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 prince of wicked understanding, and through his
pride, as also through my own impolicy, a great carnage has taken place
of persons of the royal order. Whether I have, in that matter, acted
rightly or wrongly, I pray you with joined hands to dispel all
remembrance of it from your hearts.--This one is old; this one has lost
all his children; this one is afflicted with grief; this one was our
king;--this one is a descendant of former kings;--considerations like
these should induce you to forgive me. This Gandhari also is cheerless
and old. She too has lost her children and is helpless. Afflicted with
grief for the loss of her sops, she solicits you with me. Knowing that
both of us are old and afflicted and destitute of children, grant us the
permission we seek. Blessed be you, we seek your protection. This Kuru
king, Yudhishthira, the son of Kunti, should be looked after by you all,
in prosperity as well as in adversity. He will never fall into distress,
he that has for his counsellors four such brothers of abundant prowess.
All of them are conversant with both righteousness and wealth, and
resemble the very guardians of the world. Like the illustrious Brahman
himself, the Lord of the universe of creatures, this Yudhishthira of
mighty energy will rule you. That which should certainly be said is now
said by me. I make over to you it this Yudhishthira here as a deposit. I
make you also a deposit in the hands of this hero. It behoves you all to
forget and forgive whatever injury has been done to you by those sons of
mine that are no longer alive, or, indeed, by any one else belonging to
me. Ye never harboured any wrath against me on any previous occasion. I
join my hands before you who are distinguished for loyalty. Here, I bow
to you all. Ye sinless one, I, with Gandhari by my side, solicit your
pardon now for anything done to you by those sons of mine, of restless
understandings, stained by cupidity, and ever acting as their desires
prompted.' Thus addressed by the old monarch, all those citizens and
inhabitants of the provinces, filled with tears, said nothing but only
looked at one another."'
