Long live the king of Hastinapur Pandu!
[Sanskrit shlok]
Long live king Pandu! Long live king Pandu!
Long live King Pandu!
'Hastinapur was happy to get a strong king like Pandu.'
'But Satyawati was not Hastinapur..'
'..to be so easily satisfied.'
'She was already dreaming of grandsons.'
'One day she called for Bhishma.'
What news of Hastinapur my son?
The universe wants Pandu to become Emperor.
For you the universe is more important than your mother.
Can you think of nothing but victory and defeat?
I do not understand mother.
Is a king born only to be an Emperor?
There is more to life than that.
A person is not merely a king.
He has the responsibility of carrying on the lineage.
I have thought of that too mother.
Dhritirashtra is the eldest.
He should be married first.
But his wife should have the ability..
..to see with her mind's eye.
Anyone in mind?
Yes.
Gandhari, Princess of Gandhar worshipper of Lord Shiva.
Then go to Gandhar with my blessings.
As you wish mother.
You have lost, Shakuni.
That's true father.
How do you like losing, Shakuni?
I don't mind losing to you.
But no Kshatriya likes being defeated.
Even at Dice?
Battlefield is a battlefield!
Wherever there is defeat and victory, it is a battlefield.
This is only a game son.
Where there is defeat and victory it cannot be a mere game.
Beside, no one plays to lose..
..just like no one goes to battle to lose.
Protector of the Kurus.
Unvanquished Bhishma is on his way.
Welcome Bhishma. Welcome.
Touch his feet my son.
It is a holy experience.
- Greetings. - God bless you.
My son Shakuni.
Do come in.
Please be seated.
This is the juice of Gandhar's pomegranates.
Nothing is sweeter than this.
Very sweet indeed.
But there is something sweeter than this.
Please do not misunderstand me.
Your accepting my request..
..will be sweeter than these pomegranates.
Do not talk in riddles.
I have come to ask for Gandhari's hand for Prince Dhritirashtra.
Why not Pandu?
Why this blind man for my sister?
Shakuni!
Forgive me, father.
You have come to ask for my daughter's hand..
..but you should realize..
..that Prince Dhritirashtra is blind.
What difference would it make to him whether he marries or no?
His life is wedded to darkness.
Don't say this father.
According to tradition the right to decide is mine.
It is for me to decide whom I shall marry.
Will you deny me that right?
Gandhari!
In the presence of Lord Shiva..
..my father and brother Grandsire, Bhishma I choose..
..Dhritirashtra as my husband!
Gandhari.
Daughter!
I have not yet finished father..
..it is an honour to be Prince Dhritirashtra's wife.
It is my good fortune.
It is good fortune..
..because even if I lose my beauty..
..it won't affect my marriage.
..because prince Dhritirashtra..
..will not be marrying me for my physical beauty.
What's this?
It is necessary.
Give me your blessing.
But Gandhari.
Isn't it the wife's duty to share her husband's world?
I have enveloped my life in the same darkness..
..that has enveloped the Prince's life.
Why should I see all that he cannot see?
A wife's fate should match her husband's fate.
God bless you.
Bless you.
May you have a thousand sons that is a terrible oath you have sworn.
It transcends any blessing.
And yet my best wishes.
If this is what you wish then take my blessings too.
May God keep you happy.
Prepare for the marriage Bhishma.
Shakuni will escort Gandhari to Hastinapur.
Thank you.
Long live King Dhritirashtra! Long live Queen Gandhari!
Welcome to the darkness of my life Gandhari.
It is my good fortune to have got a husband like you.
Do not raise false hope in me Gandhari.
One who cannot tell the difference between a mountain and a canyon..
..is not a husband but a curse. A curse.
Probably that's why you have blindfolded yourself..
..because it does not matter whether you see me or not.
I do not need eyes to see you my lord.
My mind's eyes are enough.
As for the world why should I see it when you cannot?
Do not tempt one who lives in eternal darkness.
I wanted to see the world through your eyes..
..the change of seasons, the dance of peacocks..
..the clouds chasing one another..
..but you have ended that dream too.
Okay remove your blindfold for a minute..
..and look at the man you have chosen blindly.
What is there to see?
Your physical body is not what you really are.
What you really are I can see without my eyes.
Do not forget my lord..
..that dreams are born only in the dark.
God has created you to dream.
Now it is up to you to decide what kind of dreams you want to see.
You have complete freedom.
A person caught in the web of fate does not have complete freedom.
He is merely helpless.
If it were not so why would I be blind?
Why will Pandu be on the throne?
It is my fate..
..which has taken me away from the throne.
I cannot control my fate.
Pandu is dear to me Gandhari.
But I cannot forget that he is wearing my crown.
Nor can I bear the fact..
..that Kunti of Bhoj will be the queen and not you.
At this moment in her groom choosing ceremony..
..she is probably thinking of this.
With the mercy of God blessed by the sages protected..
..by my ancestors in this capital and in it's state capital..
..and in this marriage hall all..
..the assembled kings are welcome.
All of you who have left your kingdoms to be here with us..
..are respectfully welcome.
By coming here you have shown respect..
..for the ancient Aryan traditions.
The tradition allows our princesses..
..to choose their husbands.
With this tradition our princesses can brighten their futures..
..with the light in their hearts.
Whoever the princesses chooses to garland..
..from those present..
..here will be worthy of our congratulations.
It will be a sad day when our daughters..
..will not have the right of choice.
I am confident..
..that whoever my daughter chooses.
This wil be a happy occasion indeed.
My daughter was born as Pritha.
Her mother was born of Ayak of the Naga clan.
Her father is Shoorsen of the Yadu clan..
..who has obliged me by entrusting Pritha in my care.
Here she was called Kunti and she proved lucky for us.
Kunti's arrival filled this house with children.
This blessed sister of her lucky brothers..
..will now choose her husband.
King of Maheshmati God-fearing. Graced by Narmada Devi.
Protected by the Fire God.
The King of Ujjain.
The ruler of Mahakalesh who has vast army.
Prince of Magadh, Brave Jarasandh.
The King of Kamroop.
The King of Pragya.
The King of Kalinga.
The King of Kaushal.
I wonder who the princess will choose.
God knows. But the task is difficult.
There is only one prince worthy of the princess.
- Who? - He stands out among the others.
What's wrong with you? Can't you see King Pandu?
Honour of the Kuru clan. King of Hastinapur.
Son of Ambalika.
Victorious King Pandu.
Why are you worried my lord?
Today is the day for rejoicing.
Pandu will be returning with Kunti.
A younger brother is like a son my lord.
It is not the same as having a son.
A younger brother cannot marry on one's lineage..
..because he has his own lineage to think of.
Why think like that?
What else can I do Gandhari?
Agreed I am blind.
Vidur was right that I should not be king.
So I compromised with my fate..
..and hoped that my son would get the throne.
But with Kunti's arrival the dilemma remains unresolved.
If her son is born before ours..
..then Hastinapur will never be mine.
Fate is playing strange games with me.
Whatever is fated to happen will happen.
The truth is that my mother is to blame.
Had she not closed her eyes maybe then..
..my mother is the harbinger of my bad luck.
My mother is the harbinger of my bad luck.
Man must learn to accept his fate my lord.
I'll try..
..but God alone knows if I'll be successful.
If it was in my hands I would change my fate before Kunti's arrival.
'Tears in the eyes of a bride?'
'But this is not the night for tears. Why then does she cry?'
'The secret of Kunti's tears is known only to her the Sun God..'
'..and me, because I too was there.'
'Born to King Shoorsen of the Vrushni clan..'
'..she was named Pritha.'
'But when her father gave her away..'
'..to his childless brother Kuntibhoj..'
'..she came to be called Kunti.'
'Kunti blossomed under Kuntibhoj's love and protection.'
'One day, Sage Durvasa came to Kuntibhoj's palace.'
Am I not welcome here? Am I unwanted here?
What are you saying Sage?
Your presence has brought honour to my palace.
- My respects Sage. - My daughter Kunti.
Blessings my daughter.
I am yours to obey Sage.
What is the position of a woman on this Earth?
Child, woman commands a very high position.
She is basically that Mother-figure.
I am pleased with your service.
Ask for anything you wish.
Sage you can look into the future.
Grant me something useful for the future.
Okay.
I will give you a magic spell..
..with which you will be able to summon..
..any God from Heaven.
Om..
'Sage Durvasa gave Kunti a magic spell..'
'..which could summon even the most reluctant God.'
'All alone Kunti would often remember the Sage's words and..'
'..wonder if they were true.'
'Gods could not be seen.'
'So, why would they come at her bidding?'
'Thinking about it Kunti was reminded of her mother's words and..'
'..she began praying to the Sun God.'
'That evening she prayed once again.'
'She was so entranced by the scene..'
'..that it excited her curiosity.'
'I'll give you a magic spell with which you will be able to..
'..summon any God from Heaven.'
'Can it be true?'
'Instinctively she used the spell.'
Why did you call me?
Forgive me, God.
Sage Durvasa had granted me a spell. I was just checking it.
But God, you've come here.
Forgive me, God. You had to bother yourself.
Please return.
I can't return till I give you a boon of Durvasa.
I am helpless because this boon cannot be taken back.
If this goes waste, then the whole nature of life will change.
God, give me whatever you have to and return.
I am getting scared.
I'll give you a son.
Son?
Yes.
But God, I am a spinster.
How can I face people of the world?
Don't worry. No one can defame you.
Your son will be born with my shield and earrings.
'He will be famous in the world by name Danveer (generous) Karan.'
'Sun God couldn't live without giving the boon.'
'So, he went away by keeping a child in the arms of spinster, Kunti.'
'The child had already worn the shield to face the world.'
'But, spinster Kunti didn't have any shield.'
'How will she answer?'
'How will she answer the people of the world that a spinster..'
'..Kunti became a mother?'
'The society who doubted on the sacred Goddess Sita how will..'
'..they listen to her?'
'What shall Kunti do now?'
'Where will she hide her son whom she cannot mention as her son.'
Hey generous one, be generous to your mother, dear.
Please, forgive your mother. please, forgive your mother.
I have read the question in your eyes.
But don't be surprised, dear.
This is the auspicious time for my travel.
Which travel, dear?
- This is our wedding.. - Yes.
This is the night of our consummation after marriage.
Dear, just think that this is a long night.
I have to go to my second wife.
Second wife?
Yes. You are king's daughter.
You must be aware of the fact that a king has two wives.
One whom he marries.
Second whom he wins.
The second wife's name is same in the kingdom, boundary.
A part of the land which we won.
Dear, even wife is like land.
But she is not the land won.
It is my duty to expand the boundaries given to me by my forefathers.
So, before I am caught in your beauty I would like to expand..
..the boundaries to such an extent..
..where the boundary ends.
You are a brave queen.
See me off like a brave queen.
May you win.
"Seeing off husbands with a smile.."
"..is a quality of a brave bride."
"This is the custom of royal kingdom."
"The love of a brave queen."