Hastinapur is facing its darkest days. It has neither a king to rule it, nor an heir waiting in the wings. A sobbing Satyavati implores Bhishma to renounce his oath, but he refuses. Dashraj her father, who had goaded Bhishma into taking this oath offers to “release” him from it, but Bhishma admonishes the fisherman that warriors consider oaths to be Serious Business. Satyavati orders Bhishma to bring Sage Vyasa to her, commenting that “he will know why”.
Upon finding him, Sage Vyasa reveals that Satyavati is actually his mother, and that he was conceived from a tryst she was goaded into by Rishi Prashar, who somehow reverted her back to being a virgin after she gave birth. Therefore, as Chitrangada and Vichitravirya’s elder brother, it is his duty to sire heirs for Hastinapur by impregnating Ambaalika and Ambika. Vyasa tells his mother that him committing austerities and doing penance for a very long time has resulted in an extremely disheveled appearance. He asks her to wait a year so he can complete his penance and clean himself up before presenting himself to two young princesses. But Satyavati is unwilling to wait. Vyasa warns her that in this case, he cannot stop what is about to happen.
Ambika is sent first to Vyasa to have a tryst and become pregnant. However, she is so scared by the sight of Vyasa that she shuts her eyes throughout the whole ordeal. Vyasa glumly informs Satyavati that because Ambika had shut her eyes during intercourse, her baby will be born blind. Ambaalika is then sent to Vyasa’s bed chamber with an admonition to not do what Ambika did. But Ambaalika upon seeing Vyasa’s disheveled appearance, goes pale in fear and remains that way throughout her tryst. Vyasa informs Satyavati that Ambaalika will give birth to a baby who will be unhealthy. Satyavati pleads her daughters in-law to go to Vyasa again. This time, both of them refuse to go out of fear, and send their maid instead. The maid shows no fear during her tryst with Vyasa, but because she is a maid, her otherwise normal healthy son cannot claim the throne. Vyasa says that he will instead become a highly learned man who is a respected advisor.
Years later, the three boys reach maturity and present themselves, having completed their education and combat training. Bhishma says that Dhritharashtra though blind, is a very powerful man, whose strength allows him to easily pulverize rocks. Pandu is as skilled a warrior as Bhishma himself, and Vidhur the maid’s son is the most knowledgeable of politics and ethics of the three. Bhishma then prepares to crown Dhritarashtra the new king, but Vidhur interjects. Vidhur claims that a king’s job is to safeguard the kingdom, but due to his blindness, Dhritharashtra cannot even safeguard himself.
Therefore Pandu is the right choice for king. And Pandu gets his Awesome Moment of Crowning.
Tropes found here are
- Kavorka Man: Vyasa sleeps with three women in spite of a disheveled terrifying appearance.
- "I Can't Look!" Gesture: Ambika shuts her eyes in fear of Vyasa’s appearance.
- It's All About Me: Satyavati cannot wait for just one year, because “she can’t bear the throne of Hastinapur blaming her for the absence of a king” any longer. Later, upon learning of Dhritharashtra and Pandu’s fates, Satyavati blames her father’s ambition to have his grandsons rule Hastinapur. This ignores the fact that Dhritharashtra and Pandu’s conditions are entirely due to her impatience.
- I Want Grandkids: Satyavati wants them, and wants them NOW!! She is unwilling to wait for a year to get normal healthy grandkids.
- Passed-Over Promotion: Dhritharashtra was the eldest son and was entitled to the throne. But due to his blindness, he is passed over in favor of the pale skinned but otherwise healthy Pandu.
- The Pig-Pen: Vyasa has been meditating and observing austerities for a long time, so he has a filthy disheveled appearance. He pleads with his mother for some time to clean himself up to appear appealing to two princesses.
- Settle for Sibling: Vyasa impregnates Ambaalika and Ambika because his brother Vichitravirya died before he could.
- Undeathly Pallor: Ambaalika temporarily has this as she has sex with Vyasa, while scared out of her mind. As a result her son Pandu has such a pallor all his life.
