of king Kuntibhoja also obeyed Gandhari in everything.  Draupadi and Subhadra and the other ladies of the Pandavas behaved towards the old king and the queen as if they were their own father-in-law and mother-in-law.  Costly beds and robes and ornaments, and food and drink and other enjoyable articles, in profusion and of such superior kinds as were worthy of royal use, were presented by king Yudhishthira unto Dhritarashtra.  Similarly Kunti behaved towards Gandhari as towards a senior.  Vidura, and Sanjaya, and Yuyutsu, O thou of Karu’s race, used to always wait upon the old king whose sons had all been slain.  The dear brother-in-law of Drona, viz., the very Superior Brahmana, Kripa, that mighty bowman, also attended upon the king.  The holy Vyasa also used to often meet with the old monarch and recite to him the histories of old Rishis and celestial ascetics and Pitris and Rakshasas.  Vidura, under the orders of Dhritarashtra, superintended the discharge of all acts of religious merit and all that related to the administration of the law.  Through the excellent policy of Vidura, by the expenditure of even a small wealth, the Pandavas obtained numerous agreeable services from their feudatories and followers.  King Dhritarashtra liberated prisoners and pardoned those that were condemned to death.  King Yudhishthira the just never said anything to this.  On those occasions when the son of Amvika went on pleasure excursions, the Kuru king Yudhishthira of great energy used to give him every article of enjoyment.  Aralikas, and juice-makers, and makers of Ragakhandavas waited on king Dhritarashtra as before.[1] Pandu’s son, collected costly robes and garlands of diverse kinds and duly offered them to Dhritarashtra.  Maireya wines, fish of various kinds, and sherbets and honey, and many delightful kinds of food prepared by modifications (of diverse articles), were caused to be made for the old king as in his days of prosperity.  Those kings of Earth who came there one after another, all used to wait upon the old Kuru monarch as before.  Kunti, and Draupadi, and she of the Sattwata race, possessed of great fame, and Ulupi, the daughter of the snake chief, and queen Chitrangada, and the sister of Dhrishtaketu, and the daughter of Jarasandha,—­these and many other ladies, O chief of men, used to wait upon the daughter of Suvala like maids of all work.  That Dhritarashtra, who was deprived of all his children, might not feel unhappy in any matter, was what Yudhishthira often said unto his brothers to see.  They also, on their part, listening to these commands of grave import from king Yudhishthira, showed particular obedience to the old king.  There was one exception, however.  It embraced Bhimasena.  All that had followed from that match at dice which had been brought about by the wicked understanding of Dhritarashtra, did not disappear from the heart of that hero. (He remembered those incidents still)."’

SECTION II