Pandu is a character from the ancient Indian epic, the Mahabharata. He was the king of Hastinapura and the son of Vichitravirya and Ambalika. Due to a curse, Pandu was unable to father children, which led him to seek alternative means to have heirs. To ensure the continuation of his lineage, Pandu asked his wives, Kunti and Madri, to invoke gods to bear children. This resulted in the birth of the five legendary brothers known as the Pandavas, who play a central role in the Mahabharata narrative, particularly in the great war of Kurukshetra.