leled in deluding those that are already deluded.
Thou must also enquire about the welfare of Vidura, O sire, who alone is
devoted to us, who is our instructor, who reared us, who is our father
and mother and friend, whose understanding finds obstruction in nought,
whose ken reaches far, and who is our counsellor. Thou must also salute
all the aged dames and those who are known to be possessed of merit, and
those who are like mothers to us, meeting them gathered together in one
place. Thou must tell them, O Sanjaya, these words at first,--Ye mothers
of living sons, I hope, your sons comfort themselves towards you in a
kindly, considerate, and worthy way.--Thou must then tell them that
Yudhishthira is doing well with his sons. Those ladies, O Sanjaya, who
are in the rank of our wives, thou must ask as to their welfare also
addressing them in these words,--I hope, you are well-protected. I hope,
your fair fame hath suffered no injury. I hope, you are dwelling within
your abodes blamelessly and carefully. I hope, you are comforting
yourselves towards your fathers-in-law in a kindly, praise-worthy and
considerate way. You must steadily adopt such a conduct for yourselves as
will help you to win your husband's favour! Those young ladies, O
Sanjaya, who bear a relationship to us like that of your
daughters-in-law, who have been brought from high families, who are
possessed of merit and who are mothers of children,--thou must meet them
all and tell them that Yudhishthira send his kindly greetings to them.
Thou must, O Sanjaya, embrace the daughters of your house, and must ask
them about their welfare on my behalf. Thou must tell them,--May your
husbands be kindly and agreeable; may you be agreeable to your husbands;
may you have ornaments and clothes and perfumery and cleanliness; may you
be happy and have at your command the joys of life; may your looks be
pretty and words pleasant. Thou must ask, O sire, the women of the house
as to their welfare. Thou must also represent unto the maid-servants and
man-servants there, may be of the Kurus, and also the many humpbacked and
lame ones among them, that I am doing well, and thou must then ask them
about their welfare. Thou must tell them,--I hope, Dhritarashtra's son
still vouchsafes the same kindly treatment to you. I hope, he gives you
the comforts of life.--Thou must also represent unto those that are
defective in limb, those that are imbecile, the dwarfs to whom
Dhritarashtra gi