SECTION LXXIX

Vaisampayana said,—­“As soon as Vidura endued with great foresight came unto him king Dhritarashtra, the son of Amvika, timidly asked his brother,—­’How doth Yudhishthira, the son of Dharma, proceed along?  And how Arjuna?  And how the twin sons of Madri?  And how, O Kshatta, doth Dhaumya proceed along?  And how the illustrious Draupadi?  I desire to hear everything, O Kshatta; describe to me all their acts.’

Vidura replied,—­’Yudhishthira, the son of Kunti, hath gone away covering his face with his cloth.  And Bhima, O king, hath gone away looking at his own mighty arms.  And Jishnu (Arjuna) hath gone away, following the king spreading sand-grains around.  And Sahadeva, the son of Madri, hath gone away besmearing his face, and Nakula, the handsomest of men, O king, hath gone away, staining himself with dust and his heart in great affliction.  And the large-eyed and beautiful Krishna hath gone away, covering her face with her dishevelled hair following in the wake of the king, weeping and in tears.  And O monarch, Dhaumya goeth along the road, with kusa grass in hand, and uttering the aweful mantras of Sama Veda that relate to Yama.’

Dhritarashtra asked,—­“Tell me, O Vidura, why is it that the Pandavas are leaving Hastinapore in such varied guise.”

“Vidura replied,—­’Though persecuted by thy sons and robbed of his kingdom and wealth the mind of the wise king Yudhishthira the just hath not yet deviated from the path of virtue.  King Yudhishthira is always kind, O Bharata, to thy children.  Though deprived (of his kingdom and possessions) by foul means, filled with wrath as he is, he doth not open eyes.  ’I should not burn the people by looking at them with angry eyes,’—­thinking so, the royal son of Pandu goeth covering his face.  Listen to me as I tell thee, O bull of the Bharata race, why Bhima goeth so.  ‘There is none equal to me in strength of arms,’ thinking so Bhima goeth repeatedly stretching forth his mighty arms.  And, O king, proud of the strength of his arms, Vrikodara goeth, exhibiting them and desiring to do unto his enemies deeds worthy of those arms.  And Arjuna the son of Kunti, capable of using both his arms (in wielding the Gandiva) followeth the footsteps of Yudhishthira, scattering sand-grains emblematical of the arrows he would shower in battle.  O Bharata, he indicateth that as the sand-grains are scattered by him with ease, so will he rain arrows with perfect ease on the foe (in time of battle).  And Sahadeva goeth besmearing his lace, thinking ’None may recognise me in this day of trouble.’  And, O exalted one, Nakula goeth staining himself with dust thinking, ’Lest otherwise I steal the hearts of the ladies that may look at me.’  And Draupadi goeth, attired in one piece of stained cloth, her hair dishevelled, and weeping, signifying—­’The wives of those for whom I have been reduced to such a plight, shall on the fourteenth year hence be deprived