Chapter 13

Vaishampayana said, “Certain maid-servants then came to the king forwashing him. After he had been duly washed, the slayer of Madhu againaddressed him, saying, Thou hast, O king, read the Vedas and diversescriptures. Thou hast heard all old histories, and everything about theduties of kings. Thou art learned, possessed of great wisdom, andindifferent to strength and weakness. Why then dost thou cherish suchwrath when all that has overtaken thee is the result of thy own fault? Ispoke to thee before the battle. Both Bhishma and Drona, O Bharata, didthe same, as also Vidura and Sanjaya. Thou didst not, however, thenfollow our advice. Indeed, though exhorted by us, thou didst not yet actaccording to the counsels we offered, knowing that the Pandavas weresuperior to thee and thine, O Kauravya, in strength and courage. Thatking who is capable of seeing his own faults and knows the distinctionsof place and time, obtains great prosperity. That person, however, who,though counselled by well-wishers, does not accept their words, good orbad, meets with distress and is obliged to grieve in consequence of theevil policy he pursues. Observe thou a different course of life now, OBharata! Thou didst not keep thy soul under restraint, but sufferedthyself to be ruled by Duryodhana. That which has come upon thee is dueto thy own fault. Why then dost thou seek to slay Bhima? Recollecting thyown faults, govern thy wrath now. That mean wretch who had, from pride,caused the princess of Pancala to be brought into the assembly has beenslain by Bhimasena in just revenge. Look at thy own evil acts as also atthose of thy wicked-souled son. The sons of Pandu are perfectly innocent.Yet have they been treated most cruelly by thee and him.”

Vaishampayana continued, “After he had thus been told nothing but thetruth by Krishna, O monarch, king Dhritarashtra replied unto Devakis son,saying, It is even so, O thou of mighty arms! What thou sayest, OMadhava, is perfectly true. It is parental affection, O thou of righteoussoul, that caused me to fall away from righteousness. By good luck, thattiger among men, the mighty Bhima of true prowess, protected by thee,came not within my embrace. Now, however, I am free from wrath and fever.I desire eagerly, O Madhava, to embrace that hero, the second son ofPandu. When all the kings have been dead, when my children are no more,upon the sons of Pandu depend my welfare and happiness. Having said thesewords, the old king then embraced those princes of excellent frames,Bhima and Dhananjaya, and those two foremost of men, the two sons ofMadri, and wept, and comforted and pronounced blessings upon them.”