10th day of the war – The pressure was on Arjuna to kill Bhishma. Because the old man was unbeatable and ruined Pandava‘s army. 10 days have passed already. War materials are being consumed day by day. But the war expanded in its own way.
So a foul play was planned by Krishna. He suggested Shikhandi – a third gender – to board Arjuna’s chariot. Krishna’s plan was to make Bhishma to lower his bow, so that Arjuna can use that moment for his benefit.
Bhishma refuses to fight with Shikandi
It worked out. Bhishma thought Shikhandi was a female. But Krishna justified him as a male. Bhishma did not want to fight with him and lowered his bow. Arjuna appeared from Shikandi’s back and shot Bhishma with arrows – batch after batch!
The hero of Mahabharata – the descent of the original Guru dynasty – fell on the ground on the bed of arrows.
Pandava-s spent 12 years in forest and 1 year in incognito. They seceded themselves and approached Virata kingdom. Yudhishthira joined for a job as King’s advisor Kanka, the mighty Bhima as cook Ballava, Archer Arjuna as dance teacher Brihannala, Nakula as Horse keeper Granthika and Sahadeva as sage Tandibala. Draupadi became Sairandhri.
Draupadi served Sudeshna – the Virata queen – as a beautician. Kichaka – Sudeshna’s brother – was the commander in chief for Virata’s army. Pandava-s and Draupadi spent that one year by isolating themselves from each other.
But It was too difficult to hide Draupadi’s charming in incognito mode. She got into the #MeToo problem once again. This time, it was by Kichaka.
O beautiful one! Your supreme form and your youth are useless if you are alone, like a beautiful garland that is not worn. O beautiful one! Though you are handsome, you are lacking in radiance. O one with the beautiful smile! I will give up the wives I have had before. O beautiful one! I will station myself as your servant. O one with the beautiful face! I will always be under your control.
Kichaka to Draupadi – The Mahabharata Set Of 10 Volumes
To save her modesty, Draupadi formed a perfect fable. She told Sudeshna that she is a wife of five Gandharva-s. They will safeguard her from all troubles.
But Kichaka troubled Sairandhri every day. Intolerable Draupadi complained to Sudeshna one day. Unaware of who she is, Sudeshna disregarded her and her complaint. Invariably, it is the female’s evilness towards another female. Although she is a queen to safe guard her own people, she convinced herself about Kichaka’s violation of modesty of a woman. In addition, Sudeshna envied her for her beauty.
O Kaikeyi! Act so that I can be united with Sairandhri. O Sudeshna! Otherwise, I will give up my life.
Kichaka to Sudeshna – The Mahabharata Set Of 10 Volumes
One day Kichaka asked his sister to send a bottle of whine through Sairandhri.
Sudeshna force Draupadi to go to Keechaka’s room with a wine jar – Image (c) Raja Ravi Varma
Predicting an awkward moment, she obliged Sudeshna.
Draupadi goes to Kichaka’s room – Raja Ravi Varma
As expected, Kichaka tried to misbehave. She escaped and came to the hall, where King Virata and Yudhishthira was playing dice to seek refuge.
Kichaka misbehaves to Sairandhri,_1890 Raja_Ravi_Varma
Bhima was also there. Kichaka chased her and kicked her in front of them. Bhima was about to lose his temper. Yudhishthira calmed him down and asked Draupadi to tolerate that as a trivial thing and directed her to go to Sudeshna’s abode.
O Sairandhri! Do not stay here. Go to Sudeshna’s abode. The wives of brave ones suffer on account of their husbands. Though suffering, they conquer the worlds of their husbands through their servitude. I think that your husbands do not see this as a time for anger. Therefore, the gandharvas, who are like the sun in their energy, are not rushing to help you. O Sairandhri! You do not know that this is not the right time and are prancing around like a dancing girl. You are disturbing the Matsyas, who are gambling in the king’s assembly hall. O Sairandhri! Depart and the gandharvas will act so as to bring you pleasure.
Kanka (Yudhishthira) to Sairandhri (Draupadi) – The Mahabharata Set Of 10 Volumes
Humiliated Draupadi was not happy with Yudhishthira and went to Bhima in the night. Observing the three major humiliations of Draupadi, Bhima took Draupadi’s stand always. While Yudhishthira’s attention is on perfect completion of incognito at any cost, she knows that Bhima would think about his wife, at least.
O Bhimasena! Arise! Arise! How can you sleep as if you are dead? The evil one, who molested the wife of someone who is not dead, is still alive. My enemy, the evil-doing general, is still alive.
Draupadi to Bhima – The Mahabharata Set Of 10 Volumes
Draupadi could not tolerate the miseries of being a servant in Virata’s palace. She burst into tears to Bhima to do something to save her.
While Dharmaraja looked on, Kichaka kicked me with his foot. … It was in your sight too. It was you who protected me from the terrible Jatasura and together with your brothers, also from Jayadratha. Kill the evil one who molests me in this way. … Destroy him like an earthen pot against stone. O descendant of the Bharata lineage! He is responsible for many of my miseries. If the sun rises tomorrow morning and he is alive, I will drink poison, rather than fall into Kichaka’s clutches.
Draupadi to Bhima – The Mahabharata Set Of 10 Volumes
Bhima gave a helping hand to Draupadi. He drafted out a plan to eliminate Kichaka. She play it very well. She acted as if she agree to Kichaka’s wish and asked him to meet her alone in dancing hall.
O Kichaka! I will agree. But you must accept a condition first. None of your friends or brothers must know that you have gone to unite with me. I am scared that the illustrious gandharvas may get to know. If you promise this, then I will come under your control.
Sairandhri (Draupadi) to Kichaka – The Mahabharata Set Of 10 Volumes
Dressed like Sairandhri, Bhima went to dancing hall to wait for Kichaka. Unware of this, Kichaka came and started talking to her (him) in romantic mood. Bhima came out with roaring laugh and finished him once and for all!
Bhima kills Kichaka
Kichaka’s death had shaken Virata. Sudeshna suspected Sairandhri for her brother’s death. She has been punished to burn alive in the fire along with his brother. Bhima came like a whirl and destroyed the one who was holding her hand, released Draupadi, without exposing his appearance!
Kaurava-s and Pandava-s were grown up in Hastinapur. They attained the age to start proper education and martial arts to increase their endurance.
Kripacharya
Kripa was grown up in Hastinapur. He was found by Shantanu from forest along with her sister Kripi. He became the first teacher for kuru princes.
Dronacharya, tutor with a revenge
Drona was the son of sage Bharatvaja. Drupada – the king of Panchala – was his classmate in gurukul erstwhile. Drona married Kripi. Both had a lovable son named Ashwatthama. They were in stark poverty. He could not even buy cow’s milk for his son. He met King Drupada to ask for a cow. He used his gurukul friendship as a valid justification for his obligation. But Drupada handled him as a King. He refused to give it in the name of friendship. He asked Drona to beg for donation. Humiliated Drona was full of wrath. He vowed to become as popular as Drupada.
Drona at Drupada’s court, Amar Chitra Katha
O Brahmana! Your wisdom is lacking and inferior, if you suddenly begin to address me as your friend. O one with a dull mind! No great king can ever be a friend with men like you. You have no prosperity, nor do you have riches. Time decays everything, including friendship.
பிராமணனே! திடீரென்று என்னை உன் நண்பன் என்று சொல்லும் அளவிற்கு உனது அறிவு குறைவாகவும் தாழ்வாகவும் போய்விட்டது. மந்தமான மனம் கொண்டவனே! உன்னைப் போன்ற மனிதர்களுடன் எந்தப் பெரிய அரசனும் நண்பனாக இருக்க முடியாது. உனக்கு செழிப்பு இல்லை, செல்வமும் இல்லை. நட்பு உட்பட அனைத்தையும் காலம் காலாவதி ஆக்குகிறது.
Vaisampayana to Janamejaya, The Mahabharata Set Of 10 Volumes
He left the Panchala palace. He mastered archery from Parashurama at the condition of not helping kshatriya-s using his skillset. After leaving Parashurama-s gurukul, he forget about the promise. He entered into Hastinapur, the abode of Kshatriya-s.
The entry of Drona into Hastinapur is an heroic scene. The kuru princess were playing near a well. Their ball fell down into the well. Drona used reed grass as arrow. He throw the first piece of arrow, which hit the ball. The second one punched the tail part of previous arrow. Thus he made a string of grass, using which he took the ball out of the well. The boys were excited. They told Bhishma about Drona’s skillset.
Drona helps to take the ball out of well
Bhishma and Kripa made Drona as the royal tutor. Drona accepted with one condition. The kuru princes should capture Panchala King Drupada alive. Lending hands come. An aid comes with a condition in Hastinapur’s history. Hastinapur signed in that contract also! Grudges and revenges were not new to this empire. Drona became the tutor!
Arjuna, the obedient
All Kuru princes were trained by Drona and Kripa. But Arjuna excelled in archery. One day he rescued Drona from a crocodile. Drona swore to mold him a great archer who would be extolled by Bharata land.
Indian system expects unquestionable obedience to mata (mother), pita (father), guru (teacher) and deivam (God). Arjuna became the primary disciple of Drona. The acharya thought he deserved an unquestionable crown for him in archery because of his focus and hard work.
Test of Dronacharya
O descendant of the Bharata lineage! Drona heard the twang of his bowstring and came to him and embraced him. He said, “I promise you that I will do my utmost to ensure that you are the best archer in this world and there is no one equal to you.”
பரத பரம்பரையில் வந்தவனே! துரோணர் அவனது வில்லின் சத்தத்தைக் கேட்டு அவனருகே வந்து அவனைத் தழுவினார். அவர் கூறினார், “நீ இந்த உலகில் சிறந்த வில்லாளியாக இருக்க என்னால் முடிந்த அனைத்தையும் செய்வேன் என்று நான் உறுதியளிக்கிறேன். உனக்கு நிகராக யாரும் இல்லை.”
Vaisampayana to Janamejaya, The Mahabharata Set Of 10 Volumes
Ekalavya, the devoted
Ekalavya’s story was another stain in the tale of Acharya Drona. He was from Nishada tribe. Drona’s fame reached the forests of Nishada. Ekalavya commuted such a long distance and approached Drona to learn archery. Drona – as perceived by Jeyamohan’s Venmurasu, the Tamil version of Mahabharata – felt he would be be against Hastinapur’s wishes one day. He neglected him. He mentioned Ekalavya that if he has faith in Drona, he can teach himself.
Poor Ekalavya took it seriously and learnt Drona’s techniques from distance. Purana-s say, he learnt it with a telepathy kind of technique by keeping avahanam (likeness) of Drona . But I took it practical sense. He might have stalked him.
Ekalavya practice before the likeness of Drona, Wikipedia
They asked him, “Who are you and whose son are you?” Ekalavya replied, “Know me to be the son of Hiranyadhanu, the king of the nishadas. I am Drona’s student and I am trying to become skilled in Dhanur Veda.”
அவர்கள் அவனிடம், “நீ யார், யாருடைய மகன்?” என்று கேட்டார்கள். அதற்கு ஏகலவ்யன், “என்னை நிஷாத மன்னன் ஹிரண்யதனுசின் மகன் என்று அறிந்து கொள். நான் துரோணரின் மாணவன், தனுர் வேதத்தில் தேர்ச்சி பெற முயற்சிக்கிறேன்.” என்று பதிலளித்தான்.
Vaisampayana to Janamejaya, The Mahabharata Set Of 10 Volumes
One fine day Drona learned about the skill of Ekalavya. Arjuna jealously appealed to him for making Ekalavya as a great Archer, which was against his promise.
Drona met Ekalavya and asked about his teacher. Ekalavya pointed at Drona himself and explained the way he learnt. Drona does not want a competition of his loveable shishya, Arjuna. He asked for guru-dakshina (payment). It is a custom in Indian gurukul (schooling). Ekalavya agreed to give him whatever he asked. Drona asked for his thumb finger of his right hand. Undoubtedly Drona conspired here. Ekalavya did not utter a word. He cut his finger immediately and paid his guru-dakshina,
Ekalavya’s Guru dakshina, Wikipedia
Drona’s decision was not only political but also caste-based. He strongly felt that nishada-s tribal is not well qualified to learn archery. But the punishment given by Drona made Arjuna to feel relaxed at the same time it was too brutal for him.
Surasena was the chief of Yadu-s. He is the father of Vasudeva. His daughter was named as Pritha, a matchless beautiful girl. Surasena gifted her female child to Kuntibhoja, his father’s sister’s son, as he was childless. In her step-father’s house, she was appointed to greet and honor the gods and guests. She was renamed as Kunti
This virtuous lady served rishi Durvasa during his visit. The delighted rishi taught a mantra to Kunti.
Whichever gods you summon through the use of this mantra, will grant you sons through their grace.
Tamil Translation: இந்த மந்திரத்தின் மூலம் நீ எந்த கடவுளை அழைத்தாலும், அவர்களின் அருளால் உனக்கு மகன்கள் பிறப்பார்கள்.
– Durvasa to Kunti, Adi Parva, The Mahabharata Set Of 10 Volumes
Though she is still a virgin, she summoned Arka, the sun God, out of curiosity. She became a mother of a warrior. To escape from the blames of her parents and relatives, she left the child in a Wooden deck and left it in water.
Kunti summons Surya
He was later saved by Adhiratha and Radha. They named the baby boy as Vasushena and raised as their child.
Kunti leaving her first child in water
Kunti marries Pandu
When Kunti was at marriageable age, his father arranged for Swayamvara. Kings across the world were invited to participate. Kunti found Pandu, the king of Hastinapur and the son of Vichitravirya. Kuntibhoja was happy too as this marriage will bring his kingdom close to Kuru dynasty. Kunti was the first grand-daughter-in-law for Satyavati.
Kunti’s marriage with Pandu, Painting from Jammu and Kashmir
Pandu marries Madri
Pandu and Kunti did not make any children. Children were seen as important in kingdom as they succeed the throne after his father. It was considered as King’s rights to find additional wives if his queen is unable to make child. Kunti’s reputation was stained due to her premarital liaison as well.
Pandu went on expedition to expand his kingdom. He went to Madra kingdom also. (present day Sialkot in Pakistan). Though it is his inability to give birth to a child with Kunti, he purchased Madri, who was known for her exceptional beauty. She is the princess of Madra and sister of ruler Shalya.
Thereafter, with Devavrata Bhishma, he went to the capital city of the Madra kingdom. Madri, the daughter of the king of Madra, lived there. She was famous in the three worlds and among all the kings for her beauty, which was unmatched on earth. For Pandu’s sake, he bought her with a great deal of riches. Bhishma got the great-souled Pandu married off.
Vaisampayana to Janamejaya, Adi Parva, The Mahabharata Set Of 10 Volumes
Pandu won many kingdoms. He got enormous wealth from the treasuries of such small kingdoms. He gifted it to Bhishma, Satyavati, Ambika and Ambalika as Dhritarashtra preferred. But his inability to beget a child made his life stressful. To win over it, he spent time on hunting in forests.
Gandhara princess agree to marry Dhritarashtra
Bhishma looked for a princess to marry the blind prince Dhritarashtra almost at the same time Pandu got married. He was searching for a beautiful bride from a powerful kingdom. He felt Gandhari, daughter of Gandhara king Suvala, may be a good match. He heard that the princess of Gandhara is not only beautiful but also had a good fortune as she has been granted a boon by Shiva – using which she will be a mother of hundred sons.
Gandhari
Bhishma sent a word to Suvala. Suvala was confused because of the blindness of the elder prince of Hastinapur. But the power of Kuru’s kingdom was an attractive offer to him. He agreed and started the nuptial process.
Gandhari
On hearing about misfortune of her to-be-husband, princess Gandhari decided not to get any external pleasures which was not naturally available to her husband and blind-folded herself using a piece of cloth. Thus a blind folded queen was a strong metaphor in Indian mythology.
O descendant of the Bharata lineage! O king! When Gandhari heard that Dhritarashtra was blind and that both her father and mother had agreed to give her to him, the beautiful one who possessed many qualities picked up a piece of cloth. As devotion to her husband, she tied up her eyes with this, deciding resolutely that she would never experience more than what her husband could….. O descendant of the Bharata lineage! Gandhari of the beautiful hips satisfied all the Kurus with her acts, behaviour, attentiveness and conduct. She was devoted to her husband. She did not even mention other men in her speech.
Tamil Translation: பரத பரம்பரையில் வந்தவனே! அரசே! திருதராஷ்டிரன் பார்வையற்றவனாகவும், அவளை அவனுக்குக் கொடுக்கத் தன் தந்தையும், தாயும் சம்மதித்ததைக் கேள்வியுற்ற பல குணங்கள் கொண்ட அந்த அழகிய காந்தாரி, ஒரு துண்டை எடுத்தாள். கணவனின் மேல் உள்ள பக்தியாக, தன் கணவனால் முடிந்ததை விட அதிகமாக அனுபவிக்க மாட்டேன் என்று தீர்மானமாக அவள் கண்களைக் கட்டினாள்…. பரத பரம்பரையில் வந்தவனே! மெல்லிடையாள் காந்தாரி தன் செயல்கள், நடத்தை, கவனிப்பு மற்றும் நடத்தை ஆகியவற்றால் அனைத்து குரு வம்சத்தினரையும் திருப்திப்படுத்தினாள். கணவனிடம் பக்தி கொண்ட அவள், தன் பேச்சில் மற்ற ஆண்களைக் குறிப்பிடவே இல்லை.
Vaishampayana to Janamejaya, Adi Parva, The Mahabharata Set Of 10 Volumes
The blind couple
The blind couple
Gandhari entered into Hastinapur with all her riches and traditional offerings. As per their tradition, her brother Shakuni, known to be a destroyer, went along with her.
Gandhari on throne
Dhritarashtra – though he is elder – was forbidden from the throne due his disability. Whatever he lost, he wanted to give it to his son. So he said Gandhari that they should give birth to a son before Pandu, so that his son can lead the seniority.
Satyavati was supposed to be the most lovable or powerful matriarch in Indian Mythology. But the fate ruined her dreams and eventually she was faded out.
The Birth
Satyavati’s birth was a tragic one. She was one of the twin babies. She was abandoned by her biological father, king Uparichara. I understood the story of her birth like this. The King might be having an affair with a lady in fishermen tribe. It might have been dual babies. King might have accepted the male baby. But he might have rejected the girl baby.
Satyavati’s birth
Whatever it is, Satyavati’s brother was accepted as the successor of the king. So she was forced to live in a fisherman’s house as a boat rider. She used to help people to cross the river Ganga. She was called Satyavati or Matsyagandha.
Foggy ordeal with Parachara
One day she ferried sage Parachara across the river. Here comes another sabotage of women. The sage wanted to make love with her and give a birth to a child. She was worried about the consequences. He ensured that he will form a screen around them with fog so that none will know what happened. In addition, he ensured she will get back her virginity.
Satyavati with Parachara. Picture credit: indianquarterly.com
Using his strength of dhavam (meditation), he will make her to smell so pleasantly, so that nobody can resist her in the future. She accepted. Stories say she gave a birth to a male child in one of the islands of river Ganga. He is Krishna Dvaipayana or the Veda Vyasa, who wrote the Mahabharata.
Satyavati Parachara
Shantanu with Satyavati
It was Parachara’s boon that made Satyavati as a sweet-smelling woman. It fascinated Shantanu. He wanted to marry her at his later age. This was discussed in detail in my previous posts about Shantanu and Devavrata.
o great-souled one! I belong to the fisherman tribe. Following the dharma prescribed for us, I ply a boat on the instructions of my father, who is the king of the fishermen.
Tamil Translation: ஓ மகா ஆன்மா கொண்டவரே! நான் மீனவர் இனத்தைச் சேர்ந்தவள். எங்களுக்கு விதிக்கப்பட்ட தர்மத்தைப் பின்பற்றி, மீனவர்களின் தலைவரான என் தந்தையின் அறிவுறுத்தலின் பேரில் நான் படகு ஓட்டுகிறேன்.
Satyavati to Shantanu, The Mahabharata 1, translated by Bibek Debroy
Post-Shantanu Period – Satyavati and her vortex
Satyavati gave birth to two sons – Chitrangada and Vichitravirya. Shantanu died later. Chitrangada was crowned as king. Bhishma took care of Hastinapur and his step mother and brothers after his father’s demise. Satyavati’s urge to become a super matriarch made her to search for wives for his sons. but fate played its game. Chitrangada died with his fight with a Gandharva. His death made Satyavati and Bhishma shocked and upset. Bhishma made Vichitravirya as the successor.
Vichitravirya is not as brave as his elder brother. He was weak and pale. It was believed that he could not be a fit to be a husband. But, the determined Satyavati asked Bhishma to abduct the princess for her son. So here comes the episode on a woman’s exploitation on other women.
The Three princesses
King of Kashi conducted swayamvara for his princesses Amba, Ambika and Ambalika. He did not agree to invite Vichitravirya, knowing his conditions. Some believes that Bhishma was engaged to a Kashi princess earlier. He did not consider her before taking vow as Brahmacharya. She is nothing but sister of Kashya, father of these three princesses. So he might have wanted to shame Bhishma by not inviting Hastinapur to Swayamwara.
As Satyavati advised Bhishma took his chariot, started a small war and abducted all princesses.
Bhishma’s fight in Swayamvara
Amba’s humiliation and curse
Amba loved king Shalva. She wanted to wear the garland to him in Swayamvara. But Bhishma abducted all three of them. Amba expressed Bhishma about her love on Shalva. Both Bhishma and Vichitravirya accepted her to go back.
But Shalva refused to accept her. King Shalva told her that he can not accept a woman who was abducted and returned to him as a charity.
She came back to males of Hastinapur. Vichitravirya was ready to accept her. But she refused. She argued that it was Bhishma who abducted her. So, she can not accept his half-brother as her husband. But Bhishma refused pointing at his vow.
Amba Bhishma
I had already chosen the king of Soubha as my husband to be… But now I can never do so. This is your doing. You appear to be a man who knows Krushan. Therefore I ask that you decide what is the right course of action for me to follow under Krushan law.
Tamil Translation: நான் ஏற்கனவே சௌப நாட்டின் அரசரை என் கணவராகத் தேர்ந்தெடுத்திருந்தேன்… ஆனால் இப்போது என்னால் அவ்வாறு செய்ய முடியாது. இது நீர் செய்த செயல். நீர் தர்மம் அறிந்த மனிதராகத் தோன்றுகிறீர். எனவே, தர்மத்தின் கீழ் நான் பின்பற்றுவதற்கான சரியான நடவடிக்கை என்ன என்பதை நீர் தீர்மானிக்குமாறு கேட்கிறேன்.
Amba to Bhishma
To avenge for her humiliation, Amba requested many warriors to stand up for her. But everyone feared Bhishma. Finally she sought the help of Parashurama, who was Bhishma’s teacher. Bhishma and Parashurama started the fight. It was a war between two equal forces. So the war went on. Finally Parashurama gave up. He told Amba that that war will never end.
Amba took a vow finally. She meditated without food or sleep. Her stubborn made Lord Shiva to appear before her and tell her that she will be the reason for Bhishma’s death in her rebirth. Amba committed suicide by jumping into fire. She was reborn as Shikandi in Drupada’s palace. Though she born as a woman, Drupada raised her as a man. He joined in Kurukshetra war and killed Bhishma.
Amba’s revenge
Satyavati, the matriarch
Ambika and Ambalika married Vichitravirya. Vichitravirya died without any children. So the fate challenged Satyavati again. She did not give up. She asked Bhishma to get her daughters-in-law pregnant. By law, they will be considered as sons of Vichitravirya. He refused to break his vow.
supreme among those who hold up dharma! Therefore, I am depending on you. I will ask you to perform an act. When you have heard it, please do it. O bull among men! My valorous son was your brother and you loved him a lot. He has ascended to heaven, though but a child. Your brother’s queens are the fortunate daughters of the king of Kashi and they possess youth and beauty. O descendant of the Bharata lineage! They yearn for sons. O immensely fortunate one! Therefore, so that the lineage continues, beget offspring on them. At my request, perform this act of dharma. Instate yourself on the throne and rule over the kingdom of the Bharata-s. In accordance with dharma, take a wife and do not immerse your ancestors in hell.
Tamil Translation: தர்மத்தை நிலைநாட்டுபவர்களில் உயர்ந்தவனே! நான் உன்னைச் சார்ந்திருக்கிறேன். ஒரு செயலைச் செய்யச் சொல்வேன். நீங்கள் அதைக் கேட்டவுடன், தயவுசெய்து அதைச் செய். மனிதர்களில் காளையே! என் வீரம் மிக்க மகன் உன் சகோதரன், நீ அவரை மிகவும் நேசித்தாய். அவன் ஒரு குழந்தையாக இருந்தாலும் அமரர் உலகம் சென்றுவிட்டான். உன் சகோதரனின் ராணிகள், காசி மன்னனின் அதிர்ஷ்ட மகள்கள், அவர்கள் இளமையும் அழகும் உடையவர்கள். பரத பரம்பரையில் வந்தவனே! அவர்கள் மகன்களுக்காக ஏங்குகிறார்கள். ஓ மகத்தான அதிர்ஷ்டசாலியே! எனவே, பரம்பரை தொடர, அவர்களிடமிருந்து சந்ததிகளைப் பெறு. என் வேண்டுகோளின்படி இந்த தர்மத்தை செய். நீ அரியணையில் அமர்ந்து, பரதர்களின் நாட்டை ஆட்சி செய். தர்மத்தின்படி மனைவியை அழைத்துக்கொள். முன்னோர்களை நரகத்தில் ஆழ்த்தாதே.
Satyavati to Bhishma, Adi parva, The Mahabharata Set Of 10 Volumes
Then Satyavati sought help of his first son Krishna Dvaipayana, who was born to Parachara. He pointed out that he lived as a sage with tangled hair and coarse skin. Impatient Satyavati ordered him to go and ensured that her daughter in laws will welcome him.
Krishna Dvaipayana fathered Dhritarashtra with Ambika and Pandu with Ambalika. Both were considered as sons of Vichitravirya. But fate did not allowed Satyavati to take pride. The Dhritarashtra was blind and Pandu was pale and impotent.
The descent
The sons of Dhritarashtra and Pandu did not get along. Enmity between them was growing day by day. The royal teacher Drona organized an event to show case the martial skill sets of the Kuru princess. Satyavati watched the enmity between them was so transparent and unavoidable. Satyavati was forced to watch this. The basement of Hastinapur started shaking and its decline started.
The powerful lady Satyavati decided that she could not take it further. She got retired from politics and went to forest with her daughter in laws and eventually died there.
The perfuming lady’s vortex, Bhishma’s vow were proved wrong. The curse by Amba took its own revenge on Hastinapur.
