The Curse and the Secret: Pandu's Forest Exile

Pandu started lamenting his fate and expressed his unwillingness to return to the palace. He informed his wives, Kunti and Madri, about the curse, stating, "I will spend the rest of my life in this forest as a celibate ascetic living on roots and vegetables. I request both of you to return to Hastinapur." 

However, neither Queen was willing to return. "Our lives are intertwined with yours," they insisted. "Leaving you would be worse than death for us."

The King and Queens removed their royal clothes and jewelry and divided them among the Brahmins. They ordered the servants and attendants who had accompanied them to return to Hastinapur. Pandu took Kunti and Madri to a dense part of the jungle and climbed atop Shatashrung Mountain together. There, he spent his days in austere penance and repentance. Soon, the rishis who lived there grew fond of him.

One day, several rishis began to ascend a steep mountain to see Lord Brahma. Pandu communicated his desire to accompany them, but the rishis refused, saying that his wives would not be able to undertake such an arduous journey. Pandu wished to request Lord Brahma to free him from Rishi Kindam's curse so that he could father children. One rishi offered to sleep with Pandu's wives so that they could bear children. Pandu was thrilled to hear this.

He returned to his wives and said, "A childless man cannot attain Svarg. The scriptures say that a woman may bear children with a man of equal or superior social standing. I don't want to die childless; my ancestors wouldn't want that, either."

Pandu's wives were surprised to hear him say this. The idea of bearing a child with a man other than their husband left them dumbfounded. However, they knew they could not bear children with Pandu because of the curse. So far, Kunti had not told anyone about the boon she had received from Rishi Durvasa. She decided that the time had come to reveal her life's biggest secret to Pandu.