Gandhari Weds Dhritarashtra

Verse 1 (1.119.1)

गुणैः समुदितं सम्यगिदं नः प्रथितं कुलम् । अत्यन्यान्पृथिवीपालान्पृथिव्यामधिराज्यभाक् ॥

guṇaiḥ samuditaṃ samyagidaṃ naḥ prathitaṃ kulam | atyanyānpṛthivīpālānpṛthivyāmadhirājyabhāk

Bhishma said: "This renowned family of ours, rich in every virtue, has held sovereignty over the earth above all other rulers of the earth.

Verse 2 (1.119.2)

रक्षितं राजभिः पूर्वं धर्मविद्भिर्महात्मभिः । नोत्सादमगमच्चेदं कदाचिदिह नः कुलम् ॥

rakṣitaṃ rājabhiḥ pūrvaṃ dharmavidbhirmahātmabhiḥ | notsādamagamaccedaṃ kadācidiha naḥ kulam

"Protected in the past by righteous and great-souled kings, this family of ours has never come to ruin here.

Verse 3 (1.119.3)

मया च सत्यवत्या च कृष्णेन च महात्मना । समवस्थापितं भूयो युष्मासु कुलतन्तुषु ॥

mayā ca satyavatyā ca kṛṣṇena ca mahātmanā | samavasthāpitaṃ bhūyo yuṣmāsu kulatantuṣu

"By me, by Satyavati and by the great-souled Krishna it has been established once more in you, the threads of the family.

Note on the text: Corrected समवस्थापित → समवस्थापितं (misprint in Wikisource; dropped anusvara, as in the critical edition's samavasthāpitaṃ).

Verse 4 (1.119.4)

तच्चैतद्वर्धते भूयः कुलं सागरवद्यथा । तथा मया विधातव्यं त्वया चैव न संशयः ॥

taccaitadvardhate bhūyaḥ kulaṃ sāgaravadyathā | tathā mayā vidhātavyaṃ tvayā caiva na saṃśayaḥ

"And so that this family may grow still further, like the ocean, I must see to it, and so must you; of that there is no doubt.

Note on the text: The automatic alignment found no match; a variant of 1.103.4 of the critical edition.

Verse 5 (1.119.5)

श्रूयते यादवी कन्या स्वनुरूपा कुलस्य नः । सुबलस्यात्मजा चैव तथा मद्रेश्वरस्य च ॥

śrūyate yādavī kanyā svanurūpā kulasya naḥ | subalasyātmajā caiva tathā madreśvarasya ca

"We hear of a Yadava maiden well suited to our family, and of the daughter of Subala, and likewise of the daughter of the lord of Madra.

Verse 6 (1.119.6)

कुलीना रूपवत्यश्च ताः कन्याः पुत्र सर्वशः । उचिताश्चैव संबन्धे तेऽस्माकं क्षत्रियर्षभाः ॥

kulīnā rūpavatyaśca tāḥ kanyāḥ putra sarvaśaḥ | ucitāścaiva saṃbandhe te'smākaṃ kṣatriyarṣabhāḥ

"Those maidens, my son, are all of good family and beautiful, and those bulls among kshatriyas are fit to be joined with us by marriage.

Verse 7 (1.119.7)

मन्ये वरयितव्यास्ता इत्यहं धीमतां वर । सन्तानार्थं कुलस्यास्य यद्वा विदुर मन्यसे ॥

manye varayitavyāstā ityahaṃ dhīmatāṃ vara | santānārthaṃ kulasyāsya yadvā vidura manyase

"I think they should be sought in marriage, O best of the wise, for the continuance of this family. Or what do you think, Vidura?"

Verse 8 (1.119.8)

भवान्पिता भवान्माता भवान्नः परमो गुरुः । तस्मात्स्वयं कुलस्यास्य विचार्य कुरु यद्धितम् ॥

bhavānpitā bhavānmātā bhavānnaḥ paramo guruḥ | tasmātsvayaṃ kulasyāsya vicārya kuru yaddhitam

Vidura said: "You are our father, you are our mother, you are our highest teacher. So weigh for yourself what is good for this family, and do it."

Note on the text: Corrected भावन्माता → भवान्माता (misprint in Wikisource; misplaced ा, as in the critical edition's bhavān mātā and the parallel भवान्पिता).

Verse 9 (1.119.9)

अथ शुश्राव विप्रेभ्यो गान्धारीं सुबलात्मजाम् । आराध्य वरदं देवं भगनेत्रहरं हरम् ॥

atha śuśrāva viprebhyo gāndhārīṃ subalātmajām | ārādhya varadaṃ devaṃ bhaganetraharaṃ haram

Vaishampayana said: Then Bhishma heard from brahmins that Gandhari, daughter of Subala, had worshipped the boon-giving god Hara, who tore out the eyes of Bhaga,

Note on the text: The automatic alignment found no match; = 1.103.9ab of the critical edition.

Verse 10 (1.119.10)

गान्धारी किल पुत्राणां शतं लेभे वरं शुभा । इति शुश्राव तत्त्वेन भीष्मः कुरुपितामहः ॥

gāndhārī kila putrāṇāṃ śataṃ lebhe varaṃ śubhā | iti śuśrāva tattvena bhīṣmaḥ kurupitāmahaḥ

and that the auspicious Gandhari had won the boon of a hundred sons. Bhishma, grandfather of the Kurus, learned that this was true.

Note on the text: The automatic alignment found no match; lines = 1.103.9c and a variant of 1.103.10a of the critical edition.

Verse 11 (1.119.11)

ततो गान्धारराजस्य प्रेषयामास भारत । अचक्षुरिति तत्रासीत्सुबलस्य विचारणा ॥

tato gāndhārarājasya preṣayāmāsa bhārata | acakṣuriti tatrāsītsubalasya vicāraṇā

Then he sent word to the king of Gandhara, O Bharata. "He is blind," Subala thought, and he hesitated.

Note on the text: The automatic alignment found no match; lines = 1.103.10c and 1.103.11a of the critical edition.

Verse 12 (1.119.12)

कुलं ख्यातिं च वृत्तं च बुद्ध्या तु प्रसमीक्ष्य सः । ददौ तां धृतराष्ट्राय गान्धारीं धर्मचारिणीम् ॥

kulaṃ khyātiṃ ca vṛttaṃ ca buddhyā tu prasamīkṣya saḥ | dadau tāṃ dhṛtarāṣṭrāya gāndhārīṃ dharmacāriṇīm

But weighing in his mind the family's lineage, fame and conduct, he gave Gandhari, who walked in dharma, to Dhritarashtra.

Note on the text: Corrected ददै → ददौ (misprint in Wikisource; ै for ौ, as in the critical edition's dadau). The automatic alignment found no match; = 1.103.11ce of the critical edition.

Verse 13 (1.119.13)

गान्धारी त्वथ शुश्राव धृतराष्ट्रमचक्षुषम् । आत्मानं दित्सितं चास्मै पित्रा मात्रा च भारत ॥

gāndhārī tvatha śuśrāva dhṛtarāṣṭramacakṣuṣam | ātmānaṃ ditsitaṃ cāsmai pitrā mātrā ca bhārata

Gandhari heard that Dhritarashtra was blind and that her father and mother meant to give her to him, O Bharata.

Note on the text: Corrected दिप्सितं → दित्सितं (misprint in Wikisource; प for त, as in the critical edition's ditsitaṃ and the commentary's दित्सितं दातुमिष्टम्).

Verse 14 (1.119.14)

ततः सा पटमादाय कृत्वा बहुगुणं तदा । बबन्ध नेत्रे स्वे राजन्पतिव्रतपरायणा ॥

tataḥ sā paṭamādāya kṛtvā bahuguṇaṃ tadā | babandha netre sve rājanpativrataparāyaṇā

Then, devoted to her husband, she took a cloth, folded it many times over, and bound her own eyes with it, O king,

Note on the text: The automatic alignment found no match; a variant of 1.103.13ab of the critical edition.

Verse 15 (1.119.15)

नाभ्यसूयां पतिमहमित्येवं कृतनिश्चया । ततो गान्धारराजस्य पुत्रः शकुनिरभ्ययात् ॥

nābhyasūyāṃ patimahamityevaṃ kṛtaniścayā | tato gāndhārarājasya putraḥ śakunirabhyayāt

resolved: "I will not set myself above my husband." Then Shakuni, son of the king of Gandhara, came,

Note on the text: The automatic alignment found no match; lines = a variant of 1.103.13c (नाभ्यसूयां for nātyaśnīyāṃ) and 1.103.14a of the critical edition.

Verse 16 (1.119.16)

स्वसारं परया लक्ष्म्या युक्तामादाय कौरवान् । तां तदा धृतराष्ट्राय ददौ परमसत्कृताम् । भीष्मस्यानुमते चैव विवाहं समकारयत् ॥

svasāraṃ parayā lakṣmyā yuktāmādāya kauravān | tāṃ tadā dhṛtarāṣṭrāya dadau paramasatkṛtām | bhīṣmasyānumate caiva vivāhaṃ samakārayat

bringing his sister, adorned with great splendour, to the Kurus. He then gave her, with every honour, to Dhritarashtra, and with Bhishma's consent had the marriage performed.

Note on the text: The automatic alignment found no match; the first line = 1.103.14c of the critical edition; the other two are not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension).

Verse 17 (1.119.17)

दत्त्वा स भगिनीं वीरो यथार्हं च परिच्छदम् । पुनरायात्स्वनगरं भीष्मेण प्रतिपूजितः ॥

dattvā sa bhaginīṃ vīro yathārhaṃ ca paricchadam | punarāyātsvanagaraṃ bhīṣmeṇa pratipūjitaḥ

Having given away his sister with a fitting bridal train, the hero, honoured by Bhishma, returned to his own city.

Verse 18 (1.119.18)

गान्धार्यपि वरारोहा शीलाचारविचेष्टितैः । तुष्टिं कुरूणां सर्वेषां जनयामास भारत ॥

gāndhāryapi varārohā śīlācāraviceṣṭitaiḥ | tuṣṭiṃ kurūṇāṃ sarveṣāṃ janayāmāsa bhārata

And Gandhari of the lovely hips, by her character, her conduct and her ways, gave contentment to all the Kurus, O Bharata.

Note on the text: Corrected विचिषेटितैः → विचेष्टितैः (misprint in Wikisource; garbled conjunct, as in the critical edition's viceṣṭitaiḥ).

Verse 19 (1.119.19)

गान्धारी सा पतिं दृष्ट्वा प्रज्ञाचक्षुषमीश्वरम् । अतिचाराद्भृशं भीता भर्तुः सा समचिन्तयत् ॥

gāndhārī sā patiṃ dṛṣṭvā prajñācakṣuṣamīśvaram | aticārādbhṛśaṃ bhītā bhartuḥ sā samacintayat

Seeing her husband, the lord whose eyes were his wisdom, Gandhari, deeply afraid of any wrong against him, reflected carefully.

Note on the text: Removed a stray wiki mark (backtick). Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension).

Verse 20 (1.119.20)

सा दृष्टिविनिवृत्त्या हि भर्तुश्च समतां ययौ । नहि सूक्ष्मेप्यतीचारे भर्तुः सा ववृते तदा ॥

sā dṛṣṭivinivṛttyā hi bhartuśca samatāṃ yayau | nahi sūkṣmepyatīcāre bhartuḥ sā vavṛte tadā

By giving up her sight she made herself her husband's equal; and never after did she fail her husband in even the slightest thing.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension).

Verse 21 (1.119.21)

वृत्तेनाराध्य तान्सर्वान्गुरून्पतिपरायणा । वाचापि पुरुषानन्यान्सुव्रता नान्वकीर्तयत् ॥

vṛttenārādhya tānsarvāngurūnpatiparāyaṇā | vācāpi puruṣānanyānsuvratā nānvakīrtayat

Devoted to her husband, she won over all her elders by her conduct; true to her vows, she never so much as spoke of other men.

Verse 22 (1.119.22)

तस्याः सहोदरीः कन्याः पुनरेव ददौ दश । गान्धारराजः सुबलो भीष्मेण च वृतस्तदा ॥

tasyāḥ sahodarīḥ kanyāḥ punareva dadau daśa | gāndhārarājaḥ subalo bhīṣmeṇa ca vṛtastadā

Then Subala, king of Gandhara, asked by Bhishma, gave as well her ten maiden sisters, born of the same mother:

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension).

Verse 23 (1.119.23)

सत्यव्रतां सत्यसेनां सुदेष्णां चापि संहिताम् । तेजश्श्रवां सुश्रवां च तथैव निकृतिं शुभाम् ॥

satyavratāṃ satyasenāṃ sudeṣṇāṃ cāpi saṃhitām | tejaśśravāṃ suśravāṃ ca tathaiva nikṛtiṃ śubhām

Satyavrata, Satyasena, Sudeshna and Samhita, Tejashshrava and Sushrava, and likewise Nikriti and Shubha,

Note on the text: Corrected तेजश्श्र्वां → तेजश्श्रवां (misprint in Wikisource; broken conjunct श्र्व in the name Tejashshrava, which pairs with सुश्रवां). Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension).

Verse 24 (1.119.24)

शंभ्वठां च दशार्णां च गान्धारीर्दश विश्रुताः । एकाह्ना प्रतिजग्राह धृतराष्ट्रो जनेश्वरः ॥

śaṃbhvaṭhāṃ ca daśārṇāṃ ca gāndhārīrdaśa viśrutāḥ | ekāhnā pratijagrāha dhṛtarāṣṭro janeśvaraḥ

Shambhvatha and Dasharna: the ten renowned princesses of Gandhara. King Dhritarashtra took them all as wives on a single day.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension). The name शंभ्वठा is kept as printed; other vulgate editions read it differently (e.g. शम्भुवा).

Verse 25 (1.119.25)

ततः शान्तनवो भीष्मो धानुष्कस्तास्ततस्ततः । अददाद्धृतराष्ट्रस्य राजपुत्रीः परश्शतम् ॥

tataḥ śāntanavo bhīṣmo dhānuṣkastāstatastataḥ | adadāddhṛtarāṣṭrasya rājaputrīḥ paraśśatam

Then Bhishma, son of Shantanu, the archer, brought princesses from here and there and gave Dhritarashtra more than a hundred of them.

Note on the text: Removed stray wiki marks (quote mark, doubled danda). Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension).