Section CXVI

"Janamejaya said, 'O sinless one, 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. 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 Vaisya woman, and a daughter.

The great Rishi Vyasa of immeasurable energy said unto the daughter of the king of Gandhara that she would become the mother of a hundred sons. Illustrious one, how is that you sayest Gandhari had 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.

Tell me this, O Rishi! my curiosity has been great."

"Vaisampayana said, 'O descendant of the Pandavas, your question is just, and I will tell you how it happened. The illustrious and great Rishi 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 clarified butter.

While this process was going on, the beautiful and chaste Gandhari of rigid vows, 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 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 confers.

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 blest.

If I have ever practised ascetic austerities, if I have ever given anything in charity, if I have ever performed the homa (through Brahamanas), if I have ever gratified my superiors by respectful attentions, then (as the fruit of those acts) let a daughter be born unto me.'

All this while that illustrious and best of Rishis, Krishna-Dvaipayana himself was dividing the ball of flesh; and counting a full hundred of the parts, he said unto the daughter of Suvala,

'Here are your hundred sons. I did not speak aught unto 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 an amiable and fortunate daughter, as you have desired'

Then that great ascetic brought another pot full of clarified butter, and put the part intended for a daughter into it.

"Thus have I, O Bharata, narrated unto you all about the birth of Duhsala.

Tell me, O sinless one, what more I am now to narrate.'"