15.015
Vaiśampāyana said.
O Kauravya, when thus addressed by him, the urban and rural people, by the old king, became as if they had lost all awareness. (15-15-1)
Then, seeing those who had become silent and whose throats were choked with tears, King Dhritarashtra, the ruler of the earth, again spoke to them. (15-15-2)
O best of beings, when I, aged and bereft of my son, together with my righteous wife, was lamenting miserably in many ways. (15-15-3)
Permitted by their father, by Kṛṣṇadvaipāyana indeed, for dwelling in the forest, the knowers of dharma (the Pāṇḍavas) were also permitted by the righteous king. (15-15-4)
Therefore, I, with my head bowed again and again, beseech you, O sinless ones, that together with Gandhari you all ought to fully grant me permission. (15-15-5)
But having heard the pitiful words of the king of the Kurus, O king, the assembled people of the Kuru country wept on all sides. (15-15-6)
They covered their faces with their upper garments and hands, and, tormented by grief, wept for a while, as if mourning a father and mother. (15-15-7)
With hearts emptied, they endured the sorrow from Dhṛtarāṣṭra's exile and became as if they had lost all awareness. (15-15-8)
After overcoming that fatigue caused by being separated from the king of the Kurus, they slowly began to share their opinions with each other. (15-15-9)
Then, O king, having composed all the statements in summary and placed them in one brāhmaṇa, they spoke to the lord of men. (15-15-10)
Then, O king, Sāmba, the elder, respected and accomplished in meaning, versed in the Ṛgveda, began to speak at his feet. (15-15-11)
Having respectfully addressed the great king and spoken in that assembly, the bold and wise brāhmaṇa then spoke to the king. (15-15-12)
O King, the statement which all these people have entrusted to me, I shall speak that. O hero, accept it, O lord of men. (15-15-13)
O king, just as you say, O lord, all this is so; there is not the slightest falsehood here; our friendship is truly mutual. (15-15-14)
But never, in this lineage of kings, was there any king at any time who, being a protector of the people, would be unliked by the people. (15-15-15)
You protect us as a father and as a brother, and Duryodhana has not done anything improper, O king. (15-15-16)
O great king, do as the son of Satyavatī, the sage who knows dharma, says; for he indeed is our supreme teacher. (15-15-17)
We, having been abandoned by you, O King, will long remain absorbed in pain and sorrow, our hearts captivated by your hundreds of virtues. (15-15-18)
Just as you, O king, were protected by Śantanu, by the king, by Citrāṅgada, and by your father Bhīṣma, the mighty protector. (15-15-19)
The earth was governed by Pāṇḍu (Yudhiṣṭhira) with your intelligence, and likewise by King Duryodhana, and was well protected. (15-15-20)
O king, your son has not done even the slightest wrong. We were as fully confident in that ruler as we were in his father, just as you know well. (15-15-21)
In this way, O king, being protected by the intelligent and steadfast son of Kuntī for a thousand years, we obtained happiness. (15-15-22)
Of the royal sages, of the ancients, of you who are the holders of lineages, of Kuru, Saṃvaraṇa and others, and of the wise Bharata. (15-15-23)
This righteous-minded giver of abundant gifts follows proper conduct; O great king, there is not even the most subtle fault to be found here. (15-15-24)
We have always dwelt happily, protected by you; there is not even the slightest fault of you or your son. (15-15-25)
But, O joy of the Kurus, what you said regarding Duryodhana in this conflict among relatives, there too I will persuade you. (15-15-26)
