little caring whether these may or may not have been uttered by their foes.  They that are good, having regard to the state of their own feelings, can understand the feelings of others, and therefore remember only the good deeds and not the acts of hostility of their foes.  Thou hast acted even as good men of prepossessing countenance do, who transgress not the limits of virtue, wealth, pleasure and salvation.  O child, remember not the harsh words of Duryodhana.  Look at thy mother Gandhari and myself also, if thou desirest to remember only what is good.  O Bharata, look at me, who am thy father unto you and am old and blind, and still alive.  It was for seeing our friends and examining also the strength and weakness of my children, that I had, from motives of policy, suffered this match at dice to proceed.  O king those amongst the Kurus that have thee for their ruler, and the intelligent Vidura conversant with every branch of learning for their counsellor, have, indeed, nothing to grieve for.  In thee is virtue, in Arjuna is patience, in Bhimasena is prowess, and the twins, those foremost of men, is pure reverence for superiors.  Blest be thou, O Ajatasatru.  Return to Khandavaprastha, and let there be brotherly love between thee and thy cousins.  Let thy heart also be ever fixed on virtue.’”

Vaisampayana continued,—­“That foremost of the Bharatas—­king Yudhishthira the just—­then, thus addressed by his uncle, having gone through every ceremony of politeness, set out with his brothers for Khandavaprastha.  And accompanied by Draupadi and ascending their cars which were all of the hue of the clouds, with cheerful hearts they all set out for that best of cities called Indraprastha.”

SECTION LXXIII

Janamejaya said,—­“How did the sons of Dhritarashtra feel, when they came to know that the Pandavas had, with Dhritarashtra’s leave, left Hastinapore with all their wealth and jewels?”

Vaisampayana said,—­“O king, learning that the Pandavas had been commanded by the wise Dhritarashtra to return to their capital, Dussasana went without loss of time unto his brother.  And, O bull of the Bharata race, having arrived before Duryodhana with his counsellor, the prince, afflicted with grief, began to say,—­’Ye mighty warriors, that which we had won after so much trouble, the old man (our father) hath thrown away.  Know ye that he hath made over the whole of that wealth to the foes.  At these words, Duryodhana and Karna and Sakuni, the son of Suvala, all of whom were guided by vanity, united together, and desirous of counteracting the sons of Pandu, approaching in haste saw privately the wise king Dhritarashtra—­the son of Vichitravirya and spake unto him these pleasing and artful words.  Duryodhana said,—­