n, grieving for thee and for Gandhari, faileth to
obtain any happiness. Overwhelmed with shame he cometh not before thee
that art burning with grief on account of thy children and whose
understanding and senses have been agitated by that grief!' Having said
these words unto Dhritarashtra, that foremost one of Yadu's race, O
monarch, addressed the grief-stricken Gandhari in these words of high
import: 'O daughter of Subala, thou of excellent vows, listen to what I
say! O auspicious dame, there is now no lady like thee in the world! Thou
rememberest, O queen, those words that thou spokest in the assembly in my
presence, those words fraught with righteousness and that were beneficial
to both parties, which thy sons, O auspicious lady, did not obey!
Duryodhana who coveted victory was addressed by thee in bitter words!
Thou toldst him then. "Listen, O fool, to these words of mine: 'thither
is victory where righteousness is.'" Those words of thine, O princess,
have now been accomplished! Knowing all this, O auspicious lady, do not
set thy heart on sorrow. Let not thy heart incline towards the
destruction of the Pandavas! In consequence of the strength of thy
penances, thou art able, O highly blessed one, to burn, with thy eyes
kindled with rage, the whole Earth with her mobile and immobile
creatures!' Hearing these words of Vasudeva, Gandhari said, 'It is even
so, O Keshava, as thou sayest! My heart, burning in grief, has been
unsteadied! After hearing thy words, however, that heart, O Janardana,
hath again become steady. As regards the blind old king, now become
child, thou, O foremost of men, with those heroes, the sons of Pandu,
hast become his refuge!' Having said so much, Gandhari, burning in grief
on account of the death of her sons, covered her face with her cloth and
began to weep aloud. The mighty-armed lord Keshava then comforted the
grief-stricken princess with words that were fraught with reasons drawn
from visible instances. Having comforted Gandhari and Dhritarashtra,
Keshava of Madhu's race came to know (by intuition) the evil that was
meditated by Drona's son. Rising up in haste after worshipping the feet
of Vyasa bending his head, Keshava, O monarch, addressed Dhritarashtra,
saying, 'I take my leave, O foremost one of Kuru's race! Do not set thy
heart on grief! The son of Drona bears an evil purpose. It is for this
that I rise so suddenly! It seems that he has formed a plan of destroying
the Pandavas during the