Origin of the Pandavas

महाभरत

Mahābharata

As retold by

Michael Dolan, B.V. Mahāyogi

Kunti said,

"And so it was that I lived as princess of Panchala in the palace of King Kunti-bhoja.

Palace of Indian Maharaj

One day, it so happened that an erudite teacher of the Vedas, Durvasa Muni by name, came to my father for shelter.

Indian Palace from Far Pavilions

 He was on his way to holy places, a pilgrimage in faraway lands. 

Durvasa Muni

He had come a long way and needed to rest a while. In exchange for food and lodging,  he stayed as our guest for a few fortnights and taught the Vedas to the children of the household.  I was among his brightest pupils and among my duties, I served food and drink to Durvasa Muni.

Serving food and drink

Now Durvasa Muni while a great holy man who understood the Vedas deeply was known to have a hot temper. All the while he was staying with the king, I served that great teacher preparing his meals and seeing to his hospitality. He was always absorbed in reading the scriptures or writing a commentary that he would later deliver to his students. When he was absorbed in his writing and meditations, he would become angry at the slightest disturbance.

Absorbed in Mediation

Indeed, I have known personally of situations where that great sage would even curse someone. So I served him quietly, humbly and without pretension, even when he was angry and spoke harshly to me.

“Girl!” he would say, “Fetch water.”

And again, “Girl! Bring rice.”

"Bring Rice!"

I much admired and respected the erudite Durvasa, and tolerated his bad manners. I would reply, “Yes my lord. No, my lord. As you wish, my lord. Right away, my lord.” And in this way, as he passed sometime in the palace of my father, he was pleased with me. One day, just before he left us, he called me, saying, “Girl! Come here.”

So I came to him.

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“What is it that most would please you, girl?”

“Why to have a good husband and to get good children who will carry on the dynasty. Then I could live in a fine palace even greater than that of my father - and my father would be pleased.”

Courtyard of the Maharaja's Palace, Bangalore.

“And so you will my child,” said the erudite Durvasa Muni, fixing me with his eyes. “Listen.” he said and spoke words in a strange language. I liked the sound of the words. It sounded like poetry to me but I couldn’t understand the meaning.

Mantras

“Now repeat each word as I tell it to you.” He said, again intoning the strange words. And so, thinking it a game, I laughed and repeated each word as he had told it to me.

Hare Krishna Maha-mantra

“These words are a mantra, girl. Divine sound. They cast a spell so powerful even the gods cannot resist.”

“Why are you telling me this, my lord?” I asked.

“You have served me well, girl, and I am pleased. This is my gift to you. When you need help to find a good husband, you must say this mantra. The god you call shall appear before you to satisfy your wish.”

"You have serve me well. Call on the god you wish with this mantra."

In my childhood, I had heard many stories about a wish being satisfied or a boon being given. I knew the Vedas and many stories from the ancient books. I thought perhaps this was all folktales, or the mythology of my grandmother; but the eyes of Durvasa Muni pierced my soul. He was a man of great power. I was hypnotized by him. It was impossible not to believe this strange young man, so angry and so erudite who sat before me teaching me the mantra.

“Have you memorized the mantra?” he asked. I smiled and said “Yes, my lord.”

Kunti devi, artist's conception

“Good, then.” he said. “Now fetch water.”

I went to the river Ganges and fetched water in a pot, but when I returned, the erudite Durvasa Muni had left. When I consulted with my father, he told me only that Durvasa Muni had moved on and that he never stayed for long in the same place.

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“He was pleased with your service,” said my father. 

“Durvasa Muni has blessed you,” he said, laughing. I took no more interest in the matter, being a young girl fresh in this world. 

"Durvasa Muni has blessed you," my father said

Soon I began to miss the erudite young scholar with a sharp temper. The full moons came and went. I heard that he had gone to the mountains somewhere in the East.

 He never returned.