The Mahabharata
Book 1: Adi Parva
Kisari Mohan Ganguli, tr.
[1883-1896]
SECTION CXVI
(Sambhava Parva continued)
"Janamejaya said, 'O sinless one, thou hast narrated to me from the beginning
all about the birth of Dhritarashtra's hundred sons owing to the boon granted
by the Rishi. But thou hast not told me as yet any particulars about the birth
of the daughter. Thou hast merely said that over and above the hundred sons, there
was another son named Yuyutsu begotten upon a Vaisya woman, and a daughter. The
great Rishi Vyasa of immeasurable energy said unto the daughter of the king of
Gandhara that she would become the mother of a hundred sons. Illustrious one,
how is that thou sayest Gandhari had a daughter over and above her hundred sons?
If the ball of flesh was distributed by the great Rishi only into a hundred parts,
and if Gandhari did not conceive on any other occasion, how was then Duhsala born.
Tell me this, O Rishi! my curiosity hath been great."
"Vaisampayana said, 'O descendant of the Pandavas, thy question is just, and
I will tell thee how it happened. The illustrious and great Rishi himself, by
sprinkling water over that ball of flesh, began to divide it into parts. And as
it was being divided into parts, the nurse began to take them up and put them
one by one into those pots filled with clarified butter. While this process was
going on, the beautiful and chaste Gandhari of rigid vows, realising the affection
that one feeleth for a daughter, began to think within herself, 'There is no doubt
that I shall have a hundred sons, the Muni having said so. It can never be otherwise.
But I should be very happy if a daughter were born of me over and above these
hundred sons and junior to them all. My husband then may attain to those worlds
that the possession of a daughter's sons conferreth. Then again, the affection
the women feel for their sons-in-law is great. If, therefore, I obtain a daughter
over and above my hundred sons, then, surrounded by sons and daughter's sons,
I may feel supremely blest. If I have ever practised ascetic austerities, if I
have ever given anything in charity, if I have ever performed the homa (through
Brahamanas), if I have ever gratified my superiors by respectful attentions, then
(as the fruit of those acts) let a daughter be born unto me.' All this while that
illustrious and best of Rishis, Krishna-Dwaipayana himself was dividing the ball
of flesh; and counting a full hundred of the parts, he said unto the daughter
of Suvala, 'Here are thy hundred sons. I did not speak aught unto thee that was
false. Here, however, is one part in excess of the hundred, intended for giving
thee a daughter's son. This part shall develop into an amiable and fortunate daughter,
as thou hast desired' Then that great ascetic brought another pot full of clarified
butter, and put the part intended for a daughter into it.
"Thus have I, O Bharata, narrated unto thee all about the birth of Duhsala.
Tell me, O sinless one, what more I am now to narrate.'"
