Women in Mahabharata - Madhavi
She is given by her father Yayati to Galava so he could gather 800 special horses for his guru Vishvamitra from four Kings in exchange for allowing them to have their way with Madhavi.
Galava 'leases' her out to the Kings Haryashva, Divodasa and Ushinara of Ayodhya, Kashi and Bhoja respectively in exchange for 200 horses each time. In the end, when Galava is unable to find any more horses to fulfill his promise to Vishvamitra, the latter quite enthusiastically takes Madhavi with him, rebuking his student for not bringing her to him sooner.
Her sons from the three kings and Vishvamitra are Vasumanah, Pratardana, Shibi and Ashtaka. After their births, Galava returns her to Yayati who tries to get her married.
Tired of being paraded around like livestock, Madhavi rejects the swayamvara, retreating to the forest to spend her days in penance instead.
When Yayati is later cast down from heaven, he takes half the merit earned by his daughter to re-ascend to his previous state, while Madhavi is left playing catch up.
Personally, I believe that Yayati's rather cruel behaviour with Madhavi is the ultimate culmination of his relationship (or rather the lack of) with her mother Devayani.
It is repulsive how all the men in this story treat her: Galava clearly cares for nothing more than fulfilling his own agenda, and the kings are revoltingly eager to take advantage of this 'scheme' as they delve into uncomfortable details of Madhavi's body at every chance.
No wonder she did not wish to marry even when she is finally accorded a chance.
