Kuntee
Read also
Life of Kuntee
Kuntee is a Mahaabhaarat character. She was the eldest daughter of Vrishni
Vanshee Raajaa Shoorsen. There her name was Prithaa. Thus she was the real
Buaa (Phoophee, or paternal aunt) of Krishn, because Krishn's father Vasudev
was also the son of Raajaa Shoorsen.
Kuntibhoj was Raajaa Shoorsen's Buaa's son and was his very good friend. He
did not have any child so when Shoorsen was expecting a child in his palace,
he promised to give that child to Kuntibhoj. He had a daughter so he gave
that daughter, Prithaa, to Kuntibhoj, thus she was brought up by Kuntibhoj
and there she was called Kuntee. She was married to
Paandu. Her mother was from Naag Vansh.
She is one of the Panch Kanyaa (five Virgins) -
Ahalyaa Draupadee Kuntee Taaraa Mandodaree Tathaa |
Panch Kanyaa smare Nityam Mahaapaatak Naashnam ||
Mantra to Kuntee
Once Durvaasaa Rishi came to Kuntibhoj's
house, Kuntibhoj handed over that Rishi to his daughter Kuntee and asked her to
take care of him carefully. Kuntee offered him her very best services. He was so
much pleased with her services that he asked her to ask for anything. She said -
"You know the past, present and future. Kindly give me something which is
useful for me in future." Then Durvaasaa Muni gave her a Mantra which caused
any Devtaa to come to her and fulfill her wish.
Soorya Dev Gives a Son to Kuntee
So once innocently she just tried to test that Mantra and called Soorya Dev.
Soorya Dev came and asked her, "What do you want Kuntee?" She
said, "Durvaasaa Muni gave me a Mantra, I was just testing the Mantra,
I don't need anything. You may go now." Soorya Dev said, "My Darshan
cannot go waste, otherwise also it will be an insult to Durvaasaa Rishi's Mantra,
so I give you a son." Kuntee said - "Son? I am an unmarried girl, what
I will say to society?" Soorya Dev said - "You don't worry, you will
still remain unmarried. He will born with my Kavach (protector) and Kundal (earrings)
and will able to protect himself. Hey Kuntee, you name him Karn." And Soorya
Dev went away after giving her a son. Now what Kuntee could do. As she was unmarried,
she was afraid of her defame, so she kept her child in a box wrapped in a silk cloth
and flowed the box in Gangaa River. (see also Karn)
Kuntee's Son Brought Up by Adhirath
After a little while that box was found by
Adhirath who used to work with
Shaantanu as his Saarathee. He was taking bath in the River, he heard
a cry and saw a box coming towards him. He opened the box and found a child
as shiny as Soorya. He brought the child home. He had no child of his own so
he with his wife Raadhaa brought him up as their own child. There he grew up
as Vasusen. Being Raadhaa's son he was popularly known as Raadheya. Later he
was named Karn and became a very brave soldier and a great alms giver. Later
on Kuntee was also married to Paandu, and she had three sons though the same
Mantra, by calling Dharm Raaj (Yudhishthir),
Vaayu (Bheemsen), and Indra
(Arjun); and got two sons to Maadree by
calling Ashwinee Kumaar (Nakul and Sahadev).
Her Life
She never got happiness in her life. As she was married, Paandu went for
expansion of his kingdom. When he came back home he brought Maadree with
him as his second wife. Then they went for a vacation where Paandu killed
Kindam Muni by mistake and was given Shaap by that Muni, so all went to Van
again for Praayashchit for
Brahm Hatyaa. There also she could not get even conjugal pleasure, because
of the Muni's Shaap, so she had to have three sons from various Devtaa and
after a few years Paandu also died leaving his five sons young.
Maadree became Satee with Paandu and Kuntee came to live in Hastinaapur with
her five sons. There also because of
Dhritraashtra and Duryodhan she
was always under pressure, even for her sons' lives. She was always sad about
her eldest son Karn and used to think about him. Whenever she thought about him
she could not do anything except crying.
Meeting With Karn
Once when Kaurav and Paandav had finished their education, Dronaachaarya
organized their demonstration of what they learned to see by their parents.
Drone wanted to declare Arjun the best archer, but the then Karn, who was
seeing all this from the outside gate, challenged Drone - "How can you
declare him the best archer unless you have given opportunity to others also
to show their skills?" Since Karn had "Kavach and Kundal" on
his body, Kuntee recognized him and she just wept but could not call him her
son.
Most of the time she was with her sons even in the forest while in hiding
from Duryodhan at the time of
Baaranaavat episode escape. Of course she did not go with them when they
went to exile for 13 years. At that time she lived with Vidur Jee. During
the war also she was with Vidur Jee.
Kuntee and Karn
Kuntee met Karn once again just before the war started. She went there to
request him that he was her son and if he fought from Paandav's side he
would be the King of Hastinaapur and his brothers will respect him very
much. She went to him at that time when he used to give alms to anybody
whoever wanted anything from him. But Karn said - "Why do you come
today? Why did you not come on the day when Drone insulted me calling me
Soot-Putra or when I was not given the opportunity to contest with Arjun?
Only Duryodhan helped me at that time. So now it is too late. Now I am
indebted to Duryodhan, and I cannot be unfaithful to him. Since I cannot
give you whatever you have come to ask me for, I can assure you that your
five sons will be alive after the war, if I die then Arjun will live, or if
Arjun dies then I will live." Kuntee came back disappointed.
Last Days of Kuntee
After the war she lived with her sons but then she went to forest along with
Dhritraashtra and Gaandhaaree when they
left Hastinaapur on the advice of Vidur Jee, and died there with them.
Kuntee is Alone in Her Life Journey
There is no woman like Kuntee in MBH. She has taken all important decisions
herself. In Raamaayan, at least Kaikeyee was instigated by Mantharaa, but Kuntee
needs no instigation. In fact this journey of Kuntee is her own. It starts right
from her childhood - summoning Soorya Dev, then abandoning Karn, then choosing
Paandu, then refusing to have more than 3 sons from 3 Devtaa, agreeing to bring
up her co-wife's twins instead of dying on her husband's pyre, ensuring that Draupadee
becomes common wife of all her sons, goading Yudhishthir through Krishn to fight
for his birth right, and finally leaving the kingdom with Dhritraashtra and Gaandhaaree
to forest.
|