CharacterKuru royal family
Dhritarashtra: FAQ & Sources
धृतराष्ट्रBlind king of Hastinapura; father of the Kauravas. Also called Ambikeya, Kauravya.
Dhritarashtra is the blind king of Hastinapura and father of the Kauravas. His question to Sanjaya opens the Bhagavad Gita, and his attachment to Duryodhana drives the Mahabharata war.
RoleBlind king of Hastinapura; father of the Kauravas
AllegianceThe Kauravas
GroupKuru royal family
KingdomHastinapura
First appearsMahabharata, Adi Parva
Speaks in the GitaChapter 1, verse 1
Frequently asked questions
Who was Dhritarashtra in the Mahabharata?
The blind king of Hastinapura, father of the hundred Kauravas, whose attachment to Duryodhana led to the war.
Why was Dhritarashtra blind?
According to the epic, because his mother Ambika closed her eyes when she met the sage Vyasa.
What does Dhritarashtra say in the Bhagavad Gita?
Only the first verse (1.1), asking Sanjaya what his sons and the Pandavas did on Kurukshetra.
Who was Dhritarashtra's wife?
Gandhari, who covered her own eyes and lived blindfolded for life.
How did Dhritarashtra die?
After the war he retired to the forest with Gandhari and Kunti and died in a forest fire.
Sources and further reading
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