Pandu, the noble king, spoke gently yet firmly to Kunti, his devoted wife, saying, "O blameless princess, you should act according to my righteous words. At the proper season, the husband is the lord of the devoted wife. This is the law, as declared by those who know dharma—it must not be transgressed. At other times, it is said, a woman may have her independence, but in this matter, the wife should follow the husband's wishes, whether they seem righteous or not." He continued, "This is what the knowers of the Veda declare: whatever the husband says should be done, especially when he desires a son but is himself unable to beget. Just as I, O faultless one, long to see a son—one with red-tipped nails and hands like lotus leaves, O beautiful one. For the sake of pleasing you, O lovely-hipped one, I raise my joined palms to my head. By my command, O fair-haired one, and through the ascetic power of a Brahmin, you should produce sons endowed with virtues. For your sake, O broad-hipped one, I would attain the destiny of those who have children." Hearing these words, Kunti, noble in form and ever devoted to her husband's welfare, replied to Pandu, the conqueror of enemy cities. She said, "O best of the Bharatas, it is a great hardship among women that a husband, once pleased, must be pleased again. But hear now, mighty-armed one, something that will bring you joy. While I was still a girl in my father's house, I was assigned to honor guests. There, I served a fierce and resolute Brahmin—Durvasa, whose intentions in dharma are hidden. I satisfied him with all my efforts, for he was steadfast in his vows. The venerable one then granted me a boon connected with a ritual and gave me this mantra, saying: 'Whichever god you invoke with this mantra, whether with desire or without, will come under your control. By the grace of that deity, you will obtain a son.' Thus I was told at that time by him in my father's house, O Bharata." Kunti continued, "The Brahmin's words are true, and now the time has come. With your permission, O king, I will invoke a god. The illustrious one gave me that knowledge, O great king; by that, when a god is invoked, he will grant a son equal to the gods, and will remove the sorrow you bear for being childless, O hero." Later, as the tale unfolds, the conversation turns to the children of Dhritarashtra. "You have already told of the sons of Dhritarashtra, a hundred by the sage's favor," the listener asks, "but the daughter was not mentioned. Yuyutsu, the son of a Vaishya woman, and one daughter, making more than a hundred—the daughter of the king of Gandhara, called 'mother of a hundred sons,' O sinless one. This was declared by the great sage Vyasa, of immeasurable energy; but now, O blessed one, you speak to me of a daughter—how is this? If the great sage made a hundred portions from the flesh-mass, and no more were to be born, how then could Saubali's daughter be born? Tell me, how did Duḥśalā come to be? Speak to me as it truly happened, O best of Brahmins, for I am most curious about this." The sage replied, "O son of Pandu, your question is well asked; I will tell you. The blessed, great ascetic himself divided that flesh-mass. Sprinkling it with cold water, he apportioned it into equal parts; as each portion was made, it was given to a nurse, O king. Then he placed each portion into a separate pot filled with ghee; meanwhile, the virtuous Gandhari, firm in her vows, constantly thought of her daughter's affection. That noble lady did not say anything to the sage out of respect, but in her mind, the queen thought: 'May I have a hundred sons.' There is no doubt that this would happen, for the sage does not speak otherwise; but my greatest satisfaction would be if I had a daughter. There will be one girl, younger by a hundred, and from her, through her son, my lineage will continue beyond this world; he will not be an outsider, but my own daughter's husband. It is said that a woman's affection is greater for her daughter's son-in-law; if only I too might have a single daughter, younger by a hundred. I would be fulfilled, surrounded by sons and grandsons, if my austerities, gifts, or offerings have truly borne fruit. Or if I have pleased my elders, then let it be so: let me have a daughter." "At that very moment, Krishna Dvaipayana, the illustrious sage, himself divided that mass of flesh, counting out a hundred full portions into the jars. Then, in his left hand, there remained one more piece; after counting out a hundred complete portions, he spoke to the daughter of Subala: 'A full hundred sons will be yours; this word is not false. By divine arrangement, one portion remains, beyond the hundred. This fortunate girl will be your daughter, just as you desired.' The ascetic then placed that portion, the share for a daughter, there as well; and in due time, she was born, the youngest of them all." "Thus, O Bharata, I have told you of the birth of Duḥśalā. Tell me, O king, what more you wish to hear, and I shall relate it to you, O sinless one." "Now, recount in order the seniority and names of Dhritarashtra's sons, one by one," requested the listener. The sage replied: "Duryodhana, Yuyutsu, O king, Duḥśāsana, Duḥsaha, Duḥśala, Jalasandha, Sama, and Saha; Vindānuvinda, Durdharṣa, Subāhu, Duṣpradharṣaṇa, Durmarṣaṇa, Durmukha, Duṣkarṇa, and Karṇa himself; Viviṃśati, Vikarna, Śala, Satva, Sulocana, Citropacitra, Citrākṣa, Cārucitra, and Śarāsana." And thus, the story of the birth of Gandhari’s hundred sons and one daughter, Duḥśalā, was told, and their names and lineage faithfully recounted.