Dhritarashtra and Pandu were trained in the scriptures and in warfare. Dhritarashtra was immensely strong. But he could not be made the king because he was blind. He became bitter at this. His marriage was to be arranged, so his mother, Satyavati, sent Bhishma to Gandhara. The princess of Gandhara, Gandhari, had received a boon to have a hundred sons. At first, her parents did not agree, but she persuaded them. She tied her eyes with a scarf permanently so that she might be her husband’s equal. She was, however, gifted with a very powerful inner vision. She tried to guide her sons but failed. Shakuni was her brother. He came to Hastinapura to look after his sister, but he was evil and became a bad influence on her sons. It was his evil actions and influence, combined with Duryodhana’s jealousy and anger that led to the destruction of the Kauravas.
Gandhari
