STORY OF THE MONTH
(Jan 2026)


Kunti - The Excellent Heroine of Mahabharata


While it is well known that Kunti was the mother of the five mighty Pandavas, but the story behind how they came to be Kunti’s sons is an intriguing one.

Kunti, in her childhood, was known as Pritha and she was the virtuous daughter of the great King Shura (grandfather of Sri Krishna).

Pritha was unrivalled on earth for her great beauty. When she was a young girl, Pritha was given in adoption to Kuntibhoja, Shura’s childless cousin and close friend. From then onwards, Pritha came to be known as Kunti – daughter of King Kuntibhoja.

Kunti was very attentive in serving the rishis and brahmanas who would visit the kingdom of her (adoptive) father. Once the great sage Durvasa, who was known for great ascetic powers as also for his fiery temper, visited the palace.

Kunti was given the task of serving the great ascetic and his disciples, and she served the rishi with great care and devotion. Durvasa, gratified with the attentions bestowed on him by the beautiful maiden, said to her,

“I am satisfied with thee, O fortunate one! By this mantra that I am about to give thee, thou shall be able to summon to thy side whatever deity thou desire. And, by their grace, thou shall be able to obtain children.”

After her marriage to King Pandu of Hastinapura, it was by the power of this mantra alone that Kunti was able to summon the Gods Yamaraja, Vayu, Indra and the Ashvini twins (summoned by Madri, the second wife of Pandu, on the basis of the mantra given by Kunti to her).

Thus, the five great Pandava brothers were born. 

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Notes:

“Every man has the power to resist the influence of his sense-identified, habit bound existence. This power of renunciation does not involve any loss to the devotee, but gives him opportunity to remove and forsake all those things that retard his spiritual progress.

As Pritha (Kunti) renounced a noble father in response to fulfilling a higher duty, so the devotee does not hesitate to reject the guidance of his dearest bad habits that display a fatherly interest in subjugating his will. Thus, spiritually interpreted, Pritha-become-Kunti signifies the power of renunciative will of the devotee.”

(Sri Sri Paramahansa Yoganandaji in his Bhagavad Gita commentary, “God Talks With Arjuna” published by Self-Realization Fellowship/Yogoda Satsanga Society of India)