Mahabharata – 183
by
Sankar Mukherjee
&
Dr Ramesh Chandra Mukhopadhyaya
    Aadivamsavatarana Parva

Birth of Duryodhana

Queen Gandhari was carrying. But even in long two years there was no birth of a child.In the mean time her sister in law Kunti gave birth to a child.In the Mahabharata days child was a value.Since in the meantime her sister in law Kunti gave birth to a male child the latter would ascend  the throne of the Kurus. This shocked Gandhari. So out of depression she hit her own belly and lo! a lump of flesh showed up.Jealousy often impels the mother to undergo mis – carriage.However the narrator Vedavyasa came to the rescue of the to be born children.He employed magic at the lump of  flesh and it divided into hundred pieces each piece being as big as a thumb.And those hundred pieces were kept in hundred pots or test-tubes in modern vocabulary    

 Then in time, king Duryodhana was born first among those pieces  of flesh that had been deposited in the pots. According to the order of birth,king Yudhishthira the first son of  Kunti was the oldest.The news of Duryodhana's birth was carried to Bhishma and the wise Vidura by messenger. The day that the arrogant Duryodhana was born was also the birth-day of Bhima of mighty arms and great prowess.Bhima was born to Kunti the wife of Pandu. As soon as Duryodhana the eldest son of Dhitarastra was born, he began to cry like an ass in loud voice. And hearing that the asses, vultures, jackals and crows uttered their respective cries in response.Modern science does not take into account the response of Nature around when the child is born.It also does not pay any heed to patterns of response of a child to the world when it is born.But in every society and culture such  responses are recognized, call them evil omen or good omens.Violent winds began to blow,and  fires broke out in various directions.Then the king Dhritarashtra in great fear, summoned  Bhishma and Vidura and other well-wishers and all the Kurus,and numberless Brahmanas,  and said --- The oldest of the princes, Yudhishthira,will continue our race.By virtue of his birth he is destined to acquire the kingdom.I have nothing to say.But shall this my son born after him be the king after Yudhishthira? Tell me truly what is lawful and right under these circumstances. As soon as these words were spoken, jackals and other carnivorous animals began to roar . And marking those frightful indications all around, the assembled Brahmanas and the wise Vidura replied  --- Oh king! When these frightful indications are noticeable at the birth of your eldest son,it is evident that he shall be the root of the extinction  of your race.

Shakespeare also had the receptivity of the responses of Nature to human action.For example we are reminded of Lady Macbeth exclaiming  ---

 the raven himself is hoarse

That croaks the fatal entrance of Duncan

Under my battlements.

Vidura continued that for the prosperity of the Kuru race it would be better to abandon Duryodhana instantly.

There has been numerous myths where children have been abandoned.We have already heard that Karna born to Kunti was abandoned.He was thrown into the waters.So was the fate of Moses and so was the fate of Romulus.Both Moses and Romulus were destined to achieve great things.Oedipus was also abandoned because of the voice from heaven.But this preemptive action to avoid harms from Oedipus failed.So we do not know the shape of things to come if Duryodhana were abandoned.Be that as it may,Dhritharastra out of the love for the first born did not abandon him. 

Vidura continued that if Duryoudhana were not abandoned there would be disaster in the race.Vidura said --- Oh king! if you abandon him, there  will be your nine and ninety sons as per the prophecy of the sage Vedavyasa. If you desire the welfare of your race, abandon Duryodhana,Oh king! do good to the world and your own race by casting off this child of yours.It has been said that an individual should be cast off for the sake of the family.A  family should be cast off for the sake of a village.And a village may be abandoned for the sake of the whole country.And the earth itself may be abandoned for the sake of the soul.

In the history of Vietnam there is the story of a military general in the army of the Trung sisters.Her name was Phung – Thi- Chinh.She killed her baby to fight the Chinese invaders.Thus Vidura niti was practised in Vietnam as well.

When Vidura and those Brahmanas had stated that the Duryodhana should be abandoned presently,the king Dhritarashtra out of affection for his son did not pay heed to the advice.Then within a month,were born a full hundred sons including already born Duryodhana to Dhritarashtra.While ninety nine sons excluding Duroyodhana were born to Gandhari and a female child was born to her in addition as well.

During the time when Gandhari was in a state of advanced pregnancy, there was a maid servant of the Vaisya class who used to attend on Dhritarashtra. During that period, Dhritarashtra got a child by her.That son was  born with great intelligence and  was  named Yuvutsu.

Thus one hundred and one sons were born to the king Dhritarashtra.

These sons were all heroes and mighty chariot-fighters.

Janamejaya however,asked how come a girl child was born to Gandhari.Because the sage Vedavyasa had told that Gandhari should have hundred sons. How was it that hundred sons were born to Gandhari and one daughter?

As Yuyutsu is the son of a Vaisya woman therefore he is not counted among the hundred sons of Dhirtarastra by a kasatrya woman.But what is the logic in a hundred sons and a daughter of Gandhari,as the rishi granted her the boon of hundred sons only. How did Gandhari have 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?. Vaisampayana described how it happened. The illustrious and great rishi Vedavyasa 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 butter. While this process was going on, the beautiful and maidenly Gandhari of rigid vows,began to think within herself craving the affection that one feels for a daughter.

Gandhari spoke to herself ---

There is no doubt that I shall have a hundred sons, as  the rishi has said so.It can never be otherwise.But I should be very happy if a daughter were born to me over and above these hundred sons.She should be junior to them all. My husband then may attain  those worlds that can be achieved by the possession of a daughter and by the offerings of a daughter's sons. Then again, the affection the women feel for their sons-in-laws is great. 

 If, 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 practiced ascetic austerities, if I have ever given anything in charity, if I have ever performed the homa, if I have ever satisfied my superiors by respectful attentions, then  let a daughter be born to me.

 In the meantime that illustrious rishi, Vedavyasa himself was dividing the ball of flesh, and counting a full hundred of the parts, he said to Gandhari --- Here are your hundred sons. My prophecy is never nullified. Here, however, is one part in excess of the hundred, intended for giving you a daughter. This part shall develop into an amiable and fortunate daughter, as you have desired. Then that great ascetic brought another pot full of butter, and put the part intended for a daughter into it. Thus Duhsala was born.

Janamejaya was interested to know the names of Dhritarashtra's sons according to the order of their birth.

Vaisampayana said ---Their names, according to the order of birth, are Duryodhana, Yuyutsu, Duhsasana, Duhsaha, Duhsala, Jalasandha, Sama, Saha, Vinda and Anuvinda, Durdharsha, Suvahu, Dushpradharshana, Durmarshana and Durmukha, Dushkarna, and Karna; Vivinsati and Vikarna, Sala, Satwa, Sulochana, Chitra and Upachitra, Chitraksha, Charuchitra, Sarasana, Durmada and Durvigaha, Vivitsu, Vikatanana; Urnanabha and Sunabha, then Nandaka and Upanandaka; Chitravana, Chitravarman, Suvarman, Durvimochana; Ayovahu, Mahavahu, Chitranga, Chitrakundala, Bhimavega, Bhimavala, Balaki, Balavardhana, Ugrayudha; Bhima, Karna, Kanakaya, Dridhayudha, Dridhavarman, Dridhakshatra, Somakitri, Anudara; Dridhasandha, Jarasandha, Satyasandha, Sada, Suvak, Ugrasravas, Ugrasena, Senani, Dushparajaya, Aparajita, Kundasayin, Visalaksha, Duradhara; Dridhahasta, Suhasta, Vatavega, and Suvarchas; Adityaketu, Vahvashin, Nagadatta, Agrayayin; Kavachin, Krathana, Kunda, Kundadhara, Dhanurdhara; the heroes, Ugra and Bhimaratha, Viravahu, Alolupa; Abhaya, and Raudrakarman, and Dridharatha; Anadhrishya, Kundabhedin, Viravi, Dhirghalochana Pramatha, and Pramathi and the powerful Dhirgharoma; Dirghavahu, Mahavahu, Vyudhoru, Kanakadhvaja; Kundasi and Virajas. Besides these hundred sons, there was a daughter named Duhsala. All were heroes and Atirathas, and were well-skilled in warfare. All were learned in the Vedas, and all kinds of weapons. And, worthy wives were in time selected for all of them by Dhritarashtra after proper examination. And king Dhritarashtra, bestowed his daughter Duhsala, in proper time and with proper rites, upon Jayadratha (the king of Sindhu).