This episode of Mahabharata begins with Pandu returning victorious after having conquered quite a few kingdoms. On the way, he sees an army approaching. However, this army is that of the king of Madra, Shalya, who has come to offer his sister Madri’s hand in marriage to Pandu in order to cement an alliance.
With Kunti’s permission, Madri and Pandu wed. After a show of force prevents the Panchala kingdom from breaking free off vassalage to Hastinapur, Pandu is pretty much ordered to take a well deserved vacation with his wives. He does so, leaving Dhritharashtra as regent. However, the crown only serves to stoke his own ambition and resentment. And then Shakuni starts to whisper in his ear.
Pandu seems to spend his vacation riding horses with his wives, flirting with them and listening to sermons from Rishi Kindam. When invited to play a game of dice, Kunti refuses, feeling that a dice game will bring great misfortune to them at a later date. Little does she know that misfortune is closer than she thinks.
Tropes found here are
- Ambition Is Evil: Gandhari reminds Dhritharashtra of this when he refuses to take his crown off.
- Betty and Veronica: Kunti seems to be sliding into the responsible wise Betty role, while Madri is the adventurous fun loving thrill seeking Veronica role.
- Foreshadowing: Kunti has a premonition that a dice game will bring great misfortune. She is right - a dice game will bring misfortune to her sons.
