[78] That is, hunger, thirst, sorrow, bluntness of mortal
    feeling, decrepitude, and death.

Vaisampayana continued,—­“Thereupon that worshipful one said,—­’I give thee this boon!  Good betide thee!  O thou that are like unto an immortal, ask thou a fresh boon!’ Yudhishthira said,—­’We have spent these twelve years in the forest; and the thirteenth year is come.  May no one recognise us, as we spend this year somewhere.’”

Vaisampayana continued,—­’Thereat that worshipful one replied,—­’I give this boon unto thee!’ And then reassuring Kunti’s son having truth for prowess, he also said, ’Even if, O Bharata, ye range this (entire) earth in your proper forms none in the three worlds shall recognise you.  Ye perpetuators of the Kuru race, through my grace, ye will spend this thirteenth year, secretly and unrecognised, in Virata’s kingdom!  And every one of you will be able at will to assume any form he likes!  Do ye now present the Brahmana with his fire-sticks.  It was only to test you that I carried them away in the form of a deer!  O amiable Yudhishthira, do thou ask for another boon that thou mayst like!  I will confer it on thee.  O foremost of men, I have not yet been satisfied by granting boons to thee!  Do thou my son, accept a third boon that is great and incomparable!  Thou, O king, art born of me, and Vidura of portion or mine!” Thereat Yudhishthira said,—­’It is enough that I have beheld thee with my senses, eternal God of gods as thou art!  O father, whatever boon thou wilt confer on me I shall surely accept gladly!  May I, O lord, always conquer covetousness and folly and anger, and may my mind be ever devoted to charity, truth, and ascetic austerities!’ The Lord of justice said,—­’Even by nature, O Pandava, hast thou been endued with these qualities, for thou art the Lord of justice himself!  Do thou again attain what thou asked for!’”

Vaisampayana continued,—­“Having said these words, the worshipful Lord of justice, who is the object of contemplation of all the worlds, vanished therefrom; and the high-souled Pandavas after they had slept sweetly were united with one another.  And their fatigue dispelled, those heroes returned to the hermitage, and gave back that Brahmana his firesticks.  That man who pursueth this illustrious and fame-enhancing story of the revival (of the Pandavas) and the meeting of father and son (Dharma and Yudhishthira), obtaineth perfect tranquillity of mind, and sons and grandsons, and also a life extending over a hundred years!  And the mind of that man that layeth this story to heart, never delighteth in unrighteousness, or in disunion among friends, or misappropriation of other person’s property, or staining other people’s wives, or in foul thoughts!”

SECTION CCCXIII