Kunti

Mother of the Pandavas

The mother of the five Pandavas and the secret mother of Karna. Her divine mantra brought forth children blessed by the gods themselves.

  • Sanskrit/Telugu name: కుంతి
  • Also known as: Pritha, Kunti Devi, Pandava Mata
  • Symbols: Divine mantra, Five sons, Sacrifice

Story

Kunti was born as Pritha, a Yadava princess, and adopted by King Kuntibhoja. As a young girl, she served the visiting sage Durvasa so well that he granted her a powerful mantra: she could invoke any deva and receive a child blessed with that god's qualities. Curious and young, she tested the mantra by calling Surya. When a radiant baby boy appeared, she was overwhelmed. Unmarried and afraid, she placed the baby (Karna) in a basket on the river, a decision that haunted her for the rest of her life. After marrying King Pandu, she used the mantra three more times, calling Yama for Yudhishthira (who received perfect dharma), Vayu for Bhima (who received unmatched strength), and Indra for Arjuna (who received supreme warrior skill). She also shared the mantra with Madri, Pandu's second wife, who called the Ashwini twins and received Nakula and Sahadeva. Kunti raised all five boys after Pandu's death, protecting them through the dangers of the Kaurava court with quiet strength and political wisdom. Before the Kurukshetra war, Karna visited her, and she revealed the truth of his birth, begging him to join the Pandavas. Karna refused but promised that she would still have five sons after the war. Kunti kept this secret, bearing the weight silently. In Telugu culture, Kunti represents the difficult choices mothers must make. Her story is told with both admiration for her strength and compassion for her impossible situations.

Fun fact

Kunti's divine mantra worked on whoever she invoked. When she shared it with Madri, Madri cleverly called the Ashwini twins (two gods) with a single invocation, getting two sons (Nakula and Sahadeva) in one use of the mantra.

Family and connections

Related ideas