Vidura also, they enquired after his welfare.  In the company of all those persons, Arjuna and Krishna then approached king Dhritarashtra (again).  Night came and then king Dhritarashtra of great intelligence dismissed all those perpetuators of Kuru’s race as also Janarddana for retiring to their respective chambers.  Permitted by the king all of them entered their respective apartments.  Krishna of great energy proceeded to the apartments of Dhananjaya.  Worshipped duly and furnished with every object of comfort and enjoyment, Krishna of great intelligence passed the night in happy sleep with Dhananjaya as his companion.  When the night passed away and morning came, the two heroes, finishing their morning rites and dealing their persons properly, proceeded to the mansion of king Yudhishthira the just.  There Yudhishthira the just, of great might, sat with his ministers.  The two high-souled ones, entering that well-adorned chamber, beheld king Yudhishthira the just like the two Aswins beholding the chief of the celestials.  Meeting the king, he of Vrishni’s race as also that foremost hero of Kuru’s race, obtaining the permission of Yudhishthira who was highly pleased with them, sat themselves down.  Then the king, gifted with great intelligence, seeing those two friends, became desirous of addressing them.  Soon that best of monarchs, that foremost of speakers addressed them in the following words.’

“Yudhishthira said, ’Ye heroes, ye foremost ones of Yadu’s and Kuru’s race, it seems that ye two are desirous of saying something to me.  Do ye say what is in your mind.  I shall soon accomplish it.  Do not hesitate.’

“Thus addressed, Phalguna, well conversant with speech, humbly approached king Yudhishthira the just and then said these words.—­’Vasudeva here, of great prowess, O king, is long absent from home.  He desires, with thy permission, to see his sire.  Let him go, if thou thinkest it meet, to the city of the Anarttas.  It behoveth thee; O hero, to grant him permission!’

“Yudhishthira said, ’O lotus-eyed one, blessed be thou.  O slayer of Madhu, do thou go this very day to the city of Dwaravati for seeing, O puissant one, that foremost one of Sura’s race.  O mighty-armed Kesava, thy departure is approved by me.  Thou hast not seen my maternal uncle as also the goddess Devaki, for a long time.  Meeting my maternal uncle and repairing to Valadeva also, O giver of honours, thou wilt, O thou of great wisdom, worship both of them at my word as they deserve.[166] Do thou also think of me daily as also of Bhima, that foremost of mighty men, and of Phalguna and Nakula and Sahadeva, O giver of honours.  Having seen the Anarttas, and thy sire, O mighty-armed one, and the Vrishnis, thou wilt come back to my horse-sacrifice, O sinless one.  Do thou then depart, taking with thee diverse kinds of gems and various sorts of wealth.  Do thou, O hero of the Satwata race, also take with thee whatever else thou likest.  It is through thy grace, O Kesava, that the whole Earth, O hero, has come under our dominion and all our foes have been slain.’