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<div>{{about||the Tamil actor|Pandu (actor)|the locality in Guwahati|Pandu, Guwahati}}<br />
{{refimprove|date=March 2018}}<br />
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2016}}<br />
{{short description|Father of the Pandavas in the epic Mahabharata}}<br />
{{Use Indian English|date=January 2016}}<br />
{{Infobox character<br />
| color = #FFC569<br />
| info-hdr = Personal Information<br />
| image = Raja Pandu and Matakunti LACMA M.69.13.6.jpg<br />
| caption = A late 17th-century painting of Pandu and Kunti from [[Kashmir]]<br />
| weapon = Bow and Arrows<br />
| affiliation = [[Kuru dynasty]]<br />
| spouses = {{hlist|[[Kunti]]|[[Madri]]}}<br />
| family = '''Parents''' ''{{small|see [[Niyoga]]}}''{{bulleted list|[[Ved Vyas]] (Biological Father)|[[Ambalika]] (Mother)|[[Vichitravirya]] (Deceased Father)}}'''Half Brothers''' {{bulleted list|[[Vidura]] (from [[Characters in the Mahabharata#Ambika's maid|Parishrami]])|[[Dhritarashtra]] (from [[Ambika (Mahabharata)|Ambika]])}}<br />
| children = '''Sons''' from Kunti{{bulleted list|[[Yudhishthira]] by [[Yama (Hinduism)|Dharmaraja]]|[[Bhima]] by [[Vayu]]|[[Arjuna]] by [[Indra]]}}<br />
'''Sons''' from Madri {{bulleted list||[[Nakula]] by [[Ashvins]]|[[Sahadeva]] by [[Ashvins]]}}<br />
| relatives = '''Half-Cousins''' ''{{small|see [[Niyoga]]}}''{{bulleted list|[[Shuka]] (from Vatikā)}}<br />
}}<br />
<br />
In the Hindu epic ''[[Mahabharata]]'', '''Pandu''' ({{lang-sa|पाण्डु|Pāṇḍu|pale}}) was a king of [[Kuru Kingdom]]. He is regarded as the father of the five [[Pandava]] brothers, though they were actually gifted by different gods due to his inability of having children following Maharisi Kindam's curse.<br />
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== Birth ==<br />
When [[Vichitravirya]] died of having sickness, [[Bhishma]] unable to take the throne because of his vow, and [[Bahlika (Mahabharata)|Bahlika]]'s line unwilling to leave the [[Bahlika Kingdom]], there was a succession crisis in Hastinapur. [[Satyavati]] then invited her son [[Vyasa]] to impregnate the queens [[Ambika (Mahabharata)|Ambika]] and [[Ambalika]] under the Niyoga practice. When [[Vyasa]] approached [[Ambalika]], she was frightened by his scary appearance, she had become pale in disgust; hence, her son was born pale. Thus Pandu's name means pale.<ref>{{Cite web|title=The Mahabharata, Book 1: Adi Parva: Sambhava Parva: Section CVI|url=https://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m01/m01107.htm|access-date=2020-08-31|website=www.sacred-texts.com}}</ref><br />
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==Reign and marriage==<br />
[[File:Marraiage of Kunti.jpg|thumb|Marriage of Pandu with Kunti|alt=|left]]<br />
Pandu was taught in the fields of archery, politics, administration and religion by [[Bhishma]]. He was an excellent archer and Maharathi (warrior). He became the successor to his kingdom and was crowned King of the [[Kuru Kingdom]]. He was married to [[Kunti]], the adoptive daughter of [[Kuntibhoja]] and the daughter of [[Shurasena]] (father of [[Vasudeva Anakadundubhi]] and grandfather of [[Krishna]]). His second wife was the princess of the [[Madra]] kingdom [[Madri]]. The marriage was proposed by Bhishma.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Debalina|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9hfHDwAAQBAJ&q=bhishma+gets+pandu+married+with+Madri&pg=PT123|title=Into the Myths: A Realistic Approach Towards Mythology and Epic|date=2019-12-20|publisher=Partridge Publishing|isbn=978-1-5437-0576-8|language=en}}</ref> Pandu later conquered the territories of the [[Sindhu Kingdom]], [[Varanasi|Kashi]], [[Anga]], [[Trigarta Kingdom]], [[Kalinga (historical kingdom)|Kalinga]], [[Magadha]], etc., and thus re-established their supremacy over all the kings and increased the span of his empire.<ref>{{cite book|last=Menon|first=[translated by] Ramesh|title=The Mahabharata : a modern rendering|year=2006|publisher=iUniverse, Inc.|location=New York|isbn=9780595401871}}</ref><br />
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==Kindama's Curse==<br />
{{plain image with caption|Pandu Shoots the Ascetic Kindama.jpg|Pandu shoots Kindama, who is disguised as a deer|220|right|bottom}}<br />
While hunting in a forest (looking from a distance, his vision partially obscured by plants and trees), Pandu saw a couple of deer in the process of [[coitus]], and shot arrows at them; only to find out that it was Rishi [[Kindama]] and his wife who were making love in the form of deer. The dying sage placed a curse on Pandu since he had not only killed them in the midst of [[lovemaking]] but was not remorseful for his action. King Pandu argued with sage Kindama by misquoting sage Agastya's ruling on the right of Kshatriyas' on hunting. Sage Kindama then cursed Pandu, the curse being that was he to approach his wives with the intent of making love, he would die.<ref>{{cite book|last=Ramankutty|first=P.V.|title=Curse as a motif in the Mahābhārata|year=1999|publisher=Nag Publishers|location=Delhi|isbn=9788170814320|edition=1.}}</ref><br />
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==Exile and death==<br />
[[File:Pandu at Shatasrunga Hill.jpg|thumb|Pandu at Shatasrunga Hill|left]]<br />
Upset and seeking to repent his action, Pandu handed his kingdom to [[Dhritarashtra]] and went for exile in forest. There, he lived as an ascetic with his wives.<ref>{{cite book|last=Ramankutty|first=P.V.|title=Curse as a motif in the Mahābhārata|year=1999|publisher=Nag Publishers|location=Delhi|isbn=9788170814320|edition=1.}}</ref> <br />
===Birth of Pandu's sons===<br />
[[File: Pandu orderd Kunti to bear a son.jpg|thumb|Pandu requests Kunti for a son]]<br />
One day Pandu was telling his birth story and wish of becoming a father to [[Kunti]]. Kunti mentioned her mantra given by sage [[Durvasa]]. Pandu was overjoyed and told Kunti to use it to get a son from a suitable god. He wanted his son to be righteous, so he suggested [[Yama (Hinduism)|Dharmaraja]], the god of Death and Righteousness. Kunti used her mantra and the god granted her [[Yudhishthira]]. Later Pandu expressed his desire for a powerful son. This time Kunti called [[Vayu]] and [[Bhima]] was born. Later Pandu suggested Kunti invoke [[Indra]] and a skillful son, [[Arjuna]] was born. Pandu felt badly for [[Madri]] and he requested Kunti to share her mantra. Kunti shared her mantra once and Madri invoked [[Ashvins]], and then gave birth to [[Nakula]] and [[Sahadeva]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=The five pandavas and the story of their birth|url=http://aumamen.com/topic/the-five-pandavas-and-the-story-of-their-birth|access-date=2020-08-31|website=aumamen.com}}</ref><br />
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===Death===<br />
One day, Pandu forgot about this curse and suddenly filled with lust for Madri and proceeded to have intercourse with her. After the act, his curse fulfilled and he died. His body was cremated in the forest itself. In grief that her husband died because of her, Madri committed suicide (possibly through [[self-immolation]]) after handing her children to Kunti.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Fang|first=Liaw Yock|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=yIv3AwAAQBAJ&q=madri+suicide&pg=PA76|title=A History of Classical Malay Literature|date=2013|publisher=Institute of Southeast Asian|isbn=978-981-4459-88-4|language=en}}</ref><br />
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==See also==<br />
{{Commons Category|Pandu}}<br />
* [[Pandava]]<br />
* [[Pandeism (Godfrey Higgins)|The Pandeism of Godfrey Higgins]]<br />
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==References==<br />
{{Reflist}}<br />
<br />
{{HinduMythology}}<br />
{{Mahabharata}}<br />
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[[Category: Characters in the Mahabharata]]</div>2405:201:A004:C038:8C76:5F24:B9A1:7574