Rule thou the wide earth protected by
Karna and Suvala's sons. Like Indra himself looking after the Maruts,
cherish thou thy brothers in such a way that they may all confide in
thee. Let thy friends and relatives depend on thee like the gods
depending on him of a hundred sacrifices. Always shouldst thou bestow
pensions on Brahmanas, without idleness, and be thou ever the refuge of
thy friends and relatives. Like Vishnu looking after the celestials,
thou shouldst always look after all consanguineous relatives. Thou
shouldst also ever cherish thy superiors. Go, rule thou the earth
gladdening thy friends and reproving thy foes.' And clasping his neck,
Duryodhana said, 'Go!' Hearing these words of his, Dussasana in perfect
cheerlessness and overwhelmed with great sorrow, his voice choked in
tears, said, with joined hands and bending his head unto his eldest
brother, 'Relent!' And saying this he fell down on earth with heavy
heart. And afflicted with grief that tiger among men, shedding his tears
on the feet of his brother again said, 'This will never be! The earth
may split, the vault of heaven may break in pieces, the sun may cast off
his splendour, the moon may abandon his coolness, the wind may forsake
its speed, the Himavat may be moved from its site, the waters of the
ocean may dry up, and fire may abandon its heat, yet I, O king, may
never rule the earth without thee.' And Dussasana repeatedly said,
'Relent, O king! Thou alone shall be king in our race for a hundred
years.
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