Pandu was the father of the Pandavas in the Mahabharata.
Story of the birth of Pandu is narrated in Adi Parva of the Mahabharata.
Ambalika was the youngest of the three daughters of Kashi. She was married to
Vichitravirya, the king of Hastinapura and son of Shantanu. Vichitravirya died
before he had a child with Ambalika. To continue the Kuru lineage, Sage Vyasa
was asked by Queen Satyavati to beget son. Thus Pandu was born to
Ambalika.
The word Pandu means ‘pale.’
It is said that Amabalika on seeing Sage Vyasa had turned pale and thus
had given birth to a pale child.
Pandu had got the right to rule Hastinapura as his elder
brother Dhritarashtra was blind.
Pandu married Kunti and Madri.
Pandu during a hunting expedition had killed a deer which
was mating. The deer was actually Sage Kindama who was mating with his wife in
deer form. Before dying, the sage cursed Pandu that he will fall dead if he
ever mated with his wives.
After this incident, Pandu gave the throne of Hastinapura to
his elder blind brother Dhritarashtra and went to the Himalayas .
Here Kunti told him about the possession of mantra through which they could
have children. Thus the Pandavas were born.
During his stay in the Himalayas ,
one day Pandu got carried away and tried to make love to Madri and died.