Gratified with Gandhari's hospitality, the Rishi gave
her the boon she asked for, viz., that she should have a century of sons
each equal unto her lord in strength and accomplishments. Some time after
Gandhari conceived and she bore the burden in her womb for two long years
without being delivered. And she was greatly afflicted at this. It was
then that she heard that Kunti had brought forth a son whose splendour was
like unto the morning sun. Impatient of the period of gestation which had
prolonged so long, and deprived of reason by grief, she struck her womb
with great violence without the knowledge of her husband. And thereupon
came out of her womb, after two years' growth, a hard mass of flesh like
unto an iron ball. When she was about to throw it away, Dwaipayana,
learning everything by his spiritual powers, promptly came there, and that
first of ascetics beholding that ball of flesh, addressed the daughter of
Suvala thus, 'What hast thou done?' Gandhari, without endeavouring to
disguise her feelings, addressed the Rishi and said, 'Having heard that
Kunti had brought forth a son like unto Surya in splendour, I struck in
grief at my womb. Thou hadst, O Rishi, granted me the boon that I should
have a hundred sons, but here is only a ball of flesh for those hundred
sons!' Vyasa then said, 'Daughter of Suvala, it is even so. But my words
can never be futile. I have not spoken an untruth even in jest. I need not
speak of other occasions.
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