"On hearing the words of Vasuki, Aryaka said-'O king of serpents, when your Majesty is pleased with him, no need of wealth for him 1 Permit him to drink of rasakunda (nectar-Vessels) and thus acquire immeasurable strength. There is the strength of the thousand elephants in each one of those vessels. Let this prince drink as much as he can.
"The king of serpents gave his consent. And the serpents thereupon began auspicious rites. Then purifying himself carefully, Bhimasena facing the east began to drink nectar. At one breath, he quaffed off a whole vessel, and in this manner drained off eight successive jars, till he was full. At length, the serpents prepared an excellent bed for him, on which he lay down at ease."
Thus ends the hundred and twenty-eighth section in the Sambhava Parva of the Adi Parva.
SECTION CXXIX
(Sambhava Parva continued)
Vaisampayana said, "Meanwhile the Kauravas and the Pandavas, after having thus sported there, set out, without Bhima, for Hastinapura, some on horses, some on elephants, while others preferred cars and other conveyances. And on their way they said to one another, 'Perhaps, Bhima hath gone before us'. And the wicked Duryodhana was glad at heart to miss Bhima, and entered the city with his brothers in joy.
"The virtuous Yudhishthira, himself unacquainted with vice and wickedness, regarded others to be as honest as himself. The eldest son Pritha, fiiled with faternal love, going unto his mother, said, after making obeisance to her, O mother, hath Bhima come? O good mother, I don't find him bere. Where can he have gone? We long sought for him everywhere in the gardens and the beautiful woods : but found him no-where. At length, we thought that the heroic Bhima preceded us all. O illustrious dame, we come hither in great anxiety. Arrived here, where hath he gone? Have you sent him anywhere? O tell me, I am full of doubts respecting the mighty Bhima ? He had been asleep and hath not come. I conclude he is no more.
"Hearing these words of the highly intelligent Yudhishthita, Kunti sbrieked in alarm, and said, Dear son, I have not seen Bhima ! He did not come to me. O return in haste, and with your brothers seek for him to
"Having said this in affliction to her eldest son, she summoned Vidura, and said, 'O illustrious Kshattri, Bhimasena is missing! Where
