Shaap to Paandu

Janamejaya asked - "You told me about the birth and the names of the sons of Dhritraashtra, now tell me about the birth of Paandav." Vaishampaayan Jee said - "One day Paandu went for hunting and he spotted a large deer who was loving his mate. He shot five arrows at them. But unfortunately they were not deer but Rishi and his wife in the form of deer. The he-deer turned into a man and started crying. He said to Paandu - "Even the men who are the slaves of lust, and irrational do not commit such sin as you have done. Individual judgment does not prevail the ordinances, rather ordinances prevail against individual wishes. and wise never allow anything to happen against the ordinance. How did you behave in such a way being born in a noble family?" Paandu replied - "We kings have the habit to hunt deer as destroying our foe, then why do you blame only. Before Muni Agastya also offered every deer to Devtaa. He used the fat of deer to perform the sacrifice."

The Rishi said - "Men do not shoot arrows at their foes when they are unprepared." "But in the case of deer it is not true, the why do you blame me?" The Rishi said - "I am not blaming you for killing me, I am blaming you only for this that at least you should have allowed me to finish my act of loving. What wrong I did to you? As you have been unkind to a couple making love to each other, you will also die when you will be feeling such desire. I am Muni Kindam. My ascetic nature did not allow me to do such an act in human society, that is why I was roaming around in the search of another deer. You have killed me unknowingly that I am a Braahman, therefore you will not be blamed for Braahman killing. But you have killed me at such time, you will also die when engaged in such act and the woman you will be loving shall follow you because of your love. You have given me grief when I was happy, so you will also be grieved when you are happy." After saying this the Rishi died and Paandu plunged into grief.

Vaishampaayan Jee said - "After the death of the deer, Paandu and his wives got very sad. He said - "How a man becomes irrational under the control of his passions. I have heard that my father also died young because of being slave of his passion. I am still alive. Gods are kind to me. Now I will seek salvation. I will abandon everything of enjoyment and lead a pious life. I will not mock anybody. I will go to only 7-8 houses for Bhikshaa (alms) whether I get it or not." Thus grieving Paandu said to Kuntee and Maadree - "Let all who are dependent on me - Bheeshm, Satyavatee, my mother, etc that Paandu will be leading a life of ascetic from today."

Hearing this Kuntee and Maadree said - "There are many other ways in which you can live piously with us. We will also with you controlling our passions. If you will leave us we will leave this world too." Paandu said - "If you have such intentions then you may also come with me leaving all pleasures of life. I will lead the life wearing bark of tree, eating on fruits and roots, practice severe penance etc - of a Vaanprasthee till I leave this world." After saying this he gave away his jewels to Braahman and their wives. He called his attendants, commended them and sent them to Hastinaapur to convey that Paandu and his wives have gone to deep forest abaadoning all pleasures. Those attendants went away to Hastinaapur and told everything that happened in the forest. Dhritraashtra wept bitterly for his brother.

Paandu went first to Naagaasat mountain, then went to Chaitrarath, then Kaalkoot, then crosing Himavant came to Gandhmaadan mountain. He stayed there for some time, then came to Indradyumn lake, then crossing Hanskoot, he came to the mountain of 100 peaks (Shat Shring).

Paandu Realizes the Need of Sons

Vaishampaayan Jee said - "There, practicing asceticism, he became like a Brahmarshi. Once on a New Moon day some ascetics were standing to go to Brahmaa's place. Seeing them Paandu asked them - "Where are you going" The sages said - "There is a great gathering today at Brahmaa Jee's place, so we are going to see him." Paandu also rose up with the desire to go to Heaven and when he came to that point with his two wives to follow those sages, those sages said to him - "When we are going Northward, we have seen some place which are inaccessible to ordinary mortals, even to Devta, Gandharv and Apsaraa. There are many palatial mansions where sweet music is sounding, deep caverns, banks of mighty rivers. The rain falls there so heavily that it cannot be utilized for habitation. The only thing that can go there is air. How will these princesses go there? Unaccustomed to pain will not they fall from pain? Therefore do not come with us."

Paandu said - "I have heard that there is no placce for a man who is childless. I am very sad because I have not been able to pay my debt to my ancestors. Men are born on this Prithvi with four debts - to ancestors, to Devtaa, to Rishi and to other men. The ancestors are satisfied by producing children; Devtaa by Yagya; Rishi by study, meditation and asceticism; and other men by leading an inoffensive life. I have just gratified Rishi, Devtaa and other men; but I still my debt to my ancestors. Please tell me, do I have to get my children from my wives only, as I was born from my mother by a great Rishi?" Sages said - "You have children in your fate, so just do your own acts whatever your fate leads you to do. You will surely have children."

Paandu Requests Kuntee to Get Children

Hearing this Paandu though that how this will be done with deer's Shaap. He called Kuntee in private and said to her - "It is said that a son is necessary to get eternal regions, so make efforts to get a son. Since I am sonless I will not attain the regions of true felicity. My procreation power has been destroyed by the curse of that deer. Religious institutes mention six kinds of sons that are heirs and kinsmen and six other kinds of sons that are not heirs and kinsmen. 
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. Manu has 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 religious merit. So Kuntee I command yo to have a son from some person who is either equal to me or superior to me. Listen to the story of Sharandaayan who was appointed by her husband to raise children. The woman after taking her monthly bath went out and waited at a place on a crossroad. Not long after an ascetic Braahman came there and the daughter asked him to give him a child. After performing Punsavan Yagya, she gave birth to three sons. Durjaya was the eldest among them, you can also seek some good Braahman to give you children."

Vaishampaayan Jee sad - "It doesn't look nice for you to say such things to me. I am your devoted legally wedded wife. You will have children and the I will go to Heaven. I cannot imagine anybody else than you in my embrace. Who else is superior to you? I tell you another story. There was a king in the race of Puru, named Vyushitaashwa. Once he did a Yagya and in that Yagya Indra came himself and drank so much Som Ras that he and other Braahman started doing everything of that Yagya. his made that king shine in the whole world. Then he performed Ashwamedh Yagya, Agnishtom Yagya etc Yagya. He had a beautiful wife Bhadraa, daughter of Kaakshivat, whom he loved very much. His excessive lust killed him soon. Bhadraa plunged into grief. She cried saying - "Without husband life of a woman is useless, I cannot live without you, please take me along with you." And in grief she held the corpse in her arms. The then she heard a Divine voice - "Get up Bhadraa, leave this place, I will give you children. You lie down with me on your bed after the ceremonious bath on the night of the 8th or 14th day of the Moon." And she had 7 children from him - 3 Shaalv and 4 Madra. You will also give me children like this by your ascetic powers."

Vaishampaayan Jee said - "When Kuntee had said thus, Paandu said to her - "You are right. I tell you another story. Before women were freely mixed with other relations and were not dependent on their husbands. Still they were not considered sinful. They went about freely and enjoyed as they liked. The same usage is followed by birds and beasts till today without exhibiting any jealousy. Great Rishi also in favor of this practice. This practice is still regarded all right among Northern Kuru families. The practice of one husband for one woman has been introduced lately, I will tell you later when and why.

There was a great Rishi Uddaalak who had  son named Shwetketu. The present practices were implemented by him in anger. One day a Braahman came to Uddaalak Muni holding the hand of Shwetketu's mother and told her "let us go". Seeing this Shwetketu got very angry, but Uddaalak said "Don't be angry, this has been happening for long time. The women of all orders are free; while men, in this matter, act as cows." But Shwetketu did not agree with these rules regarding men and women. We have heard that the existing practices from that time among human beings only, not among beings of other classes. Since then women are supposed to obey their husbands. In this regard a woman who refuses to obey her husband, be it in raising children from others, is a sinner.

We have hard this also that the wife of Saudaas, Madayantee, went to Vashishth with the purpose of children by the order of her husband. She did this to do good to her husband and got a son named Ashmak. And you know about ourselves that how we were born from Ved Vyaas. It is the morality that after the monthly bath a woman must seek her husband, although at other times she may do whatever she likes. Otherwise Ved say that she should obey her husband." Hearing this Kuntee spoke - "When I was a girl, I gratified one Muni named Durvaasaa. Pleased with my services he gave me a Mantra to invoke any Devtaa of my liking and said to me -"He will have to obey yo whether he likes it or not. By his grace you will have children." I think now that time has come. I will invite any Devtaa so that we can have good children. Tell me which Devtaa I should invoke?" Paandu said - "Do this today only. Invoke the god of justice - Dharm Raaj. He is the most virtuous Devttaa, he will never be able to attach us with sin. A son got from him will also be most virtuous among all Kuru family members."

Vaishampaayan Jee said - "Kuntee said, "So be it."