15.007
The arrival of Vyāsa;
Dhritarashtra said.
Touch me again with your hand and embrace me, O Pāṇḍava. O lotus-eyed, I feel as if I am revived by your touch. (15-7-1)
O lord of men, I wish to smell your head and to touch you with my hands; indeed, my life-forces have not yet left me. (15-7-2)
Indeed, this is the eighth time today since I have taken food, O tiger among the Kurus, by which I am unable to move. (15-7-3)
O dear one, this exceedingly great effort was made for you by one earnestly beseeching; therefore I became fatigued and breathless, as if bereft of consciousness. (15-7-4)
O best of the Kuru race, I consider that, having received this touch of your hand which is like nectar, O Lord, I have been revived. (15-7-5)
Vaiśampāyana said.
O Bhārata, when thus addressed by his father, the elder, Kaunteya gently touched him on all his limbs out of affection. (15-7-6)
Regaining his life, King Dhṛtarāṣṭra then embraced Pāṇḍava (Yudhiṣṭhira) with both arms and smelled his head. (15-7-7)
Vidura and the others all wept intensely in grief. The Pāṇḍavas, due to extreme sorrow, did not speak anything to the king. (15-7-8)
But Gāndhārī, who knew dharma, although bearing great distress of mind, restrained her sufferings, O King, and only said, "Do not act thus." (15-7-9)
"But all the other women, together with Kuntī, greatly distressed, with their eyes overcome by sorrow, gathered around and stood." (15-7-10)
Then Dhritarashtra again spoke these words to Yudhishthira: "O king, bull among the Bharatas, permit me to undertake austerities." (15-7-11)
O son, my mind is pained again and again as you continue speaking. You should not trouble me further about this.
But as the Kaurava king was thus speaking to Pāṇḍava, a great wail of distress arose from all the women. (15-7-13)
Seeing the king, emaciated, discolored, not as he ought to be, exhausted from fasting, and nothing but skin and bones. (15-7-14)
Yudhiṣṭhira, the son of Dharma, embraced his father, composed himself after shedding tears of grief, and once again spoke.
O best of men, I do not desire life nor the earth; rather, O king, I wish to do that which is dear to you, O subduer of foes. (15-7-16)
If I am either worthy of your favor or your beloved, then let food be prepared first; afterwards, we shall know. (15-7-17)
Thereupon, the illustrious king said to the son of Dharma: 'I wish to enjoy (the kingdom), if you permit me, O son.' (15-7-18)
While Dhṛtarāṣṭra was speaking to Yudhiṣṭhira, Vyāsa, the sage and son of Satyavatī, approached and spoke these words. (15-7-19)
