This episode of Mahabharata begins in cathartic joy but ends on a downer.
Krishna releases his parents from bondage in the dungeon, releases his grandfather King Ugrasen and crowns him king of Mathura once again. As everyone rejoices, Yashoda tearfully accepts that Krishna has grown up and isn’t exclusively hers to love and pamper anymore.
Time states that he wishes to witness the pure bliss that exists now in Mathura, but he must do his duty and move the story forward.
We cut to Kunti calling the five Pandavas - Yudhistir, Bhim, Arjun, Nakul and Sahadev to her. We discern that Yudhistir is wise for his years, but generous too. Bhim is a bit of a glutton. We don’t know anything about the other three brothers as of yet. Pandu is sitting, engrossed in meditation while Madri is bathing.
Pandu notices Madri half naked after having bathed, and approaches her with desire. Despite Madrid’s protestations, Pandu embraces her - and dies of his curse. A despondent Kunti and Madri both think about committing suicide to join Pandu but Madri pleads with Kunti that the five boys need a mother. She drives the point home, that even Nakul and Sahadev, who are her own sons, always go to Kunti whenever they want something. Kunti accepts and allows Madri to commit “sati” - a form of ritual suicide in which a widow immolates herself on her dead husband’s funeral pyre. It is at this point that Vasudev and Devaki appear beside Kunti and offer to take her and the Pandavas back with them to Mathura. But Kunti refuses, stating that Hastinapur is the boys’ true home.
The homecoming is bittersweet. Although everyone is glad to see Kunti and the Pandavas, they also grieve Pandu’s death.
And young Duryodhan is extremely cold and dismissive of his cousins, stating that they shouldn’t be here in his palace. Dhritharashtra is pleased with such behavior, stating that it befits a future king. This is a harbinger of things to come.
Tropes found here are
- Ambition Is Evil: Gandhari once again reminds Dhritharashtra of this.
- Big Eater: Bhim.
- Driven to Suicide: Because Pandu approached a half undressed Madri with carnal intent, she feels responsible for his death. That and recalling that he was cursed because she goaded him into hunting that tiger, drives her to throw herself into Pandu’s pyre, immolating herself.
- Establishing Character Moment: Yudhistir answering a sage’s question intelligently reveals his wisdom. Bhim asking for food establishes his Big Eater tendencies that will become a plot point in many stories about him. And Duryodhan rudely stating that the palace is his alone, and that the Pandavas don’t belong there, establishes the massive ego and ambition that will define him.
- Together in Death: Pandu and Madri.
