Hastinaapur Gets Raajaa

The two princes and one maid's son - Dhritraashtra, Paandu and Vidur, all started growing up like Moon. Again Bheeshm had to take up the task of bringing them up. When they were about the age to get educated, he took them away from the palace and when he got satisfied from their education, he brought them back to Satyavatee. He introduced them to Satyavatee and their mothers - "This is Dhritraashtra, this is Paandu and this is Vidur." All met them. Bheeshm further said - "Paandu is very brave and mighty and is a very good archer. My all knowledge of politics and conduct has been taken by Vidur. Dhritraashtra is very mighty and has unusual strength. He can crush anything between his arms. Now is the time that Vichitraveery's eldest son Dhritraashtra should be declared as Hastinaapur's king."

The then Vidur intervened - "If I am allowed to say something, may I say something?" Bheesham said - "Sure." Vidur said - "Whatever knowledge I have got from you, according to that no such person, who is incomplete physically, is worthy to throne. Therefore Dhritraashtra is not worthy for throne because of his blindness. If there is anybody who is worthy to sit on the throne, he is Paanu, and only Paandu.

Paandu said - "No, I cannot sit on the throne in front of my elder brother." Then Dhritraashtra understood the delicacy of the occasion, he got up and said - "Vidur is right, who cannot protect himself, how can he protect the kingdom? Paandu is the right person to be a king." Satyavatee asked Bheeshm's opinion. Bheeshm said - "Only you will decide this. I am only bound to Hastinaapur's throne, so whoever will sit on it, to serve and protect him will be my Dharm. Who will sit, you will decide this." And Satyavatee declared Paandu as the king of Hastinaapur. Paandu was coronated as the king and he became the Raajaa of Hastinaapur.

Marriage of Dhritraashtra and Paandu

Satyavatee was now thinking about the marriages of Dhritraashtra and Paandu. Bheeshm said - "Dhritraashtra's wife should be like this who can see the world without opening her eyes." Satyavatee asked - "Do you have any girl of such qualities in sight?" Bheeshm said - "Yes, The devotee of Shankar, daughter of Gaandhaar Desh Subal, Gaandhaar princess Gaandhaaree." Satyvatee said - "Then go and talk to them."

Bheeshm immediately went to Gaandhaar. He arrived in Gaandhaar and proposed to Gaandhaar's king. The king and his son (Shakuni) were surprised to hear this proposal that why didn't he propose for Paandu instead of Dhritraashtra. Gaandhaar's king said - "You have come here to take my so beautiful daughter for a blind man who can neither see her beauty nor appreciate it."

The then Gaandhaaree said - "Father, I have the Varmaalaa in my hands. It is my right to choose my husband. I, in front of you all, choose Dhritraashtra as my husband. To choose Dhritraashtra as one's husband is a matter of pride. Because he is not accepting me on the basis of my beauty. Even if my beauty is gone, then also my married life will be peaceful." After saying this she took out a strip of cloth and tied on her eyes. All got stunned to see this. Bheeshm asked - "Putree, why this?" She said - "I have wrapped myself in the same darkness in which my husband's life is. Why should I see that light which my husband cannot see. A wife's fate line should come out from her husband's fate line, isn't it?"

Both father and brother couldn't say anything after this. They could only bless her and said to Bheeshm - "You go and make arrangements for marriage, Gaandhaaree will come to Hastinaapur with her brother. And Dhritraashtra was married to Gaandhaaree. Dhritraashtra was very dissatisfied since the day of Paandu's coronation, because he considered his blindness as his great enemy which did not allow him to be the king.

Raajaa Kuntibhoj organized the Swayamvar for his daughter Kuntee and Kuntee put her Varmaalaa in Paandu's neck. They were coming back to Hastinaapur.

Dhritraashtra was not happy at all, as if he was losing his last hope also. Gaandhaaree consoled him - "Why are you so sad, you should be happy that your younger brother is coming back after marriage. He is like your son." Dhritraashtra said - "But he is not my son. There is a vast difference between a son and being like a son. The son-like cannot further the family line, because he himself has his family line. I had already compromised when Vidur suggested Paandu's name for king, that it is OK if I don't get the throne, at least my son will get it, but now Kuntee is coming and the problem has arisen again. If Paandu's son is born before mine then the throne is lost for ever for Dhritraashtra." Gaandhaaree was also sad hearing this, but she had no control on this, so she said - "Whatever is written in our fate, the same will happen."

Dhritraashtra said - "In fact my mother is responsible for my this condition. If she had not welcomed me with closed eyes, then I would not have been in this condition." Gaandhaaree again consoled him - "A man should learn living along with his fate." Dhritraashtra said sadly - "If I had any control, I would have definitely changed my fate line before Kuntee came here."