Puranic Encyclopaedia: A Comprehensive Dictionary with Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature c8.1842

c8.1842

5) *Married life.* Obeying the behest of Bhīṣma, Pāṇḍu married Pṛthā, daughter of the Yādava King Śūrasena. She was the sister of Vasudeva, father of Kṛṣṇa. She got the name Kuntī because she grew up in the palace of King Kuntibhoja. While Kuntī was staying in the palace of Kuntibhoja Durvāsas came and stayed in the palace as a guest of the King. Kuntī then served the sage with such devotion and patience that Durvāsas at the time of his departure gave Kuntī a divine mantra for begetting children. The mantra was to be used only five times. If she called upon any god repeating that mantra, that god would manifest himself before her and bless her with a son equal to him in glory. Out of impatient curiosity of youth Kuntī tried it before getting married. One morning, seeing the beautiful and brilliant sun in the sky she invoked him by the mantra and instantly the Sun stood in all bewitching brilliance before her and she got of him a son who was known as Karṇa later. Unmarried as she was, Kuntī sent the child afloat in the river nearby. Even after a child-birth Kuntī remained a virgin by the blessing of the Sun and so got married as a virgin. Many Kings were present for the Svayaṁvara of Kuntī and she put the wedding garland round the neck of Pāṇḍu.