Gandhari's Marriage to Dhritarashtra and Her Vow

The prophecy came from the Brahmanas. Subala’s daughter, the fortunate Gandhari, had pleased Hara — Shiva, the god who had once robbed Bhaga of his eyes. Her reward was a boon: she would have one hundred sons. For Bhishma, grandfather of the Kurus, this was not merely interesting news. It was a dynastic imperative. He immediately sent a marriage proposal to the king of Gandhara for his daughter, to wed Dhritarashtra, the eldest Kuru prince. Subala hesitated. The reason was Dhritarashtra's blindness. To give his daughter to a man who could not see was a grave matter. But he weighed the factors: the famous Kuru lineage, their conduct, their intelligence. The scales tipped. He agreed to give Gandhari, a woman devoted to dharma, to Dhritarashtra. The news reached Gandhari. She learned that Dhritarashtra was blind, and that her parents had consented to the match. The beautiful princess, possessed of many qualities, did not protest or lament. She picked up a piece of cloth. Her act was one of pure, resolute devotion. She tied the cloth over her eyes, blindfolding herself. Her vow was internal and absolute: she would never experience more than what her husband could. If his world was darkness, hers would be the same. Thereafter, her brother Shakuni, son of the king of Gandhara, brought his sister to the Kouravas, along with a great deal of riches. He presented his sister and her possessions, was honoured by Bhishma, and returned to his own city. Gandhari of the beautiful hips entered the Kuru household. She satisfied all the Kurus — her new family — with her acts, her behaviour, her attentiveness and conduct. She was devoted utterly to her husband. In her speech, she did not even mention other men. She had chosen, with a strip of cloth, to share a lifetime of darkness, binding her fate to the blind prince who was destined to father a hundred sons.