Of all the panchakanya, the story of Kunti focuses on maternal love and desire for children. Kunti tells us that a mother will do anything and sacrifice anything to be a mother and bear children, even if it meant giving them away. The trials and tribulations that Kunti faces in this patriarchal society throughout her lifetime shows us that a mother’s love is eternal and has no bounds.
Ancient Yadava ruler of Mathura, Shurasena, was married to a Naga (serpent) named Marisha. She bore all his children, but, most importantly, Kunti and Vasudeva. At a young age, Kunti was given in adoption to the childless King Kuntibhoja. And Vasudeva, as we all know, marries Devaki and gives birth to Lord Krishna.
In her youth, Kunti approached Sage Durvasa regarding her desire to have children. After much thought, he gifts her with a blessed mantra. He tells Kunti that the mantra could summon any deva, and she could have a child by him. Though unmarried, Kunti’s curiosity leads her to test the mantra. She invokes the Sun God, Surya, who appears before her and blesses her with a son, Karna.
As Surya hands over their child, Kunti ecstatically takes him close and cradles him. Quickly, she realizes her situation — a woman with a child out of wedlock would only be shunned by society. Sobbing, she finds composure and sets her son afloat at the nearest river. Little did she know that Karna would one day become the arch enemy of her sons in the future.
Soon, Kunti’s father held a swayamvaram for Kunti where she chose King of Hastinapur, Pandu, to be her husband. Using the mantra given to her by Sage Durvasa, Kunti invokes the gods Dharma, Vayu, and Indra to give her three sons: Yudhishtra, Bheema, and Arjuna. Later, Pandu marries the young, beautiful Madri. Kunti teaches the mantra to Madri, who invokes the Ashwini Kumaras and is blessed with two sons: Nakul and Sahadev.
Meanwhile, Pandu finds himself with a curse from Sage Kindana. He would die if he tries to make love with either of his wives, Kunti or Madri. One day, Pandu finds himself unable to resist his second wife, Madri, and dies. Guilt-ridden Madri gives her life as well by jumping in her husband’s funeral pyre. Despite having lost her husband and co-wife, Kunti resolves to stay strong and care for all their children as her own. Ultimately, Kunti is left fulfilling a lifelong duty she holds close to her heart — raising her children with proper education and morals and ensuring their ascent as rightful heirs to the throne of their kingdom, Hastinapur.
Living on her own terms
Despite bearing a child that was blessed by God and the wise sage himself, Kunti faces the pressures of societal rules of having a child out of wedlock. She prematurely worries that the child will be shunned for not having a real father. This shows us that the community has created regulations on determining what is considered an acceptable member of society basing it off of how they were conceived. Kunti shows us that there is a stigma surrounding bastard children, a concept that is relevant to this day. Eventually, even after losing their father and second mother, the children of Kunti became the Pandavas, the most respected and wise members of society.
Kunti also shows us that a mother’s love has no bounds. She had sacrificed her own child in concerns of how they would be treated and was determined to raise her children on her own after her husband and co-wife died. In this way, Kunti leads the narrative in depicting a strong matriarchal image in contrast to the rest of the society. She ends up living on her own terms, strong willed and now experienced to go through life’s hurdles. She later goes on to be a very influential character in the Mahabharata, giving counsel and support to her sons in the war.
Literature on the story of Kunti is two sided: One side tells us that she has high morals and is respected, and the other side tells us that she is cunning and calculative. In the first instance, she is valued for her wisdom and sacrifices that she makes through her journey and is praised for supporting her sons. In the latter, she is chided for having given up her son, Karna, who had faced his own battles struggling to grow up without a mom, stating that this was selfish behavior on her part for being concerned about society. She abandoned him only to try and make amends later when she realized she was about to physically lose him in the war. She also is said to have been concerned about being overshadowed by her co-wife Madri and would resort to decisions that would have put her higher than Madri.
All in all, Kunti’s story is focused on bringing a strong matriarchal and powerful image in Hindu epics, pointing at the one thing that women are mostly known for, bearing children. Ultimately, motherhood is not only a duty, but also an innate desire.
*Please note: These stories and analyses are based on our interpretations of multiple texts and articles, as well as discussions from elders through oral traditions. Additionally, we have drawn inspirations from many writers and playwrights over the years. We are aware that there are many perspectives and interpretations to these characters. The following are links that we found helpful to aid in our understanding.
Links:
- Five Pillars of Chaste Feminine Divinity
- Wikipedia — Panchakanya
- What the Lives of the Five Virgins of the Ramayan and Mahabharat Can Teach Us
- The Story of Kunti
- Kunti And Gandhari — The Two Matriarchs Of Mahabharata
Written by Manaswini Avvari and Meena Vemuri
Edited by Anjali Vemuri
Photography by Raama Srivatsan