" SECTION VIII "Vyasa said, 'O wise Dhritarashtra, hear what I say!

And, O thou who delightest in the observance of vows, O illustrious one, knowing everything yet influenced by paternal affection, I am unable to cast off my senseless son, Duryodhana!' "Vyasa said, 'O king, O son of Vichitravirya, what thou sayest is true!

But, O Sakra, I feel greater compassion for one that is weak and innocent!" "Vyasa continued, 'Then Indra having heard these words of Suravi, was much surprised, and O thou of the Kuru race, he became convinced that a son is dearer than one's life!

And, if I deserve thy favour, and if thou hast kindness for the Kurus, do thou exhort my wicked son Duryodhana!' "Vyasa said, 'O king, after having seen the Pandava brothers, here cometh the holy Rishi Maitreya, with the desire of seeing us.

" Vaisampayana continued, "Saying this, Vyasa departed, and Maitreya made his appearance.

Vyasa hath told me that thou art the cause of the creation and its course!

In the matter of this their journey, Vyasa ever engaged in their welfare had become their counsellor.

And Somadatta and Yuyutshu and Drona's son and our grandsire Vyasa, every one of them speaketh always of peace.

Vyasa, and Vasistha and Maitreya, and Narada and Lomasa, and Suka, and other Rishis have all, by virtue alone, become of pure soul!

And while the sons of Pandu were thus conversing with each other, there came to that spot the great ascetic Vyasa, the son of Satyavati.

" Vaisampayana continued, "Having addressed him thus, that illustrious and exalted ascetic Vyasa, of great wisdom, acquainted with the mysteries of the world, then imparted unto the willing Yudhishthira the just, who had meanwhile purified himself, that foremost of sciences.

And bidding farewell unto the son of Kunti, Vyasa disappeared then and there.

Glad of the advice given him by Vyasa, the son of Kunti then, leaving the wood Dwaitavana went to the forest of Kamyaka on the banks of the Saraswati.

" SECTION XXXVII Vaisampayana said, "After some time, Yudhishthira the just, remembering the command of the Muni (Vyasa) and calling unto himself that bull among menArjunapossessed of great wisdom, addressed him in private.

There, O tiger among kings, it hath been heard by us that the high-souled Vyasa, for the sake of the Brahmanas, hath mixed all the tirthas.

One should next proceed to Vyasasthali where Vyasa of great intelligence, burning with grief for his son had resolved to cast off his body but was cheered again by the gods.

Proceeding to that spot of Vyasa, one obtaineth the merit of a thousand kine.

It hath been sung by Sanatkumara and by the high-souled Vyasa, and it is in the Vedas also, that one should, O king, go to Prithudaka, with subdued soul.

Those foremost of Rishis, Valmiki, and Kasyapa, and Atreya, and Kundajathara, and Viswamitra, and Gautama, and Asita, and Devala, and Markandeya, and Galava, and Bharadwaja, and Vasishtha, and the Muni Uddalaka, and Saunaka with his son, and Vyasa, that best of ascetics, and Durvasas, that foremost of Munis, and Javali of great austeritiesall these illustrious Rishis endued with wealth of asceticism, are staying in expectation of thee.

I know them both, Krishna and Arjuna, those destroyers of enemies, O Brahmana, endued with prowess, even as the puissant Vyasa knoweth them.

Just at this time, the blessed Vyasa, as also Parvata and Narada, all endued with high intelligence, came to Kamyaka for seeing the son of Pandu.

After him came Samvarana, Kuru, Sántanu, Bhíshma, and Vyasa.