Dhritarashtra

Dhritarashtra ( Sanskrit: धृतराष्ट्र, Dhrtarastra ) is in the great epic Mahabharata, the blind king of Hastinapur. His behavior that varies between selfish interests and the Royal Dharma back and forth, makes him a tragic figure and means that all of his sons, the Kauravas come in the battle of Kurukshetra killed.

Birth

Dhritarashtra by Queen - mother Satyavativon by Sage Vyasa with Ambika, of the late King Vichitravirya woman conceived. Since this had died without successors should be as the king of the Kurus line are obtained. The epic relates that Ambika so much before unkempt recluse, Vyasa was afraid that she closed her eyes at the sight. For this reason, the son Dhritashtra to have been born blind, and although the first-born, he is not king of Hastinapur. He must leave his brother Pandu this item.

Reign of Pandu

During the reign of Pandu is Dhritarshtra often complained to his wife Gandhari about the injustice of fate, having to blind and thus live on the crown with no view as firstborn. He may wear the crown Only in times of absence of the king on military campaigns or hunts. He finds it increasingly difficult to return them back to his brother. Gandhari, wearing a cloth bandage around her eyes out of love for her husband, exhorts him again and again, his dharma to act in accordance with and not to be guided by foolish desires.

Reign of Dhritarashtra

For penance for erratic behavior during a hunt, in which he had killed a wise hermit in error, Pandu goes with his two wives in the solitude of the forest, leaving his brother the king. After his death, King Dhritarashtra of Hastinapur final. He granted Kunti, the first wife of his brother and their sons, the Pandavas, apartment in the royal palace. He can also bring himself to let the sons of Kunti, together with his own children educated by a wise man. But already in the childhood show the different characteristics and capabilities of the unequal cousins. Above all, his first son Duryodhana developed great hatred for the sons of Kunti, and is not willing to share ownership with them. Dhritarashtra has a total of 100 sons.

Succession

In accordance with the law have the sons of Kunti, the earlier rights to the throne. Dhritarashtra 's eldest son Duryodhana, however, is not willing to relinquish some of its power and also the father wants to see his own son as his successor. Through the mediation of Bhisma it comes to the understanding that the Pandavas received a part of the kingdom, but the center remains in the hands of the Kauravas. In the further course of the epic attempt to thwart his sons also terminate this Agreement and shall Dhritarshtra these projects meet not decided. Thus it comes to the all-important battle of Kurukshetra, in the course of which all the sons of Dhritarashtra die.

Dhritarashtra and the Bhagavadgita

At the beginning of the battle told a bard the blind king from the elevator of the two armies, and gives him the text of the conversation between the prince's charioteer Krishna and the Pandu prince Arjuna before the battle begins again. This conversation between the two princes content of the Bhagavad Gita, is still one of the most widely read and most discussed works of Hindu literature.

Source

Biren Roy (ed.): Mahabharata. India's great epic. 10th edition. Diederichs, Cologne 1998, ISBN 3424005762 (first published in 1958 in English )

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