ng his eyes which were bathed in tears of affection, said these
words of lament. "The king casts me off, as also Gandhari of great fame.
My heart, however, is bound to thee. How shall I, filled as I am with
grief, leave thee? I do not, however, at the same time, venture to
obstruct thy penances, O righteous lady. There is nothing higher than
penances. It is by penances that one attains to the Supreme. O queen, my
heart no longer turns as of old towards kingdom. My mind is wholly set
upon penances now. The whole Earth is empty now. O auspicious lady, she
does not please me any longer. Our kinsmen have been reduced in number.
Our strength is no longer what it was before. The Panchalas have been
wholly exterminated. They exist in name only. O auspicious lady, I do not
behold any one that may assist as their re-establishment and growth. All
of them have been consumed to ashes by Drona on the field of battle.
Those that remained were slain by Drona's son at night. The Chedis and
the Matsyas, who were our friends, no longer exist. Only the tribes of
the Vrishnis are all that remain, Vasudeva having upheld them. Beholding
only the Vrishnis I wish to live. My desire of life, however, is due to
my wish of acquiring merit and not wealth or enjoyment. Do thou cast
auspicious looks upon us all. To obtain thy sight will be difficult for
us. The king will commence to practise the most austere and unbearable of
penances." Hearing these words, that lord of battle, the mighty-armed
Sahadeva, with eyes bathed in tears, addressed Yudhishthira, saying,--"O
chief of Bharata's race, I dare not leave my mother. Do thou return to
the capital soon. I shall practise penances, O puissant one. Even here I
shall emaciate my body by penances, engaged in serving the feet of the
king and of these my mothers." Unto that mighty-armed hero, Kunti, after
an embrace, said--"Depart, O son. Do not say so. Do my bidding. Do all of
you go hence. Let peace be yours. Ye sons, let happiness be yours. By
your stay here, our penances will be obstructed. Bound by the ties of my
affection for thee, I shall fall off from my high penances. Therefore, O
son, leave us. Short is the period that we have of life, O thou of great
puissance." By these and diverse other speeches of Kunti, the minds of
Sahadeva and king Yudhishthira were composed. Those foremost ones of
Kuru's race, having received the permission of their mother as also of
the (old) monarch, saluted the latter and