Mahabharata – 148

by

Sankar Mukherjee

and

Dr Ramesh Chandra Mukhopadhyaya
                          Aadivamsavatarana Parva

Satyavati’s marriage with Santanu & birth of Kauravas & Pandavas

And Bhishma moved by the desire of doing good to his father, got him married to Satyavati the mother of Vyasa.Satyavati was also called Gandhakali. During her maidenhood she had a son by Parasara, named Vedavyasa. And Santanu begot two other sons named Chitrangada and Vichitravirya. And before attaining majority, Chitrangada was killed by the Gandharvas.So Vichitravirya became king, and married the two daughters of the king of Kasi,named Amvika and Amvalika. But Vichitravirya died childless. Then Satyavati thought how the race of Dushmanta to be continued.Then she recalled Vedavyasa. Vedavyasa showed up immediately.And asked --  What is your commands?'

Satyavati said, -- your brother Vichitravirya died childless.Beget virtuous children for him.

Vedavyasa said -- Let it be so. Consenting to this, he begot three children -- Dhritarashtra, Pandu, & Vidura.Among them Dhritarashtra became the king.Dhritarashtra begot hundred sons by Gandhari by the grace of Vedavyasa. And amongst those hundred sons of Dhritarashtra,four became celebrated. They were Duryodhana, Duhsasana, Vikarna, & Chitrasena.

And Pandu had two jewels of wives, -- Kunti, or Pritha, and Madri.One day Pandu, while out for hunting, saw a deer mating.He killed it with his arrows,while it was having sex.Pierced with the king's arrow, the deer died.And before dying the deer quickly changed its form and became a sage, and said to Pandu -- Oh Pandu,you are virtuous and acquainted with the art of sex.My desire is unsatisfied,you have slain me!Therefore, you shall die, during the sexual act & before you are satisfied .Pandu, hearing this curse, became pale. And from that time he would not go to his wives.

One day he told  Kunti --  Due to my own fault, I have been cursed! But I have heard that for the childless there are no regions hereafter. Therefore,he requested Kunti to have offspring  by gods for him.

 Kunti said-- Let it be so. So she brought about offsprings.By Dharma --- Yudhishthira, by Vayu or god of wind -- Bhima, & by Indra -- Arjuna.

 Pandu, well-pleased with her, said --Your co-wife is also childless. Therefore, teach her to bear children.

 Kunti said --- Let it be so.

 She imparted to Madri a particular mantra.

 Madri generated by the twin gods Aswins, the twins ---- Nakula and Sahadeva.

  One day Pandu, seeing Madri decked in ornaments, had his desire for sex.And, as soon as he touched her, he died.Madri ascended the funeral pyre with Pandu. And she said to Kunti -- Let these twins of mine be brought up by you with affection. After some time those five Pandavas were taken by the ascetics of the woods to Hastinapura.They informed Bhishma and Vidura.And after introducing the children, the ascetics disappeared  from there.The citizens of  Hastinapura saw flowers showered upon the children from the heaven,and the celestial drums  were heard from the skies.The Pandavas were then taken by Bhishma & others with great care.They then narrated the death of their father and performed his last rites duly.And as they were brought up there, at Hastinapur, Duryodhana became exceedingly jealous of them.And the sinful Duryodhana acting like an ogre tried various ways to drive them away.But all the  efforts of Duryodhana proved futile as the Pandavas were destined to be the rulers in future. Then Dhritarashtra sent them, by an act of deception to Varanavata, and they went there willingly. Duryodhana tried to burn them there. But it proved to be futile owing to the warning counsels of Vidura.

They fled from Varanavata, Pandavas killed Hidimva, on their way in a forest.And then they went to a town called Ekachakra. There also they killed an ogre called Vaka and then they went to the capital of Panchala. And there they obtained  Draupadi as their wife.Being happy they returned to their country.

They begot children in the womb of Draupadi -----  Yudhishthira begot Prativindhya,Bhima, Sutasoma,Arjuna, Srutakriti,Nakula, Satanika, & Sahadeva, Srutakarma.Besides these,Yudhishthira, obtained another girl for his wife Devika, the daughter of Govasana of the Sivi race, at a Swayamvara.He begot a son named Yaudheya by Devika. And Bhima also obtained for a wife Valandhara, the daughter of the king of Kasi, after conquering the king & begot a son by her named Sarvaga. And Arjuna also,going to Dwaraka, married Subhadra the sweet-speeched sister of Sreekrishna,tactfully.  He begot a son named Abhimanyu by Subhadra.Abhimanyu was endowed with all accomplishments and he was dear to Sreekrishna himself. And Nakula married Karenumati, the princess of Chedi, begot a son by her named Niramitra. Sahadeva also married Vijaya, the daughter of Dyutiman, the king of Madra, at a Swayamvara.       He begot a son by her named Suhotra. And Bhimasena had some time before begot the she Hidimba as his wife.By her Bhima got a demon son named Ghatotkacha.These were the eleven sons of the Pandavas.Amongst them all, it was through Abhimanyu that the race of Pandu continued.He married Uttara the daughter of king Virata. She brought forth a dead child on six month. Kunti took up the dead child on her lap at the command of Sreekrishna. Sreekrishna said,I shall revive the dead child of six months.

 And though born before time, having been burnt by the fire of the weapon of Aswatthama.The premature child was deprived of strength and energy.And after reviving him  Sreekrishna said ---- As this child has been born in a decadent race, he shall be called Parikshit.

And Parikshit married Madravati, your mother & you were born. You are married to Vapushtama. And you have begotten two sons named Satanika & Sanku.And Satanika also has begotten a son named Aswamedhadatta by the princess of Videha.

Vaisampayana said  -- Thus I have  recited the history of the race of Puru & of the Pandavas.This excellent & sacred history should ever be listened  by Brahmanas,Kshatriyas ,Vaisyas with attention, and by Sudras with due respect.