rmission of these Kuru princes--these
foremost of men--it behoveth thee, at the command of that lion among
kings, to return unto him!

Vaisampayana continued, 'Thus addressed by Sanjaya, the intelligent
Vidura, ever attached to his relatives, with the permission of
Yudhishthira returned to the city named after the elephant. And after he
had approached the king, Dhritarashtra of great energy, the son of
Amvika, addressed him, saying, 'From my good luck alone, O Vidura, thou,
O sinless one, of conversant with morality, hast come here remembering
me! And, O thou bull of the Bharata race, in thy absence I was beholding
myself, sleepless through the day and the night, as one that hath been
lost on earth!' And the king then took Vidura on his lap and smelt his
head, and said, 'Forgive me, O sinless one, the words in which thou wert
addressed by me!' And Vidura said, 'O king, I have forgiven thee. Thou
art my superior, worthy of the highest reverence! Here am I, having come
back, eagerly wishing to behold thee! All virtuous men, O tiger among
men, are (instinctively) partial towards those that are distressed! This,
O king, is scarcely the result of deliberation! (My partiality to the
Pandavas proceedeth from this cause)! O Bharata, thy sons are as dear to
me as the sons of Pandu, but as the latter are now in distress, my heart
yearneth after them!

"Vaisampayana continued, 'And addressing each other thus in apologetic
speeches, the two illustrious brothers, Vidura and Dhritarashtra, felt
themselves greatly happy!'"

SECTION VII

"Vaisampayana said, 'Hearing that Vidura had returned, and that the king
had consoled him, the evil-minded son of Dhritarashtra began to burn in
grief. His understanding clouded by ignorance, he summoned the son of
Suvala, and Karna and Dussasana, and addressed them saying, 'The learned
Vidura, the minister of the wise Dhritarashtra, hath returned! The friend
of the sons of Pandu, he is ever engaged in doing what is beneficial to
them. So long as this Vidura doth not succeed in inducing the king to
bring them back, do ye all think of what may benefit me! If ever I behold
the sons of Pritha return to the city, I shall again be emaciated by
renouncing food and drink, even though there be no obstacle in my path!
And I shall either take poison or hang myself, either enter the pyre or
kill myself with my own weapons. But I shall never be able to behold the
sons of Pandu in prosperity!

"Sakuni sai