If O Agastya, thou canst beget us a good son, we may then be saved from this hell and thou also wilt obtain thy blessed state of those having offspring.’ Endued with great energy and observant of truth and morality Agastya replied, saying, ‘Ye Pitris, I will accomplish your desire. It is even for offspring that we stay suspended in this pit. And he asked those personages thus suspended in that hole, saying, ‘What is the matter with you? Thus questioned those utterers of Brahma replied, ‘It is even for offspring.’ And they also told him, ‘We are your ancestors. Meanwhile, the illustrious Agastya beheld his deceased ancestors hanging in a pit with heads downwards. Mahabharata: Bk 3: Vana Parva: Tirtha-yatra Parva: Section XCVI Why do I say so? Because even though Dhritarashtra makes a big show now and then of rebuking the actions of his son, he never puts his foot down (for any length of time) but ultimately allows himself to be swayed by, and to accede to Duryodhana’s wishes – even though he is aware of their potentially destructive long term outcomes to his family. It can be argued that Duryodhana’s subsequent behaviour was reflective of his father’s true character. Nevertheless, I will grant the validity (somewhat) of the first verse quoted. It is certain he will prove the destruction of our race. He cried repeatedly and dissonantly like a jackal. Vaisampayana said,–‘O monarch, it was then that the virtuous Gandhari, afflicted with grief on account of her affection for her sons, addressed king Dhritarashtra and said, “When Duryodhana was born, Vidura of great intelligence had said, ‘ It is well to send this disgrace of the race to the other world. Mahabharata: Bk 2: Sabha Parva: Sisupala-badha Parva: Section LXXIV How indeed could Dhritarashtra be asked to reject his own flesh? Further, Vidura had in fact said this:
Who then, speaking with impartiality, will ever counsel me to renounce my own body for the sake of others? O Vidura, all that thou sayest is crooked, although I hold thee in high esteem. How can I abandon my son for the sake of the sons of Pandu? Doubtless they are my sons, but Duryodhana is sprung from my body. Dhritarashtra said, ‘These words, O Vidura, then thou hast spoken in this assembly, with reference to the Pandavas and myself, are for their good but not for ours. Herein lieth the good of thy race.–But thou didst not then act accordingly’ ……….
: Formerly, as soon as thy son was born, I told thee, ‘ Forsake thou this inauspicious child of thine. Mahabharata: Book 3: Vana Parva: Aranyaka Parva: Section IV O god among men, the father himself becoming the son rescueth himself from hell. Therefore, O Dushmanta, support thy son and insult not Sakuntala. The mother is but the sheath of flesh in which the father begets the son. Mahabharata: Bk 1: Adi Parva: Sambhava Parva: Section XCV Part V – Who does Yudhisthira love more, his Wife or Hastinapur? Part III – Hindu(?) Sexual Mores as recorded by the Mahabharata Part I – The “Scientific Miracle” of “Reproduction” in the Mahabharata
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