midst of the celestials!  And approaching Yudhishthira, Sanjaya worshipped him duly and was received with due respect by Bhima and Arjuna and the twins.  And Yudhishthira made the usual enquiries about his welfare and when he had been seated at his ease, he disclosed the reason of his visit, in these words, ’King Dhritarashtra, the son of Amvika, hath, O Kshatta! remembered thee!  Returning unto him without loss of time, do thou revive the king!  And, O thou best of men, with the permission of these Kuru princes—­these foremost of men—­it behoveth thee, at the command of that lion among kings, to return unto him!

Vaisampayana continued, ’Thus addressed by Sanjaya, the intelligent Vidura, ever attached to his relatives, with the permission of Yudhishthira returned to the city named after the elephant.  And after he had approached the king, Dhritarashtra of great energy, the son of Amvika, addressed him, saying, ’From my good luck alone, O Vidura, thou, O sinless one, of conversant with morality, hast come here remembering me!  And, O thou bull of the Bharata race, in thy absence I was beholding myself, sleepless through the day and the night, as one that hath been lost on earth!’ And the king then took Vidura on his lap and smelt his head, and said, ’Forgive me, O sinless one, the words in which thou wert addressed by me!’ And Vidura said, ’O king, I have forgiven thee.  Thou art my superior, worthy of the highest reverence!  Here am I, having come back, eagerly wishing to behold thee!  All virtuous men, O tiger among men, are (instinctively) partial towards those that are distressed!  This, O king, is scarcely the result of deliberation! (My partiality to the Pandavas proceedeth from this cause)!  O Bharata, thy sons are as dear to me as the sons of Pandu, but as the latter are now in distress, my heart yearneth after them!

“Vaisampayana continued, ’And addressing each other thus in apologetic speeches, the two illustrious brothers, Vidura and Dhritarashtra, felt themselves greatly happy!’”

SECTION VII

“Vaisampayana said, ’Hearing that Vidura had returned, and that the king had consoled him, the evil-minded son of Dhritarashtra began to burn in grief.  His understanding clouded by ignorance, he summoned the son of Suvala, and Karna and Dussasana, and addressed them saying, ’The learned Vidura, the minister of the wise Dhritarashtra, hath returned!  The friend of the sons of Pandu, he is ever engaged in doing what is beneficial to them.  So long as this Vidura doth not succeed in inducing the king to bring them back, do ye all think of what may benefit me!  If ever I behold the sons of Pritha return to the city, I shall again be emaciated by renouncing food and drink, even though there be no obstacle in my path!  And I shall either take poison or hang myself, either enter the pyre or kill myself with my own weapons.  But I shall never be able to behold the sons of Pandu in prosperity!