If thou hadst slain the king, O Partha, what wouldst thou have
done after that? Morality is so inscrutable, especially by persons of
foolish understanding. Without doubt great grief would have been thine in
consequence of thy fear of sin. Thou wouldst have sunk also in terrible
hell in consequence of the slaughter of thy brother. Gratify now this
king of virtuous behaviour, this foremost of all practisers of virtue,
this chief of Kuru's race. Even this is my wish. Gratifying the king with
devotion, and after Yudhishthira will have been made happy, we two will
proceed against the car of the Suta's son for fighting him. Slaying Karna
today with thy keen shafts in battle, do thou, O giver of honours, give
great happiness to Dharma's son. Even this, O mighty-armed one, is what I
think to be suitable to this hour. Having done this, thy purpose will be
achieved." Then Arjuna, O monarch, in shame, touched king Yudhishthira's
feet with his head. And he repeatedly said unto that chief of the
Bharatas, "Be pleased with me, Forgive, O king, all that I have said from
desire of observing virtue and from fear of sins.'"
"Sanjaya said, 'Beholding Dhananjaya, that slayer of foes, lying weeping
at his feet, O bull of Bharata's race, king Yudhishthira the just raised
his brother. And king Yudhishthira, that lord of the earth, then embraced
his brother affectionately and wept aloud. The two brothers, of great
splendour, having wept for a long while, at last became freed from grief,
O monarch, and as cheerful as before.
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