And
then he revealed in detail the envyand hatred that were eating into his vitals and
depriving life of its savour. He referred to the prosperity he had seen in the capital of
the Pandavas which to him was bitterer than loss of his all would have been.
He burst out: "Contentment with one's lot
is not characteristic of a Kshatriya. Fear and pity lower the dignity of kings. My wealth
and pleasures do not give me any satisfaction since I have witnessed the greater
prosperity of Yudhishthira. O king, the Pandavas have grown, while we have shrunk."
Dhritarashtra said: "Beloved child, you
are the eldest son of my royal spouse and me and heir to the glory and great ness of our
renowned race. Do not cherish any hatred towards the Pandavas. Sorrow and death will be
the sole result of hatred of kith and kin, especially when they are blameless.
Tell me, why do you hate the guileless
Yudhishthira? Is not his prosperity ours too? Our friends are his friends. He has not the
least jealousy or hatred towards us. You are equal to him in heroism and ancestry. |
