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Pandu kunti

Pandu and Kunti

Pandu was the son of Ambalika and Vichitravirya. Though he was younger than Dhritarashtra, he became king because his brother was blind.After killing a sage in the act of lovemaking, he was cursed to die whenever he attempted to have intercourse with a woman. He then abdicated the throne to live a life of celibacy with his two wifes,Kunt and Madri. Dhristarashtra succeeded the childless Pandu as king. He told Kunti of the curse and she was granted a boon by the sage Durvasa to have children.

Kunti had been given a special chant which could be used to summon a god of her choice to make her pregnant. She tested this boon originally by calling upon Surya, the sun god. She gave birth to Karna, who she abandoned. She then used the boon to summon Yama, Vayu and indra, giving birth to the first three Pandavas, Yudhisthira, Bhima and Arjuna. Madi then used the chant to summon the two Ashvins and she gave birth to Nakula and Sahadeva. After 15 years of celibacy, Pandu forgot the curse and tried to make love to Madri. He then died and Madri killed herself by throwing herself onto her husband's funeral pyre. His children fought and won the Kurukshetra War.

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Kuru Genealogy in Hindu mythology Names in bold are kings of Hastinapura
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Chandra
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Budha
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Seven generations
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Dushyant
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Bharata
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Bhumanyu
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Six generations
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Kuru
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Viduratha
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Bhimasena
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Pratipa
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Ganga
 
Shantanu
 
 
 
Satyavati
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Bhishma
 
 
Chitrangada
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Subala
 
Ambika
 
 
 
 
 
 
Vichitravirya
 
Ambalika
 
 
Shurasena
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Shakuni
 
Gandhari
 
Dhritarashtra
 
Madri
 
Pandu
 
 
Kunti
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Duryodhana
 
Kauravas
 
Nakula
 
 
Sahadeva
 
 
 
Karṇa
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Draupadi
 
 
 
Yudhisthira
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Bhima
 
 
Rohini
 
Vasudeva
 
Devaki
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Arjuna
 
Subhadra
 
Krishna
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Abhimanyu
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Parikshit
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Janamejaya
Preceded by:
Vichitravirya
King of Hastinapura
Mythic
Succeeded by
Dhritarashtra
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