I Want To Read Moreeee - Blog Posts

Wonderful Women of History: DURDHARA, fl.4th century BCE, wife of Chandragupta Maurya and mother of his heir; according to tradition, relative of the dynasty he deposed.

1) irresistible, difficult to be stopped.

2) difficult to be borne or suffered

3) difficult to be accomplished.

4) difficult to be kept in memory.

                                                        - Translations of Durdhara’s name in Sanskrit

It is anger that saves her, buoys her up from drowning in despair. Things come; things go. She should have known this before, should have been taught this at her father’s knee. Instead she is reeling, now, uncertain of everything but that she must survive.

“You are stronger than you believe,” says Chandragupt, and he bends his head – that of an Emperor’s!– to kiss her wrist.

She loves him, then. 

(Requested by @chaanv)