कुंती

by नरेंद्र कोहली, Narendra Kohli

वेद कहते हैं कि अनस्तित्व में से अस्तित्व का जन्म नहीं होता। जो नहीं है, वह हो नहीं सकता। किसी का जन्म नहीं होता। कुछ उत्पन्न नहीं होता। स्रष्टा और सृष्टि दो समानान्तर रेखाएँ हैं, जिनका न कहीं आदि है न अन्त। वे दोनों रेखाएँ समानान्तर चलती हैं। ईश्वर नित्य क्रियाशील विधाता है। जिसकी शक्ति से प्रलयपयोधि में नित्यशः एक के बाद एक ब्रह्माण्ड का सृजन होता रहता है। वे कुछ काल तक गतिमान रहते हैं और उसके पश्चात् विनष्ट कर दिए जाते हैं। सूर्य चन्द्रमसौ धाता यथापूर्वम् अकल्पयत्। इस सूर्य और इस चन्द्रमा को भी पिछले चन्द्रमा के समान निर्मित किया गया।...तो यह जन्म लेने से पहले, इस शरीर को धारण करने से पहले भी तो कुन्ती कुछ रही होगी, कोई रही होगी। कौन थी वह ?...

684 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 12, 2018

About the author

Padmashree Narendra Kohli is one of the most eminent and well-known Hindi writers of our times. His novel based on the Ram-Katha, Abhyuday, shifted the course of Hindi novel-writing. Another of his novels, Mahasamar, based on the Pandava-katha went on to become just as popular. His novel-series, Todo Kara Todo is considered the greatest and foremost novel in any language on the life of Swami Vivekananda. Abhigyan, Vasudev, Sharnam, Aatmaswikriti, Varunaputri, Sagar-Manthan, Ahalya etc. are his other well-known works. Apart from the Padmashree, he has also been awarded the Hindi Akademi award; Delhi Salaka Samman; Uttar Pradesh Hindi Sansthaan award; Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyay Samman, Lucknow; K.K. Birla Foundation award; Vyasa Samman, New Delhi; Madhya Pradesh government and Bhopal’s Maithili Sharan Gupt Rashtriya Samman, among numerous other honours.

डॉ॰ नरेन्द्र कोहली (जन्म ६ जनवरी १९४०, निधन १७ अप्रैल २०२१, चैत्र शुक्ल पंचमी, नवरात्रि) प्रसिद्ध हिन्दी साहित्यकार हैं। उन्होंने साहित्य के सभी प्रमुख विधाओं (यथा उपन्यास, व्यंग्य, नाटक, कहानी) एवं गौण विधाओं (यथा संस्मरण, निबंध, पत्र आदि) और आलोचनात्मक साहित्य में अपनी लेखनी चलाई है। उन्होंने शताधिक श्रेष्ठ ग्रंथों का सृजन किया है। हिन्दी साहित्य में 'महाकाव्यात्मक उपन्यास' की विधा को प्रारंभ करने का श्रेय नरेंद्र कोहली को ही जाता है। पौराणिक एवं ऐतिहासिक चरित्रों की गुत्थियों को सुलझाते हुए उनके माध्यम से आधुनिक सामाज की समस्याओं एवं उनके समाधान को समाज के समक्ष प्रस्तुत करना कोहली की अन्यतम विशेषता है। कोहलीजी सांस्कृतिक राष्ट्रवादी साहित्यकार हैं, जिन्होंने अपनी रचनाओं के माध्यम से भारतीय जीवन-शैली एवं दर्शन का सम्यक् परिचय करवाया है। जनवरी, २०१७ में उन्हें पद्मश्री से सम्मानित किया गया।

Reviews

[Prabhat sharma · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kunti by Narendra Kohli- Kunti is a short novel based on the Mahabharata. Narendra Kohli’s best is to bring about how people react to turning points and dilemma in life. The book discusses the thought process of the mind of Kunti on what is natural justice or dharma for her. Kunti is daughter of Sursen, a Yadava chief and foster daughter of brother of Sursen named Kuntibhoj. She is sister of Vasudev father of Krishna. Kuntibhoj organised Swayamwar for Kunti where she chose and married Pandu, younger brother of Dhritrashtra and elder brother of Vidura. Later, Pandu married another royal Madri daughter of Madra naresh. First, Kunti is Yadav, a community who rears animals and deal in milk and other produce while Madri is from a Royal family. Kunti is elder to Madri and she remains within her limits. Second, while hunting in forest, Pandu kills Rishi Kindama who is mating with his wife after taking the form of a deer couple. Rishi Kidama curses him that whenever he becomes intimate with his wife he will die. Pandu renounces his kingdom and goes to exile with his wives. Pandu prays to the Rishis for salvation from birth and death. The Rishis inform that after his death his sons have to pray for salvation of his soul. Now for children, Kunti uses the matra given by Rishi Durvasa and begets Yudhistara from God of Death, Bhim from Vayu God of Winds and Arjun from Indra, the King of Devatas. Madri also wants children and she wants children more in number than that of Kunti . Kunti shares her mantra from Rishi Durvasa to be used only once. Madri uses the matra to summon twin Gods Ashwini Kumars. Third, after death of Pandu and self-immolation of Madri, Kunti returns to Kuru Kingdom capital Hastinapur. Here Duryodhana was being declared heir-apparent to the Kindom but on arrival Yudhistar is declared Heir-apparent. Duryodhana with the help of his maternal uncle Shakuni sends the Pandavas and their mother to Varanwat to attend a festival. Here a palace has been constructed with combustible material so that the Pandavas can be burnt alive. With the help of a cave digger arranged by Vidur, the Pandavas leave the palace just before the fire is started. They leave for the forest dressed as Brahmins, so that it is difficult to trace them and reach the village Ekchakra. Fourth, they stay as guests with a Brahmin family. In this village, a demon Bakasura eats one person and food every 15 days. Today the turn is of the son of the Brahmin. Kunti decides to send her son Bhim in place of the son of the Brahmin. Bhim kills the demon. Fifth, Pandavas keep changing location so that the Kauravas are unable to trace them. They move to a forest. Here they are identifed as future food by Hidimb the king of the forest. He asks his sister Hidimba to killing so that they both can eat their flesh. Bhim is able to kill Hidimb in combat. Hidimba want to marry Bhim. Bhim is reluctant for the reason that his elder brother is as yet unmarried. For the sake of keeping the family together, Kunti asks Bhim to marry Hidimba. They stay here for a year Bhim has a son Ghatotkatch and they leave for Panchal Kingdom. Pandavas attend the swayamvar of Draupadi in which a competition was of piercing the eye of a revolving fish hanging on a thread by seeing its shadow in a plate filled with oil. Shri Krishna and Kauravas along with Karn attend the ceremony. Karn attempts to compete but Druapadi refues to take the competiton. No as else among the Royal succeeds so in the end Arjun dressed as a Brahmin attemts and succeeds. Draupadi put the garland on Arjun symbolising marriage. The Pandavas with Draupadi go to their residence, meet Kunti and inform that they have brought alms (Kanyadan is also an alms) Fifth, Kunti says that the alms be distributed between the brothers equally. Now they bring forward Draupadi. Rishis come and advice King Drupad and Pandavas that it is the karma of Draupadi has to accept all five Pandavas marrying her. After marriage, the Pandavas come to Hastinapur and are granted part of the area which is barren Khandavaprastha as a part of their Kingdom. With the help of Krishna, the Pandavas are able to develop the area as a well administerd Kingdom. Pandavas loose their kingdom, themselves and Draupadi in the game of dice. They ultimately accept 12 years of exile and one year in cognito and on being discovered again 12 years of exile and one year incognito. Sixth, the Pandavas complete the period of exile and one year incognito and come to Hastinapur to claim their territory. Duryodhana refuses partition. Krishna tries meditation but fails. War is declared. Karn is one warrior who has been trained by the best archer Parashuram. He is able to kill all Pandavas and turn the tide of the battle. Kunti and Krishna meet Karn and inform him that he is the son of Kunti and Sun God and he should turn side and join the Pandavas. Karn refuses and promises that he will kill only Arjun and not harm any of the four Pandavas. The Pandavas win the war. In the end, she goes to Himalayas with Dhritrashtra, Gandhari and Vidur. The book is written in dialogue and discussion style by portraying the characters as humans. It is a classic book which should be translated in all regional languages and in English so that the international readers can be aware of the rich heritage of culture and philosophy in India. It is a worth reading book.

[Richa · Rating 5 out of 5]

किसी भी महत्वपूर्ण कथा का एक प्रचलित रूप होता है- सीधा साधा, आसान-सा , सुनकर बस मान लिया जाये कि बस इतना ही है। एक दूसरा रूप वह होता है जिसमें स्थितियों, कर्मों के कारणों को समझने के लिए उसके पात्रों के विचार और विश्वास, उनके द्वारा स्थितियों के विश्लेषण, उनका प्रभाव और फलस्वरूप उनकी क्रिया या प्रतिक्रिया सभी की कहानी जुड़ी होती है। ऐसी कहानी को समझने हेतु, किसी घटना या विचार या पात्र को चुनौती देने के लिए पाठक के पास सारी सामग्री उसी कहानी में ही होती है। कोहली जी की महासमर पढ़ने के उपरांत कुंती को पढ़कर भी वही सुख मिला। कुंती की कहानी पढ़कर उनकी शक्ति, सामर्थ्य और दृढ़ता का परिचय मिलता है जिसका परिणाम पाण्डवों के गुणों में, उनके चरित्र में साफ़ स्पष्ट होता है। जैसा की एक परिष्कृत व्यक्तित्व में होता है, कुंती भी कई पक्षों, परतों का समन्वय हैं। वे माँ भी हैं, स्त्री भी, क्षत्रिय भी, दार्शनिक भी, साध्वी भी।
नरेंद्र कोहली जी की इस पुस्तक को एक सामान्य से पाठक की और से 5 star।

[Arpit Shukla · Rating 4 out of 5]

नरेंद्र कोहली जी द्वारा महाभारत के पात्रों को विभिन्न उपन्यासों के माध्यम से उद्घाटित करने का तरीका वाकई में अद्भुत है। कोहली जी पाठक को पात्रों की मनोदशा, उनके भीतर के द्वंदों से अवगत कराते है एवं उनके चरित्रों को बहुत ही सूक्ष्म रूप से उद्घाटित करते है।
कुंती भी इसी दिशा में लेखक का एक प्रयास है जिसमें कोहली जी ने कुंती के चरित्र को एक सह नायिका के रूप में उभारा है। कुंती भले ही महाभारत की नायिका न हो, परन्तु उसके पुत्रों के समस्त निर्णयों में उसकी महती भूमिका है। कुंती के पुत्रों का चिंतन उसकी ही शिक्षा की देन है। शायद कोहली जी ने अपने इस उपन्यास के माध्यम से कुंती को इतिहास में वह स्थान दिलाने का प्रयास किया है जो उसे नहीं मिल सका।

[aruna rai · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing books.

This book emotionally touches the reader.It gives a totally new perception about KUNTI.I would suggest every reader who want to know indian mythology should prefer this book.

[Piyush Asthana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Half

[Siwani Agarwal]

The story-telling and narration is too good. The writer has drawn a beautiful picture which takes the reader into the story to be an observer, and witness the flow of the story.