Chapter 14: A Mother's Wish and a Jealous Heart
Three months had passed since Bhima's birth, and peace had settled over the forest. The birds sang freely, the trees swayed softly, and the camp of the forest exiles felt less like a place of punishment and more like a home.
Kunti watched over her two sons with joy in her heart. Yudhishthira, calm and composed, already showed signs of great wisdom. Bhima, with his boundless energy and strength, was a whirlwind of laughter and mischief.
But now… it was time for the third.
That morning, as the sun began to rise, Kunti approached Pandu with quiet confidence. "It is time again. Who shall we call next?"
Pandu didn't hesitate. "Indra. King of the gods. Let our third son be born from him."
Kunti nodded and began chanting the mantra once more. As the sacred words rolled from her lips, the sky above shimmered, and a golden light descended upon them. From the center of that light emerged a child—bright, radiant, and peaceful.
Pandu gently took him in his arms, eyes wide with wonder. "Arjuna," he whispered. "A warrior born of the king of gods."
Kunti beamed with pride, her smile broader than before. She looked at Arjuna, then at her other two sons, and her heart swelled with happiness.
She felt fulfilled.
More than that… she felt proud. A strange pride began growing within her—not just as a mother, but as a woman who had given three divine sons to her husband. She glanced at Madri once, and a sense of superiority flickered in her eyes.
Madri saw it. She didn't say anything, but it hurt.
---
That night, Madri sat alone beneath a tree, hugging her knees. Her eyes shimmered in the moonlight.
"I serve. I care for them. I smile. But in the end… I am only the other wife."
She had held Kunti's sons with love, but she longed for a child of her own—a little one to call her mother.
The next morning, Madri approached Pandu as he finished gathering firewood.
"Swami," she said quietly, "I… I want a child too."
Pandu paused. "Madri…"
Her voice trembled, "I know Kunti is the one with the power. But I am your wife too. Am I not allowed to be a mother?"
Pandu's face softened. "You are. I will talk to Kunti."
---
That evening, Pandu sat with Kunti near the fire.
"She wants to become a mother," he said gently. "Please… can you share the mantra with her?"
Kunti blinked. Her heart tightened, not from cruelty—but from hesitation. "The mantra… It was given to me for limited use. Only four times."
"I have already used it thrice," she continued. "One more use is all that remains."
Pandu looked worried, but then her next words brought light to his eyes.
"I will give the last chance to Madri," Kunti said calmly. "Let her have a child."
Pandu's face lit up with relief. "Thank you, Kunti. You are truly noble."
---
Later that night, Pandu brought the news to Madri. Her eyes filled with joy. "Really? I… I can summon a god and bear a child?"
Pandu smiled. "Yes. We will wait three months. Then you will call upon the god of your choosing."
But fate, it seemed, had other plans.
---
Three Months Later
Pandu woke early, excited to prepare for the special day. As he stepped outside the hut, he saw Madri walking toward him, holding two small bundles in her arms.
Twins.
Two newborn babies.
Pandu's eyes widened in shock. "Madri…? How…?"
Madri looked down, nervous but excited. "Forgive me, swami. I… I was scared. I thought maybe something would go wrong. So I used the mantra a few days early."
Pandu stepped forward, still amazed. "Who did you call?"
Madri said softly, "The Ashwini Kumaras… the twin gods of medicine and swiftness."
Pandu's gaze softened as he looked at the two infants. "Then they shall be named Nakula and Sahadeva."
He gently took one of the babies in his arms, while Madri held the other close. A new warmth filled the forest clearing, as if even the trees and wind welcomed the twins.
For the first time, Madri felt truly equal—as a mother, as a wife, and as a woman with her own light.
---
When they returned to their forest home, Kunti greeted Madri with a wide smile as she saw the twins.
"Oh, how beautiful," she said sweetly, taking one of the children from Madri's arms and cradling him gently. She cared for them as if they were her own.
But inside, Kunti's thoughts churned.
She used the final chance... and summoned the Ashwini Kumaras?
Even though they are one god, they are two beings… and she got two children?
Kunti forced her smile to stay, but her pride stung. I gave birth to three sons. I was supposed to be the only one with more. But now… she has two. Only one less than me.
The thought left a bitter taste in her heart.
---
Later that day, Pandu gathered all five children and sat them down before him. His eyes sparkled as he looked at them with joy and pride.
"My sons," he said softly. "Together, you will be known throughout the world. You are the sons of gods. You will be called… the Pancha Pandavas."
Five young boys, each with destiny written into their blood, looked up at him—unaware of the great storm that awaited them in the years to come.