city.  Do thou for ever occupy the station belonging to thy lather and grand-father!’ And beholding the king possessed of sight and able-bodied, they bowed down their heads, their eyes expanded with wonder.  Then having worshipped those old and Brahmanas dwelling in the hermitage and honoured by them in return, the king set out for his city.  And surrounded by the soldiers, Saivya also accompanied by Savitri, went in a vehicle furnished with shining sheets and borne on the shoulders of men.  Then the priests with joyful hearts installed Dyumatsena on the throne with his high-souled son as prince-regent.  And after the lapse of a long time, Savitri gave birth to a century of sons, all warlike and unretreating from battle, and enhancing the fame of Salwa’s race.  And she also had a century of highly powerful uterine brothers born unto Aswapati, the lord of the Madras, by Malavi.  Thus, O son of Pritha, did Savitri raise from pitiable plight to high fortune, herself, and her father and mother, her father-in-law and mother-in-law, as also the race of her husband.  And like that gentle lady Savitri, the auspicious daughter of Drupada, endued with excellent character, will rescue you all.”

Vaisampayana said, “Thus exhorted by that high-souled sage, the son of Pandu, O king, with his mind free from anxiety, continued to live in the forest of Kamyaka.  The man that listeneth with reverence to the excellent story of Savitri, attaineth to happiness, and success in everything, and never meeteth with misery!”

SECTION CCLXLVIII

Janamejaya said,—­“What, O Brahmana, was that great fear entertained by Yudhishthira in respect of Karna, for which Lomasa had conveyed to the son of Pandu a message of deep import from Indra in these words, That intense fear of thine which thou dost never express to any one, I will remove after Dhananjaya goeth from hence?  And, O best of ascetics, why was it that the virtuous Yudhishthira never expressed it to any one?”

Vaisampayana said, “As thou askest me, O tiger among kings, I will relate that history unto thee!  Do thou listen to my words, O best of the Bharatas!  After twelve years (of their exile) had passed away and the thirteenth year had set in, Sakra, ever friendly to the sons of Pandu, resolved to beg of Karna (his ear-rings).  And, O mighty monarch, ascertaining this intention of the great chief of the celestials about (Karna’s) ear-rings, Surya, having effulgence for his wealth, went unto Karna.  And, O foremost of kings, while that hero devoted to the Brahmanas and truthful in speech was lying down at night at his ease on a rich bed overlaid with a costly sheet, the effulgent deity, filled with kindness and affection for his son, showed himself, O Bharata, unto him in his dreams.  And assuming from ascetic power the form of a handsome Brahmana versed in the Vedas, Surya sweetly said unto Karna these words for his benefit, ’O son, do thou O Karna, listen to these words