Shouldn't Ambalika/Kunti have gone into vanvas as well?

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Do you agree w/ Ambalika & Kunti staying on @ Hastinapur?

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Vrish

@Vr15h

Stunner

37

+ 6

Posted: 12 years ago

#1

Okay, I normally don't start new topics, and this one may well have been a mere D&D discussion, except that... Keep reading

When Pandu abdicated and left for the forests w/ Kunti & Madri, shouldn't Ambalika have gone w/ him? After all, a woman's place was w/ her husband, but Ambalika was a widow, and so her place was w/ her son. So when Pandu went into exile, taking Kunti & Madri w/ him, shouldn't Ambalika have gone w/ them? Particularly given the curse - since Pandu was not suppposed to have intimate relationships, Ambalika going there would have kept them apart, and probably saved him, or at least delayed his demise. Moreover, once the Pandavas were born, Ambalika could have then helped Kunti & Madri in raising them, rather than just watch all the agony in Hastinapur as Gandhari took 15 months to deliver.

In Ambalika's case, it was somewhat more innocuous, but became less so later w/ Kunti. After all, Kunti accompanied her sons in Varnavarta - didn't stay w/ Dhritarashtra, and after Draupadi's vastraharan and the Pandava exile, she stayed in Hastinapur w/ Vidura. That was inexplicable, and what Vidura & Yudhisthir did was inexcusable. Kunti had no more respect left in Dhritarashtra's Hastinapur, and should have left. Just like the other Pandava wives like Subhadra, Karenamati left w/ their sons for their maaykas, Kunti should have left and gone either to Kuntibhoj, or to Vasudev in Dwarka.

Anyway, so here is my question - should Ambalika - and Kunti - have accompanied their sons in their vanvas, and stayed w/ them for that duration? Or in Kunti's case, should she have left Hastinapur & gone somewhere else? Don't say that Kunti couldn't live in exile, b'cos when Dhritarashtra & Gandhari finally retired to the forests after the war, Kunti accompanied them 😡

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Shina

@nsheena

Dazzler

20

Posted: 12 years ago

#2

Hello 😊

Very interesting thoughts. If only the 'if's had happened, then we wouldnt have had a Mahabharata right😉

But I completely agree with what you have said here. Ambika should have probably gone with her son. But the way I see it, Pandu wanted to do prayischith by himself and the wives were duty-bound to share whatever the husband is bound to experience. I think Ambika was not as strong minded as Kunti (One of the most strong female characters of Mahabharat - very close to the stature of Draupadi) to take such decisions. Maybe she never thought about it. Maybe she felt her place was in Hastinapur, the place where her husband lived and died. I dont really know much about the characterization of Ambika to justify/defend/accuse her actions and their reasons.

But we all know of how strong Kunti is. Why would she stay back at the place where her sons were humiliated? I think I read somewhere (or was it in BRC's vesion?) that Kunti stayed back to make Dhritarashtra feel remorseful every time Kunti comes in front of him. This sort of makes sense. Any other woman in her place would ve left. Only Kunti could have the strong mind to stay back to make Dhrit feel bad, inspite of the humiliation(?). That way I think Kunti is justified in staying back.

I might be wrong in facts or interpretations here, since I am not as well versed in this epic as the others on this forum😳 Do forgive me for any mistakes 😊

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Vrish

@Vr15h

Stunner

37

+ 6

Posted: 12 years ago

#3

^^^ You mean Ambalika. I know, the names are too similar 😆 But Ambika was Dhritarashtra's mom, while Ambalika was Pandu's.

BRC was where Kunti does appear b4 Dhritarashtra, but BRC was a fiction piece, w/ a whole bunch of non-existent camaraderie thrown in b/w Kunti-Gandhari, Dhritarashtra-Kunti & so on. Pretty disgusting to watch. No, I was asking about the original - why did Kunti bother staying in Hastinapur, when all the other Pandava womenfolk left for their maaykas?

Edited by .Vrish. - 12 years ago

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Justlikethat1

@Justlikethat1

Sparkler

31

+ 2

Posted: 12 years ago

#4

Hi Vrish. First, I do not think that anyone in Hastinapur knew of the curse other than Pandu's 2 wives.. Pandu left siting the killing and did not elaborate on the curse to the others. That is why none were surprised at Kunthi be getting yudhistir.

Now, should Ambalika have accompanied Pandu to the forest? I do not think so.. Politically, it was a prudent step. Pandu of course was if the thought that he could anyway not have heirs when he first left for the forest but not Ambalika

So her staying would be a reminder to all that Pandu's heir would surely be a contender for the throne and that Dhridrastra is only the acting king until the actual heir is born..

It of mind, out if sight right?😆

As for Kunthi, the very reason she did not go with her sons after the game of dice was to keep Dhridhrashtra and family in their toes. She wanted her bil to be constantly reminded of the way her family was unjust illy treated...

In those days, woman did have a choice, except when they had to accompany husbands. Mothers did not always stay at their sons place..

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rasyafan

@rasyafan

Dazzler

21

Posted: 12 years ago

#5

Pandu should have left alone to vanvas to repent. There was no need for his wives to go with him since he was not supposed to touch them. God alone knows when alone with his wives everyone should have thought what temptation would they be for him especially at his age and when he is married to them.

I wonder why Raj mata failed to think about it and did not interfere on this.

If he had gone alone it would have made some sense. Why go to forest only, he could have stayed here and looked after his praja. Both the situations look same to me, his being with his wives in a forest or in a royal palace.

He said to Bheeshm that he would be tempted to sleep with his wives if he stayed in the palace. and the result we all saw even in the forest he still was tempted which got him killed. 😕😕

As for Ambalika, he wanted to be alone with his wives 😆 I guess that is why he did not take his mother. But he should have taken his mother also with him along with his 2 wives. Then he might have been saved from such a grave temptation.😉

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rasyafan

@rasyafan

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21

Posted: 12 years ago

#6

Originally posted by: rasyafan
Pandu should have left alone to vanvas to repent. There was no need for his wives to go with him since he was not supposed to touch them. God alone knows when alone with his wives everyone should have thought what temptation would they be for him especially at his age and when he is married to them.

I wonder why Raj mata failed to think about it and did not interfere on this.

If he had gone alone it would have made some sense. Why go to forest only, he could have stayed here and looked after his praja. Both the situations look same to me, his being with his wives in a forest or in a royal palace.

He said to Bheeshm that he would be tempted to sleep with his wives if he stayed in the palace. and the result we all saw even in the forest he still was tempted which got him killed. 😕😕

As for Ambalika, he wanted to be alone with his wives 😆 I guess that is why he did not take his mother. But he should have taken his mother also with him along with his 2 wives. Then he might have been saved from such a grave temptation.😉

After her sons were cheated and humiliated the way they did, Kunti should never have stayed back in Hastinapur.

And she should have put a stop to dice game as well then none of this would have happened.

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varaali

@varaali

Dazzler

20

+ 2

Posted: 12 years ago

#7

Vrish-

At some point Satyavati, along with A & A did leave Hastinapur and forsaking the royal lifestyle settled down to a life of Vanaprastha at Godhuli Teerth. This was the place where Rishi Parashara was cremated and the ashram there was under the care of Rishi Goutama (not Ahilya's husband) - disciple of Rishi Parashara.

Don't confuse the original Satyavati, A & A, with the ⭐️ + version, currently shown- I know you won't.

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varaali

@varaali

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20

+ 2

Posted: 12 years ago

#8

Regarding Kunti- She never got much of a support from either of her parental families- either Kuntibhoj or the Shooras. It can be understood why she did not want to go back to them.

Her sole support in her martial home, after Pandu's death was- Vidura.

There was nothing wrong in her staying on in Hastinapur- whilst her sons were trudging it out in vanvas. After all , it was her late husband's kingdom. She did not stay in the royal palace, she stayed with Vidura.

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rasyafan

@rasyafan

Dazzler

21

Posted: 12 years ago

#9

Originally posted by: varaali
Vrish-
At some point Satyavati, along with A & A did leave Hastinapur and forsaking the royal lifestyle settled down to a life of Vanaprastha at Godhuli Teerth. This was the place where Rishi Parashara was cremated and the ashram there was under the care of Rishi Goutama (not Ahilya's husband) - disciple of Rishi Parashara.

Don't confuse the original Satyavati, A & A, with the ⭐️ + version, currently shown- I know you won't.

Rishi Ved Vyas had taken her and rest of the bahus to his van when he knew that the Mahabharat is about to start between kauravs and Padavs, so to save them from pain he asked all three to come with him to abode the forest I had no idea that rishi Parasher was cremeted there. Thanks for the information.

I guess Dhritrashtra Kunti Gandhari also went to the same forest

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varaali

@varaali

Dazzler

20

+ 2

Posted: 12 years ago

#10

Originally posted by: rasyafan

Rishi Ved Vyas had taken her and rest of the bahus to his van when he knew that the Mahabharat is about to start between kauravs and Padavs, so to save them from pain he asked all three to come with him to abode the forest I had no idea that rishi Parasher was cremeted there. Thanks for the information.

I guess Dhritrashtra Kunti Gandhari also went to the same forest

Satyavati, A & A left Hastinapur after the death of Pandu itself - not just before the War.

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Shouldn't Ambalika/Kunti have gone into vanvas as well?

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