Ashramavasika Parva — The arrival of the party at the forest

Hearing these words of Kunti, the sinless Pandavas, O best of kings, became ashamed. They, therefore, desisted, along with the princess of Panchala, from following her.

Seeing Kunti determined upon going into the forest, the ladies of the Pandava family uttered loud lamentations.

The Pandavas then went round the king and saluted him duly. They ccased to follow further, having failed to persuade Pritha to return.

Then Ambika's energetic son, viz., Dhritarashtra, addressing Gandhari and Vidura and supporting himself on them, said, Let the royal mother of Yudhishthira cease to go with us! What Yudhishthira has said, is all very true.

Renouncing this high prosperity of her sons, abandoning those high fruits that may be hers, why should she go into the inaccessible forest, leaving her children like a person of little intelligence?

Living in the enjoyment of sovereignty, she is capable of practicing penances and observing the great vow of gifts. Let her, therefore, listen to my words.

O Gandhari, I have been much pleased with the services rendered to me by this daughter-inlaw of mine. Conversant as you are with all duties, you should command her to return.

Thus addressed by her husband, the daughter of Subala repeated to Kunti all those words of the old king and added her own words of grave meaning.

She, however, could not make Kunti to desist inasmuch as that chaste lady, devoted to virtue, had determined upon living in the forest.

The Kuru ladies, understanding how firm her resolution was about her retirement into the forest, and seeing that those foremost ones of Kuru's race (viz., their own lords), had ceased to follow her, began to bewail aloud.

After all the sons of Pritha and all the ladies had returned homewards, the highly wise king Yudhishthira his journey to the forest.

The Pandavas, exceedingly cheerless and stricken with grief and sorrow accompanied by their wives, returned to the city, on their cars.

At that time the city of Hastinapur, with its entire population of men, both old and young, and women, became dispirited and plunged into grief. No festivals of rejoicing were observed.

Afflicted with grief, the Pandavas were shorn of energy. Abandoned by Kunti, they were deeply afflicted with grief, like calves destitute of their dais.

Dhritarashtra reached that day a place far distant from the city. The powerful king arrived at last on the banks of the Bhagirathi and took rest there for the night.

Brahmanas knowing the Vedas duly ignited their sacred fires in that retreat of ascetics. Surrounded by those foremost of Brahmanas, those sacred fires shonc forth in beauty. The sacred fire of the old king was also lighted up.

Sitting near his own fire, he poured libations on it according to due rites, and then adored the thousand-raycd sun as he was on the point of setting.

Then Vidura and Sanjaya made a bed for the king by spreading some blades of Kusha grass. Near the bed of that Kuru hero they made another for Gandhari.

Near to Gandhari, Yudhishthira's mother Kunti, observant of excellent vows, happily laid herself down.

Within bearing-distance of those three, slept Vidura and others. The Yajaka Brahmanas and other followers of the king laid slept on their respective beds.

The foremost of Brahmanas, who were there, chanted aloud many sacred hymns. The sacrificial fires blazed forth all around. That night, therefore, seemed as delightful to them as a Brahmi night.

When the night passed away, thcy all arose from their beds and performed their morning acts. Pouring libations then on the sacred fire, they continued their journey.

Their first days' expe:"ence of the forest proved very painful to them of grieving hearts, them who were grieved by the inhabitants of both the city and the provinces of the Kuru kingdom.