old king, coming out of the inner
apartments, beheld them all, as also his subjects assembled together.
Beholding all those assembled citizens and inhabitants of the provinces,
and his well-wishers also thus gathered together, and the large number of
Brahmanas arrived from diverge realms, king Dhritarashtra of great
intelligence, O monarch, said these words,--"Ye all and the Kurus have
lived together for many long years, well-wishers of each other, and each
employed in doing good to the other. What I shall now say in view of the
opportunity that has come, should be accomplished by you all even as
disciples accomplish the biddings of their preceptors. I have set my
heart upon retiring into the woods, along with Gandhari as my companion.
Vyasa has approved of this, as also the son of Kunti. Let me have your
permission too. Do not hesitate in this. That goodwill, which has always
existed between you and us, is not to be seen, I believe, in other realms
between the rulers and the ruled. I am worn out with this load of years
on my head. I am destitute of children. Ye sinless ones, I am emaciated
with fasts, along with Gandhari. The kingdom having passed to
Yudhishthira, I have enjoyed great happiness. Ye foremost of men, I think
that happiness has been greater than what I could expect from
Duryodhana's sovereignty. What other refuge can I have, old as I am and
destitute of children, save the woods? Ye highly blessed ones, it behoves
you to grant me the permission I seek." Hearing these words of his, all
these residents of Kurujangala, uttered loud lamentations, O best of the
Bharatas, with voices choked with tears. Desirous of telling those
grief-stricken people something more, Dhritarashtra of great energy, once
more addressed them and said as follows.'"

SECTION IX

"'Dhritarashtra said, "Santanu duly ruled this Earth. Similarly,
Vichitraviryya also, protected by Bhishma, ruled you. Without doubt, all
this is known to you. It is also known to you how Pandu, my brother, was
dear to me as also to you. He also ruled you duly. Ye sinless ones, I
have also served you. Whether those services have come up to the mark or
fallen short of it, it behoveth you to forgive me, for I have attended to
my duties without heedlessness. Duryodhana also enjoyed this kingdom
without a thorn in his side. Foolish as he was and endued with wicked
understanding, he did not, however, do any wrong to you. Through the
fault, however, of that pri