Dhritarashtra said Shantanu duly ruled this Earth. Likewise, Vichitravirya also, protected by Bhishma, ruled you. Forsooth, you know all this.

You know also how Pandu, my brother was dear to me as also to you. He also ruled you duly.

You sinless ones, I have also served you. Whether those services have come up to the ideal or fallen short of it, you should forgive me, for I have attended to my duties carefully.

Duryodhana also cnjoyed his kingdom without a thorn in his side. Foolish as he was and possessed of wicked understanding, he did not, however. do any wrong to you.

Through the fault, however, of that prince of wicked understanding, and through his pride, as also through my own impolicy, a great destruction of the Kshatriyas has taken place.

Whether I have, in that matter, acted rightly or wrongly, I pray you with joined hands to remove all recollections of it from your hearts.

This one is old; this one has lost all his children; this one stricken with sorrow; this one was our king; this one is a descendant of former kings;-considerations like these should induce you to forgive me.

This Gandhari, also is dispirited and old. She. too, has lost her children and is helpless. Stricken with grief or the loss of her hens, she solicits you with me.

Knowing that both of us are old and afflicted and destitute of children, grant us the permission we seck. Blessed be you, we seek your protection.

This Kuru king, Yudhishthira the son of Kunti, should be looked after by you all, in weal and woe.

He who has, four such brothers of abundant prowess, for his counselors will never fall into distress. All of them are conversant with both Virtue and Profit, and resemble the very guardians of the world.

Like the illustrious Brahman himself, the Lord of the universe with all its creatures, this Yudhishthira of great energy will rule you.

That which should certainly be said is now said by me. I make over to you this Yudhishthira here as a charge. I entrust you, also to the hands of this hero.

You should all forget and forgive whatever injury has been done to you by those sons of mine who are no longer alive, or, indeed, by any one else belonging to me.

You never cherished any anger again't me on any previous occasion. I join my hands before you who are famous for loyalty. Here, I bow to you all.

You sinless one, I, with Gandhari by my side, beg your pardon now for anything done to you by ihosc Sons of mine, of restless understanding, sullied by cupidity, and ever acting as their desires prompted.

Thus addressed by the old king, all those citizens and dwellers of the provinces, filled with icars, said nothing but only looked at one another.