DEATH OF PANDU

ONE day King Pandu was out hunting. A sage and his wife were also sporting in the forest in the guise of deer. Pandu shot the male with an arrow, all ignorant of the fact that it was a sage in disguise. Stricken to death the rishi thus cursed Pandu "Sinner, you will meet with death the moment you taste the pleasures of the bed."

Pandu was heartbroken at this curse and retreated to the forest with his wives after entrusting his kingdom to Bhishma and Vidura ‘ and lived their a life of perfect abstinence.

Seeing that Pandu was desirous of off- spring, which the rishi’s curse had denied him, Kunti confided to him the story of the mantra she had received from,Durvasa.He urged Kunti and Madri to use the mantra and thus it was that the five Pandavas were born of the gods to Kunti and Madri.

They were born and brought up in the forest among ascetics. King Pandu lived for many years in the forest with his wives and children.It was spring time. And one day Pandu and Madri forgot their sorrows in the rapture of sympathy with the throbb- ing life around them, the happy flowers, creepers, birds and other creatures of the forest.

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