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Puranic encyclopaedia

by Vettam Mani | 1975 | 609,556 words | ISBN-10: 0842608222

This page describes the Story of Pandu included the Puranic encyclopaedia by Vettam Mani that was translated into English in 1975. The Puranas have for centuries profoundly influenced Indian life and Culture and are defined by their characteristic features (panca-lakshana, literally, ‘the five characteristics of a Purana�).

Story of ṇḍ

Father of the ṇḍ.

Genealogy.

Refer to the genealogy of Arjuna.

Birth.

ŚԳٲԳ, a King of 䲹Իṃśa, had two wives, Ҳṅg and ٲⲹī. Even while ٲⲹī was a maiden she got of the sage ʲś a son named ղ. But because of the blessing of the sage ٲⲹī did not lose her maidenhood. She got of ŚԳٲԳ two sons, 侱ٰṅg岹 and վٰīⲹ. 侱ٰṅg岹 died young. վٰīⲹ married the two daughters, and , of the King of śī. վٰīⲹ died before any progeny was born to him. To save the dynasty from extinction ٲⲹī asked her first son ղ to beget children of and . Accordingly ٳṛtṣṭ was born to of ղ and ṇḍ to . (Chapters 63 and 105, Ādi Parva)

How ṇḍ got his name.

ղ came to Ჹپܰ by the command of his mother to beget sons of and . ղ was an ugly sage with matted hair and he was dressed in garments of deerskin. ٲⲹī that night called to her side and in secret commanded her to go and lie with ղ. She was reluctant to have a sexual union with that old and ugly sage. Yet obeying the orders of her mother-in-law she did so shutting her eyes during the whole period. The result was she got a child born blind who became known later as ٳṛtṣṭ. The next day ٲⲹī ordered to go and lie with ղ. on entering the bed chamber went pale on seeing the ugly ղ and the result was she got a child that was pale white in colour. That child became known as ṇḍ. The third day ٲⲹī asked her servant-maid to go and lie with ղ. She did it with pleasure and she remained happy and cheerful during the whole period. The result was she got a beautiful child who became an intelligent scholar of great wisdom. He was known later as Vidura. (Chapters 1, 63, and 105, Ādi Parva).

Boyhood and kingship.

īṣm took care of ٳṛtṣṭ, ṇḍ and Vidura as his own sons. īṣm taught them all the Vedas including Dhanurveda, and all warfare like mace-fight. They were trained in the use of elephants also. īṣm taught them law and acquainted them with all the پ and ʳܰṇa. ṇḍ became second to none in archery. The people were all happy. When the boyhood was over ṇḍ was crowned as ۳ܱᲹ. ṇḍ was the most eligible of the three to become King, for ٳṛtṣṭ was a born blind man and Vidura was the son of a servantmaid. (Chapter 109, Ādi Parva).

Married life.

Obeying the behest of īṣm, ṇḍ married ṛt, daughter of the King ŚūԲ. She was the sister of Vasudeva, father of ṛṣṇa. She got the name ܲԳī because she grew up in the palace of King Kuntibhoja. While ܲԳī was staying in the palace of Kuntibhoja ٳܰ came and stayed in the the palace as a guest of the King. ܲԳī then served the sage with such devotion and patience that ٳܰ at the time of his departure gave ܲԳī a divine mantra for begetting children. The mantra was to be used only five times. If she called upon any god repeating that mantra, that god would manifest himself before her and bless her with a son equal to him in glory. Out of impatient curiosity of youth ܲԳī tried it before getting married. One morning, seeing the beautiful and brilliant sun in the sky she invoked him by the mantra and instantly the Sun stood in all bewitching brilliance before her and she got of him a son who was known as ṇa later. Unmarried as she was, ܲԳī sent the child afloat in the river nearby.

Even after a child-birth ܲԳī remained a virgin by the blessing of the Sun and so got married as a virgin. Many Kings were present for the ⲹṃv of ܲԳī and she put the wedding garland round the neck of ṇḍ.

Once īṣm went to the country of Madra. The King of Madra received īṣm with respect and īṣm took ī daughter of Madra as a bride for ṇḍ. He brought her to Ჹپܰ and married her to ṇḍ. ṇḍ lived with his two wives happily and ruled the country well. Once ṇḍ attacked ٲśṇa with a huge army and defeated him. Later he defeated ī, King of Magadha. Then he conducted a victory march capturing many kingdoms like śī, Ѿٳ󾱱, Suhma and ʳṇḍ. Thus many of the Kings of Uttara ٲ became feudatory princes of ṇḍ. In consultation with his brother ٳṛtṣṭ, ṇḍ gave all the wealth he got by his might to ٲⲹī and īṣm. He gave enough riches to Vidura also. Then ṇḍ went and stayed with his wives in a forest to the south of the ᾱⲹ. (Chapters 110 to 114, Ādi Parva).

Curse of a sage.

While ṇḍ was once walking with his wives in the forest he saw a couple of deer playfully running about and the hunting nature in him made him send an arrow against one of them. The deer was none other than the sage Kindama who in the guise of a deer was having sport with his mate. While falling dead Kindama cursed ṇḍ thus "Oh wretched King, you will fall dead the moment you touch your wife in amorous sport." From that day onwards ṇḍ could not touch his wives. (For details see under Kindama).

Sannyāsa and death.

With the death of the innocent sage Kindama there occurred a great change in the life of ṇḍ. At first he thought of committing suicide. But he changed that decision and started for the ᾱⲹ to perform penance there. ܲԳī and ī accompanied him. They gave away all their jewels and ornaments as gifts to brahmins. People followed them to the border of the forests and returned to the country weeping. ṇḍ and his wives visited such holy places as Nāgaśatādri, Caitraratha, ūṭa, ᾱⲹ, ҲԻ󲹳岹Բ and the lake Indradyumna. Then they went to Śٲśṛṅ and started performing penance. Once ṇḍ and wives along with a few sages went to Brahmaloka to attend a Yāga there. The long travel toiled them much and on the way ṇḍ wept thinking of his pitiable state of having no issue. Then ṇḍ told them of his helplessness in the matter because of the curse of the sage Kindama hanging over him. Then ܲԳī confided in him the secret of the divine mantras in her possession. ṇḍ was extremely pleased and with his permission ܲԳī got three sons, ۳ܻṣṭ󾱰, īԲ and Arjuna. She gave one chance to ī and she got two sons out of it named Nakula and Sahadeva.

ṇḍ was living happily with his children in Śٲśṛṅ when spring time arrived in the forest with all its blossoming brilliance and fragrance conducive to amorous thoughts in all living beings. ṇḍ one day walked alone with ī enjoying the sight of the flowering plants and trees. Bees and Beetles hummed around the flowers and on the branches sat the Cuckoos singing. There was a seductive fragrance all around and ṇḍ was excited beyond controllable limits. ṇḍ’s resolution broke down under the exhilarating influence of the season and despite repeated protests from ī, ṇḍ caught hold of her and embraced her. The curse of the sage took effect instantaneously and ṇḍ fell down dead.

The inhabitants of Śataśṛṇga assembled there weeping. In the presence of a huge crowd including the relatives who had come down from Ჹپܰ the dead body of ṇḍ was cremated according to religious rites. Both the wives came forward to end their lives in the funeral pyre of ṇḍ. But ܲԳī was asked to remain to take care of the children and ī leaving her children to the care of ܲԳī jumped into the funeral pyre and ended her life. It was the sage śⲹ貹 who performed the funeral rites of Pānḍḍu. (Chapters 115 to 126, Ādi Parva).

After the demise.

ṇḍ’s soul is shining in the court of Yama. (Śǰ첹 25, Chapter 7, Parva). ṇḍ sent a message to ۳ܻṣṭ󾱰 from Devaloka that ۳ܻṣṭ󾱰 should conduct a Rājasūya Yajña. The message was carried by . (Śǰ첹 24, Chapter 12, Parva). He lives in Indraloka with ī and ܲԳī. (Śǰ첹 15, Chapter 5, Svargārohaṇa Parva).

Synonyms of ṇḍ.

ṇḍ is known under the following names. ٲ, Bharatarṣabha, ٲsattama, Kaurava, Kauravanandana, Kauravarṣabha, Kauravya, Kauravyadāyāda, Kausalyānandavardhana, Kurūdvaha, Kurukulodvaha, Kurunandana, Kurupati, Kurupravīra, Nāgapurādhipa and Nāgapurasiṃha.

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