unto all creatures, as the large tree of spreading bough is unto birds, as he of a thousand eyes is unto the immortals, be thou the refuge and support of thy relatives.  And Krishna and Yudhishthira having thus talked unto each other took each other’s leave and returned to their respective homes.  And, O king, after the chief of the Satwata race had gone to Dwaravati, king Duryodhana alone, with king Suvala’s son, Sakuni,—­these bulls among men,—­continued to live in that celestial assembly house.

SECTION XLV

(Dyuta Parva)

Vaisampayana said,—­“when that foremost of sacrifices, the Rajasuya so difficult of accomplishment, was completed, Vyasa surrounded by his disciples presented himself before Yudhishthira.  And Yudhishthira, upon beholding him quickly rose from his seat, surrounded by his brothers, and worshipped the Rishi who was his grand-father, with water to wash his feet and the offer of a seat.  The illustrious one having taken his seat on a costly carpet inlaid with gold, addressed king Yudhishthira the just and said.—­’Take thy seat’.  And after the king had taken his seat surrounded by his brothers, the illustrious Vyasa, truthful in speech said,—­’O son of Kunti, thou growest from good fortune.  Thou hast obtained imperial sway so difficult of acquisition.  And O perpetuator of the Kuru race, all the Kauravas have prospered in consequence of thee.  O Emperor, I have been duly worshipped.  I desire now to go with thy leave!  King Yudhishthira the just, thus addressed by the Rishi of dark hue, saluted (him) his grandfather and touching his feet said,—­’O chief of men, a doubt difficult of being dispelled, hath risen within me.  O bull among regenerate ones, save thee there is none to remove it.  The illustrious Rishi Narada said that (as a consequence of the Rajasuya sacrifice) three kinds of portents, viz., celestial, atmospherical and terrestrial ones happen.  O grandsire, have those portents been ended by the fall of the kind of the Chedis?’’

Vaisampayana continued,—­“Hearing these words of the king, the exalted son of Parasara, the island-born Vyasa of dark hue, spoke these words,—­’For thirteen years, O king, those portents will bear mighty consequences ending in destruction, O king of kings, of all the Kshatriyas.  In course of time, O bull of the Bharata race, making thee the sole cause, the assembled Kshatriyas of the world will be destroyed, O Bharata, for the sins of Duryodhana and through the might of Bhima and Arjuna.  In thy dream, O king of kings thou wilt behold towards the end of this might the blue throated Bhava, the slayer of Tripura, ever absorbed in meditation, having the bull for his mark, drinking off the human skull, and fierce and terrible, that lord of all creatures, that god of gods, the husband of Uma, otherwise called Hara and Sarva, and Vrisha, armed with the trident and the bow called Pinaka, and attired in tiger skin.