सम्भव पर्व — पाण्डु की मृत्यु

Vaishampayana said : Seeing his five handsome sons before him in the great forest on the charming mountain slope, Pandu left that the old strength of his arms had come back.

One day in the season of spring which maddens all creatures, the king (Pandu) with his wife (Madri) roamed in the woods where every tree was blossomed.

He saw Palashas, Tilakas, Mangoes, Champakas, Paribhadrakas and Karnikaras Kesharas, Atimuktas. There were also many other trees bent down with the weight of their flowers and fruits. There were many lakes overgrown with lotuses. Seeing all this, Pandu felt the influence of (the god of) love in his mind.

In a delightful heart he roamed there like a celestial, followed by (his wife) Madri, who was robed in a semi-transparent cloth.

The king could not suppress his desire on seeing his lotus eyed wife and he was completely overcome by it in that solitude of the wood.

The king then sized her by force, but Madri, trembling in fear, resisted him to the best of her power.

He (the king) was then overcome by desire; he did not remember the course (of the Rishi); he embraced Madri by force. O descendant of Kuru, unrestrained by the fear of curse and impelled by fate, the king, being overpowered by passion, forcibly sought the embraces of his wife, as if to put an end to his life.

His reason, being clouded by the destroyer himself, after intoxicating his senses was itself lost with his life.

The descendant of Kuru, virtuous minded Pandu succumbed to the inevitable influence of Time while united with his wife.

Then Madri, embracing the senseless (dead) king, began repeatedly to utter words of lament.

Kunti with her sons and the sons of Madri, the Pandavas, came there where the king lay in that state.

O king, Madri then crying piteously said to Kunti, “Come here alone and let the children stay there."

Having heard her these words, Kunti bade the children to remain there came running and crying, "Woe to me!"

Seeing both Pandu and Madri lying prostrate on the ground, she bewailed in grief and affliction, saying-

“Thus self controlled hero was always watched by me with care. How did he embrace you, knowing the curse of the Rishi.”

O Madri, this king ought to have been protected by you; but why did you tempt the king in solitude?

He was always melancholy, thinking the curse of the Rishi. How did he become marry with you in solitude?

"O princess of Valhika, greater fortunate you are than I. You have seen the face of the king in gladness and joy."

Madri said : Sister, with tears in my eyes, I resisted the king, but he could not control himself, as if he was bent upon making the Rishi's curse true.

Kunti said : I am the eldest of his wedded wives; the chief religious merit is mine. O Madri, therefore, prevent me not from what must come to pass. I must follow our lord to the region of the dead. Rise up, give me the body and you rear the children.

Madri said: I am still clasping our lord and here not allowed him to go away. Therefore, I shall follow him. I am not as yet satiated you are my eldest sister, give me permission (to go).

This best of the Bharata race came to me with the desire of having intercourse. His desire was not satiated, should I not go to the region of the Yama to gratify him?

O revered sister, if I survive you, it is certain I shall not be able to rear up your and my own children (with equality) and thus sin will touch me.

O Kunti, you will be able to bring up my sons as if they are yours. The king, in seeking me with desire, has gone to the region of the dead.

Therefore, my body should be burned with that of the king. O revered abater, do not refuse me your permission to what is agreeable to me.

You will certainly bring up the children carefully. It would be doing the greatest good to me. I do not find anything more to tell you.

Vaishampayana said : Having said this, the daughter of the king of Madra, the lawfully wedded wife of that best of men Pandu, ascended the funeral pyre of her lord.