After receiving the curse of the sage Kindama in the guise of a deer, King Pandu for once and for all renounced Kingship over the dominion of Hastinapura, accepting his fate to have no children of his own. After making vows pertaining to a life of renunciation, and embracing the same, including the association of sages in the forests, Pandu heard from them that they saw in his destiny children. Enthused, how would the former King pursue this encouraging pledge? Could he after all, or his children, have a future that would bring themselves back to royal roots?

Pandu would frequently discuss his inner-most thoughts with his first dear wife Kunti, who was herself noble and wise. Pandu called out to the excellent Kunti so that they may speak in private, even not with his second wife Madri there.

Pandu said to Kunti beginning with his conclusion, and explaining his process of thought:

'My dear wife, strive ye to raise offspring at this time of distress.

The wise expounders of the eternal religion declare that a son, O Kunti, is the cause of virtuous fame in all of the three worlds.

It is said that sacrifices, charitable gifts, ascetic penances, and vows observed most carefully, do not confer religious merit on a sonless man.

O thou of sweet smiles, knowing all this, I am certain that as I am sonless, I shall not obtain regions of true felicity.

O timid one, wretch that I was and addicted to cruel deeds, as a consequence of the polluted life I led, my power of procreation hath been destroyed by the curse of the deer.

From my study of the Vedas, I can share what it hath to say on the matter, in times of emergency, known as the Apa-Dharma, Dharma at unprecedented times. The institutes mention six kinds of sons that are heirs and kinsmen, and six other kinds that are not heirs but kinsmen. I shall speak of them presently O Pritha, listen to me. They are:

1. the son begotten by one's own self upon his wedded wife;

2. the son begotten upon one's wife by an accomplished person from motives of kindness;

3. the son begotten upon one's wife by a person for pecuniary consideration;

4. the son begotten upon the wife after the husband's death;

5. the maiden-born son;

6. the son born of an unchaste wife;

7. the son given;

8. the son bought for a consideration;

9. the son self-given;

10. the son received with a pregnant bride;

11. the brother's son; and

12. the son begotten upon a wife of lower caste.

On failure of offspring of a prior class, the mother should desire to have offspring of the next class.

In times of distress, men solicit offspring from accomplished younger brothers.

The self-born Manu hath said that men failing to have legitimate offspring of their own may have offspring begotten upon their wives by others, for sons confer the highest merit.

O Kunti, I command thee to raise good offspring through some person who is either equal or superior to me.

O Kunti, listen to the history of the daughter of Sara-danda-yana who was appointed by her lord to raise offspring.

That warrior-dame, when her monthly season arrived, bathed duly and in the night went out and waited on a spot where four roads met. She did not wait long when a Brahmana crowned with ascetic success came there. 

The daughter of Saradandayana solicited him for offspring.

After pouring libations of clarified butter on the fire in the performance of the sacrifice known by the name of Punsavana, she brought forth three sons that were mighty car-warriors and of whom Durjaya was the eldest, begotten upon her by that Brahmana.

O thou of good fortune, do thou follow that warrior-dame's example at my command, and speedily raise offspring out of the seed of some Brahmana of high ascetic merit.'"

Thus addressed, Kunti replied unto her heroic lord, king Pandu, that bull amongst the Kurus, saying:

'O virtuous one, it behoveth thee not to say so unto me. I am, O thou lotus-eyed one, thy wedded wife, devoted to thee.

O, Bharata of mighty arms, thyself shalt, in righteousness, beget upon me children endued with great energy. Then I shall ascend to heaven with thee; O prince of Kuru's race, receive me in thy embrace for begetting children. I shall not certainly, even in imagination, accept any other man except thee in my embraces. What other man is there in this world superior to thee?

O virtuous one, listen to this Pauranic narrative that hath been, O thou of large eyes, heard by me, and that I shall presently narrate.

There was, in ancient times, a king in the race of Puru, known by the name of Vyushitaswa. He was devoted to truth and virtue.

Of virtuous soul and mighty arms, on one occasion, while he was performing a sacrifice the gods with Indra and the great Sages came to him, and Indra was so intoxicated with the Soma juice he drank and the Brahmanas with the large presents they received, that both the gods and the great sages began themselves to perform everything appertaining to that sacrifice of the illustrious royal sage.

And thereupon Vyushitaswa began to shine above all men like the Sun appearing in double splendour after the season of frost is over. And the powerful Vyushitaswa, who was endued with the strength of ten elephants very soon performed the horse-sacrifice, overthrowing, O best of monarchs, all the kings of the East, the North, the West and the South, and exacted tributes from them all.

There is an anecdote, O best of the Kurus, that is sung by all reciters of the Puranas, in connection with that first of all men, the illustrious Vyushitaswa.

Having conquered the whole Earth up to the coast of the sea, Vyushitaswa protected every class of his subjects as a father does his own begotten sons.

Performing many great sacrifices he gave away much wealth to the Brahmanas. After collecting unlimited jewels and precious stones he made arrangements for performing still greater ones. And he performed also the Agnishtoma, and other special Vedic sacrifices, extracting great quantities of Soma juice.

And, O king, Vyushitaswa had for his dear wife, Bhadra, the daughter of Kakshivat, unrivalled for beauty on earth. And it hath been heard by us that the couple loved each other deeply. King Vyushitaswa was seldom separated from his wife. Sexual excess, however, brought on an attack of phthisis and the king died within a few days, sinking like the Sun in his glory.

Then Bhadra, his beautiful queen, was plunged into woe, and as she was sonless, O tiger among men, she wept in great affliction.

Listen to me, O king, as I narrate to you all that Bhadra said with bitter tears trickling down her cheeks.

'O virtuous one, my King who is now no more, women serve no purpose when their husbands are dead. She who liveth after her husband is dead, draggeth on a miserable existence that can hardly be called life; indeed death is a blessing to women without husbands.

I wish to follow the way thou hast gone. Be kind and take me with thee. In thy absence, I am unable to bear life even for a moment. Be kind to me, O king and take me hence pretty soon. I shall follow thee, O king, as thy own shadow. O tiger among men, I will obey thee as thy slave, and will ever do what is agreeable to thee and what is for thy good.

Mental agonies will overwhelm me and eat into my heart. A wretch that I am, some loving couple had doubtless been separated by me in a former life, for which, in this life, I am made to suffer the pangs of separation from thee.

It was thus, O Pandu, that the beautiful Bhadra wept over the death of her lord. And the weeping Bhadra clasped in her arms the corpse in anguish of heart. Then she was addressed by an incorporeal voice, like unto an oracle, in these words:

"Rise up, O Bhadra, and leave this place. O thou of sweet smiles, I grant thee this boon. I will beget offspring upon thee. Lie thou down with me on thy own bed, after the catamenial bath, on the night of the eighth or the fourteenth day of the moon.'

Thus addressed by the incorporeal voice, the chaste Bhadra did, as she was directed, for obtaining offspring. And the corpse of her husband begat upon her seven children; three Salwas and four Madras.

Therefore, O bull of the Bharata race, do thou also beget offspring upon me, like the illustrious Vyushitaswa, by the exercise of that ascetic power which thou possessest.”

Thus addressed by his loving wife, Pandu, well-acquainted with all rules of morality, replied in these words, of virtuous import:

'O Kunti, what thou hast said is quite true. Vyushitaswa of old did even as thou hast said. Indeed he too, was equal unto the celestials themselves.

But I shall now tell thee about the practices of old indicated by illustrious Rishis, fully acquainted with every rule of morality.

O thou of handsome face and sweet smiles, my dear, women formerly were not immured within houses and dependent on husbands, or relatives.

They would go about freely, enjoying themselves as best as they liked. They did not then adhere to their husbands faithfully, and yet, they were not regarded as sinful, for that was the sanctioned usage of the times.

That very usage is often followed to this day by birds and beasts without any exhibition of jealousy.

That practice, sanctioned by precedent, is also applauded by great Rishis.

O thou of taper thighs, the practice is yet regarded with respect amongst the Northern Kurus.

Indeed, that usage, so lenient to women, hath the sanction of antiquity. The present practice, however of women's being confined to one husband for life, and making themselves so dependent on the will of others, hath been established but in more recent times. I shall tell thee in detail who established it and why.

There was once a great Sage of the name of Uddalaka, meaning one who emerged, had an adolescent son named Swetaketu. He like his Father, was a ascetic of merit.

O thou of eyes like lotus-petals, my dear Kunti, the present virtuous practice hath been established by that Swetaketu, from his anger.

Now hear thou the reason. One day, in the presence of Uddalaka, Swetaketu's father a Brahmana came and catching Swetaketu's mother by the hand, told her:

'Let us go.'

Swetaketu had been studying, and was interacting with his mother when suddenly this stranger had arrived. His mental equilibrium being disturbed in his own home, beholding his mother seized by the hand and taken away with what looked to him like force, Swetaketu felt a swirling of emotions, that culminated in a sharp sense of anger.

Seeing his indignant son, Sage Uddalaka could understand his son’s sentiment, that instinctively this was not something that seemed to be right, but yet it was the practise that was within the ordinance. With mixed feelings, those not charactised by conviction, but rather haste, uncertainty, and the need to explain, Uddalaka addressed his dear son Swetaketu, saying:

'Be not angry my dear son, for this is the practice sanctioned by antiquity.

The women of all orders in this world are free, O son;

Men in this matter, as regards their respective orders, act as kine, like cows, who are incapable of sharing their opinion on any matter.'

Swetaketu, however, deeply disapproved with regard to this practice as regards men and women, and spoke of this to his Father:

It hath been heard by us, O father, of great virtue, that the existing practice to move freely in the spirit of polygamy, dates from that period amongst human beings, but beings of other classes adhere to monogamy.

But it is indeed, and absolutely sinful for women not to adhere to their husbands.

Women transgressing the limits assigned by the Sage became guilty of slaying the embryo.

And, men, too, violating a chaste and loving wife who hath from her maidenhood observed the vow of purity, became guilty of the same sin.

The woman also who, being commanded by her husband to raise offspring, refuses to do his bidding, becometh equally sinful.

Thus, O timid one, Kunti the existing usage established of old by Swetaketu, the son of Uddalaka, in defiance of antiquity.

“O my dear Kunti, of taper thighs, it hath also been heard by us that Madayanti, the wife of Saudasa, commanded by her husband to raise offspring, went unto Rishi Vasishtha.

And on going in unto him, the handsome Madayanti obtained a son named Asmaka.

She did this, moved by the desire of doing good to her husband.

O thou of lotus-eyes, thou knowest, O timid girl, how we ourselves, for the perpetuation of the Kuru race, were ourselves begotten by Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa, not the husband of our Mother Ambalika, Vichitravirya.

O faultless one, beholding all these precedents it behoveth thee to do my bidding, which is not inconsistent with virtue, O princess, who is devoted to her husband, it hath also been said by those acquainted with the rules of morality that a wife, when her monthly season cometh, must ever seek her husband, though at other times she deserveth liberty.

The wise have declared this to be the ancient practice. But, be the act sinful or sinless, those acquainted with the Vedas have declared that it is the duty of wives to do what their husbands bid them do.

Especially, O thou of faultless features, I, who am deprived of the power of procreation, having yet become desirous of beholding offspring, deserve the more to be obeyed by thee.

O amiable one, joining my palms furnished with rosy fingers, and making of them a cup as of lotus leaves, I place them on my head to propitiate thee. O thou of lair looks, it behoveth thee to raise offspring, at my command, through some Brahmana possessed of high ascetic merit.

For then, owing to thee, O thou of fair hips, I may go the way that is only accessible to those that are blessed with children.'