Kunti (Sanskrit: कुंती Kuntī) also called Pritha, was the biological daughter of Shurasena, a Yadava,
the sister of Vasudeva, the foster daughter of her cousin King Kunti-Bhoja, the wife of King Pandu of Hastinapur and the mother of King Karna of Anga and King Yudhisthira of Indraprastha.
Before Kunti married Pandu, she bore Karna to Surya, the solar deity. She later married Pandu and bore Yudhisthira, Bhima and Arjuna.
Her story is told within the Bhagavata Purana, wherein she speaks on the philosophy of devotion to her nephew Krishna, known as Bhakti yoga.
After the death of her husband, Kunti did not commit sati, but his other wife Madri did. Kunti took care of Nakula and Sahadeva, the sons of Madri and loved them more than her own sons.
Kunti also went into hiding with her sons after Duryodhana tried to kill them all by burning them in Lakshagrih. Kunti prevented Bhima from killing the demoness Hidimba and advises him to marry her and beget Ghatotkacha. She instructed her children to take care of the common people and ordered Bhima to kill the demon Bakasura.
During the time of Pandavas exile for 13 years, Kunti stayed in the house of Vidura in Hastinapur.
Kunti perished in a forest fire in the Himalayas with her half-brother-in-law King Dhritarashtra and his wife Gandhari and attained heaven.
After the battle of Kurukshetra, Yudhisthira performed the funeral rites for all loved ones. Then Kunti revealed a secret that Karna (Radheya) was her son. Yudhishthira got deeply hurt that Kunti did not reveal to him earlier that Karna was his brother. The depressed prince, in turn, cursed that no woman, henceforth, would be able to keep any secrets.
See Also:
The Prayers of Queen Kunti Let There Be Calamities
Teachings of Queen Kunti Devi
His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
the sister of Vasudeva, the foster daughter of her cousin King Kunti-Bhoja, the wife of King Pandu of Hastinapur and the mother of King Karna of Anga and King Yudhisthira of Indraprastha.
Before Kunti married Pandu, she bore Karna to Surya, the solar deity. She later married Pandu and bore Yudhisthira, Bhima and Arjuna.
Her story is told within the Bhagavata Purana, wherein she speaks on the philosophy of devotion to her nephew Krishna, known as Bhakti yoga.
After the death of her husband, Kunti did not commit sati, but his other wife Madri did. Kunti took care of Nakula and Sahadeva, the sons of Madri and loved them more than her own sons.
Kunti also went into hiding with her sons after Duryodhana tried to kill them all by burning them in Lakshagrih. Kunti prevented Bhima from killing the demoness Hidimba and advises him to marry her and beget Ghatotkacha. She instructed her children to take care of the common people and ordered Bhima to kill the demon Bakasura.
During the time of Pandavas exile for 13 years, Kunti stayed in the house of Vidura in Hastinapur.
Kunti perished in a forest fire in the Himalayas with her half-brother-in-law King Dhritarashtra and his wife Gandhari and attained heaven.
After the battle of Kurukshetra, Yudhisthira performed the funeral rites for all loved ones. Then Kunti revealed a secret that Karna (Radheya) was her son. Yudhishthira got deeply hurt that Kunti did not reveal to him earlier that Karna was his brother. The depressed prince, in turn, cursed that no woman, henceforth, would be able to keep any secrets.
See Also:
The Prayers of Queen Kunti Let There Be Calamities
Teachings of Queen Kunti Devi
His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada