( the D in this name is pronounced like 'th' in 'brother')
Maadri was the second (younger) of the two wives of Paandu. She was the sister of the Madra king Shalya. She was always referred to as Maadri ( daughter of Madra king) or Maadravathi.No real name was mentioned.
Paandu married Kunthi first and Maadri later. After his victorious campaign was over, he spent a good time around the Himaalayas, indulged in hunting. During his entertainment on oneday, he killed a couple of deer who were in fact a couple of sage and his wife in that form for their pleasure. They died of his shots but while dying, the sage cursed Paandu that he would meet his death if he touches his wife for pleasures.
Paandu repented very much for his ill luck as he had no children by that time. He consoled himself and finally turned ascetic. He lived on the hill called Shathashringa with his two wives, strictly avoiding their company and observing penance.
Oneday he saw a group of sages on their way to Lord Brahma's abode . He too wanted to accompany them but they told him that a childless person cannot reach that place. Paandu was sad and thought for many days. He requested his queen Kunthi to beget sons for her in any aceptable way. Kunthi told him about the chant she was awarded by sage Durvaasa when she served him at his father's house before marriage. The power of the chant was such that whomever she invokes with that chant, that God would come and bless her with a son. Paandu agreed and told her to call Yama first, as he was the dharma himself. Kunthi prayed to Lord Yama who blessed her with a son. He was named Yudhishthira. Similarly, Paandu directed his queen to get sons from Lord Vaayu and Lord Indra too. Those two sons were named Bheema and Arjuna. Paandu and his queens were very happy.
But Maadri felt unhappy that she was to remain childless and requested her husband to tell Kunthi to allow her also to have sons in the same way. Paandu solicited to Kunthi to help Maadri and Kunthi gladly did so. Maadri invited the divine doctor gods Ashvis and prayed for twin sons. Those twins were named Nakula and Sahadeva. These two were ogten referred to in the epic as Ưamas' meaning 'The Twins' . Paandu was satisfied with his begetting sons and he himself taught them archery.
When things were going like that, on a spring day, Paandu saw his younger wife Maadri moving around and fell to cupid's arrows and he died on the spot. Kunthi and Maadri wept bitterly for that unlucky occurance. Maadri burnt herself on her husband's pyre (by performing 'satheesahagamanam ie 'wife's following her dead husband'), entrusting her sons to Kunthi. She went to heaven with her husband. That was all about Maadri in the book.
From the book, it seems that she was beautiful but innocent and less capable of managing things, when compared to her co-wife Kunthi.
"After praying to Naaraayana, Nara, Sarasvathi and Vyaasa, then one should read the Jayam."
DEDICATED TO MY DEAR NIECE VYSHNAVI KRISHNA