Who is Pandu?

The pale prince

Pandu was born pale, which is what his name means. Because his elder brother Dhritarashtra was blind, the crown of Hastinapura went to Pandu. He was a fine king and a great warrior who rode out and brought the surrounding kingdoms under his rule.

He married two queens: Kunti and Madri.

The curse

Out hunting one day, Pandu shot a deer and its mate. They were really a sage and his wife who had taken the form of deer. As he died, the sage cursed Pandu: if he ever lay with a woman in love, he would die.

Heartbroken, Pandu gave up his throne and went to live in the forest with his two wives, leaving Dhritarashtra to rule.

The sons from the gods

Without children, Pandu feared for his line. Then Kunti told him her secret: a sage had given her a mantra to call any god and have a child by him. With Pandu’s blessing she called Dharma, Vayu and Indra, and had Yudhishthira, Bhima and Arjuna. She shared the mantra with Madri, who called the twin Ashvin gods and had Nakula and Sahadeva. They were all called the Pandavas, the sons of Pandu.

How Pandu’s story ends (spoilers)

One spring, years later, Pandu saw Madri by a stream and forgot the curse. He died in her arms. Madri followed him onto his funeral fire, and Kunti brought all five boys home to Hastinapura, where the trouble began.