s there on
earth who is more afflicted than my wretched self? Since it is so, let
the Pandavas behold me this very day firmly resolved to betake myself to
the long way that leads to the regions of Brahman!'"

Vaishampayana continued, "While king Dhritarashtra was indulging in such
lamentations, Sanjaya addressed him in the following words for dispelling
his grief, 'Cast off thy grief, O monarch! Thou hast heard the conclusions
of the Vedas and the contents of diverse scriptures and holy writ, from
the lips of the old, O king! Thou hast heard those words which the sages
said unto Sanjaya while the latter was afflicted with grief on account of
the death of his son. When thy son, O monarch, caught the pride that is
born of youth, thou didst not accept the counsels offered unto thee by
thy well-wishers. Desirous of fruit, thou didst not, through
covetousness, do what was really for thy benefit. Thy own intelligence,
like a sharp sword, has wounded thee. Thou didst generally pay court to
those that were of wicked behaviour. Thy son had Duhshasana for his
counsellor, and the wicked-souled son of Radha, and the equally wicked
Shakuni and Citrasena of foolish understanding, and Salya. Thy son (by
his own behaviour) made the whole world his enemy. Thy son, O Bharata,
did not obey the words of Bhishma, the reverend chief of the Kurus, of
Gandhari and Vidura, of Drona, O king, of Kripa the son of Sharadvata, of
the mighty-armed Krishna, of the intelligent Narada, of many other
Rishis, and of Vyasa himself of immeasurable energy. Though possessed of
prowess, thy son was of little intelligence, proud, always desirous of
battle, wicked, ungovernable, and discontented. Thou art possessed of
learning and intelligence and art always truthful. They that are so
righteous and possessed of such intelligence as thou, are never stupefied
by grief. Virtue was regarded by none of them. Battle was the one word on
their lips. For this the Kshatriya order has been exterminated and the
fame of thy foes enhanced. Thou hadst occupied the position of an umpire,
but thou didst not utter one word of salutary advise. Unfitted as thou
wert for the task, thou didst not hold the scales evenly. Every person
should, at the outset, adopt such a beneficial line of action that he may
not have, in the end, to repent for something already done by him.
Through affection for thy son, O monarch, thou didst what was agreeable
to Duryodhana. Thou art obliged to repent f