Dushala: The Only Sister of Kauravas

We all know about the Kauravas of the Mahabharata. They were harsh to the Pandavas and jealous of them. The Kauravas battled their cousin, the Pandavas. The only sister of Kauravas lived a sorrowful life. Do you know about Dushala? Let’s discuss her life in detail.

Dushala: The Only Sister of Kauravas

We know Dushala was the sister of the Kauravas and Pandavas. She was the daughter of Hastinapur kingdom, the daughter of Queen Gandhari and King Dhritarashtra. She was the only sister of Kauravas. Ved Vyasa divided Gandhari’s flesh into 100 parts. This was how she was born. She lived a life of luxury in Hastinapur. Dussala did not discriminate between her brothers. She was cordial to them.

Dushala was married to Jayadratha, a Sindhu king who was with his brother Duryodhana in the battleground of Mahabharata. She had a son named Suratha.

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The Royal Family of Dushala

Do you know Dushala spent her early life in luxury? She was the daughter of Dhritarashtra and Gandhari. She was the only sister of kauravas. Dushala was loved by the Pandavas and Kauravas, who were her cousins. She treated the Kauravas and Pandavas in a good manner. Duryodhana loved her very much. She was not on good terms with her mother, Gandhari. Her mother loved her brothers more. Her role was less in the Mahabharata War. She is not popular like the Pandavas and Kauravas.

Dushala’s Marriage Life: The Only Sister of Kauravas

We know Dushala was ignored by her mother and was discriminated. Her sorrowful marriage with Jayadratha makes us sad. She was the only sister of Kauravas, whom her brothers deeply loved. Her marriage with Jayadratha was a total mismatch. Her husband had two other wives. They were – Mandakini ( Princess of Gandhar) and Kumudvati ( Princess of Kamboj).

A question arises in our minds: Why was not Dussala not married to Karna? Duryodhana was younger to Karna by 15 years. Dussala was younger to Duryodhana. Duryodhana thought the marriage would be a mismatch. This was the reason he got his sister married to the Sindhu King. The wedding created political ties with Kauravas. How did the marriage of the only sister of kauravas contribute to the Mahabharata War? Let us know how.

1. The Kidnapping of Draupadi

Jayadratha, after his marriage to Dushala, proposed that Draupadi marry him. Draupadi rejected his proposal. Jayadratha angrily abducted her. We became aware of this by Jaydrath grabbing her arm. Jayadratha forcefully tried to kidnap her. Draupadi had powers. She could have destroyed him. Draupadi knew her husband would save her from him. The only sister of kauravas said the incident with Draupadi was disturbing. The Pandavas got to know from Draupadi’s friend that Jayadratha had taken her away. The Pandavas went to him. Yudhisthira sent all his brothers to bring Draupadi back. His brothers went on chariots to find her. Jayadratha got to know about this, and he got scared. We know this by Dussala’s husband leaving Draupadi alone.

Yudhisthira found Draupadi. He did not find Jayadratha. He told his brothers to find him. Jayadratha was found by the Pandavas. Bhim was about to kill him. Draupadi stopped him saying not to kill him. She said Jayadrath was the husband of Dussala. We know that in ancient times if a woman’s husband died, she lived a life of a widow. If they killed him, she would become a widow. Listening to her, the Pandavas did not kill him. They shaved Jayadrath’s hair making him bald. A furious Jayadrath wanted revenge. He prayed to Lord Shiva to get a boon to defeat the Pandavas. Her husband chased other women after marrying her. This makes the life of the only sister of kauravas unhappy.

2. The Boon of Lord Shiva to Jayadratha

After this, we come across the fact about Jayadratha. He worshipped Lord Shiva to get boons. He wanted to take revenge on the Pandavas for their bad insult. Lord Shiva gave his boons to him. He could stop the Pandavas in advance. Jayadratha would not be able to defeat the Pandavas in the War. His boon would fail because the Charioteer of Arjuna was Lord Krishna. This is why it won’t be possible to kill him. This was the beginning of the grievance full life of the only sister of kauravas.

3. The Mahabharata War

Jayadratha, after getting the boon from Shiva, allied with the Kauravas. He went to the war ground on 11 th day. He successfully makes an Abhimanyu Chakravyuh to defeat Arjuna’s son in the battle. We come to know about Dronacharya, who is the Guru to all the brothers of the Kuru Dynasty, helps him to make him the chakravyuh. Arjuna’s son knew to enter the chakravyuh. He did not have the knowledge to get out of the chakravyuh.

This results in the killing of Abhimanyu. Dushasana’s child killed him. Jayadrath was successful in his plan against Abhimanyu to kill him in the Kurushetra ground. This was how he plotted against Abhimanyu. This incident later brings suffering in the life of the only sister of kauravas.

Dushala’s Husband’s Death: The Only Sister of Kauravas

To this, Arjuna becomes infuriated. He vows to kill Jayadrath the next day before the sun sets. We get to know it after Arjuna says he will sacrifice his life if he fails to do it. The next day, he is set to kill Jayadratha with Bhim, Satyaki, and Arjuna. After a lot of difficulties, Arjuna finally kills Jayadratha. Arjuna could not kill him before sunset.

He kills him when the sun is about to set. Jayadratha is killed by Arjuna’s divine arrow. This cuts Jayadratha’s head, and it falls on the lap of Vridakshatra, Jayadratha’s father. Jayadrath, Dushala’s husband, dies, making the only sister of Kauravas, a widow. This makes the only sister of kauravas a widow.

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Dushala’s Life After the Mahabharata War

Dussala expresses her sufferings after the Mahabharata War. She mourns the loss of her family members. These tell how she expresses her grievances:

1. The Ashvamedha Sacrifice

After the Kurukshetra war, the Pandavas’ horse came to Sindhu during the Ashvamedha sacrifice. Suratha ruled it at that time. Surtha was scared to fight Arjuna. He was afraid upon his arrival to kill his father, Jayadratha. A scared Suratha commits suicide. Dushala comes to the battleground with the child of Suratha. This broke Arjuna’s heart. He announced the baby child, the King of Sindhu. The only sister of the Kauravas expresses her never-ending grievances to the Pandavas.

2. Sufferings of Dushala: The Only Sister of Kauravas

Dussala deeply mourned the death of her 100 brothers and husband. She called Mahabharata war, ‘Vichitra’ and criticized the war participants. She became alone. The battle took the lives of her loving brothers who were once powerful and victorious. This is the reason the only sister of Kauravas breaks her ties with her family from Hastinapur after this battle of revenge and bloodshed.