Vaishampayana said: -
1. After the birth of sons of Kunti and that of the sons of Dhritarastra, the daughter of the king of Madra privately spoke to Pandu thus.
Madri said: -
2. O chastiser of foes I can have on complaint, if you do not favourably look at me. O sinless one, I have no complaint that though I am by birth superior (to Kunti), yet I am inferior to her in status.
3. O descendant of Kuru, O king, I do not grieve, hearing that Gandhari has obtained one hundred sons.
4. This is my great grief (however) that though we are both equal, you should have sons by Kunti alone.
5. If the princess Kunti so provide that I should have offspring, she would do me a great favour and she will also do you good.
6. Kunti is my rival and therefore, I feel a delicacy in soliciting any favour from her. if you are favourably inclined towards me, ask her to grant me my desire.
Pandu said: -
7. O Madri, I have often, reflected over this matter in my own mind. But I hesitated to tell you, not knowing whether you would like it or not.
8. Now that I know your mind, I shall certainly try to do it. I think, being asked by me, she (Kunti) will not refuse.
Vaishampayana said: -
9-10. Thereupon Pandu again spoke to Kunti in private; (he said), “O blessed lady, great me some more offspring for the good of my race and of the whole world. Provide that I myself, my ancestors and you also, may always have the funeral cake.
11. In order to gain fame, do this difficult work for me. Indra, through he has obtained the sovereignty of the celestials, performs sacrifices for fame alone.
12. O handsome lady, Brahmanas, learned in Mantras, after having acquired ascetic merits most difficult to be achieved, still go to their preceptors for fame.
13. All the royal sages and Brahmanas, Possessed of ascetic wealth, have achieved the most difficult of feats for fame alone.
14. O blameless one, rescue Madri with a raft of offspring; and achieve imperishable fame by making her a mother of children.”
15. Having been thus addressed, Kunti said to Madri, “Think of some celestials, from whom you will certainly get offspring.”
16. Thereupon, Madri reflecting sometime, thought of the twin Asvinis. They came to her without delay and begot offspring on her.
17. Namely Nakula and Sahadeva, matchless in beauty on earth. On the birth of that twin, the invisible voice said.
18. “There virtuous and accomplished sons will transcend in energy and beauty even the twin Asvinis themselves. Possessed of great energy and beauty, they illuminated the whole region.
19. The inhabitants (Rishi) of the mountain with the hundred parks, uttering blessings on them and performing the first rites of birth, named them.
20. The eldest of the Kunti’s sons was called Yudhisthira, the second was named Bhimasena and the third was named Aryuna.
21. The first born of the twins among Madri’s sons was named Nakula and the next one Sahadeva. The Brahmanas with much pleasure named them thus.
22. Those best of Kurus, the sons of Pandu, looked like five years old boys when they were only one year of age.
23. Seeing his sons endued with celestial beauty and extraordinary strength, with super abundant energy, prowess and largeness of mind, Pandu.
24. The King, became exceedingly glad obtaining such sons. To all the Rishis, inhabitants of the mountain with the hundred peaks.
25. And to their wives, they became great favourites. Sometime after, Pandu again requested Kunti for Madri.
26. In private, when the faithful Pritha replied to him thus, “Having given her the Mantra only for once, she has got two sons. I have been deceived by her.
27. I fear she will surpass me in the number of her children. This is the way of all wicked women, fool I was, I did not know that by invoking the twin gods, I might get two sons all at once.
28-29. Do not command me again, I ask from you this boon”. Thus were born to Pandu five sons, begotten by the celestials and endued with great strength. They achieved great fame and expanded the Kuru race. They were all as handsome as Soma and bore all the auspicious marks on their person.
30. They were proud as lions; they were great bowmen; their necks were like those of lions and they were capable of going to the place frequented by lions. These kings of men endure with the prowess of the celestials daily grew up.
31. Seeing them and their virtuous growth with years, the great Rishis, dwelling on the Himalaya mountains, were filled with astonishment and wonder.
32. These five (Pandavas) and the hundred (sons of Dhritarastra), the extenders of the Kuru race, grew up rapidly like an assembly of lotuses in a lake.
Thus ends the hundred and twenty fourth chapter, the birth of the Pandavas, in the Sambhava of the Adi Parva.