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8.KUNTI DEVI
In time, he became one of the world's greatest
heroes. After the birth of the child, Kunti
once again became a virgin as a result of
the boon granted by the Sun.
She wondered what she should do with
the child. To hide her fault she placed the
child in a sealed box and set it afloat in a
river. A childless charioteer happened to
see the floating case, and taking it, was
surprised and delighted to see within it a
gorgeously beautiful child.
He handed it over to his wife who
lavished a mother's love on it. Thus
Karna, the son of the Sun god, came to be
brought up as a charioteer's child. When
the time came for giving Kunti in
marriage, Kuntibhoja invited all the
neighboring princes and held a
swayamvara for her to choose her
husband.
Many eager suitors flocked to the
swayamvara as the princess was widely
famed for her great beauty and virtue.
Kunti placed the garland on the neck of
King Pandu, the bright representative of
the Bharata race, whose personality
eclipsed the lustre of all the other princes
assembled there. The marriage was duly
solemnised and she accompanied her
husband to his capital Hastinapur.
On the advice of Bhishma and in
accordance with the prevailing custom,
Pandu took a second wife Madri, the sister
of the king of Madra. In the old days the
kings took two or three wives for making
sure of progeny and not for mere sensual
desire.
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