Mahabharat

Greetings, mother.

Today, you have returned to your mother, son.

No, mother.

Today, I am here to bathe in your holy water

to wash away my sin.

You are my son, Devavrata.

You cannot commit a sin.

But I have committed a sin, mother.

To secure the future of Hastinapur

I have sacrificed the happiness of a maiden.

I did not even ask her what she wanted.

Whether Gandhari was ready to accept a blind husband...

I made no effort to find out about it.

Did she protest, my child?

Not explicitly through words but

her oath to keep her eyes covered for life

is a form of her protest, mother.

When you had taken an oath, Devavrata

were you filled with protest back then?

After so many years...

Why are you asking me this question, mother?

Look within your heart, son.

There are moments in life

when we are compelled to engage in retrospection.

This is termed as bathing in river Ganges.

No, mother.

I can say with complete authenticity

that while taking the oath, I had nothing

other than concern for my father's happiness

and the integrity of Hastinapur in my heart.

And even today, I feel so.

Had Gandhari objected to the marriage

would you have attacked the kingdom of Gandhar?

No, mother.

Your son would never disrespect the wish of any woman.

Then you are innocent, son.

You have only carried out your duty.

Sometimes, it is my duty to breach my banks

to destroy the old and initiate regeneration.

But when my flood waters recede

the earth becomes more fertile and nourished.

Similarly in life, some duties are also agonizing

but they give birth only to happiness.

I too have just one wish from the Lord, mother

that may He bless Dhritarashtra and Gandhari with happiness.

By making such a big sacrifice

Gandhari has undoubtedly set a new standard

to being a devoted wife.

What Kripacharya said was absolutely true.

This palace has seen

many instances of sacrifices being made by wives.

Was our sacrifice not enough?

The question is whether what Gandhari did is a sacrifice

or a protest.

No.

I do not see this... - What you and I see in this act

is irrelevant.

The perspective of Dhritarashtra

is what is important.

Gandhari.

I am right here, my Lord.

I know that.

Just by listening to one's breathing I can know

how many people are present in a chamber and where.

Come to me, Gandhari.

What?

Alright, my Lord.

If you go in that direction, you will never be able to reach me.

You will bump into the pillar.

Come here.

Where...

Where are you, my Lord?

Just look at your foolishness.

If you cannot even tell where I am

how could you cover your eyes?

What did you have in mind?

Insulting me or making a mockery of yourself?

I just want to be in the same situation as you, my Lord.

How could you...

How could you believe...

How could you believe that by covering your eyes

you could become blind?

I can see with every inch of me.

Gandhari

how could you be so arrogant about your vision

that you deem the blind to be helpless?

Not helpless, my Lord.

I consider you different from the rest.

And I am trying to adapt to this variation. - Fool!

What do you think?

That I wish for a court full of blind people?

That after becoming the king

I will order everyone to cover their eyes forever?

What most people cannot see with their eyes

is what I can without them.

That is why, quit all this drama

and take off that cloth from your eyes!

No, my Lord. Do not say so.

Life becomes hell for a person who breaks an oath.

If, because of this oath

I refuse to accept you

then will your life not become a living hell?

To help one's wife carry out her oath

is the duty of a husband, my Lord.

And to carry out the orders of a king

is the duty of every subject.

If, after my coronation, I order you to uncover your eyes

then will you not do so?

I shall uncover my eyes then, my Lord.

If I get such an order

I shall uncover my eyes while stepping into the fire.

This means...

This means

you will not listen to me under any circumstance.

And what is all this?

Where are you ear-rings?

Where are your bangles?

And why are you wearing this garland?

M-My lord

I have adorned myself with flowers

so that you may... - Enough, Gandhari!

Enough.

Enough of insulting me.

Just because I cannot see your jewellery

you have gone to this limit to remind me of my blindness?

Have you forgotten that you are

the daughter-in-law of the Kuru dynasty?

You will have to grace the throne of Hastinapur.

Will you do so in the garb of a female monk?

Has covering your eyes made you believe

that the people in the court will not be able to see you?

Or do you wish to keep reminding the subjects of Hastinapur

that you have met with injustice?

Is it not so, my Lord. - It is so, Gandhari.

It is so.

You have come here only to insult me.

As per the tradition

I had brought this ornament for your hair, Gandhari.

It is the symbol of privilege for every woman.

But you are unworthy of it.

You are unworthy.

You are nothing but my abjection.

Nothing but my abjection!

I

son of King Vichitravirya, Dhritarashtra