Chapter 13: Gāndhārī’s hard mass is divided by Vyāsa into 101 embryos; jealousy underlies both Gāndhārī’s anguish and Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s dynastic anxiety.
वैशम्पायन उवाच॥
vaiśampāyana uvāca॥
Vaiśampāyana said:
[PV-KDV:01_019_1] (Jaya)
ततः पुत्रशतं जज्ञे गान्धार्यां जनमेजय । धृतराष्ट्रस्य वैश्यायामेकश्चापि शतात्परः ॥BORI: १-१०७-१॥
tataḥ putraśataṁ jajñē gāndhāryāṁ janamējaya । dhr̥tarāṣṭrasya vaiśyāyāmēkaścāpi śatātparaḥ ॥BORI: 1-107-1॥
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] (Jaya)
जनमेजय उवाच॥
janamējaya uvāca॥
Janamejaya said:
[PV-KDV:01_019_3] (Jaya)
कथं पुत्रशतं जज्ञे गान्धार्यां द्विजसत्तम । कियता चैव कालेन तेषामायुश्च किं परम् ॥BORI: १-१०७-३॥
kathaṁ putraśataṁ jajñē gāndhāryāṁ dvijasattama । kiyatā caiva kālēna tēṣāmāyuśca kiṁ param ॥BORI: 1-107-3॥
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] (Jaya)
कथं चैकः स वैश्यायां धृतराष्ट्रसुतोऽभवत् । कथं च सदृशीं भार्यां गान्धारीं धर्मचारिणीम् । आनुकूल्ये वर्तमानां धृतराष्ट्रोऽत्यवर्तत ॥BORI: १-१०७-४॥
kathaṁ caikaḥ sa vaiśyāyāṁ dhr̥tarāṣṭrasutō’bhavat । kathaṁ ca sadr̥śīṁ bhāryāṁ gāndhārīṁ dharmacāriṇīm । ānukūlyē vartamānāṁ dhr̥tarāṣṭrō’tyavartata ॥BORI: 1-107-4॥
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] (Jaya)
वैशम्पायन उवाच॥
vaiśampāyana uvāca॥
Vaiśampāyana said:
[PV-KDV:01_019_7] (Jaya)
ततः कालेन सा गर्भं धृतराष्ट्रादथाग्रहीत् ॥BORI: १-१०७-८B॥
tataḥ kālēna sā garbhaṁ dhr̥tarāṣṭrādathāgrahīt ॥BORI: 1-107-8B॥
Then, in due course, she conceived a child by Dhritarashtra. (BORI: 1-107-8B)
[PV-KDV:01_019_10] (Jaya)
संवत्सरद्वयं तं तु गान्धारी गर्भमाहितम् । अप्रजा धारयामास ततस्तां दुःखमाविशत् ॥BORI: १-१०७-९॥
saṁvatsaradvayaṁ taṁ tu gāndhārī garbhamāhitam । aprajā dhārayāmāsa tatastāṁ duḥkhamāviśat ॥BORI: 1-107-9॥
Gandhari carried that pregnancy for two full years without giving birth; then sorrow overcame her. (BORI: 1-107-9)
[PV-KDV:01_019_11] (Jaya)
श्रुत्वा कुन्तीसुतं जातं बालार्कसमतेजसम् । उदरस्यात्मनः स्थैर्यमुपलभ्यान्वचिन्तयत् ॥BORI: १-१०७-१०॥
śrutvā kuntīsutaṁ jātaṁ bālārkasamatējasam । udarasyātmanaḥ sthairyamupalabhyānvacintayat ॥BORI: 1-107-10॥
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] (Jaya)
अज्ञातं धृतराष्ट्रस्य यत्नेन महता ततः । सोदरं पातयामास गान्धारी दुःखमूर्च्छिता ॥BORI: १-१०७-११॥
ajñātaṁ dhr̥tarāṣṭrasya yatnēna mahatā tataḥ । sōdaraṁ pātayāmāsa gāndhārī duḥkhamūrcchitā ॥BORI: 1-107-11॥
Gandhari, overcome with grief, then induced a miscarriage with great effort, without Dhritarashtra’s knowledge. (BORI: 1-107-11)
[PV-KDV:01_019_13] (Jaya)
ततो जज्ञे मांसपेशी लोहाष्ठीलेव संहता । द्विवर्षसम्भृतां कुक्षौ तामुत्स्रष्टुं प्रचक्रमे ॥BORI: १-१०७-१२॥
tatō jajñē māṁsapēśī lōhāṣṭhīlēva saṁhatā । dvivarṣasambhr̥tāṁ kukṣau tāmutsraṣṭuṁ pracakramē ॥BORI: 1-107-12॥
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] (Jaya)
अथ द्वैपायनो ज्ञात्वा त्वरितः समुपागमत् । तां स मांसमयीं पेशीं ददर्श जपतां वरः ॥BORI: १-१०७-१३॥
atha dvaipāyanō jñātvā tvaritaḥ samupāgamat । tāṁ sa māṁsamayīṁ pēśīṁ dadarśa japatāṁ varaḥ ॥BORI: 1-107-13॥
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] (Jaya)
वैशम्पायन उवाच॥
vaiśampāyana uvāca॥
Vaiśampāyana said:
[PV-KDV:01_019_22] (Jaya)
सा सिच्यमाना अष्ठीला अभवच्छतधा तदा । अङ्गुष्ठपर्वमात्राणां गर्भाणां पृथगेव तु ॥BORI: १-१०७-१९॥
sā sicyamānā aṣṭhīlā abhavacchatadhā tadā । aṅguṣṭhaparvamātrāṇāṁ garbhāṇāṁ pr̥thagēva tu ॥BORI: 1-107-19॥
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] (Jaya)
एकाधिकशतं पूर्णं यथायोगं विशां पते । मांसपेश्यास्तदा राजन्क्रमशः कालपर्ययात् ॥BORI: १-१०७-२०॥
ēkādhikaśataṁ pūrṇaṁ yathāyōgaṁ viśāṁ patē । māṁsapēśyāstadā rājankramaśaḥ kālaparyayāt ॥BORI: 1-107-20॥
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] (Jaya)
ततस्तांस्तेषु कुण्डेषु गर्भानवदधे तदा । स्वनुगुप्तेषु देशेषु रक्षां च व्यदधात्ततः ॥BORI: १-१०७-२१॥
tatastāṁstēṣu kuṇḍēṣu garbhānavadadhē tadā । svanuguptēṣu dēśēṣu rakṣāṁ ca vyadadhāttataḥ ॥BORI: 1-107-21॥
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] (Jaya)
शशास चैव भगवान्कालेनैतावता पुनः । विघट्टनीयान्येतानि कुण्डानीति स्म सौबलीम् ॥BORI: १-१०७-२२॥
śaśāsa caiva bhagavānkālēnaitāvatā punaḥ । vighaṭṭanīyānyētāni kuṇḍānīti sma saubalīm ॥BORI: 1-107-22॥
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] (Jaya)
इत्युक्त्वा भगवान्व्यासस्तथा प्रतिविधाय च । जगाम तपसे धीमान्हिमवन्तं शिलोच्चयम् ॥BORI: १-१०७-२३॥
ityuktvā bhagavānvyāsastathā pratividhāya ca । jagāma tapasē dhīmānhimavantaṁ śilōccayam ॥BORI: 1-107-23॥
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] (Jaya)
जज्ञे क्रमेण चैतेन तेषां दुर्योधनो नृपः । जन्मतस्तु प्रमाणेन ज्येष्ठो राजा युधिष्ठिरः ॥BORI: १-१०७-२४॥
jajñē kramēṇa caitēna tēṣāṁ duryōdhanō nr̥paḥ । janmatastu pramāṇēna jyēṣṭhō rājā yudhiṣṭhiraḥ ॥BORI: 1-107-24॥
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] (Jaya)
जातमात्रे सुते तस्मिन्धृतराष्ट्रोऽब्रवीदिदम् । समानीय बहून्विप्रान्भीष्मं विदुरमेव च ॥BORI: १-१०७-२५॥
jātamātrē sutē tasmindhr̥tarāṣṭrō’bravīdidam । samānīya bahūnviprānbhīṣmaṁ viduramēva ca ॥BORI: 1-107-25॥
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] (Jaya)
युधिष्ठिरो राजपुत्रो ज्येष्ठो नः कुलवर्धनः । प्राप्तः स्वगुणतो राज्यं न तस्मिन्वाच्यमस्ति नः ॥BORI: १-१०७-२६॥
yudhiṣṭhirō rājaputrō jyēṣṭhō naḥ kulavardhanaḥ । prāptaḥ svaguṇatō rājyaṁ na tasminvācyamasti naḥ ॥BORI: 1-107-26॥
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] (Jaya)
अयं त्वनन्तरस्तस्मादपि राजा भविष्यति । एतद्धि ब्रूत मे सत्यं यदत्र भविता ध्रुवम् ॥BORI: १-१०७-२७॥
ayaṁ tvanantarastasmādapi rājā bhaviṣyati । ētaddhi brūta mē satyaṁ yadatra bhavitā dhruvam ॥BORI: 1-107-27॥
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] (Jaya)
वाक्यस्यैतस्य निधने दिक्षु सर्वासु भारत । क्रव्यादाः प्राणदन्घोराः शिवाश्चाशिवशंसिनः ॥BORI: १-१०७-२८॥
vākyasyaitasya nidhanē dikṣu sarvāsu bhārata । kravyādāḥ prāṇadanghōrāḥ śivāścāśivaśaṁsinaḥ ॥BORI: 1-107-28॥
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] (Jaya)
ततः पुत्रशतं सर्वं धृतराष्ट्रस्य पार्थिव । मासमात्रेण सञ्जज्ञे कन्या चैका शताधिका ॥BORI: १-१०७-३४॥
tataḥ putraśataṁ sarvaṁ dhr̥tarāṣṭrasya pārthiva । māsamātrēṇa sañjajñē kanyā caikā śatādhikā ॥BORI: 1-107-34॥
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] (Jaya)
गान्धार्यां क्लिश्यमानायामुदरेण विवर्धता । धृतराष्ट्रं महाबाहुं वैश्या पर्यचरत्किल ॥BORI: १-१०७-३५॥
gāndhāryāṁ kliśyamānāyāmudarēṇa vivardhatā । dhr̥tarāṣṭraṁ mahābāhuṁ vaiśyā paryacaratkila ॥BORI: 1-107-35॥
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] (Jaya)
तस्मिन्संवत्सरे राजन्धृतराष्ट्रान्महायशाः । जज्ञे धीमांस्ततस्तस्यां युयुत्सुः करणो नृप ॥BORI: १-१०७-३६॥
tasminsaṁvatsarē rājandhr̥tarāṣṭrānmahāyaśāḥ । jajñē dhīmāṁstatastasyāṁ yuyutsuḥ karaṇō nr̥pa ॥BORI: 1-107-36॥
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] (Jaya)
एवं पुत्रशतं जज्ञे धृतराष्ट्रस्य धीमतः । महारथानां वीराणां कन्या चैकाथ दुःशला ॥BORI: १-१०७-३७॥
ēvaṁ putraśataṁ jajñē dhr̥tarāṣṭrasya dhīmataḥ । mahārathānāṁ vīrāṇāṁ kanyā caikātha duḥśalā ॥BORI: 1-107-37॥
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] (Jaya)
ते च पञ्च शतं चैव कुरुवंशविवर्धनाः । सर्वे ववृधुरल्पेन कालेनाप्स्विव नीरजाः ॥BORI: १-११५-२८॥
tē ca pañca śataṁ caiva kuruvaṁśavivardhanāḥ । sarvē vavr̥dhuralpēna kālēnāpsviva nīrajāḥ ॥BORI: 1-115-28॥
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] (Jaya)
सर्वेषामनुरूपाश्च कृता दारा महीपते । धृतराष्ट्रेण समये समीक्ष्य विधिवत्तदा ॥BORI: १-१०८-१७॥
sarvēṣāmanurūpāśca kr̥tā dārā mahīpatē । dhr̥tarāṣṭrēṇa samayē samīkṣya vidhivattadā ॥BORI: 1-108-17॥
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] (Jaya)
दुःशलां समये राजा सिन्धुराजाय भारत । जयद्रथाय प्रददौ सौबलानुमते तदा ॥BORI: १-१०८-१८॥
duḥśalāṁ samayē rājā sindhurājāya bhārata । jayadrathāya pradadau saubalānumatē tadā ॥BORI: 1-108-18॥
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] (Jaya)