22. Kunti Gives Birth to Yudhishtra and Gandhari Hits at her Womb in frustration ; Episode 22 (21-07-13)

Scene 1

Kunti is blessed with a son. Dharmadeva, the god of Justice, names him Yudhishtra and predicts he would adopt exemplary righteous conduct throughout his life. Dharma will be the essence of his life. He would also be known for not turning his back to the enemies in a battle field. Saying so, Dharmadeva disappears.

A messenger carries the news of Yudhishtra's birth to Bhishma who is conferring with Vidura, Dhritarashtra, Shakuni, Queen Satyavati and Sage Vyasa. On hearing the news of the birth of the oldest heir to the Hastinapur throne, Sage Vyasa, Queen Satyavati and Ambalika rejoice, but Dhritarashtra stomps out in anger.

Scene 2

Rohini, the second wife of Vasudeva, gives birth to a son (Balarama). It is explained that Rohini went as a servant to the prison where Vasudeva and Devaki were kept captive and came back bearing Vasudeva's child.

An angry Dhritarashtra barges into his chamber and calls out for Gandhari. He shouts that while Kunti had given birth to a son in the forest, she had been merely claiming to be pregnant and moving about like a zombie.

Dhritarashtra

: Do you know for how long I have been dreaming and wanting to hold the future emperor of Hastinapur in my hands? After marriage, a man should have the prowess to create a heir soon and a woman should be able to deliver a child within ten months. Instead of living with a woman who can't do this, it is better to die. Which woman in the entire world would carry a baby in the womb for twenty-four months? Tell me what are you carrying in your womb: a baby or a mere mass of flesh?

Gandhari goes to her private chamber and calls for her attendants. She tells them to bring a wooden pestle (உலக்கை) and commands them to hit her belly. After some persuasion and threatening, the women do so and Gandhari delivers a mass of flesh.

Vyasa arrives on the scene and chides Gandhari for being hasty. He them asks the women to prepare 101 earthen pots by partially filling them with ghee. He then takes a small portion of the flesh that Gandhari has delivered and puts it into each of the pots and sprinkles some water from the kamandalam uttering a mantra.

Soon, the babies are born amidst ill omens, as wolves howl and forests burn. Dhritarashtra is happily talking to Gandhari and Shakuni, gloating over the birth of the future emperor of Hastinapura as Queen Satyavati, Bhishma and Vidura join them.

Bhishma

: Just now the baby has been born and you are already feeding him the hunger for power?

Shakuni

: Those who have abdicated power do not know the taste of power. Unless we feed his hunger now itself, he would give up his power to somebody in the name of love or affection just like you.

Scene 3

Bhishma consults astrologers about the future of Gandhari's children. They sit with the birth charts and throw cowrie shells several times to check and cross check and look worried.

Bhishma

: You seem to be confused and worried. Why so?

First Priest

: The time of birth of the child is inauspicious and there are ill omens that forebode bad days for Hastinapura. I don't know what and how to say these things.

Vidura

: Truth is always bitter, but we must face it somehow. Speak out the truth loudly. That is what is good for this country.

Second Priest

: Because of this baby, Hastinapura is likely to be destroyed. The baby's eyes are like a red scorpion. He will bring ill fame not only to Hastinapura but to the entire kshatriya clan. It is better to be prepared to lose this baby; else a river of blood will gush through Hastinapura.

Bhishma and Vidura go to Dhritarashtra with the ill bodings pointed out by the astrologers. Dhritarashtra vehemently opposes killing the child even if it meant future blood shed, and in fact he would drown Hastinapura in blood if something happened to his son. Bhishma and Vidura move away without a word.

Scene 4

Kunti and Pandu decide to have a strong son as the second son. They pray to Vayu, the god of wind, who gives Kunti a son and asks them to name him as Bhima.

Dhritarashtra requests Vyasa to bless his children and name them, and Vyasa does so, naming the first born as Duryodhana and the next as Dushasana. He names the last child, a daughter, as Dushala.

Gandhari then asks Vyasa to name one more of Dhritarashtra's child born to a servant woman. Vyasa says the child would excel in Jnana and names him Yuyutsu.

Pandu now wants to get a third son by the grace of Indra, the king of devas. Kunti invokes Indra using Durvasa's mantra, but it doesn't have the desired effect. She tries once again, but this too, Indra fails to appear. Both Pandu and Kunti are perplexed.

The same bat-like creature that had previously warned Kamsa about his destruction at the hands of the eighth child of Devaki appears once again and cautions him to be vigilant that night.

Outside the prison the security guards suddenly fall down asleep as a thin layer of smoke surrounds them. Kamsa too falls asleep under the effect of the smoke. Vasudeva gets up and finds Devaki has delivered the child. As he bends down to pick it up, the baby rises as Lord Krishna, leaving Vasudeva rapturous.

Lord reveals his divine future plans. Then He instructs Vasudeva to leave Him with Yashoda at Gokula and bring the girl child that she has delivered. He also assures Vasudeva that He would return back to Him as his son once all this is done.

Vasudeva then carries the baby in a basket and the prison doors open automatically to yield him the way.