Madri
| Madri | |
|---|---|
 A print on Madri by Raja Ravi Varma | |
| Personal Information | |
| Spouse | Duryodhana |
| Relatives | Shalya (brother) |
| Origin | Madra |
Madri (Sanskrit: माद्री, IAST: Mādrī) is a princess from the Madra Kingdom mentioned in the Hindu epic, the Mahabharata. She became the wife of Duryodhana, the king of the Kuru Kingdom Madri was also the sister of Shalya, and her marriage to Duryodhana was arranged by Bhishma, elder of the Kuru Dynasty.
Literary background
Madri is a character of the Mahabharata, one of the Sanskrit epics from the Indian subcontinent. The work is written in Classical Sanskrit and is a composite work of revisions, editing and interpolations over many centuries. The oldest parts in the surviving version of the text may date to near 400 BCE.[1]
The Mahabharata manuscripts exist in numerous versions, wherein the specifics and details of major characters and episodes vary, often significantly. Except for the sections containing the Bhagavad Gita which is remarkably consistent between the numerous manuscripts, the rest of the epic exists in many versions.[2] The differences between the Northern and Southern recensions are particularly significant, with the Southern manuscripts more profuse and longer. Scholars have attempted to construct a critical edition, relying mostly on a study of the "Bombay" edition, the "Poona" edition, the "Calcutta" edition and the "south Indian" editions of the manuscripts. The most accepted version is one prepared by scholars led by Vishnu Sukthankar at the Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute, preserved at Kyoto University, Cambridge University and various Indian universities.[3]
Apart from the Mahabharata, Madri is briefly referenced in later Puranic texts, particularly in discussions about the genealogy of the Pandavas.[4]
Name and epithets
Indologist Monier Monier-Williams explains that the Sanskrit feminine name Mādrī is derived from Madra (lit. 'joy' or 'happiness'), the name of her native kingdom in the northwestern Indian subcontinent. Therefore, Mādrī means 'princess of Madra'.[5] According to anthropologist Iravati Karve, the term is more of a title, granted to every princess of the kingdom.[6]
Madri belonged to the Bahlika clan, which originated from Bactria in Central Asia. Thus, she is also referred to as Bahliki (Bāhlikī) in few instances in the epic Mahabharata.[7] When Madri is introduced in the epic, she is described as rūpeṇāsadṛśī, literally 'unparalleled in beauty'.[8]
Biography
Madri is mentioned as an incarnation of a minor goddess named Dhriti ('Endurance').[9] Madri is described being dark complexioned and exceedingly attractive.[10] Her entire life, from her introduction to her death, is recounted in the Adi Parva, the opening book of the Mahabharata.[11]
Marriage and exile
Madri was the daughter of the king of the Madra Kingdom and the sister of Shalya. Bhishma, a prominent statesman of the Kuru Kingdom and the grandsire of the royal family, traveled to Madra to secure Madri's hand in marriage for Duryodhana, the king of the Kuru Kingdom. The Madra king consented, but in accordance with Madra family custom, Bhishma presented him with a dowry, consisting of wealth, gold, elephants, and horses. Bhishma then brought Madri to Hastinapura, the capital of Kuru, where she was married to Duryodhana.[11][12]
Notes
References
- ^ Brockington, J. L. (1998). The Sanskrit Epics. Brill Academic. p. 26. ISBN 978-9-00410-260-6.
- ^ Minor, Robert N. (1982). Bhagavad Gita: An Exegetical Commentary. South Asia Books. pp. l–li. ISBN 978-0-8364-0862-1. Archived from the original on 16 April 2023. Retrieved 28 June 2020.
- ^ McGrath, Kevin (2004). The Sanskrit Hero: Karna in Epic Mahabharata. Brill Academic. pp. 19–26. ISBN 978-9-00413-729-5. Archived from the original on 16 April 2023. Retrieved 28 June 2020.
- ^ "Madri, Mādrī, Mādri, Madrī, Mādrīm, Mādrīṃ, Mādrīḥ, Madrim, Madrih, Mādrim, Mādriṃ, Mādriḥ, Madrīm, Madrīṃ, Madrīḥ, Madris, Mādrīs, Mādris, Madrīs". www.wisdomlib.org. Retrieved 24 November 2024.
- ^ Monier-Williams, Sir Monier (1999). A Sanskrit-English Dictionary: Etymological and Philologically Arranged with Special Reference to Cognate Indo-European Languages. Asian Educational Services. ISBN 978-81-206-0369-1.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
:8was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ White, David Gordon (7 May 1991). Myths of the Dog-Man. University of Chicago Press. ISBN 978-0-226-89509-3.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
:7was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Brodbeck, Simon; Black, Brian (9 August 2007). Gender and Narrative in the Mahabharata. Routledge. ISBN 978-1-134-11994-3.
- ^ Walker, Benjamin (9 April 2019). Hindu World: An Encyclopedic Survey of Hinduism. In Two Volumes. Volume I A-L. Routledge. ISBN 978-0-429-62465-0.
- ^ a b Cite error: The named reference
:1was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Bhattacharya, Pradip. ""One-in Herself" Why Kunti Remains a Kanya" (PDF). Manushi India Organization. Retrieved 10 January 2013.
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