SECTION CLXVII

“Vaisampayana said, ’Then the royal son of Kunti, having duly honoured the citizens and the inhabitants of the province, dismissed them to their respective homes.  The Pandava king then consoled these women, who had lost their heroic husbands and sons in the battle, with abundant gift of wealth.  Having recovered his kingdom, Yudhishthira of great wisdom caused himself to be duly installed on the throne.  That foremost of men then assured all his subjects by diverse acts of good will.  That foremost of righteous men then set himself to earn the substantial blessing of the Brahmanas, of the foremost military officers, and the leading citizens.  The blessed monarch having passed fifty nights in the capital recollected the time indicated by his grandsire as the hour of his departure from this world.  Accompanied by a number of priests he then set out of the city named after the elephant, having seen that the sun ceasing to go southwards had begun to proceed in his northward course.  Yudhishthira the son of Kunti took with him a large quantity of clarified butter and floral garlands and scents and silken cloths and excellent sandalwood and Aquilaria Agallocha and dark sloe wood, for cremating the body of Bhishma.  Diverse kinds of costly garlands and gems also were among those stores.  Placing Dhritarashtra ahead and queen Gandhari celebrated for her virtues, and his own mother Kunti and all his brothers also, Yudhishthira of great intelligence, accompanied by Krishna and Vidura of great wisdom, as also by Yuyutsu and Yuyudhana, and by his other relatives and followers forming a large train, proceeded, his praises hymned the while by eulogists and bards.  The sacrificial fires of Bhishma were also borne in the procession.  Thus accompanied, the king set out from his city like a second chief of the deities.  Soon he came upon the spot where the son of Santanu was till lying on his bed of arrows.  He beheld his grandsire waited upon with reverence by Parasara’s son Vyasa of great intelligence, by Narada, O royal sage, by Devala and Asita, and also by the remnant of unslain kings assembled from various parts of the country.  Indeed, the king saw that his high-souled grandsire, as he lay on his heroic bed, was guarded on all sides by the warriors appointed for that duty.  Alighting from his car, King Yudhishthira with his brothers saluted his grandsire, the chastiser of all foes.  They also saluted the Rishis with the island-born Vyasa at their head.  They were saluted in return by them.  Accompanied by his priests each of whom resembled the grandsire Brahman himself, as also by his brothers, Yudhishthira of unfading glory then approached that spot whereon Bhishma lay on his bed of arrows surrounded by these reverend Rishis.  Then king Yudhishthira the just, at the head of his brothers, addressed that foremost one of Kuru’s race, viz., the son of the River Ganga, as he lay on that bed of his, saying, ’I am Yudhishthira,