represser of foes, unfastened the undecaying string of that bow with which he had defended the field of Kurukshstra.  And the illustrious Bhimasena unstrung that bow by means of which that sinless one had vanquished in fight the Panchals and the lord of Sindhu, and with which, during his career of conquest, he had, single-handed, opposed innumerable foes, and hearing whose twang which was like unto the roar of the thunder or the splitting of a mountain, enemies always fly (in panic) from the field of battle.  And that son of Pandu of coppery complexion and mild speech who is endued with great prowess in the field, and is called Nakula in consequence of his unexampled beauty in the family, then unfastened the string of that bow with which he had conquered all the regions of the west.  And the heroic Sahadeva also, possessed of a mild disposition, then united the string of that bow with which he had subjugated the countries of the south.  And with their bows, they put together their long and flashing swords, their precious quivers, and their arrows sharp as razors.  And Nakula ascended the tree, and deposited on it the bows and the other weapons.  And he tied them fast on those parts of the tree which he thought would not break, and where the rain would not penetrate.  And the Pandavas hung up a corpse (on the tree), knowing that people smelling the stench of the corpse would say—­here sure, is a dead body, and avoid the tree from a distance.  And on being asked by the shepherds and cowherds regarding the corpse, those repressers of foes said unto them, ’This is our mother, aged one hundred and eighty years.  We have hung up her dead body, in accordance with the custom observed by our forefathers.’  And then those resisters of foes approached the city.  And for purposes of non-discovery Yudhisthira kept these (five) names for himself and his brothers respectively, viz., Jaya, Jayanta, Vijaya, Jayatsena, and Jayatvala.  Then they entered the great city, with the view to passing the thirteenth year undiscovered in that kingdom, agreeably to the promise (to Duryodhana).”

SECTION VI

Vaisampayana said, “And while Yudhishthira was on his way to the delightful city of Virata, he began to praise mentally the Divine Durga, the Supreme Goddess of the Universe, born on the womb of Yasoda, and fond of the boons bestowed on her by Narayana, sprung from the race of cowherd Nanda, and the giver of prosperity, the enhancer (of the glory) of (the worshipper’s) family, the terrifier of Kansa, and the destroyer of Asuras,—­and saluted the Goddess—­her who ascended the skies when dashed (by Kansa) on a stony platform, who is the sister of Vasudeva, one who is always decked in celestial garlands and attired in celestial robes,—­who is armed with scimitar and shield, and always rescues the worshipper sunk in sin, like a cow in the mire, who in the hours of distress calls upon that eternal giver of blessings