cars and animals, all wearing excellent garlands, and various robes and ornaments.  And hundreds and thousands of foremost of Kshatriyas were the leaders of his troops, dressed and decorated in the manner of their native land.  And he proceeded by slow marches, giving rest to his troops, towards the place where the Pandava was.  And the creatures of the earth felt oppressed and the earth trembled under the tread of his troops.  And king Duryodhana, hearing that magnanimous and mighty hero was on his way, hastened towards him and paid him honours, O best of the Bharata race and caused finely decorated places of entertainment to be constructed at different spots for his reception, on beautiful sites, and whither many artists were directed to entertain the guests.  And those pavilions contained garlands and meat and the choicest viands and drinks, and wells of various forms, capable of refreshing the heart, and tanks of various forms, and edibles, and roomy apartments.  And arriving at those pavilions, and waited upon like a very god by the servants of Duryodhana located at different spots, Salya reached another house of entertainment resplendent as a retreat of the celestials.  And there, greeted with choice creature-comforts fit for beings superior to man, he deemed himself superior even to the lord himself of the gods and thought meanly of Indra as compared with himself.  And that foremost of Kshatriyas, well-pleased, asked the servants, saying, ’Where are those men of Yudhishthira, who have prepared these places of refreshment?  Let those men who made these be brought to me.  I deem them worthy of being rewarded by me.  I must reward them, let it so please the son of Kunti!’ The servants, surprised, submitted the whole matter to Duryodhana.  And when Salya was exceedingly pleased and ready to grant even his life, Duryodhana, who had remained concealed, came forward and showed himself to his maternal uncle.  And the kind of the Madras saw him and understood that it was Duryodhana who had taken all the trouble to receive him.  And Salya embraced Duryodhana and said, ’Accept something that you may desire.’

“Duryodhana thereupon said, ’O thou auspicious one, let thy word be true, grant me a boon.  I ask thee to be the leader of all my army.’

“Vaisampayana continued, ’And hearing this, Salya said, ’Be it so!  What else is to be done?’ And the son of Gandhari repeated again and again, ‘It is done.’  And Salya said, ’O Duryodhana, O best of men, go to thy own city.  I shall proceed to pay a visit to Yudhishthira, the subduer of foes.  O king, I shall speedily come back, O ruler of men.  That best of men, Pandu’s son Yudhishthira, must, by all means, be visited by me.’  And bearing this Duryodhana said, ’O king, O ruler of the earth, having seen the Pandava, come speedily back.  I depend entirely upon thee, O king of kings.  Remember the boon that thou hast granted me.’  And Salya answered, ’Good betide thee!  I shall come speedily back.  Repair to thy own