Dhritarashtra said: O illustrious one, I did not like this business of gambling. O Rishi, I think I was made to give my consent having been drawn by Fate.

Neither Bhishma, nor Drona, nor Vidura, nor Gandhari, liked this game at dice. There is no doubt it was begot by Moha (delusion).

O illustrious one, O (Rishi), who delights in observing vows, knowing everything, but yet for the sake of paternal love. I was unable to abandon the senseless Duryodhana.

Vyasa said : O king, O son of Vichitravirya, what you say is right. We too know it for certain that the son is the greatest of all things. I here is nothing greater than the son.

Instructed by the Surabhi (celestials cow), Indra came to know that the son surpasses in worth other valuable possessions.

O king, I shall relate to you in this connection that excellent and best of stories, the conversation between Indra and Surabhi.

O king, O child, in the days of yore Surabhi, the mother of cows, was once weeping in the celestials regions. Indra took compassion on her.

Indra said: O blessed one, why do you weep? Is everything well with the celestials? Has any misfortune, however so little, befallen on the world of men or of the Nagas.

Surabhi said: O lord of heaven, I do not see any evil that has befallen you. I am aggrieved on account of my son. O Vasava, therefore I weep.

O chief of the gods, O lord of the celestials, see the (your) cruel husband-man belabouring my weak son with the wooden stick and oppressing him with the stick, for which my son is afflicted with agony and he is falling on the ground and is at the point of death. I am filled with compassion and my mind is agitated. One of those (in the plough) is the stronger (of the pair) and bears his burden of greater weight (with ease), but the other (my son) is lean and weak and but a mass of veins and arteries. O Vasava, he bears his burden with difficulty. Therefore, I am weeping. Being whipped again and again harassed exceedingly.

O Vasava, look, he is unable to bear the burden. Therefore, afflicted with grief for his sake, I weep in agony; and tears of sorrow roll down my eyes.

Indra said: O handsome one, thousands of your sons are oppressed (all over the world), why do you then grieve for one who is under inflictions?

Surabhi said: Though I have thousands of offspring, yet my affection flows equally towards them all. But, O Shakra, I feel greater compassion for one who is weak and honest.

Vyasa said: Having heard the words of Surabhi, Indra was much surprised. O descendant of Kuru, he became convinced that a son is dearer than one's own life.

Thereupon the illustrious chastiser of Paka (Indra) suddenly poured a very great shower of rains. Thus he caused obstruction to the husband man's work.

O king, as Surabhi said, your affection flows equally towards all your sons. Let it be greater towards those that are weak.

O son, as my son Pandu is to me, so are you and also greatly wise Vidura. It is out of affection I tell you all this.

O descendant of Bharata, You possess one hundred and one children. Pandu has only five. They are in misery and they are greatly afflicted.

"How might they save their lives how might they thrive?" Such thoughts about the distressed sons of Pritha make me aggrieved.

O king, if you wish to keep all the Kurus alive, let your son Duryodhana make peace with the Pandavas.