Everyone knows that Gandhari had 100 sons. But, it is interesting to know that, Gandhari and Dhritarashtra also had a daughter. Her name was Duhsala or Dushala.
Duhsala was youngest sister of Kaurava’s and Pandava’s. She was liked by everyone. She grew up under the guidance of Bhishma. She grew to be a very beautiful woman. She was married off to Jayadratha (King of Sindh). It was not a happy marriage. Jayadratha had split personality disorder and was very bad when it comes to treatment of women. Jayadratha’s reference comes in Mahabharata during the exile of Pandava’s.
Jayadratha, once tried to abduct Draupadi. Bhima and Arjuna catch him in action. They wanted to kill him. But, Draupadi said that if Jayadratha is killed Pandava’s only sister Duhsala will become a widow. So, instead of killing him, they shave his head and leave him humiliated. Duhsala gets very angry at him. But pacifies when Jayadratha does penance. He gets boon by Lord Shiva, but Arjuna kills him in the war of Kurukshetra.
After the war, Yudhishthira performs Ashwamedha yagya. Arjuna follows the horse in the region of Sindh. Duhsala’s son Suratha was ruling the kingdom. After listening to the news of Arjuna coming towards the kingdom, he fells pale and dies of fear. Suratha had a young son who challenged Arjuna. Duhsala got very scared and begs Arjuna to live her grandson alive. Arjuna feels very sad to know that Duhsala’s son died because of him and appoints Duhsala’s grandson as king of Sindh.
Duhsala definitely had a very difficult and unfortunate life indeed.
Jayadratha is also called Saindhava who can stop Pandavas except Arjun. Arjun was busy somewhere else and during Padmavyuha, Saindhava stops 4 of the Pandavas not entering inside and only Abhimanyu goes in and dies as he didn’t know how to come back.
Thank you Mallaiah for this information. Yes Jaydratha had got a boon that on one day of the Kurukshetra he will prove stronger than Pandava’s except Arjuna.
JAYADRATHA had other 2 wives. One from Kingdom of GANDHARA (present day AFGHANISTAN ) and another from Kingdom of KAMBOJA ( present day IRAN ). He must probably had children with them also. DUSHALA was adamant to marry JAYADRATHA. He was much older than her and already had 2 wives, her brothers were against her will. DUSHALA was madly in love with him and somehow convinced PITAMAHA VISHMA.