Vasudeva said: -
1. Words like these having been spoken by Gandhari that lord of men, Dhritarashtra said these words to Duryodhana in the midst of the kings, O lord of men.
2. “O Duryodhana, listen to 'what I am going to say, my dear son, and act according to that if you entertain respect for your father. It will be well with you.
3. That lord of creatures, Soma was the first who begot the race of Kurus, and sixth in descent from Soma was Yayati the son of Nahusa.
4. He had five sons, the best among royal sages and of them Yadu of great energy was the first, and was the lord.
5. Younger than he was Puru and be was our ancestor; he was brought forth by Sharmistha, the daughter of Vaishaparvan,
6. Yadu, O foremost among the Bharatas, was the son of Devayani, and was therefore the grandson of Shukra, the wise Rishi of immeasurable energy.
7. The ancestor of the Yadavas, endued with strength and prowess as he was, being full of pride and vanity and wicked intelligence, insulted the Kshatriyas.
8. He did not act up to the instructions of his father being stupefied by the pride of his strength; and having never sustained a defeat he insulted his father and his brothers.
9. In the four quarters of the globe, Yadu was the strongest man and having brought all the rulers of men under subjection he lived in the city called after the elephant.
10. His father, Yayati, born of Nahusha being very much angry with him, cursed his son, O son of Gandhari and exiled him from the kingdom.
11. These brothers of his also who followed the lead of the elder brother vain of his strength, Yajati also cursed. Having cursed these sons of his that best among the rulers of men,
12. Then did place his second son Puru, who remained devoted to him, on the throne which indeed was suitable.
13. Thus can even the eldest son be superseded and deprived of the kingdom; and even a younger son can get the kingdom for his attentions to the aged.
14. Thus also the grandfather of my father, conversant with all virtues, Pratipa the ruler of the universe and known in the three worlds,
15. That lion among the rulers of the earth while ruling his kingdom virtuously had born to him three sons of renown and having the attributes of the gods.
16. Of them Devapi was the foremost (eldest) and then came Valhika; and the third Shantanu; that wise man was my grandfather.
17. Depavi, that best among kings though endued with great energy, had a defect in his skin; but he was a virtuous man, a speaker of truth and ever devoted to attending on his father.
18. Devapi was honoured by all the subjects and citizens and respected by the good and he was loved by all -the old and the young.
19. He was benevolent, attached to truth and devoted to the good of all creatures and ever obeyed the command of his father as also of the Brahmanas.
20. He was the dear brother of Valhika and also of the great souled Shantanu; in fact among all those great-souled men excellent brotherly feelings existed.
21. In course of time, that old king, the best among rulers of men, had all arrangements made for the installation according to the holy books (of his son).
22. That lord had all auspicious arrangements made, but the Brahmanas and the old men amongst the citizens with the subjects of the province,
23. All dissuaded him from installing Devapi; and that ruler of men, having heard of the exclusion of his elder son from the installation, had his voice choked with tears and became sorrowful for his son.
24. “Though he was benevolent, conversant with virtue, attached to truth, and loved by his subjects yet he had a defect in his skin.
25. The gods do not approve of that ruler of men who has a defect in his limbs.” So saying those foremost among the twice born dissuaded that foremost among the rulers of men.
26. Devapi, too who was defective of one limb, seeing, that ruler of men with his heart pained and struck with grief for son, dissuaded from carrying out his intentions, went to the woods.
27. Valhika, too giving up his kingdom, established himself in the family of his maternal uncle, and abandoning his father and brother he obtained a very wealthy kingdom.
28. Being commanded by Valhika, Shantanu, well known in this world, on the retirement of his father, became, O king, the king in that kingdom.
29. In the same way, myself though the eldest, was excluded from the kingdom owing to the defect in my limbs, O Bharata, in favour of Pandu, endued with good understanding, after due reflection.
3o. That ruler of men Pandu too obtained the kingdom though he was younger and at his death this kingdom, O chastiser of foes, belongs to his sons.
31. Myself having never participated in the kingdom, how do you desire it, being the son of one who was never a king. You are not a king, and yet you desire to take another's property.
32. Yudhisthira is the son of a king and has a great soul; and this kingdom justly goes to him. He being endued with great attributes is the lord of the Kuru race as also the ruler of the kingdom.
33. He is attached to truth and is never beside his senses; he follows the teachings of the holy books and does good to his friends; he is an honest man and is dear to his subjects; he feels for his well-wishers, has his senses under control and is the lord of honest men.
34. Forgiveness, patience, self-restraint sincerity, devotion to truth, a good appreciation of the holy books, benevolence, love to creature and ability to rule justly, all these attributes of a king are in Yudhisthira.
35. You, on the other hand, are the son of one who has never been a king; you lead the life of a dishonourable man, you are covetous, ever have wicked intentions towards your friends; O you not endued with humility, how under these circumstances can you take this kingdom which belongs to others and which comes to the successors according to a certain order.
36. With your folly removed, give over one half of the kingdom with its animals and royal garments; and the remainder will be enough for your own living and that of your younger brothers.
Thus ends the one hundred and forty-ninth chapter in the Bhagavat-yana of the Udyoga Parva.