o it, however much the people might be unfavourable to us.'"

SECTION CXLIV

(Jatugriha Parva continued)

"Vaisampayana continued, "King Dhritarashtra whose knowledge only was his
eyes, on hearing these words of his son and recollecting everything that
Kanika had, said unto him, became afflicted with sorrow, and his mind
also thereupon began to waver. Then Duryodhana and Karna, and Sakuni, the
son of Suvala, and Duhsasana as their fourth, held a consultation
together. Prince Duryodhana said unto Dhritarashtra, 'Send, O father, by
some clever contrivance, the Pandavas to the town of Varanavata. We shall
then have no fear of them.' Dhritarashtra, on hearing these words uttered
by his son, reflected for a moment and replied unto Duryodhana, saying,
'Pandu, ever devoted to virtue, always behaved dutifully towards all his
relatives but particularly towards me. He cared very little for the
enjoyments of the world, but devotedly gave everything unto me, even the
kingdom. His son is as much devoted to virtue as he, and is possessed of
every accomplishment. Of world-wide fame, he is again the favourite of
the people. He is possessed of allies; how can we by force exile him from
his ancestral kingdom? The counsellors and soldiers (of the state) and
their sons and grandsons have all been cherished and maintained by Pandu.
Thus benefited of old by Pandu, shall not, O child, the citizens slay us
with all our friends and relatives now on account of Yudhishthira?"

"Duryodhana replied, 'What thou sayest, O father, is perfectly true. But
in view of the evil that is looming on the future as regards thyself, if
we conciliate the people with wealth and honours, they would assuredly
side with us for these proofs of our power. The treasury and the
ministers of state, O king, are at this moment under our control.
Therefore, it behoveth thee now to banish, by some gentle means, the
Pandavas to the town of Varanavata; O king, when the sovereignty shall
have been vested in me, then, O Bharata, may Kunti with her children come
back from that place.'

"Dhritarashtra replied, 'This, O Duryodhana, is the very thought existing
in my mind. But from its sinfulness I have never given expression to it.
Neither Bhishma, nor Drona, nor Kshattri, nor Gautama (Kripa) will ever
sanction the exile of the Pandavas. In their eyes, O dear son, amongst
the Kurus ourselves and the Pandavas are equal. Those wise and virtuous
persons will make no difference