Puranic Encyclopaedia: A Comprehensive Dictionary with Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature c5.626

c5.626

3) Boyhood. When he had five sons Pāṇḍu went to the forest of Śataśṛṅga together with his family to spend the spring time there. The sages residing in that forest conducted the christening ceremony of Dharmaputra. Kaśyapa, priest of Vāsudeva, performed the Upanayana ceremony (thread-wearing) of Dharmaputra (Chapter 123, Dākṣiṇātyapāṭha Ādi Parva, M.B.). Rājarṣi Śuka imparted instructions to Dharmaputra on spear-warfare. Pāṇḍu died during their stay there. Mādrī abandoned her life by jumping into her husband’s funeral pyre. Before doing so she called Dharmaputra to her side and joining her hands together said “Son, you are now the father to your brothers.” When Pāṇḍu and Mādrī were dead the sages of the forest took Kuntī and the children to Hastināpura and entrusted them to the care of Bhīṣma detailing to him all that had happened in the forest. (Chapter 125, Ādi Parva, M.B.).