And, O exalted one, wending then with Draupadi to the kitchen, and adored by her duly, the son of Pandu set himself to cook (their day's) food.

And arriving at Kamyaka on a car drawn by swift steeds, he saw Yudhishthira the just, sitting with Draupadi at a retired spot, surrounded by his brothers and the Brahmanas.

" Vaisampayana continued, "In that assembly of heroes Vasudeva then spake unto the weeping Draupadi as follows, 'O fair lady, the wives of those with whom thou art angry, shall weep even like thee, beholding their husbands dead on the ground, weltering in blood and their bodies covered with the arrows of Vivatsu!

And he was duly honoured by Dhaumya, and worshipped with tears by Draupadi.

And after he of the Dasharha race had departed, Dhrishtadyumna, the son of Prishata, also set out for his own city, taking with him the sons of Draupadi.

And that illustrious and all-knowing Muni, of unrivalled energy, beholding Draupadi and Yudhishthira and Bhima and Arjuna, in the midst of the ascetics, smiled, recollecting Rama in his mind.

So also, O king, that Kshatriya who is not appeased when the time for forgiveness cometh, becometh unpopular with every creature and meeteth with destruction both in this and the other world!'" SECTION XXVIII "Draupadi continued, 'On this subject, the ancient story of the conversation between Prahlada and Vali, the son of Virochana, is quoted as an example.

"' "Draupadi continued, 'I, therefore, regard, O king, that the time hath come for thee to put forth thy might!

If the kings also, O Draupadi, giveth way to wrath, his subjects soon meet with destruction.

Having listened, O Draupadi, to these verses in respect of forgiveness, content thyself!

" SECTION XXX "Draupadi said, 'I bow down unto Dhatri and Vidhatri who have thus clouded thy sense!

And, O Krishna, never disregard that Supreme Being through whose grace mortal man, by piety, acquireth immortality!'" SECTION XXXII "Draupadi said, 'I do not ever disregard or slander religion, O son of Pritha!

When king Duryodhana, the son of Dhritarashtra, coveting our kingdom, plunged us into misery and even slavery, then, O Bhima, it was Draupadi that rescued us.

O Bhima, this is my great grief that we could not do anything even beholding Draupadi persecuted in that way.

Thy sons, having dragged Draupadi, and thereby incensed the sons of Pandu, have brought this frightful and horrifying calamity upon themselves.

Beholding Duryodhana showing both his thighs unto Draupadi, Bhima said with quivering lips, wretch!

And Draupadi of pure fame fed her husbands and the Brahmanas, as if she was their mother; and last of all took her food herself.

Those mighty warriors of celestial origin, unrivalled in battle by anybody, filled with rage at the remembrance of that insult to Draupadi, will show no forgiveness.

And Draupadi's sons also headed by Dhrishtadyumna, and Virata, and Dhrishtaketu, and those mighty warriors, the Kekayas, all went there.

And they also said unto Draupadi of pure deeds in the hearing of Vasudeva himself, these words, "O lady, in consequence of thy anger, Duryodhana shall lay down his life.

And, O monarch, hearing her lament in this strain, that slayer of hostile heroes, Bhimasena, addressed Draupadi in these words, 'O blessed lady of slender waist, the agreeable words thou utterest delight my heart like the quaffing of nectar.

Do thou in expectation of my return, cautiously wait at the source of the Ganga, protecting Draupadi till I come back.' "Bhima replied, 'O descendant of Bharata, although this blessed princess hath been sore afflicted by toil and distress, yet

And, O king, having entrusted to the care of the lord of the Pulindas, all their servantsIndrasena and the others,and the cooks and the stewards, and Draupadi's accoutrements, and every thing else, those mighty charioteers, the son of the Kurus, endued with great prowess, set out from that country, and began to proceed cautiously with Krishna,all of them cheerful in the expectation of beholding Arjuna.

" SECTION CXLIII Vaisampayana said, "When the high-souled sons of Pandu had proceeded only two miles, Draupadi unaccustomed to travel on foot, sank down.

Yasoda, wife of Nanda, foster-mother of Krishna, 27-33, 35, 49, 51-53, 61, 62, 72, 109 Yoga, 19, 23 Yudhisthira, leader of the Pandavas, husband of Draupadi, 21-23, 65, 66 THE PLATES [Illustration] PLATE 1 The Death of Balarama Illustration to the Persian abridgement of the Mahabharata, the Razmnama (or Book of the Wars)