that transcends even that of the gods. Take Kunti, for instance; through her mantra, she could beseech any deity for a child. This ability illustrates how, when we surpass our senses (Indriyas), we ascend above the king of gods, Indra himself. Consequently, all gods must heed someone who has mastered their senses, known as an "Indrajeet" or one who has conquered all their senses.
Closing Remarks
Thank you for your enthusiastic support and enjoyment of the uncensored Mahabharat series. I've received your emails expressing your appreciation, and I encourage you to share the series with your friends and loved ones. If you haven't already, consider subscribing, liking, and supporting the content.
Feel free to reach out to me at agamashakti@gmail.com—I always appreciate hearing from you.
Yours, Vishal Rajput ❤️
