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Bhima
Dhritarashtra is the head of the Kauravas, and he has 100 sons with his wife Gandhari, with Duryodhana being the eldest and most notable. Dhritarashtra is born blind, which seems to be a symbol for his lack of judgement, as he allows himself to be swayed by the hot-headed Duryodhana rather than listening to wise advisers like Vidura. One of the central questions of the poem is whether Dhritarashtra caused the Kurukshetra war with his bad leadership or whether the war was always destined to happen. Although Dhritarashtra is not necessarily a malicious character, he nevertheless represents how weak leaders can be convinced into supporting unjust causes.
Dhritarashtra Quotes in Mahabharata
The Mahabharata quotes below are all either spoken by Dhritarashtra or refer to Dhritarashtra . For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Chapter 2. The Hall
Quotes
Once, in the middle of the hall, Dhritarashtra’s royal son came upon a crystal floor; fooled into thinking it water, King Duryodhana drew up his garments. After this he walked about the hall with angry heart and averted gaze. Next, seeing a pond of crystalline water adorned with crystal lotuses, he thought it was a floor, and fell, fully clothed, headlong into the water; when the servants saw that he had fallen in the pond, they laughed uproariously, before giving him clean clothes at the king’s command. Then mighty Bhima and Arjuna and the twins saw him in this state, and they too all burst out laughing.
Related Characters:
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Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 11. The Women
Quotes
‘Do not grieve, Dhritarashtra. You have not slain Bhima. This was an iron effigy, king that you laid low.’
Thus Yudhishthira lord of dharma lamented again and again; then, weeping softly, O king, the lord of men made an offering of water to his brother.
Chapter 15. The Hermitage
Quotes
So, like a cloud sating the earth with rain, King Dhritarashtra sated those priests with the torrents of wealth he showered upon them; and when all was done, that lord of the earth then deluged his guests of every class with downpours of food and drink.
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Dhritarashtra Quotes in Mahabharata
The Mahabharata quotes below are all either spoken by Dhritarashtra or refer to Dhritarashtra . For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Chapter 2. The Hall
Quotes
Once, in the middle of the hall, Dhritarashtra’s royal son came upon a crystal floor; fooled into thinking it water, King Duryodhana drew up his garments. After this he walked about the hall with angry heart and averted gaze. Next, seeing a pond of crystalline water adorned with crystal lotuses, he thought it was a floor, and fell, fully clothed, headlong into the water; when the servants saw that he had fallen in the pond, they laughed uproariously, before giving him clean clothes at the king’s command. Then mighty Bhima and Arjuna and the twins saw him in this state, and they too all burst out laughing.
Related Characters:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 11. The Women
Quotes
‘Do not grieve, Dhritarashtra. You have not slain Bhima. This was an iron effigy, king that you laid low.’
Thus Yudhishthira lord of dharma lamented again and again; then, weeping softly, O king, the lord of men made an offering of water to his brother.
Chapter 15. The Hermitage
Quotes
So, like a cloud sating the earth with rain, King Dhritarashtra sated those priests with the torrents of wealth he showered upon them; and when all was done, that lord of the earth then deluged his guests of every class with downpours of food and drink.
