After reaching maturity, she chose Pandu, the king of Kuru, as her husband, but her married life was disturbed when Madri, princess of Madra, became Pandu's second wife. One day, Pandu was cursed to die if he tried to embrace any woman. This made him abandon his kingdom and live in a forest with his two wives. Kunti, upon her husband's request, used her mantra and was blessed with three children - Yudhishthira, Bhima and Arjuna. Later she shared her mantra with Madri, who was blessed with Nakula and Sahadeva. Pandu and Madri died early, so Kunti adopted her stepsons and took her children to Hastinapura, the capital of Kuru.