Puranic Encyclopaedia: A Comprehensive Dictionary with Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature c8.1840

c8.1840

3) *How Pāṇḍu got his name.* Vyāsa came to Hastināpura by the command of his mother to beget sons of Ambikā and Ambālikā. Vyāsa was an ugly sage with matted hair and he was dressed in garments of deerskin. Satyavatī that night called Ambikā to her side and in secret commanded her to go and lie with Vyāsa. She was reluctant to have a sexual union with that old and ugly sage. Yet obeying the orders of her mother-in-law she did so shutting her eyes during the whole period. The result was she got a child born blind who became known as Dhṛtarāṣṭra. The next day Satyavatī ordered Ambālikā to go and lie with Vyāsa. Ambālikā on entering the bed chamber went pale on seeing the ugly Vyāsa and the result was she got a child that was pale white in colour. That child became known as Pāṇḍu. The third day Satyavatī asked her servant-maid to go and lie with Vyāsa. She did it with pleasure and she remained happy and cheerful during the whole period. The result was she got a beautiful child who became an intelligent scholar of great wisdom. He was known later as Vidura. (Chapters 1, 63, and 105, Ādi Parva).