In the Mahabharata epic, Madri was a princess of the Madra kingdom and the second wife of Pandu. She was married off to Pandu as a result of her brother Shalya's loss to Pandu in a competition to marry Kunti. She, alongside Kunti, faitfhully accompanied Pandu in his hermetical retreat following his abdication as the king of Hastinapura. Both Kunti and Madri were directly affected by the curse on Pandu because they were denied the opportunity to bear Pandu's children. However, a boon was given to Kunti which enabled her to bear Yudishtira, Bhima, and Arjuna. This boon was passed on to Madri, who then bore twins from god Ashwini named Nakula and Sahadeva. One fateful day, Pandu desired Madri and the memory of the curse briefly eluded him. Death struck Pandu immediately. Madri, filled with remorse, self immolated on Pandu's funeral pyre. Kunti became a single mother of the five children.