तद् दृष्ट्वा महद् आश्चर्यं विस्मिता मुनिसत्तमाः ॥
अधिकां स्म ततो वृत्तिम् अवर्तन् पाण्डवान् प्रति ॥
पाण्डुस् तु पुनर् एवैनां पुत्रलोभान् महायशाः ॥
प्राहिणोद् दर्शनीयाङ्गीं कुन्ती त्व् एनम् अथाब्रवीत् ॥
नातश् चतुर्थं प्रसवम् आपत्स्व् अपि वदन्त्य् उत ॥
अतः परं चारिणी स्यात् पञ्चमे बन्धकी भवेत् ॥
स त्वं विद्वन् धर्मम् इमं बुद्धिगम्यं कथं नु माम् ॥
अपत्यार्थं समुत्क्रम्य प्रमादाद् इव भाषसे ॥
tad dṛṣṭvā mahad āścaryaṃ vismitā munisattamāḥ ||
adhikāṃ sma tato vṛttim avartan pāṇḍavān prati ||
pāṇḍus tu punar evaināṃ putralobhān mahāyaśāḥ ||
prāhiṇod darśanīyāṅgīṃ kuntī tv enam athābravīt ||
nātaś caturthaṃ prasavam āpatsv api vadanty uta ||
ataḥ paraṃ cāriṇī syāt pañcame bandhakī bhavet ||
sa tvaṃ vidvan dharmam imaṃ buddhigamyaṃ kathaṃ nu mām ||
apatyārthaṃ samutkramya pramādād iva bhāṣase ||
“Having seen that great wonder, the best of sages were amazed and from then on became still more reverent toward the Pandavas. But the greatly renowned Pandu again, out of desire for more sons, urged the fair-limbed Kunti; and Kunti said to him: ‘They do not allow a fourth conception beyond this even in dire straits, it is said; beyond that a woman would become “unbound,” and at a fifth she would become unchaste. And you, O learned one, this dharma, knowable by reason — how is it that, for the sake of offspring, transgressing it, you speak to me thus, as if by carelessness?’”
8293c00c9819 · published Jul 12, 2026, 4:41:49 PM UTC
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Here Kunti rightly sets a limit, refusing her husband's fourth summons. It is significant that it is the wife, not the husband, who here upholds the measure of dharma: even a worthy longing for offspring must know the boundary set by scripture. Here is the virtue of restraint and discernment: dharma lies not only in fulfillment but also in knowing when to stop; what is permitted three times is not permitted without end. Significant, too, is her bold yet respectful reply to her husband: she does not rebel, but reminds him of a law he himself already knows, gently rebuking him for his “carelessness.” Thus scripture shows the image of a wife whose fidelity to dharma stands firmer than even her husband's will where the law is concerned; and with this the wondrous account of the birth of the three eldest Pandavas — Yudhishthira, Bhima, and Arjuna — comes to its close.