Gandhari’s Blindfold Vow and Dhritarashtra’s Dream of Power: Episode 14

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The Vow to Blindfold

A Private Question

In the quiet of their chamber, Dhritarashtra finally voices a doubt he has long carried: did Gandhari truly choose this marriage?

Gandhari answers calmly. Yes, she chose him willingly, not for appearance but for duty, respect and destiny. She says beauty is not only what eyes see; she will be his eyes to the world. Dhritarashtra feels soothed, yet beneath her reassurance lies his unspoken yearning — not just for love, but recognition.

Ambition and Desire

Dhritarashtra confesses another truth: he dreams of ruling as king. He imagines a reign guided by inner vision rather than sight, a rule that would outshine his predecessors. Gandhari listens silently, sensing how ambition and insecurity blend within him.

Kunti and Pandu — A Gentle Beginning

Elsewhere in the palace, Pandu admires Kunti, tracing her face with affectionate curiosity. Kunti teases him for being poetic. Pandu asks why she chose him at the swayamvaram, and Kunti replies that the moment she saw him, it felt like recognition across lifetimes. Their conversation is warm, light, and free of the burdens that weigh on Dhritarashtra and Gandhari.

A Throne Not Meant for Him

Dhritarashtra believes that he will soon be crowned king. Unaware of the actual decision to crown Pandu, he walks into the royal hall with Gandhari, approaches the throne and climbs the steps confidently. He sits for a moment, rehearsing a speech he imagines delivering on coronation day, declaring that he will rule with insight beyond sight.

He does not know that the crown is not his.

Moonlight and Hurt

That night, Gandhari sits by a window, absorbed in the beauty of the full moon. Dhritarashtra joins her, asking what she sees. She describes the moonlight in soft words. He tries to picture it and compares it to a dinner plate. Gandhari laughs lightly, but the laughter hurts him deeply. To him, it echoes a lifetime of mockery.

He turns away; Gandhari realises too late how her reaction has wounded him.

The Decision

Moved by compassion and determination, Gandhari ties a cloth across her own eyes. She declares that she will no longer see what her husband cannot see. If he lives in darkness, she will share that darkness by choice.

Dhritarashtra is stunned by the weight of her promise.

Praise and Concern in the Court

Gandhari walks blindfolded into the presence of Bhishma and Queen Satyavati. Bhishma praises her renunciation. Satyavati blesses her, acknowledging both the greatness and hardship of such a vow. The court is moved, though quietly anxious about its implications.

The vow changes how the palace views her: not just a queen, but a moral authority.

Shakuni’s Interpretation

News reaches Gandhara. Shakuni sees in Gandhari’s decision not devotion alone, but influence. When virtue becomes public honour, it can be turned into power. Gandhari’s vow, he thinks, has set the palace in motion in ways she does not foresee.

A Second Marriage for Pandu

Satyavati reminds Bhishma of Vyasa’s warning that Pandu’s life may be short; heirs are needed. Bhishma travels to Madra with a proposal for Princess Madri. King Shalya hesitates, warning his sister that as the younger queen, her children may not inherit the throne. Madri agrees anyway; she has no political ambitions — she simply wishes to marry Pandu.

The marriage is arranged and celebrated in Hastinapur, with blessings from the royal family.

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