Through fear of Yudhishthira alone I concealed my acts, for if the eldest son of Pandu came to know of my vow, he would feel great pain.  Clad in deer-skin, I lie down on the Earth, spreading a small quantity of Kusa grass, and pass the time in silent recitations.  Gandhari of great fame passes her time in the observance of similar vows.  Even thus do we both behave, we that have lost a century of gong none of whom even retreated from battle.  I do not, however, grieve for those children of mine.  They have all died in the observance of Kshatriya duties.’  Having said these words, the old king then addressed Yudhishthira in particular and said, ’Blessed be thou, O son of the princess of Yadu’s race.  Listen now to what I say.  Cherished by thee, O son, I have lived these years very happily.  I have (with thy help) made large gifts and performed Sraddhas repeatedly.[3] I have, O son, to the best of my power, achieved merit largely.  This Gandhari, though destitute of sons, has lived with great fortitude, looking all the while at me.  They whom inflicted great wrongs on Draupadi and robbed thee of thy affluence,—­those cruel wights—­have all left the world, slain in battle agreeably to the practice of their order.

I have nothing to do for them, O delighter of the Kurus.  Stain with their faces towards battle, they have attained to those regions which are for wielders of weapons.[4] I should now accomplish what is beneficial and meritorious for me as also for Gandhari.  It behoveth thee, O great king, to grant me permission.  Thou art the foremost of all righteous persons.  Thou art always devoted to righteousness.  The king is the preceptor of all creatures.  It is for this that I say so.  With thy permission, O hero, I shall retire into the woods, clad in rags and barks.  O king, alone with this Gandhari, I shall live in the woods, always blessing thee.  It is meet, O son, for the members of our race, to make over sovereignty, when old age comes, to children and lead the forest mode of life.  Subsisting there on air alone, or abstaining from all food, I shall, with this wife of mine, O hero, practise severe austerities.  Thou shalt be a sharer of these penances, O son, for thou art the king.  Kings are sharers of both auspicious and inauspicious acts done in their kingdom.’[5]

“Yudhishthira said, ’When thou, O king, art thus subject to grief, sovereignty does not please me at all.  Fie on me that am of wicked understanding, devoted to the pleasures of rule, and utterly heedless of my true concerns.  Alas, I, with all my brothers, was ignorant of thyself having so long been afflicted with grief, emaciated with fasts, abstaining from food, and lying on the bare ground.  Alas, foolish that I am, I have been deceived by thee that hast deep intelligence, inasmuch as, having inspired me with confidence at first thou hast latterly undergone such grief.  What need have I of kingdom or of articles of enjoyment, what need of sacrifices or