fields and other foremost of gifts constituting its verdant islands, heaps of diverse kinds of precious articles for its rich caves, elephants and steeds for its alligators and whirlpools, the sound of Mridangas for its deep roars, and clothes and wealth and precious stories for its waves, deluged the Earth.  It was even in this way, O king, that that monarch made gifts for the advancement in the other world of his sons and grandsons and Pitris as also of himself and Gandhari.  At last when he became tired with the task of making gifts in such profusion, that great Gift-sacrifice carne to an end.  Even thus did that king of Kuru’s race perform his Gift-sacrifice.  Actors and mimes continually danced and sang on the occasion and contributed to the merriment of all the guests.  Food and drink of diverse tastes were given away in large quantities.  Making gifts in this way for ten days, the royal son of Amvika, O chief of Bharata’s race, became freed from the debts he owed to his sons and grandsons."’

SECTION XV

“Vaisampayana said,—­’The royal son of Amvika, viz., Dhritarashtra, having settled the hour of his departure for the woods, summoned those heroes, the Pandavas.  Possessed of great intelligence, the old monarch, with Gandhari, duly accosted those princes.  Having caused the minor rites to be performed, by Brahmanas conversant with the Vedas, on that day which was the day of full moon in the month of Kartika, he caused the fire which he worshipped daily to be taken up.  Leaving his usual robes he wore deer-skins and barks, and accompanied by his daughters-in-law, he set out of his mansion.  When the royal son of Vichitraviryya thus set out, a loud wail was uttered by the Pandava and the Kaurava ladies as also by other women belonging to the Kaurava race.  The king worshipped the mansion in which he had lived with fried paddy and excellent flowers of diverse kinds.  He also honoured all his servants with gifts of wealth, and then leaving that abode set out on his journey.  Then O son, king Yudhishthira, trembling all over, with utterance choked with tears, said these words in a loud voice, viz.,—­’O righteous monarch, where dost thou go?—­and fell down in a swoon.  Arjuna, burning with great grief, sighed repeatedly.  That foremost of Bharata princes, telling Yudhishthira that he should not behave in that manner, stood cheerlessly and with heart plunged into distress.  Vrikodara, the heroic Phalguna, the two sons of Madri, Vidura, Sanjaya, Dhritarashtra’s son by his Vaisya wife, and Kripa, and Dhaumya, and other Brahmanas, all followed the old monarch, with voices choked in grief.  Kunti walked ahead, bearing on her shoulders the hand of Gandhari who walked with her bandaged eyes.  King Dhritarashtra walked confidently behind Gandhari, placing his hand on her shoulder.[32] Drupada’s daughter Krishna, she of the Sattwata race, Uttara the daughter-in-law of the Kauravas, who had recently become a mother, Chitrangada,