“The mighty Bhimasena, arrived on the surface of the earth, ran with speed to his mother.  And bowing down unto her and his eldest brother, and smelling the heads of his younger brothers, that oppressor of all foes was himself embraced by his mother and every one of those bulls among men.  Affectionate unto one another, they all repeatedly exclaimed, ’What is our joy today, O what joy!’

’Then Bhima, endued with great strength and prowess, related to his brothers everything about the villainy of Duryodhana, and the lucky and unlucky incidents that had befallen him in the world of the Serpents.  Thereupon Yudhishthira said, ’Do thou observe silence on this.  Do not speak of this to any one.  From this day, protect ye all one another with care.’  Thus cautioned by the righteous Yudhishthira, they all, with Yudhishthira himself, became very vigilant from that day.  And lest negligence might occur on the part of the sons of Kunti, Vidura continually offered them sage advice.

“Some time after, Duryodhana again mixed in the food of Bhima a poison that was fresh, virulent, and very deadly.  But Yuyutsu (Dhritarashtra’s son by a Vaisya wife), moved by his friendship for the Pandavas, informed them of this.  Vrikodara, however, swallowed it without any hesitation, and digested it completely.  And, though virulent the poison produced no effects on Bhima.

“When that terrible poison intended for the destruction of Bhima failed of its effect, Duryodhana.  Karna and Sakuni, without giving up their wicked design had recourse to numerous other contrivances for accomplishing the death of the Pandavas.  And though every one of these contrivances was fully known to the Pandavas, yet in accordance with the advice of Vidura they suppressed their indignation.

“Meanwhile, the king (Dhritarashtra), beholding the Kuru princes passing their time in idleness and growing naughty, appointed Gautama as their preceptor and sent them unto him for instruction.  Born among a clump of heath, Gautama was well-skilled in the Vedas and it was under him (also called Kripa) that the Kuru princes began to learn the use of arms.’”

SECTION CXXX

(Sambhava Parva continued)

“Janamejaya said, ’O Brahmana, it behoveth thee to relate to me everything about the birth of Kripa.  How did he spring from a clump of heath?  Whence also did he obtain his weapons?’

“Vaisampayana said, ’O king, the great sage Gautama had a son named Saradwat.  This Saradwat was born with arrows (in hand).  O oppressor of foes, the son of Gautama exhibited great aptitude for the study of the science of weapons, but none for the other sciences.  Saradwat acquired all his weapons by those austerities by which Brahmanas in student life acquire the knowledge of Vedas.  Gautama (the son of Gotama) by his aptitude for the science of weapons and by his austerities made Indra himself greatly afraid of him.  Then, O thou of