'
"The king of serpents gave his consent. And the serpents thereupon began
auspicious rites. Then purifying himself carefully, Bhimasena facing the
east began to drink nectar. At one breath, he quaffed off the contents of
a whole vessel, and in this manner drained off eight successive jars, till
he was full. At length, the serpents prepared an excellent bed for him, on
which he lay down at ease.'"
SECTION CXXIX
(Sambhava Parva continued)
"Vaisampayana said, 'Meanwhile the Kauravas and the Pandavas, after having
thus sported there, set out, without Bhima, for Hastinapura, some on
horses, some on elephants, while others preferred cars and other
conveyances. And on their way they said to one another, 'Perhaps, Bhima
hath gone before us.' And the wicked Duryodhana was glad at heart to miss
Bhima, and entered the city with his brothers in joy.
"The virtuous Yudhishthira, himself unacquainted with vice and wickedness,
regarded others to be as honest as himself. The eldest son of Pritha,
filled with fraternal love, going unto his mother, said, after making
obeisance to her, 'O mother, hath Bhima come? O good mother, I don't find
him here. Where may he have gone? We long sought for him everywhere in the
gardens and the beautiful woods; but found him nowhere. At length, we
thought that the heroic Bhima preceded us all. O illustrious dame, we came
hither in great anxiety. Arrived here, where hath he gone? Have you sent
him anywhere? O tell me, I am full of doubts respecting the mighty Bhima.
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