(Sambhava Parva continued)
"'Bhishma said, "This our celebrated race, resplendent with every virtue
and accomplishment, hath all along sovereignty over all other monarchs on
earth. Its glory maintained and itself perpetuated by many virtuous and
illustrious monarchs of old, the illustrious Krishna (Dwaipayana) and
Satyavati and myself have raised you (three) up, in order that it may not
be extinct. It behoveth myself and thee also to take such steps that this
our dynasty may expand again as the sea. It hath been heard by me that
there are three maidens worthy of being allied to our race. One is the
daughter of (Surasena of) the Yadava race; the other is the daughter of
Suvala; and the third is the princess of Madra. O son, all these maidens
are of course of blue blood. Possessed of beauty and pure blood, they are
eminently fit for an alliance with our family. O thou foremost of
intelligent men, I think we should choose them for the growth of our race.
Tell me what thou thinkest." Thus addressed, Vidura replied, "Thou art our
father and thou art our mother, too. Thou art our respected spiritual
instructor. Therefore, do thou what may be best for us in thy eyes."'
"Vaisampayana continued, 'Soon after Bhishma heard from the Brahmanas that
Gandhari, the amiable daughter of Suvala, having worshipped Hara (Siva)
had obtained from the deity the boon that she should have a century of
sons. Bhishma, the grandfather of the Kurus, having heard this, sent
messengers unto the king of Gandhara. King Suvala at first hesitated on
account of the blindness of the bridegroom, but taking into consideration
the blood of the Kurus, their fame and behaviour, he gave his virtuous
daughter unto Dhritarashtra and the chaste Gandhari hearing that
Dhritarashtra was blind and that her parents had consented to marry her to
him, from love and respect for her future husband, blindfolded her own
eyes. Sakuni, the son of Suvala, bringing unto the Kurus his sister endued
with youth and beauty, formally gave her away unto Dhritarashtra. And
Gandhari was received with great respect and the nuptials were celebrated
with great pomp under Bhishma's directions. And the heroic Sakuni, after
having bestowed his sister along with many valuable robes, and having
received Bhishma's adorations, returned to his own city. And, O thou of
Bharata's race, the beautiful Gandhari gratified all the Kurus by her
behaviour and respectful attentions. And Gandhari, ever devoted to her
husband, gratified her superiors by her good conduct; and as she was
chaste, she never referred even by words to men other than her husband or
such superiors.'"