“Vyasa said, ’O wise Dhritarashtra, hear what I say!  I will tell thee that which is for the great good of all the Kauravas!  O thou of mighty arms, it hath not pleased me that the Pandavas have gone to the forest dishonestly defeated (at dice) by Duryodhana and others!  O Bharata, on the expiration of the thirteenth year, recollecting all their woes, they may shower death-dealing weapons, even like virulent poison, upon the Kauravas!  Why doth thy sinful son of wicked heart, ever inflamed with ire, seek to slay the sons of Pandu for the sake of their kingdom?  Let the fool be restrained; let thy son remain quiet!  In attempting to slay the Pandavas in exile, he will only lose his own life.  Thou art as honest as the wise Vidura, or Bhishma, or ourselves, or Kripa, or Drona, O thou of great wisdom, dissension with one’s own kin are forbidden, sinful and reprehensible!  Therefore, O king, it behoveth thee to desist from such acts!  And, O Bharata, Duryodhana looketh with such jealousy towards the Pandavas that great harm would be the consequence, if thou didst not interfere.  Or let this wicked son of thine, O monarch, along and unaccompanied, himself go to the forest and live with the sons of Pandu.  For then, if the Pandavas, from association, feel an attachment for Duryodhana, then, O king of men, good fortune may be thine. (This, however, may not be)!  For it hath been heard that one’s congenital nature leaveth him not till death.  But what do Bhishma and Drona and Vidura think?  What also dost thou think?  That which is beneficial should be done while there is time, else thy purposes will be unrealised.’”

SECTION IX

“Dhritarashtra said, ’O holy one, I did not like this business of gambling, but, O Muni, I think, I was made to consent to it drawn by fate!  Neither Bhishma, nor Drona, nor Vidura, nor Gandhari liked this game at dice.  No doubt, it was begot of folly.  And, O thou who delightest in the observance of vows, O illustrious one, knowing everything yet influenced by paternal affection, I am unable to cast off my senseless son, Duryodhana!’

“Vyasa said, ’O king, O son of Vichitravirya, what thou sayest is true!  We know it well that a son is the best of all things and that there is nothing that is so good as a son.  Instructed by the tears of Suravi, Indra came to know that the son surpasseth in worth other valuable possessions.  O monarch, I will, in this connection, relate to thee that excellent and best of stories, the conversation between Indra and Suravi.  In days of yore, Suravi, the mother of cows was once weeping in the celestial regions.  O child, Indra took compassion upon her, and asked her, saying, ’O auspicious one! why dost thou weep?  Is everything well with the celestials?  Hath any misfortune, ever so little, befallen the world of men or serpents?’ Suravi replied, ’No evil hath befallen thee that I perceive.  But I am aggrieved on account of my son, and it is therefore,