“Janamejaya said, ‘O sinless one (Rishi Vaishampaayana), you
have narrated to me from the beginning all about the birth of Dhritarashtra's
hundred sons owing to the boon granted by the Rishi (Vyasa). But you have not told me as yet any
particulars about the birth of the daughter. You have merely said that over and
above the hundred sons, there was another son named Yuyutsu begotten upon a Vaishya
woman, and a daughter. The Maharishi Vyasa of immeasurable energy said to the
daughter of the king of Gandhara (Gandhari) that she would become the mother of a hundred sons. O Illustrious one (Rishi
Vaishampaayana), how is that you say
Gandhari had a daughter over and above her hundred sons? If the ball of flesh
was distributed by the Mahrishi only into a hundred parts, and if Gandhari did
not conceive on any other occasion, how was then Duhshala born. Tell me this, O
Rishi (Vaishampaayana)! my curiosity
has been great.”
“Vaishampaayana said, ‘O descendant of the Pandavas (Janamejaya), your question
is perfect, and I will tell you how it happened. The illustrious and Maharishi
himself, by sprinkling water over that ball of flesh, began to divide it into
parts. 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 (Patni in Sanskrit) Gandhari of rigid vows (Vrata in
Sanskrit), realising the affection that
one feels for a daughter, began to think within herself, ‘There is no doubt
that I shall have a hundred sons, the Muni (Vyasa) 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 gives out. 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 blessed. If I have always practised severe Tapas, if I have ever
given anything in charity, if I have ever performed the homa, if I have ever pleased
my superiors by respectful attentions, then (as the fruit of those acts) let a daughter be born to me.’
“All this while that illustrious and best of Rishis,
Krishna-Dwaipayana (Maharishi Vyasa) himself was dividing the ball of flesh;
and counting a full hundred of the parts, he said to the daughter of Subala (Gandhari), ‘Here are your hundred sons. I did not
speak anything to you that was false. Here, however, is one part in excess of
the hundred, intended for giving you a daughter's son. This part shall develop
into a friendly and fortunate daughter, as you have desired.’
“Then that Maharishi brought another pot full of
clarified butter, and put the part intended for a daughter into it.
“Thus have I, O Bharata (Janamejaya), narrated to you all about the birth of
Duhshala. Tell me, O sinless one (Janamejaya), what more I am now to narrate.’”
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