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ADI PARVA
389

faultless Krishna of Prishata's line hath been appointed to be the wife of you all! Ye mighty ones, go therefore, to the capital of the Panchalas and dwell ye there 1 There is no doubt that having obtained het as wife ye shall be very happy !'

Vaisampayana continued. "Having said so unto the Pandavas, the illustrious and blessed grandsire then bade them farewell. The great ascetic then left them and went to the place whence he came."

Thus ends the hundred and seventy-first section in the Chaitra-ratha Parva of the Adi Parva.

SECTION CLXXII

(Chaitra-ratha Parva continued)

Vaisampayana said, "After Vyasa had gone away, those bulls among men, the Pandavas, saluted the Brahmana and bade bim farewell, and proceeded (towards Panchala) with joyous hearts and with their mother walking before them. Those slayers of all foes, in order to reach their destination, proceeded in a due northerly direction, walking day and night till they reached a sacred shrine of Siva with the crescent mark on his brow. Then those tigers among men, the sons of Pandu, arrived at the banks of the Ganges. Dhananjaya, that mighty car-warrior, walking before them, touch in hand, for showing the way and guarding them (against wild animals). And it so happened that at that time the proud king of the Gandharvas, with his wives, was sporting in that solitary region in the delightful waters of the Ganges. The king of the Gandharva heard the tread of the Pandavas as they approached the river. On beraring the sounds of their foot-steps, the mighty Gandharvas was inflamed with wtath. and beholding those chastiser of foes, the Pandavas, approach towards him with their mother, he drew his frightful bow to a circle and said, it is known that excepting the first forty seconds the grey twilight preceding nightfall hath been appointed for the wandering of the Yakshas, the Gandharvas and the Rakshasas, all of whom are capable of going everywhere at will. The rest of the time hath been appointed for man to do his work. If therefore, men, wandering during those moments from greed of gain, come near us, both we and the Rakshasas slay those fools. Therefore, persons acquainted with the Vedas never applaud those men-not even kings at the head of their troops-who approach any pools of water at such a time. Stay ye at a distance, and approach me not. Know ye not that I am bathing in the waters of the