यात्वा देवव्रतेनापि मद्राणां पुटभेदनम् ॥
विश्रुता त्रिषु लोकेषु माद्री मद्रपतेः सुता ॥
सर्वराजसु विख्याता रूपेणासदृशी भुवि ॥
पाण्डोर् अर्थे परिक्रीता धनेन महता तदा ॥
विवाहं कारयाम् आस भीष्मः पाण्डोर् महात्मनः ॥
yātvā devavratenāpi madrāṇāṃ puṭabhedanam ||
viśrutā triṣu lokeṣu mādrī madrapateḥ sutā ||
sarvarājasu vikhyātā rūpeṇāsadṛśī bhuvi ||
pāṇḍor arthe parikrītā dhanena mahatā tadā ||
vivāhaṃ kārayām āsa bhīṣmaḥ pāṇḍor mahātmanaḥ ||
"And Devavrata (Bhishma), having gone to the capital of the Madras, obtained for Pandu's sake, at the price of great wealth, Madri, renowned in the three worlds, daughter of the lord of Madra — famed among all kings, unrivalled in beauty on earth; and Bhishma arranged the marriage of the great-souled Pandu."
519dd34c4af8 · प्रकाशित 12 जुल॰ 2026, 4:30:26 pm UTC
उपलब्ध भाषाएँRUENश्लोक बदलें इन कुंजियों से
Here Bhishma obtains for Pandu his second wife, Madri. The difference between the two marriages is telling: Kunti chose Pandu herself, out of love and by merit, while Madri was "ransomed for wealth" — such was the custom of the house of Madra, which took payment for its brides. This is not a censure but a witness to the diversity of marriage customs, which scripture describes without condemnation, so long as they are sanctioned by elders and entered into for the sake of dharma. Bhishma's diligence is also telling, as he himself travels to fetch the bride: the guardian of the line tirelessly attends to its continuation. Thus Pandu comes to have two wives — Kunti and Madri — the future mothers of the five Pandavas.