'"
Vaisampayana continued, "Thus addressed by Karna, king Duryodhana,
firmly resolved to leave the world, desired not to rise from where he
sat."
SECTION CCXLIX
Vaisampayana said, "Beholding king Duryodhana, incapable of putting up
with an insult, seated with the resolution of giving up life by forgoing
food, Sakuni, the son of Suvala, said these words to comfort him. Sakuni
said, 'O son of the Kuru race, you have just heard what Karna hath said.
His words are, indeed fraught with wisdom. Why wouldst thou abandoning
from foolishness the high prosperity that I won for thee, cast off thy
life today, O king, yielding to silliness? It seemeth to me to-day that
thou hast never waited upon the old. He that cannot control sudden
accession of joy or grief, is lost even though he may have obtained
prosperity, like an unburnt earthen vessel in water. That king who is
entirely destitute of courage, who hath no spark of manliness, who is
the slave of procrastination, who always acts with indiscretion, who is
addicted to sensual pleasures, is seldom respected by his subjects.
Benefited as thou has been, whence is this unreasonable grief of thine?
Do not undo this graceful act done by the sons of Pritha, by indulging
in such grief. When thou shouldst joy and reward the Pandavas, thou art
grieving, O king? Indeed, this behaviour of thine is inconsistent. Be
cheerful, do not cast away thy life; but remember with a pleased heart
the good they have done thee.
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