have passed more than a month in thus residing in the woods.  The station of sovereignty should always be well guarded.  O king, O thou of Kuru’s race, [thy] kingdom has many foes.’  Thus addressed by Vyasa of incomparable energy, the Kuru king, well-versed in words, summoned Yudhishthira and said unto him,—­’O Ajatasatru, blessings on thee!  Do thou listen to me, with all thy brothers.  Through thy grace, O king, grief no longer stands in my way.  I am living as happily, O son, with thee here as if I were in the city called after the elephant.  With thee as my protector, O learned one, I am enjoying all agreeable objects.  I have obtained from thee all those services which a son renders to his sire.  I am highly gratified with thee.  I have not the least dissatisfaction with thee, O mighty-armed one.  Go now, O son, without tarrying here any longer.  Meeting with thee, my penances are being slackened.  This my body, endued with penances, I have been able to sustain only in consequence of my meeting with thee.[59] These two mothers of thine, subsisting now upon fallen leaves of trees, and observing vows similar to mine, will not live long.  Duryodhana and others, who have become denizens of the other world, have been seen by us, through the puissance of Vyasa’s penances and through (the merit of) this my meeting with thee.  O sinless one, the purpose of my life has been attained.  I now wish to set myself to the practice of the austerest of penances.  It behoveth thee to grant me permission.  On thee now the obsequial cake, the fame and achievements, and the race of our ancestors, rest.  O mighty-armed one, do thou then depart either tomorrow or this very day.  Do not tarry, O son.  O chief of Bharata’s race, thou hast repeatedly heard what the duties are of kings.  I do not see what more I can say unto thee.  I have no longer any need with thee, O thou of great puissance.’

“Vaisampayana continued, ’Unto the (old) monarch who said so, king Yudhishthira replied,—­’O thou that art conversant with every rule of righteousness, it behoveth thee, not to cast me off in this way.  I am guilty of no fault.  Let all my brothers and followers depart as they like.  With steadfast vows I shall wait upon thee and upon these two mothers of mine.’  Unto him Gandhari then said,—­’O son, let it not be so.  Listen, the race of Kuru is now dependant on thee.  The obsequial cake also of my father-in-law depends on thee.  Depart then, O son.  We have been sufficiently honoured and served by thee.  Thou shouldst do what the king says.  Indeed, O son, thou shouldst obey the behests of thy sire.’

“Vaisampayana continued,—­’Thus addressed by Gandhari, King Yudhishthira, rubbing his eyes which were bathed in tears of affection, said these words of lament.  ’The king casts me off, as also Gandhari of great fame.  My heart, however, is bound to thee.  How shall I, filled as I am with grief, leave thee?  I do not, however, at the same time, venture to obstruct thy penances,