Why is it so hard for women to keep secrets? There is an amazing story that explains the reason.
Kunti, the young daughter of Maharaja Surasena, was gifted through adoption to his childless friend, Maharaja Kuntibhoja. In the palace of Kuntibhoja Maharaja, Kunti was once given the duty of serving Durvasa Muni when he came to visit her adoptive father's palace. She served the sage so nicely that he wanted to give her something special to show his gratitude. Durvasa Muni could see into the future, and understood that Kunti would marry a man who would not be able to beget children. So Durvasa gifted Kunti with a benediction: that she could call any demigod to her presence, and that the demigod would then give her a son who would possess qualities like his father.
Kunti was too young and innocent at the time to understand how to use such a boon properly. She didn't realize fully what Durvasa Muni meant when he said that she could call any deva to come to her and give her a son. Being a child, she decided to experiment, just to see what would happen. She chanted the mantra to call the sun-god. Immediately, the room was lit up with blinding light, and there hovered Suryadeva in all his effulgent glory. Kunti was astonished and afraid. She covered her eyes and nervously told him, "Okay, you can go now." She didn't understand why he wouldn't leave. He explained, "You have called me by mantra. Now I must give you a child." Kunti's heart pounded with fear. She understood now what she had done. "How will I be able to keep myself pure for my future husband? Oh, what will my relatives say? Dear Sir, please go away!" But the sun-god was powerless to disregard the powerful mantra she had used to call him. He had to give her a child. He told her that he knew a way that he could give her a child without disturbing her virginity. He then caused her to become pregnant, and immediately, she gave birth to the child of the Sun--through her ear! The child was effulgently beautiful, born with golden earrings and a golden breast-plate. Kunti named him "Karna" because he was born from her ear. She felt intense love for her child, but at the same time, great anxiety that her parents and other relatives wouldn't understand. After bidding farewell to Suryadeva, she hurriedly found a water-proof basket, wrapped the baby in warm cloth and set the baby in the basket. Without allowing anyone to see her, she crept out of her room, out of the palace, and quickly ran to the Ganges River. With tears of motherly love streaming from her eyes, she set the little basket-boat afloat on the water.
Downstream lived a couple--Atiratha and Radha--who had wanted a child for a long time. The husband happened to be near the river when he saw the wonderful basket floating on the water. He thought he also heard a baby crying, and the sound seemed to come from the direction of the basket. Intrigued, he waded out into the water. Lo and behold, there was a baby in the basket! He picked up the beautiful, bright-faced baby and brought it to his wife Radha. She immediately clasped the child to her bosom and took him into her heart. From that day, Karna was the adopted child of Radha, and became known as "Radheya" the son of Radha.
Radheya grew up and although his parents were not of the ksatriya (fighter) class, Radheya always wanted to learn the ksatriya arts of fighting and administration. He especially wanted to acquire the brahmastra from Parashurama. But he knew that Parashurama would only teach brahamanas. So he disguised himself as a brahmana and approached Parashurama. Parashurama began to teach Radheya the warrior arts, and Radheya was a good student. One day, Parashurama grew tired and wanted to take a nap. He rested his head on Radheya's lap. While Parashurama was sleeping, an insect stung Radheya's leg. It hurt very badly and even started bleeding. But Radheya didn't want to disturb his guru's rest. So he tolerated the pain. When Parashurama woke up, he saw the blood and asked Radheya what had happened. Radheya told him that an insect had stung him but that he didn't want to disturb his guru, so he kept quiet. At that point, Parashurama understood that his disciple was not really a brahmana because a brahmana cannot tolerate such pain. He knew that his disciple must be a ksatriya. Parashurama held great enmity in his heart toward the warrior class. So he cursed Radheya for lying. He pronounced that Radheya would forget what Parashurama had taught him at the crucial time when he would need such knowledge the most.
After Kunti was married to King Pandu, she found her benediction from Durvasa Muni to be advantageous in the service of her husband. Because of a curse, Pandu was unable to impregnate his wives and remain alive. So he chose to practice celibacy in the forest. Kunti and her co-wife Madri lived with their husband Pandu in the forest and served him affectionately, yet they were always careful to protect him from discharging semen. Both women wanted to bear children for him, but they were held back by the curse. Kunti one day revealed to her husband that she had a benediction which would allow her to call any demigod who would then give her a child. Pandu advised her to call Dharmaraja. She did so, and gave birth to Yudhisthira. Later, she called on the wind-god, Pavanadeva. He gave her a very powerful son, Bhima. After that, Pandu recommended that she perform austerities for a year. Then, knowing that the rain-god was pleased with her, Pandu advised Kunti to approach Lord Indra. Arjuna was born from their union.
One day, Pandu saw his beautiful wife Madri and desired her very strongly. He couldn't control himself and wanted to impregnate her. She pleaded with him and tried to resist, but he insisted. After discharging semen into her womb, he instantly died. Two sons--Nakula and Sahadeva--were born of the union of Pandu and Madri. Kunti and Madri and Kunti's three sons lamented and grieved the loss of Pandu. Kunti and Madri both wanted to enter the funeral pyre with their husband, but Madri convinced Kunti to remain alive and take care of their five sons. So Kunti bore the pain of separation from her husband while dutifully raising her five sons, who became known as the five Pandavas.
During their youth, the five Pandavas were tortured by their envious uncle Dhrtarastra and his demoniac son, their cousin Duryodhana. Ultimately, Dhrtarastra's and Duryodhana's cheating tactics led to a war at Kuruksetra between the Kauravas (Duryodhana's side of the family) and the Pandavas. Kunti's eldest son Karna (Radheya) was killed during that war by Arjuna, one of the five Pandavas. The Pandavas never knew that Radheya (Karna) was their brother until after the war. After the Battle of Kuruksetra, when Yudhisthira found out that Karna had been his elder brother, he cried in great anguish that his own brother had been killed by Arjuna. Yudhisthira cursed his mother Kunti for having kept the secret of Karna's identity. He not only cursed his mother, but all women, that they would never be able to keep a secret.
Kunti, the young daughter of Maharaja Surasena, was gifted through adoption to his childless friend, Maharaja Kuntibhoja. In the palace of Kuntibhoja Maharaja, Kunti was once given the duty of serving Durvasa Muni when he came to visit her adoptive father's palace. She served the sage so nicely that he wanted to give her something special to show his gratitude. Durvasa Muni could see into the future, and understood that Kunti would marry a man who would not be able to beget children. So Durvasa gifted Kunti with a benediction: that she could call any demigod to her presence, and that the demigod would then give her a son who would possess qualities like his father.
Kunti was too young and innocent at the time to understand how to use such a boon properly. She didn't realize fully what Durvasa Muni meant when he said that she could call any deva to come to her and give her a son. Being a child, she decided to experiment, just to see what would happen. She chanted the mantra to call the sun-god. Immediately, the room was lit up with blinding light, and there hovered Suryadeva in all his effulgent glory. Kunti was astonished and afraid. She covered her eyes and nervously told him, "Okay, you can go now." She didn't understand why he wouldn't leave. He explained, "You have called me by mantra. Now I must give you a child." Kunti's heart pounded with fear. She understood now what she had done. "How will I be able to keep myself pure for my future husband? Oh, what will my relatives say? Dear Sir, please go away!" But the sun-god was powerless to disregard the powerful mantra she had used to call him. He had to give her a child. He told her that he knew a way that he could give her a child without disturbing her virginity. He then caused her to become pregnant, and immediately, she gave birth to the child of the Sun--through her ear! The child was effulgently beautiful, born with golden earrings and a golden breast-plate. Kunti named him "Karna" because he was born from her ear. She felt intense love for her child, but at the same time, great anxiety that her parents and other relatives wouldn't understand. After bidding farewell to Suryadeva, she hurriedly found a water-proof basket, wrapped the baby in warm cloth and set the baby in the basket. Without allowing anyone to see her, she crept out of her room, out of the palace, and quickly ran to the Ganges River. With tears of motherly love streaming from her eyes, she set the little basket-boat afloat on the water.
Downstream lived a couple--Atiratha and Radha--who had wanted a child for a long time. The husband happened to be near the river when he saw the wonderful basket floating on the water. He thought he also heard a baby crying, and the sound seemed to come from the direction of the basket. Intrigued, he waded out into the water. Lo and behold, there was a baby in the basket! He picked up the beautiful, bright-faced baby and brought it to his wife Radha. She immediately clasped the child to her bosom and took him into her heart. From that day, Karna was the adopted child of Radha, and became known as "Radheya" the son of Radha.
Radheya grew up and although his parents were not of the ksatriya (fighter) class, Radheya always wanted to learn the ksatriya arts of fighting and administration. He especially wanted to acquire the brahmastra from Parashurama. But he knew that Parashurama would only teach brahamanas. So he disguised himself as a brahmana and approached Parashurama. Parashurama began to teach Radheya the warrior arts, and Radheya was a good student. One day, Parashurama grew tired and wanted to take a nap. He rested his head on Radheya's lap. While Parashurama was sleeping, an insect stung Radheya's leg. It hurt very badly and even started bleeding. But Radheya didn't want to disturb his guru's rest. So he tolerated the pain. When Parashurama woke up, he saw the blood and asked Radheya what had happened. Radheya told him that an insect had stung him but that he didn't want to disturb his guru, so he kept quiet. At that point, Parashurama understood that his disciple was not really a brahmana because a brahmana cannot tolerate such pain. He knew that his disciple must be a ksatriya. Parashurama held great enmity in his heart toward the warrior class. So he cursed Radheya for lying. He pronounced that Radheya would forget what Parashurama had taught him at the crucial time when he would need such knowledge the most.
After Kunti was married to King Pandu, she found her benediction from Durvasa Muni to be advantageous in the service of her husband. Because of a curse, Pandu was unable to impregnate his wives and remain alive. So he chose to practice celibacy in the forest. Kunti and her co-wife Madri lived with their husband Pandu in the forest and served him affectionately, yet they were always careful to protect him from discharging semen. Both women wanted to bear children for him, but they were held back by the curse. Kunti one day revealed to her husband that she had a benediction which would allow her to call any demigod who would then give her a child. Pandu advised her to call Dharmaraja. She did so, and gave birth to Yudhisthira. Later, she called on the wind-god, Pavanadeva. He gave her a very powerful son, Bhima. After that, Pandu recommended that she perform austerities for a year. Then, knowing that the rain-god was pleased with her, Pandu advised Kunti to approach Lord Indra. Arjuna was born from their union.
One day, Pandu saw his beautiful wife Madri and desired her very strongly. He couldn't control himself and wanted to impregnate her. She pleaded with him and tried to resist, but he insisted. After discharging semen into her womb, he instantly died. Two sons--Nakula and Sahadeva--were born of the union of Pandu and Madri. Kunti and Madri and Kunti's three sons lamented and grieved the loss of Pandu. Kunti and Madri both wanted to enter the funeral pyre with their husband, but Madri convinced Kunti to remain alive and take care of their five sons. So Kunti bore the pain of separation from her husband while dutifully raising her five sons, who became known as the five Pandavas.
During their youth, the five Pandavas were tortured by their envious uncle Dhrtarastra and his demoniac son, their cousin Duryodhana. Ultimately, Dhrtarastra's and Duryodhana's cheating tactics led to a war at Kuruksetra between the Kauravas (Duryodhana's side of the family) and the Pandavas. Kunti's eldest son Karna (Radheya) was killed during that war by Arjuna, one of the five Pandavas. The Pandavas never knew that Radheya (Karna) was their brother until after the war. After the Battle of Kuruksetra, when Yudhisthira found out that Karna had been his elder brother, he cried in great anguish that his own brother had been killed by Arjuna. Yudhisthira cursed his mother Kunti for having kept the secret of Karna's identity. He not only cursed his mother, but all women, that they would never be able to keep a secret.
I think women are difficult to satisfy sometimes regarding anything. I feel sorry for the men.
ReplyDeleteYes, Sara, some women are very difficult to satisfy. But when we women understand that the purpose of human life is to love and serve God and to help our husbands do the same, then it is much easier for us to remain satisfied in our hearts.
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