Vaisampayana continued, “All those Brahmanas, thus advised by their ascetic preceptor, became greatly afraid of the Pandavas and fled away in all directions.  Then Bhimasena not beholding those excellent Munis in the celestial river, made a search after them here and there at all the landing places.  And learning from the ascetics of those places that they had run away, he came back and informed Yudhishthira of what had happened.  Then all the Pandavas of subdued senses, expecting them to come, remained awaiting their arrival for some time.  And Yudhishthira said, ’Coming dead of night the Rishis will deceive us.  Oh how, can we escape from this difficulty created by the facts?’ Seeing them absorbed in such reflections and breathing long deep sighs at frequent intervals, the illustrious Krishna suddenly appeared to them and addressed them these words:  ’Knowing, ye sons of Pritha, your danger from that wrathful Rishi, I was implored by Draupadi to come, and (therefore) have I come here speedily.  But now ye have not the least fear from the Rishi Durvasa.  Afraid of your ascetic powers, he hath made himself scarce ere this.  Virtuous men never suffer.  I now ask your permission to let me return home.  May you always be prosperous!’”

Vaisampayana continued, “Hearing Kesava’s words, the sons of Pritha, with Draupadi, became easy in mind.  And cured of their fever (of anxiety), they said unto him, ’As persons drowning in the wide ocean safely reach the shore by means of a boat, so have we, by thy aid, O lord Govinda, escaped from this inextricable difficulty.  Do thou now depart in peace, and may prosperity be thine.’  Thus dismissed, he repaired to his capital and the Pandavas too, O blessed lord, wandering from forest to forest passed their days merrily with Draupadi.  Thus, O king, have I related to thee the story which thou askedest me to repeat.  And it was thus that the machinations of the wicked sons of Dhritarashtra about the Pandavas in the forest, were frustrated.”

SECTION CCLXII

Vaisampayana said, “These great warriors of the race of Bharata sojourned like immortals in the great forest of Kamyaka, employed in hunting and pleased with the sight of numerous wild tracts of country and wide reaches of woodland, gorgeous with flowers blossoming in season.  And the sons of Pandu, each like unto Indra and the terror of his enemies, dwelt there for some time.  And one day those valiant men, the conquerors of their foes, went about in all directions in search of game for feeding the Brahmanas in their company, leaving Draupadi alone at the hermitage, with the permission of the great ascetic Trinavindu, resplendent with ascetic grandeur, and of their spiritual guide Dhaumya.  Meanwhile, the famous king of Sindhu, the son of Vriddhakshatra was, with a view to matrimony, proceeding to the kingdom of Salwa, dressed in his best royal apparel and accompanied by numerous princes.  And the prince halted in