Chapter 110

“Bhishma said, ‘This our celebrated race, resplendent with every virtueand accomplishment, hath all along sovereignty over all other monarchs onearth.

Its glory maintained and itself perpetuated by many virtuous andillustrious monarchs of old, the illustrious Krishna (Dwaipayana) andSatyavati and myself have raised you (three) up, in order that it may notbe extinct. It behoveth myself and thee also to take such steps that thisour dynasty may expand again as the sea. It hath been heard by me thatthere are three maidens worthy of being allied to our race. One is thedaughter of (Surasena of) the Yadava race; the other is the daughter ofSuvala; and the third is the princess of Madra. O son, all these maidensare of course of blue blood. Possessed of beauty and pure blood, they areeminently fit for an alliance with our family. O thou foremost ofintelligent men, I think we should choose them for the growth of ourrace. Tell me what thou thinkest.’ Thus addressed, Vidura replied, ‘Thouart our father and thou art our mother, too. Thou art our respectedspiritual instructor. Therefore, do thou what may be best for us in thyeyes.’

“Vaisampayana continued, ‘Soon after Bhishma heard from the Brahmanasthat Gandhari, the amiable daughter of Suvala, having worshipped Hara(Siva) had obtained from the deity the boon that she should have acentury of sons. Bhishma, the grandfather of the Kurus, having heardthis, sent messengers unto the king of Gandhara. King Suvala at firsthesitated on account of the blindness of the bridegroom, but taking intoconsideration the blood of the Kurus, their fame and behaviour, he gavehis virtuous daughter unto Dhritarashtra and the chaste Gandhari hearingthat Dhritarashtra was blind and that her parents had consented to marryher to him, from love and respect for her future husband, blindfolded herown eyes. Sakuni, the son of Suvala, bringing unto the Kurus his sisterendued with youth and beauty, formally gave her away unto Dhritarashtra.And Gandhari was received with great respect and the nuptials werecelebrated with great pomp under Bhishma’s directions. And the heroicSakuni, after having bestowed his sister along with many valuable robes,and having received Bhishma’s adorations, returned to his own city. And,O thou of Bharata’s race, the beautiful Gandhari gratified all the Kurusby her behaviour and respectful attentions. And Gandhari, ever devoted toher husband, gratified her superiors by her good conduct; and as she waschaste, she never referred even by words to men other than her husband orsuch superiors.'”