When he ceased cherishing that desire i addressed the anxious and senseless Ashvatthaman and said,-He who is always known as the best of all men that holder of Gandiva, that warrior having white horses yoked to his car, that hero having the emblem of a monkey of his standard, that hero who, desirous of defeating a wrestling encounter the god of gods, viz., the blue-throated lord of Uma, pleased the great Shankara himself, that Phalguna than whom I have no dearer friend on Earth, that friend to whom there is nothing that I cannot give including my very wives and children, that dear friend Partha of pure deeds, never said to me, O Brahmana, such words as these which you have said.
निवृत्तमनसं तस्मादभिप्रायाद् विचेतसम्। अहमामन्त्र्य संविग्नमश्वत्थामानमब्रुवम्॥ यः सदैव मनुष्येषु प्रमाणं परमं गतः। गाण्डीवधन्वा श्वेताश्वः कपिप्रवरकेतनः॥ यः साक्षाद् देवदेवेशं शितिकण्ठमुमापतिम्। द्वन्द्वयुद्धे पराजिष्णुस्तोषयामास शङ्करम्॥ यस्मात् प्रियतरो नास्ति ममान्यः पुरुषो भुवि। नादेयं यस्य मे किञ्चिदपि दारा: सुतास्तथा।॥ तेनापि सुहृदा ब्रह्मन् पार्थेनाक्लिष्टकर्मणा। नोक्तपूर्वमिदं वाक्यं यत् त्वं मामभिभाषसे॥