the wind, they felt about with their hands and took shelter under the way-side tree and ant-hills and in caverns.  Then holding his bow and supporting Krishna the mighty Bhimasena stood under a tree.  And Yudhishthira the just with Dhaumya crept into the deep wood.  And Sahedeva carrying the sacred fire with him took shelter in a rock.  And Nakula together with Lomasa and other Brahmanas of great asceticism stood in fright, each under a tree.  Then when the wind had abated and the dust subsided, there came down a shower in torrents.  There also arose a loud rattling noise, like unto the thunder hurled; and quick-flashing lightning began to play gracefully upon the clouds.  And being helped on by the swift wind, showers of rain poured down without intermissions, filling all sides round.  And, O lord of men, all around there began to flow many rivers covered with foam and turbid with mud; and these bearing volumes of water spread over the frothy rafts rushed down with tremendous roar uprooting trees.  And afterwards when that sound had ceased and the air had arisen they (each of them) cautiously came out of their coverts and met together, O descendant of Bharata.  And then the heroes started for the mountain Gandhamadana.”

SECTION CXLIII

Vaisampayana said, “When the high-souled sons of Pandu had proceeded only two miles, Draupadi unaccustomed to travel on foot, sank down.  Weary and afflicted as she was, the poor daughter of Panchala became faint, on account of the hailstorm and also of her extreme delicacy.  And trembling with faintness, the black-eyed one supported herself on her thighs with her plump arms, becoming (her graceful form).  And thus resting for support on her thighs resembling the trunk of an elephant, and which were in contract with each other, she suddenly dropped upon the ground, trembling like a plantain tree.  And finding that the beautiful one was falling down like a twisted creeper, Nakula ran forward and supported, her.  And he said, ’O king, this black-eyed daughter of Panchala, being weary, hath fallen down upon the ground.  Do thou, therefore, tend her, O son of Bharata.  Undeserving as she is of misery, this lady of slow pace hath been subject to great hardships, and she is also worn out with the fatigues of the journey.  O mighty king, do thou therefore, comfort her.’”

Vaisampayana said, “Having heard these words of Nakula, the king as also Bhima and Sahadeva, became sorely afflicted, and hastily ran towards her.  And finding her weak, and her countenance pale, the pious son of Kunti began to lament in grief, taking her on his lap.  Yudhishthira said.  ’Accustomed to ease, and deserving to sleep in wellprotected rooms, on beds spread over with fine sheets, how doth this beautiful one sleep prostrate on the ground!  Alas!  On my account (alone), the delicate feet and the lotus-like face of this one deserving of all excellent things, have contracted a dark-blue hue.