Character

Dhritarashtra

धृतराष्ट्रDhṛtarāṣṭra

verses
6,797
books
19
chapters
815
Parent of
Duryodhana

What the texts say

In the Mahabharata, Dhritarashtra is the blind Kuru king, born to the sage Vyasa, and father of a hundred sons beginning with Duryodhana. Mahabharata (Gita Press) 1.67.85Mahabharata 1.57.99 Because of his blindness, his younger brother Pandu became king. Mahabharata 5.145.36Mahabharata (Gita Press) 1.109.24 His wife Gandhari bound her own eyes, resolving not to see more than her husband. Mahabharata 1.103.13 The Bhagavad Gita opens with his question about what his sons and the sons of Pandu did on Kurukshetra. Bhagavad Gita 1.1 Narada tells Yudhishthira, Kunti's son, that Dhritarashtra, Gandhari and Kunti entered the fire of their own accord. Mahabharata (Gita Press) 15.36.383

Where to read

Every verse that names Dhritarashtra, book by book.

  1. Mahabharata

    6,576 verses · 728 chapters

    All 6,576 verses in the Mahabharata

    Also in the Gita Press edition: 25,436 verses

    • 9.55.1

      Vaiśaṃpāyana said: Then a tumultuous verbal contest arose, O Janamejaya, during which King Dhṛtarāṣṭra, overwhelmed with grief, spoke as follows.

    • 9.54.1

      Vaiśaṃpāyana said: Thus that intense strategic engagement occurred, O Janamejaya, in which King Dhṛtarāṣṭra, overwhelmed with sorrow, spoke as follows.

    • 8.4.1

      Vaiśaṃpāyana said: Having heard this, O great king, Dhṛtarāṣṭra, the son of Ambikā, spoke to Sañjaya the charioteer, his mind overwhelmed by grief.

  2. Bhagavatam

    77 verses · 17 chapters

    All 77 verses in the Bhagavatam
    • 10.49.1

      Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: Akrūra went to Hastināpura, the city distinguished by the glory of the Paurava rulers. There he saw Dhṛtarāṣṭra, Bhīṣma, Vidura and Kuntī, along with Bāhlika and his son Somadatta. He also saw Droṇācārya, Kṛpācārya…

    • 1.13.3

      When they saw Vidura return to the palace, all the inhabitants — Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, his younger brothers, Dhṛtarāṣṭra, Sātyaki, Sañjaya, Kṛpācārya, Kuntī, Gāndhārī, Draupadī, Subhadrā, Uttarā, Kṛpī, many other wives of the Kauravas, and…

    • 3.1.6

      Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: King Dhṛtarāṣṭra became blind under the influence of impious desires to nourish his dishonest sons, and thus he set fire to the lacquer house to burn his fatherless nephews, the Pāṇḍavas.

  3. Devi Bhagavatam

    37 verses · 7 chapters

    All 37 verses in the Devi Bhagavatam
    • 2.7.7

      With his sons slain, the extremely sorrowful Dhritarashtra remained in the kingdom of the Pandavas, tormented by the arrow-like words of Bhima.

    • 1.20.1

      (Description of the birth of Dhritarashtra and others) The Rishis said: 'Shuka, the best among the divine beings, attained the supreme perfection. What did Vyasa do after that? Tell us that in detail.'

    • 2.6.2

      Dhritarashtra was born blind from the seed of Vyasa, because the lustful woman (Ambika) closed her eyes upon seeing the sage.

  4. Skanda Purana

    33 verses · 16 chapters

    All 33 verses in the Skanda Purana
    • 1.1.34.34

      His lotus-feet were worshipfully attended by the chief serpent Śaṅkha, and likewise by Dhṛtarāṣṭra—especially by Takṣaka—and also by Padma and the great Śeṣa in particular.

    • 1.2.2.12

      Just now, Bhīmasena has slain King Vīravarmā—who had been a torment to the Kurus—by the command of Dhṛtarāṣṭra.

    • 1.2.59.7

      Later, in accordance with Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s decision, they established themselves at Indraprastha. There, at a certain time, the Pāṇḍavas were protected by Vāsudeva.

Also named in

Key chapters

The chapters where Dhritarashtra matters most.

  1. Vāg-yuddha and Nimitta-darśana before the Gadāyuddha (Verbal Duel and Omens)

    Mahabharata 9.55 · 15 verses

    Grief-stricken father whose lament interprets Duryodhana’s…

  2. Commencement of the Mace-Duel Proceedings

    Mahabharata 9.54 · 14 verses

    Grief-driven inquirer whose fear for Duryodhana shapes the…

  3. Karṇa-nidhana-śravaṇa, Kṣaya-Varṇana, and Śeṣa-sainika-nirdeśa (Hearing of Karṇa’s Fall, Accounting of Losses, and Naming of Remaining Warriors)

    Mahabharata 8.4 · 47 verses

    Grief-stricken auditor and political father confronting the…

  4. Karṇa’s Pressure on the Pāñcālas; Duryodhana Disabled; Arjuna’s Counter-Advance

    Mahabharata 8.40 · 47 verses

  5. उद्योगपर्व · अध्याय 33: धृतराष्ट्र-विदुर संवादः (विदुरनीतिः)

    Mahabharata 5.33 · 45 verses

    चिन्ताग्रस्त राजा

  6. Kṛṣṇa’s Counsel to Dhṛtarāṣṭra in the Assembly

    Mahabharata 5.93 · 47 verses

    लक्षित श्रोता और निर्णायक सत्ता

  7. Udyoga-parva Adhyāya 34: Vidura’s Counsel on Deliberation, Speech-Discipline, and Dharmic Kingship

    Mahabharata 5.34 · 43 verses

    Anxious sovereign seeking a remedy for looming catastrophe

  8. Timely Counsel, Association, and Kin-Duty

    Mahabharata 5.39 · 41 verses

    Anxious ruler seeking moral and political clarity while feeling…

  9. Arjuna’s Lament on Guru-Dharma and the Opening of the Sātyaki-Karṇa Duel

    Mahabharata 7.122 · 41 verses

    Anxious auditor whose questions frame the aftermath of…

  10. Sabhā-parva Adhyāya 63: Draupadī’s Contested Status, Vidura’s Warning, and Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Boons

    Mahabharata 2.63 · 11 verses

    Anxious sovereign seeking containment

Key episodes

  1. The Gita Begins: Arjuna's Despair on the Battlefield

    Bhagavad Gita 1-2

  2. Kurukshetra War

    Mahabharata 6-10

  3. The Game of Dice

    Mahabharata 2.53-2.63

  4. Draupadi Dragged into the Assembly

    Mahabharata 2.60-2.63

Also known to Wikipedia · Wikidata Q926150