STO-208 – Queen Kunti (attitudes towards suffering)
Kunti was the daughter of Maharaj Surasena and the sister of Krishna’s father, Vasudeva. King Kunti-Bhoja adopted her and hence she was known as Kunti. She once served the powerful mystic sage Durvasa who gave her a mantra by which she could invoke any of the demigods. Out of youthful inquisitiveness, she tried the mantra, inviting the Sun god, who insisted on giving her a son. He was called Karna. Out of fear of being detected with an illegitimate child, Kunti floated him down the Ganga in a basket.
Years later she selected her own husband Maharaj Pandu of the Kuru dynasty. Maharaj Pandu left his luxurious palace, and preferred a simple life in the forest with his two queens, Kunti and Madri. In a hunting accident, he brought upon himself a curse by which sexual intercourse would kill him. The Emperor was therefore unable to beget children, and the royal family was thrown into trepidation about securing an heir to the throne. Kunti confided in her husband about the mantra and Pandu agreed that she and Madri summon different deities to beget children. Thus were the Pandavas born. Virtuous and powerful, they grew up swiftly like the gods and were a source of great joy to their parents.
But happiness was cut short. One day Pandu was attracted by Madri’s beauty. Overcome by desire, and forgetful of the curse, he tried to embrace her. The queen tried to stop him, but he passed away in her arms. Madri ascended the funeral pyre to follow her husband, and Kunti was left behind, grief-stricken, and completely dependent on the Lord’s mercy. She and her five sons, escorted by the royal sages, reached Hastinapur. Pandu’s sons took their place in the royal court– only to encounter the enmity of their jealous cousins, headed by Duryodhana. The Pandavas excelled the Kauravas in strength, knowledge and prowess with weaponry. Duryodhana and his brothers burned with envy and plotted against their cousins. Kunti and her sons has to face one calamity after another.
During a tournament as the princes were graduating, an unknown warrior entered the arena to challenge the Pandavas. Kunti, as any mother would, recognised her first son, Karna. Despite her emotional response, she could not reveal the truth to anyone. After years of intrigue, and just prior to the Kurukshetra conflict, she approach Karna and told him of his real identity. It was a moving scene. Kunti begged her son to join his five brothers, and to rule the empire. Karna had always suspected his great heritage, and was taunted by his low social standing, for a lowly chariot maker had brought him up. Duryodhana has shown him the affection and recognition he craved. Despite his mother’s entreaties, he could not abandon his friendship with Duryodhana. Arjuna eventually killed him during the eighteen-day battle. After the conflict, during the funeral rites, Kunti revealed to her sons that they had fought against there own brother.
Throughout her difficulties, Kunti always sought shelter in Lord Krishna. After the battle, Krishna was preparing to leave for his own kingdom of Dvaraka. Kunti approached his chariot and begged him to stay. She prayed that she would gladly accept all the suffering she had gone through if it meant that he would stay. Her attitude towards suffering is exemplary, and she is considered an incarnation of the success potency of the Lord. Queen Kunti finally retired to the forest, entered into deep meditation and perished in a forest fire. She remains one of the great Hindu ladies.