“Vaisampayana continued, ’Then those great Rishis, with Vyasa amongst them, adored Krishna with hymns from the Richs, the Yajuses, and the Samans.  A celestial shower of flowers belonging to every season fell on that spot where he of Vrishni’s race, with Ganga’s son and the son of Pandu were.  Celestial instruments of every kind played in the welkin and the tribes of Apsaras began to sing.  Nothing of evil and no portent of any evil kind were seen there.  An auspicious, pleasant, and pure breeze, bearing every kind of fragrance, began to blow.  All the points of the compass became clear and quiet, and all the animals and birds began to rove in peace.  Soon after, like a fire at the extremity of a great forest, the divine Surya of a thousand rays was seen to descend to the west.  The great Rishis then, rising up, saluted Janardana and Bhishma and king Yudhishthira.  Upon this, Kesava, and the sons of Pandu, and Satyaki, and Sanjaya, and Saradwata’s son Kripa, bowed in reverence to those sages.  Devoted to the practice of righteousness, those sages, thus worshipped by Kesava and others, speedily proceeded to their respective abodes, saying, ‘We will return tomorrow.’  After this, Kesava and the Pandavas, saluting Bhishma and circumambulating him, ascended their handsome cars.  Those heroes then proceeded, accompanied by many other cars decked with golden Kuvaras, and infuriated elephants looking like mountains and steeds fleet as Garudas, and foot-soldiers armed with bows and weapons.  That army, moving with great speed, proceeded in two divisions, one in the van and the other in the rear of those princes.  The scene resembled the two currents of the great river Narmada at the point where it is divided by the Rikshavat mountains standing across it.  Gladdening that great host, the divine Chandramas rose before it in the firmament, once more inspiring with moisture, by his own force, the terrestrial herbs and plants whose juice had been sucked up by the Sun.  Then that bull of Yadu’s race and the sons of Pandu, entering the (Kuru) city whose splendour resembled that of the city of Indra itself, proceeded to their respective mansions like tired lions seeking their caves.’”

SECTION LIII

“Vaisampayana said, ’The slayer of Madhu, retiring to his bed, slept happily.  Awaking when half a Yama was wanting to usher in the day, he addressed himself to contemplation.  Fixing all his senses, he meditated on the eternal Brahma.  Then a batch of well-trained and sweet-voiced persons, conversant with hymns and the Puranas, began to utter the praises of Vasudeva, that lord of all creatures and creator of the universe.  Others, marking time by clapping of hands, began to recite sweet hymns, and vocalists began to sing.  Conch-shells and drums were blown and beaten by thousands.  The delightful sound of Vinas, Panavas, and bamboo flutes was heard.  The spacious mansion of Krishna, in consequence thereof,