Sunday 2 February 2014

Sabha Parvam !! Death of King Pandu !!

 
 
Jai Sriman Narayana !!
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 





The great epic Mahabharath was composed by Maharishi Veda Vyasa/Krishna Dwaipayana, son of Sage Parasara and Sathyavati, a woman from fishermen clan.  Mahabharath describes the legend of Bharatha Dynasty.     It was written in 18 Parva such as Adhi Parva, Sabha Parva, Vana Parva, Virada Parva, Udhyoga Parva, Bhishma Parva, Drona Parva, Karna Parva, Shalya Parva, Soupthika Parva, Stri Parva, Shanthi Parva, Anushasana Parva, Ashwamedha Parva, Ashramavasika Parva, Musala Parva, Mahaprasthanika Parva and Swargarohana Parva and each Parva has divided into many Upaparva and has chapters in detail.    Adhi Parva depicts the life of King Dushyantha and his wife Shakunthala and their son Sarvadhamanan, who was famously known as Bharatha, a righteous ruler of Bharatha Empior.

 
 

Lord Brahma created deities, Sages and Prajapathis.  It was the beginning of the growth of human race from the sixty daughters of Daksha Prajapathi.  Pururavass,  Yayathi, Puru,  Dushyantha,  Bharatha, Shanthanu were born in the family of Dithi, one of the daughters of Daksha Prajapathi. 

 

 

King Janamejaya, son of King Pareekshit conducted a grand Yagna to please serpent Gods.  There were a huge number of Rishis & Sages were present in the magnificent Yagna, Maharishi Veda Vyasa along with his disciple Rishi Vaishampayana and Sage Ugrasrava Sauti was also amongst them.   Rishi Vaishampayana narrated the stories of Kuru Dynasty to King Janamejaya at the time of Naga Yagna.  Later, this anecdote was described to the Sages and Rishis assembled in Naimisharanya by Sage Sauti, son of Sage Romaharshana/Lomaharshana, disciple of Maharishi Veda Vyasa.

 
 

Rishi Vaishampayana narrated the boundless joy of King Pandu witnessing his children, the five handsome youth growing diligently before him.  It was the beginning of spring season, the marvelous mountains surrounded by the flourishing woodland attracts every creature on the Earth.  King Pandu along with his wife Madhri were delightfully stroll through the beautiful woodland watching over the newly blossomed trees of Palasa, Tilakas, Mangoes, Champaka, Parihadrakas, Karnikaras, Asoka, Kesara, Atimuktas,  Kuruvakas, swarms of honey bees, Parijatha, Kokilas and multiples of flowering trees of various fragrances were bent down to the ground with the heaviness of flowers.  Many of the ponds were overloaded with the aromatic lotuses of various colors.  The spectacular surroundings and the presence of gorgeous Madri kindled a burning desire in Pandu, observing young Madri in her marvelous attire flamed up his desire like wild fire.  Madri’s beautiful pearl like eyes and attractive physical features mounted his desire; he vigorously seized her against her will.  Madri trembled with fear thinking about the consequences of their action, Pandu was completely forgotten about the misfortune and he was overpowered by desire.  Pandu approached Madri with augmented craving and forcibly held her in his arms, as if enthusiastically embracing his own death.  Consequently, the virtuous soul King Pandu embraced death while having physical relationship with his wife Madri.

 
 

Madhri wept bitterly holding the lifeless body of King Pandu.   In the meantime, Kunthi and her sons along with Madri’s children went on search for Madri and Pandu, finally they located the place where cries of grief heard.  Madri pleaded Kunthi to keep away their children from the pathetic sight.  Kunthi advised the children to remain in a spot and rushed to her feet, there she could witness the lifeless body of her husband.  Kunthi cried her heart out followed with thousands of queries to Madri.   Kunthi grieved over the miserable incident, she blamed herself for being careless as a wife, she held Madri responsible for the piteous act, she should have been more cautious with Pandu in solitude, she should have remembered the curse of Sage Kidhma before the action overpowered by passion.  Madri revealed her helplessness to Kunthi that Pandu was irrepressible as if he was hastening to bring the curse of Sage Kidhma into authentic.   Kunthi in an extreme distress advised Madri that as the elder wife of Pandu it was her responsibility to follow her husband after death too, Madri should raise the children in her absence.  Madri helplessly in an acute pain replied that Pandu’s desire and appetite was not satiated yet, he left his mortal coil without gratifying his desire, and it was Madri decision to follow him in the other world to satisfy him, thus keep away herself from committing further sin.   Madri sorrowfully revealed her inability to raise the children of Kunthi as her own.  Madri dejectedly spoke that King Pandu embraced death while seeking pleasure from her, so it is her duty to burn herself in the funeral pyre of him; eventually Madri sacrificed her life in the funeral pyre of King Pandu. 






Jai Sriman Narayana !!