Madri
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Madri, also known as Madravati, is a legendary character in the Mahabharata, an ancient Sanskrit epic poem. She is the princess from the Madra Kingdom and becomes the second wife of Pandu, the king of
A print of Madri by Raja Ravi Varma (1848 – 1906)
Due to Pandu's curse, each of the five Pandavas is fathered through the practice of niyoga which allows a reputed man to father children on behalf of the husband, with the children being acknowledged as the husband's alone. Madri's twins are fathered by the twin gods, the Ashvins (pictured).
A folio from the Razmnama (16th century Persian translation of the Mahabharata) depicting scenes of Pandu's life. At the bottom right, Madri is depicted jumping into his funeral pyre.
Kunti
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Kunti, also known as Pritha, is a prominent character in the Mahabharata, an ancient Sanskrit epic poem. A princess of the Vrishni dynasty, she becomes the wife of Pandu, king of the Kuru Kingdom, and
Madri
…Pandu is cursed that he would die if he engaged in sexual relations, Madri accompanies Pandu in his self-imposed exile, along with Pandu's first wife, Kunti. Using Kunti's divine boon, Madri invokes the twin gods Ashvins to conceive her twin sons. Later, the cursed Pandu dies when he is overcome by desire…
A 20th century painting by Nandalal Bose, presumed to depict Kunti feeding the Pandavas
Kunti invokes Surya out of curiosity.
A late 17th-century painting of Pandu and Kunti from Kashmir
The Pandavas travelling with their mother