“Vaisampayana said, ‘King Drupada, after his alliance with the Pandavas,had all his fears dispelled. Indeed, the monarch no longer stood in feareven of the gods. The ladies of the illustrious Drupada’s householdapproached Kunti and introduced themselves unto her, mentioning theirrespective names, and worshipped her feet with heads touching the ground.
“Vaisampayana said, ‘The news was carried unto all the monarchs (who hadcome to the Self-choice of Draupadi) by their trusted spies that thehandsome Draupadi had been united in marriage with the sons of Pandu.
“Vaisampayana said, ‘Dhritarashtra replied saying, I desire to do exactlywhat you would recommend. But I do not wish to inform Vidura of it evenby a change of muscle. It was, therefore, O son, that I was applaudingthe Pandavas in Vidura’s presence, so that he might not know even by asign what is in my mind. Now that Vidura hath gone away, this is thetime, O Suyodhana (Duryodhana), for telling me what thou hast hit upon,and what, O Radheya (Karna), thou too hast hit upon.’
“Vaisampayana said, ‘Thus addressed by Duryodhana, Karna said, ‘It dothnot seem to me, O Duryodhana, that thy reasoning is well-founded. Operpetuator of the Kuru race, no method will succeed against thePandavas.
“Vaisampayana said, ‘Asked by Dhritarashtra to give his opinion, Bhishmareplied, ‘O Dhritarashtra, a quarrel with the Pandavas is what I cannever approve of. As thou art to me, so was Pandu without doubt. And thesons of Gandhari are to me, as those of Kunti.
“Vaisampayana said, ‘After Bhishma had concluded, Drona spoke, saying, ‘Oking Dhritarashtra, it hath been heard by us that friends summoned forconsultation should always speak what is right, true, and conductive tofame.
“Vaisampayana said, ‘After Drona had ceased, Vidura spoke, saying, ‘Omonarch, thy friends without doubt, are saying unto thee what is for thygood. But as thou art unwilling to listen to what they say, their wordsscarcely find a place in thy ears.
“Vaisampayana said, ‘Hearing these various speeches, Dhritarashtra said,The learned Bhishma, the son of Santanu, and the illustrious Rishi Drona,and thyself also (O Vidura), have said the truth and what also is mostbeneficial to me. Indeed, as those mighty car-warriors, the heroic sonsof Kunti.
“Vaisampayana said, ‘Hearing these words of Vidura, Drupada said, ‘It iseven so as thou, O Vidura of great wisdom, hast said. Venerable one, Itoo have been exceedingly happy in consequence of this alliance. It ishighly proper that these illustrious princes should return to theirancestral kingdom. But it is not proper for me to say this myself.
“Janamejaya said, ‘O thou possessed of ascetic wealth, what did thosehigh-souled ones, my grandsires, the illustrious Pandavas, do, afterobtaining the kingdom of Indraprastha? How did their wife Draupadi obeythem all? How is it also that no dissensions arose amongst thoseillustrious rulers of men, all attached to one wife, viz., Krishna?
