Mādrī

Mādrī was a princess of the Madra kingdom and the second wife of Pāṇḍu. She went with Pāṇḍu into the forest after he withdrew from the world because of the śāpa (a curse) of Kiṃdama. With the mantra (sacred formula) that Kuntī shared with her, she called both the Aśvinī-kumāras in a single call. She bore Nakula and Sahadeva together, the two youngest Pāṇḍavas, known for their beauty and their special skills.

Pāṇḍu gave in to desire for Mādrī and died, and the śāpa of Kiṃdama was fulfilled. Mādrī was full of grief and felt that she had been the cause of his death. She chose to ascend his funeral pyre. She left her two sons in the care of Kuntī before she died.

Arrival and marriage

Mādrī was a princess of the Madra kingdom, brought to Pāṇḍu as his second wife. She was known for her beauty and grace, and the king of Madra sent great wealth with her as a bride-gift. She became Pāṇḍu’s second wife beside Kuntī. She lived with him in Hastināpura until the śāpa of Kiṃdama struck him.

Life in the forest

Pāṇḍu retired to the forests of the Himālaya after the śāpa that forbade him to come near any woman with desire, on pain of instant death. Both his wives chose to go with him. Kuntī and Mādrī went with him into the wilds. They shared the life of a forest ascetic and did not stay behind in the comfort of Hastināpura. They lived on the slopes of Śatasṛṅga and later in other forest regions, among the ṛṣis who lived in those places.

Birth of Nakula and Sahadeva

Kuntī called the devas with her mantra to bear sons for Pāṇḍu. Pāṇḍu later asked that the mantra be shared with Mādrī, so that she too could have sons. Kuntī shared it. Mādrī made a bold choice. She called the two Aśvinī-kumāras together in one call, not one at a time. The Aśvins came, and she bore two sons at once: Nakula and Sahadeva. They were the youngest of the five Pāṇḍavas and the most beautiful. Nakula was known for his skill in horsemanship and weapons, and Sahadeva for his wisdom and his knowledge of the stars and signs.

Death

One spring day the forest was in full flower. Pāṇḍu saw Mādrī near him, looking especially lovely. The season and her beauty overcame him. He forgot the śāpa of Kiṃdama and came to her with desire. At that moment the śāpa was fulfilled, and Pāṇḍu died.

Mādrī was overcome with grief, and with something deeper than grief. She felt she had been the unwitting cause of her husband’s death. She resolved to join him on his funeral pyre. She said farewell to her two sons and to Kuntī, and she asked Kuntī to raise all five sons together as her own. Kuntī agreed. Mādrī went up on the pyre and gave up her life with Pāṇḍu.

Reunited with Pāṇḍu in Mahendra’s mansion

In the Svargārohaṇa Parva, Yudhiṣṭhira moved among the blessed in a divine body. Indra showed him Pāṇḍu living with both his wives, Kuntī and Mādrī, travelling by vimāna to wait upon Indra himself. Sauti (Ugraśravas) tells the final fates of the heroes. In his account, Mādrī, with Pāṇḍu and Kuntī, reached the bhavana (mansion) of Mahendra when her puṇya (merit) was spent. The queen who had followed her husband onto the pyre now shared his divine mansion (Chapters 4–5).

Sources

• Mahābhārata, Ādi Parva, Sambhava Parva, Chapters 116–125
• Mahābhārata, Svargārohaṇa Parva, Chapters 4–5