Seeing the elephant dragged away, the great ascetic Gautama of rigid vows said to king Dhritarashta, O ungrateful Dhritarashtra, do not rob me of this elephant. It is considered by me as a son and I have reared it with much pain. It is said that between the pious, friendship if formed by merely the exchange of seven words. You should see, O king, that the sin of injuring a friend does not affect you,
ह्रियमाणं तु तं दृष्ट्वा गौतमः संशितव्रतः। अभ्यभाषत राजानं धृतराष्ट्र महातपाः॥ मा मेऽहार्षीहस्तिनं पुत्रमेनं दुःखात् पुष्टं धृतराष्ट्राकृतज्ञ। मैत्रं सतां सप्तपदं वदन्ति मित्रद्रोहो मैव राजन् स्पृशेत् त्वाम्॥