O bull of Kuru's race, do thou bath in
this holy and auspicious water and return home. Thy brothers are
disconsolate because of thee.'
"Then Bhima purified himself with a bath in those waters, and decked in
white robes and flowery garlands of the same hue, ate of the paramanna
(rice and sugar pudding) offered to him by the Nagas. Then that oppressor
of all foes, decked in celestial ornaments, received the adorations and
blessings of the snakes, and saluting them in return, rose from the nether
region. Bearing up the lotus-eyed Pandava from under the waters, the Nagas
placed him in the selfsame gardens wherein he had been sporting, and
vanished in his very sight.
"The mighty Bhimasena, arrived on the surface of the earth, ran with speed
to his mother. And bowing down unto her and his eldest brother, and
smelling the heads of his younger brothers, that oppressor of all foes was
himself embraced by his mother and every one of those bulls among men.
Affectionate unto one another, they all repeatedly exclaimed, 'What is our
joy today, O what joy!'
"Then Bhima, endued with great strength and prowess, related to his
brothers everything about the villainy of Duryodhana, and the lucky and
unlucky incidents that had befallen him in the world of the Serpents.
Thereupon Yudhishthira said, 'Do thou observe silence on this. Do not
speak of this to any one. From this day, protect ye all one another with
care.' Thus cautioned by the righteous Yudhishthira, they all, with
Yudhishthira himself, became very vigilant from that day.
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