KUNTI
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Kunti (Sanskrit: कुन्ती, [kun̪t̪iː], IAST: Kuntī), also known as Pritha (Sanskrit: पृथा, [pr̩t̪ʰaː], IAST: Pṛthā), is a prominent female character in the ancient Hindu epic Mahabharata. She is chiefly recognised as the mother of the central characters—the five Pandavas—having given birth to the three eldest, Yudhishthira, Bhima, and Arjuna, while also raising their younger stepbrothers, the twins Nakula and Sahadeva, as her own. She is portrayed as possessing intelligence, beauty and shrewdness.
Born to the Yadava chief Shurasena, Pritha was adopted by her childless uncle, Kuntibhoja, and subsequently bestowed with the name Kunti. During her adolescence, she garnered the favour of the sage Durvasa, receiving a divine mantra which she could use to invoke any god and bear his child. Intrigued and wanting to test its efficiency, she employed this mantra to invoke the sun god Surya, resulting in the birth of her first born son, Karna. Faced with the societal stigma associated with bearing a child out of wedlock, Kunti found herself compelled to abandon her son to safeguard her honour.
Upon reaching marriageable age, Kunti chose Pandu, the king of the Kuru Kingdom, as her husband; he later took a second wife, Madri. Cursed to die instantly if he engaged in intercourse, Pandu retired to the forest with Kunti and Madri. In response to her husband's request to bear children through the practice of niyoga, Kunti invoked the gods—Dharma, Vayu and Indra—through the mantra, resulting in the births of Yudhishthira, Bhima and Arjuna respectively. She later shared the mantra with Madri, who bore Nakula and Sahadeva. After Pandu's untimely death and Madri's self-immolation, Kunti took responsibility for her stepsons and relocated with all the children to Hastinapura, the capital of the Kuru Kingdom
Surviving the perilous events at the Lakshagriha, Kunti, during their concealment, instructed Bhima to save the villagers from Bakasura. A misunderstanding on Kunti's part led to the polyandrous marriage of Draupadi, the princess of Panchala, with the five Pandavas. Following the infamous dicing episode and banishment of the Pandavas, Kunti continued to reside in Hastinapura, cultivating a harmonious relationship with her brother-in-law Vidura. Preceding the Kurukshetra War, Kunti encountered Karna, revealing his true lineage and urging him to align with the Pandava faction. Despite Karna's refusal, she implored him to spare all her sons except Arjuna. Following the Pandavas' victory in the Kurukshetra war, Kunti revealed about Karna to the Pandavas. Years after Yudhishthira's ascension to the throne of the Kurus, Kunti retired to the forest along with other Kuru elders, eventually passing away in a forest fire.
Within Hindu tradition, Kunti is venerated as one of the panchakanya ("five maidens"), embodying ideals of female chastity. Her name is believed to possess purifying qualities, capable of dispelling sin when recited. Kunti is lauded as the epitome of maturity, foresight, and dutiful womanhood.
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Nuk3 - 2025-04-18 00:00:00
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