Vidura - Mahabharata
King Shantanu of Kuru Dynasty married a fisher-woman Satyavati who gave birth to two sons - Chitrangadha and Vichitravirya. Chitrangandha died unmarried and issueless. Vichitravirya was married to Princess Ambika and Amalika. But, he two died and Satyavathi not wanting the Kuru Clan to end, requested her son Sage Krishna Dwaipayana to bestow motherhood upon the two widowed queens. Unable to brush aside his mother's request, he agreed to.
Though he was a great sage of high learning, his looks were frightful. And so Ambika closed her eyes when she went to him and so she gave birth to a blind child -Dhritarashtra. Ambalika was so weak with fright when she approached him that she gave birth to a son of weak constitution -Pandu. Satyavati wanted a healthy child - to be fit enough to be a king and hence requested Ambika to approach Sage Vyasa once again.
Out of fear for him, she sent her maid who consented happily as she felt it a great honour and a great priviledge to bear the child of such a great sage as Sage Vyasa. So, her son Vidur was born - both healthy and highly learned. But, as he was born of a maid, he was not given the kingship. Bheeshma, the grand old man of Kuru Clan brought all three of them under his care and Vidur mastered 'Dharma' very well under him.
....contd....
King Shantanu of Kuru Dynasty married a fisher-woman Satyavati who gave birth to two sons - Chitrangadha and Vichitravirya. Chitrangandha died unmarried and issueless. Vichitravirya was married to Princess Ambika and Amalika. But, he two died and Satyavathi not wanting the Kuru Clan to end, requested her son Sage Krishna Dwaipayana to bestow motherhood upon the two widowed queens. Unable to brush aside his mother's request, he agreed to.
Though he was a great sage of high learning, his looks were frightful. And so Ambika closed her eyes when she went to him and so she gave birth to a blind child -Dhritarashtra. Ambalika was so weak with fright when she approached him that she gave birth to a son of weak constitution -Pandu. Satyavati wanted a healthy child - to be fit enough to be a king and hence requested Ambika to approach Sage Vyasa once again.
Out of fear for him, she sent her maid who consented happily as she felt it a great honour and a great priviledge to bear the child of such a great sage as Sage Vyasa. So, her son Vidur was born - both healthy and highly learned. But, as he was born of a maid, he was not given the kingship. Bheeshma, the grand old man of Kuru Clan brought all three of them under his care and Vidur mastered 'Dharma' very well under him.
....contd....
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