Chapter 13: Gāndhārī’s hard mass is divided by Vyāsa into 101 embryos; jealousy underlies both Gāndhārī’s anguish and Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s dynastic anxiety.

Gāndhārī’s jealousy at Kuntī’s childbirth leads to the hard mass and 101 embryos;

Vaiśampāyana said:

[PV-KDV:01_019_1] (Bharata)

Then, Janamejaya, a hundred sons were born to Dhritarashtra by Gandhari, and one more beyond the hundred by a Vaishya woman. (BORI: 1-107-1)

[PV-KDV:01_019_2] (Bharata)

Janamejaya said:

[PV-KDV:01_019_3] (Bharata)

How were a hundred sons born to Gandhari, best of brahmins? How long did it take, and what was the full extent of their lifespan? (BORI: 1-107-3)

[PV-KDV:01_019_4] (Bharata)

How did that one son of Dhritarashtra come to be born to a Vaishya woman? And how did Dhritarashtra disregard Gandhari, his well-matched and virtuous wife, who always sought to please him? (BORI: 1-107-4)

[PV-KDV:01_019_5] (Bharata)

Vaiśampāyana said:

[PV-KDV:01_019_7] (Bharata)

When Dvaipayana came to her, utterly exhausted by hunger and fatigue, Gandhari satisfied him, and Vyasa granted her a boon. (BORI: 1-107-7)

[PV-PAN:01_019_8] (Bharata)

She chose for herself a hundred sons equal to her husband. (BORI: 1-107-8A)

[PV-PAN:01_019_9] (Bharata)

Then, in due course, she conceived a child by Dhritarashtra. (BORI: 1-107-8B)

[PV-KDV:01_019_10] (Bharata)

Gandhari carried that pregnancy for two full years without giving birth; then sorrow overcame her. (BORI: 1-107-9)

[PV-KDV:01_019_11] (Bharata)

Hearing that Kunti’s son had been born, radiant as the rising sun, and realizing that her own womb remained unchanged, she began to brood. (BORI: 1-107-10)

[PV-KDV:01_019_12] (Bharata)

Gandhari, overcome with grief, then induced a miscarriage with great effort, without Dhritarashtra’s knowledge. (BORI: 1-107-11)

[PV-KDV:01_019_13] (Bharata)

Then a compact mass of flesh, like an iron ball, emerged. She began to cast away what she had carried in her womb for two years. (BORI: 1-107-12)

[PV-KDV:01_019_14] (Bharata)

Then Dvaipayana, learning of this, came swiftly. That foremost of those who recite sacred texts saw the mass of flesh. (BORI: 1-107-13)

[PV-KDV:01_019_15] (Bharata)

Then he said to Saubaleyī, “What have you intended to do?” And she truthfully disclosed her intention to the great seer: (BORI: 1-107-14)

[PV-PAN:01_019_16] (Bharata)

When I heard that Kunti’s eldest son had been born, radiant as the sun, I was overwhelmed with grief and struck my womb. (BORI: 1-107-15)

[PV-PAN:01_019_17] (Bharata)

You once promised me a hundred sons, but this lump of flesh has been born to me in place of those hundred sons. (BORI: 1-107-16)

[PV-PAN:01_019_18] (Bharata)

Vyasa said:

[PV-PAN:01_019_19] (Bharata)

It is indeed so, daughter of Subala; it can never be otherwise. I have never spoken falsely, even in jest—how then could this be otherwise? (BORI: 1-107-17)

[PV-PAN:01_019_20] (Bharata)

Have a hundred pots filled with ghee prepared immediately, and douse this hard lump with cold water. (BORI: 1-107-18)

[PV-PAN:01_019_21] (Bharata)

Vaiśampāyana said:

[PV-KDV:01_019_22] (Bharata)

As it was sprinkled, that hard lump then divided into a hundred parts; the embryos, each separate and the size of a thumb joint… (BORI: 1-107-19)

[PV-KDV:01_019_23] (Bharata)

In all, O lord of the people, a full hundred and one formed in due order from the lump of flesh as time passed. (BORI: 1-107-20)

[PV-KDV:01_019_24] (Bharata)

He then placed those embryos in the jars, in well-protected places, and made arrangements for their protection. (BORI: 1-107-21)

[PV-KDV:01_019_25] (Bharata)

The Lord further instructed Saubali, “Once this much time has passed, these jars are to be opened.” (BORI: 1-107-22)

[PV-KDV:01_019_26] (Bharata)

Having said this and made the necessary arrangements, the wise Lord Vyasa departed for the Himalayas, the mountain range, to practise austerities. (BORI: 1-107-23)

[PV-KDV:01_019_27] (Bharata)

Duryodhana was born in this sequence; but judged by birth, King Yudhishthira was the eldest of them. (BORI: 1-107-24)

[PV-KDV:01_019_28] (Bharata)

Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s dynastic anxiety emerges at Duryodhana’s birth.

As soon as that son was born, Dhritarashtra summoned many Brahmins, as well as Bhishma and Vidura, and said: (BORI: 1-107-25)

[PV-KDV:01_019_29] (Bharata)

Prince Yudhishthira, the eldest among us, perpetuates our line. He has attained the kingdom through his own merits, and we have nothing to say against him. (BORI: 1-107-26)

[PV-KDV:01_019_30] (Bharata)

But this one, next after him, will also become king. Tell me truthfully what is certain to happen in this matter. (BORI: 1-107-27)

[PV-KDV:01_019_31] (Bharata)

As these words came to an end, O Bharata, terrible beasts of prey and jackals howled in every direction, portending evil. (BORI: 1-107-28)

[PV-KDV:01_019_32] (Bharata)

Having observed all those dreadful omens, the Brahmins and the exceedingly wise Vidura said, O king: (BORI: 1-107-29)

[PV-PAN:01_019_33] (Bharata)

Clearly, this son of yours will bring your lineage to an end. Abandoning him will bring peace, but raising him will bring great disaster. (BORI: 1-107-30)

[PV-PAN:01_019_34] (Bharata)

O king, let your sons number ninety-nine. By sacrificing one, secure the welfare of both the world and your lineage. (BORI: 1-107-31)

[PV-PAN:01_019_35] (Bharata)

One should abandon an individual for the sake of the family, a family for the sake of the village, and the village for the sake of the realm; for one’s own sake, one should abandon the whole earth. (BORI: 1-107-32)

[PV-PAN:01_019_36] (Bharata)

Though Vidura and all those foremost Brahmins advised him accordingly, the king, bound by affection for his son, did not act upon their counsel. (BORI: 1-107-33)

[PV-PAN:01_019_37] (Bharata)

Then, O king, all one hundred sons of Dhritarashtra were born within the space of a month, as well as one daughter in addition to the hundred. (BORI: 1-107-34)

[PV-KDV:01_019_38] (Bharata)

While Gandhari was suffering from her growing womb, a Vaishya woman attended upon the mighty-armed Dhritarashtra. (BORI: 1-107-35)

[PV-KDV:01_019_39] (Bharata)

In that year, O king, the illustrious and wise Yuyutsu, a Karaṇa, was then born to Dhṛtarāṣṭra by that woman, O ruler. (BORI: 1-107-36)

[PV-KDV:01_019_40] (Bharata)

Thus were born to the wise Dhritarashtra a hundred heroic sons, all great chariot-warriors, and one daughter, Duhshala. (BORI: 1-107-37)

[PV-KDV:01_019_41] (Bharata)

Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s hundred sons are enumerated by name, followed by their sister Duḥśalā.

Janamejaya said:

[PV-PAN:01_019_55] (Bharata)

O lord, recount in order the names of Dhritarashtra’s sons and their relative seniority. (BORI: 1-108-1)

[PV-PAN:01_019_56] (Bharata)

Vaiśampāyana said:

[PV-PAN:01_019_57] (Bharata)

Duryodhana, Yuyutsu, O king, and Duḥśāsana; Duḥsaha, Duḥśala, Jalasandha, Sama, and Saha; (BORI: 1-108-2)

[PV-PAN:01_019_58] (Bharata)

Vinda and Anuvinda, Durdharsha, Subahu, Dushpradharshana, Durmarshana, Durmukha, Dushkarna, and Karna as well; (BORI: 1-108-3)

[PV-PAN:01_019_59] (Bharata)

Viviṃśati, Vikarṇa, Jalasaṃdha, Sulocana, Citra and Upacitra, Citrākṣa, Cārucitra, and Śarāsana; (BORI: 1-108-4)

[PV-PAN:01_019_60] (Bharata)

Durmada, Duṣpragāha, Vivitsu, Vikaṭa, Sama, Ūrṇanābha, Sunābha, and also Nanda and Upanandaka; (BORI: 1-108-5)

[PV-PAN:01_019_61] (Bharata)

Senāpati, Suṣeṇa, Kuṇḍodara and Mahodara, Citrabāṇa, Citravarman, Suvarman, and Durvimocana; (BORI: 1-108-6)

[PV-PAN:01_019_62] (Bharata)

Ayobahu, Mahabahu, Chitranga, Chitrakundala, Bhimavega, Bhimabala, Balaki, and Balavardhana; (BORI: 1-108-7)

[PV-PAN:01_019_63] (Bharata)

Ugrāyudha, Bhīmakarman, Kanakāyus, Dṛḍhāyudha, Dṛḍhavarman, Dṛḍhakṣatra, Somakīrti, and Anūdara… (BORI: 1-108-8)

[PV-PAN:01_019_64] (Bharata)

Dṛḍhasandha, Jarāsandha, Satyasandha, Sadaḥsuvāk, Ugraśravas, Aśvasena, Senānī, and Duṣparājaya. (BORI: 1-108-9)

[PV-PAN:01_019_65] (Bharata)

Aparājita, Paṇḍitaka, Viśālākṣa, Durāvara, Dṛḍhahasta, Suhasta, Vātavega, and Suvarcas. (BORI: 1-108-10)

[PV-PAN:01_019_66] (Bharata)

Ādityaketu, Bahvāśin, Nāgadanta, and Ugrayāyin; Kavacin, Niṣaṅgin, Pāśin, Daṇḍadhara, and Dhanurgraha… (BORI: 1-108-11)

[PV-PAN:01_019_67] (Bharata)

Ugra, Bhīmaratha, Vīra, Vīrabāhu, Alolupa, and the three—Abhaya, Raudrakarman, and Dṛḍharatha— (BORI: 1-108-12)

[PV-PAN:01_019_68] (Bharata)

Anādhṛṣya, Kuṇḍabhedin, Virāvin, Dīrghalocana, Dīrghabāhu, Mahābāhu, Vyūḍhoru, and Kanakadhvaja. (BORI: 1-108-13)

[PV-PAN:01_019_69] (Bharata)

Kuṇḍāśī and Virajā, and Duḥśalā in addition to the hundred—thus, O king, one hundred and one daughter have been named. (BORI: 1-108-14)

[PV-PAN:01_019_70] (Bharata)

Know, O king, that the order of their names is the order of their birth. They were all mighty chariot-warriors, all valiant, and all skilled in warfare. (BORI: 1-108-15)

[PV-PAN:01_019_71] (Bharata)

Those five, and the hundred as well—the perpetuators of the Kuru line—all grew in a short time, like lotuses in water. (BORI: 1-115-28)

[PV-KDV:01_019_72] (Bharata)

O king, Dhritarashtra duly considered the matter and then, at the proper time, arranged suitable wives for all of them. (BORI: 1-108-17)

[PV-KDV:01_019_74] (Bharata)

At the proper time, O Bharata, the king gave Duḥśalā in marriage to Jayadratha, king of Sindhu, with Saubala’s consent. (BORI: 1-108-18)

[PV-KDV:01_019_75] (Bharata)