The Mahabharata tells us that on Pandu’s death, his wife Madri entered his funeral pyre and left for the nether world with him.
Or, does it?
Why did Madri actually choose to end her life?
Or, did she?
Click the link to explore some interesting possibilities!
There are several theories around the birth stories of the Pandavas.
The epic, while being a little secretive on this matter, also gives us a solid clue to unravelling the mystery.
Click to listen in to the puzzling birth story of the Pandavas.
The farmer either sowed his own seed or let someone else’s seed be sown in his field. Either way, the output from the field belonged to the farmer.
That was the logic behind the Bija Kshetra nyaya, the seed-field metaphor that defined the relationship between man, woman and their heirs.
Click the link to know why knowing this rule is important for understanding the key predicament in the epic!
Also: Birth of Pandu & Dhritarshtra
Sexual freedom of women in the epic &
How Niyoga acquired a stigma
Some of the key characters in the epic were born through an ancient custom called the Niyoga. A custom that traces its origins to a Rig Vedic ritual and a myth around Parashurama.
Click to know more about the Whats, the Whys and the Hows of the custom!
Kulture Katha 