SECTION XVIII
"Vaisampayana said, 'Hearing these words of Kunti, the sinless Pandavas,
O best of kings, became ashamed. They, therefore, desisted, along with
the princess of-Panchala, from following her.[36] Beholding Kunti
resolved to go into the woods, the ladies of the Pandava household
uttered loud lamentations. The Pandavas then circumambulated the king and
saluted him duly. They ceased to follow further, having failed to
persuade Pritha to return. Then Amvika's son of great energy, viz.,
Dhritarashtra, addressing Gandhari and Vidura and supporting himself on
them, said, 'Let the royal mother of Yudhishthira cease to go with us.
What Yudhishthira has said is all very true. Abandoning this high
prosperity of her sons, abandoning those high fruits that may be hers,
why should she go into the inaccessible woods, leaving her children like
a person of little intelligence? Living in the enjoyment of sovereignty,
she is capable of practising penances and observing the high vow of
gifts. Let her, therefore, listen to my words. O Gandhari, I have been
much gratified with the services rendered to me by this daughter-in-law
of mine. Conversant as thou art with all duties, it behoveth thee to
command her return.' Thus addressed by her lord, the daughter of Suvala
repeated unto Kunti all those words of the old king and added her own
words of grave import. She, however, failed to cause Kunti to desist
inasmuch as that chaste lady, devoted to righteousness, had firmly set
her heart upon residing in the woods. The Kuru ladies, understanding how
firm her resolution was regarding her retirement into the woods, and
seeing that those foremost ones of Kuru's race (viz., their own lords),
had ceased to follow her, set up a loud wail of lamentation. After all
the sons of Pritha and all the ladies had retraced their steps, king
Yudhishthira of great wisdom continued his journey to the woods. The
Pandavas, exceedingly cheerless and afflicted with grief and sorrow
accompanied by their wives, returned to the city, on their cars. At that
time the city of Hastinapura, with its entire population of men, both old
and young, and women, became cheerless and plunged into sorrow. No
festivals of rejoicing were observed. Afflicted with grief, the Pandavas
were without any energy. Deserted by Kunti, they were deeply afflicted
with grief, like calves destitute of their dams. Dhritarashtra reached
that day a place far removed from the city. The puissant monarch arrived
at last on the banks of the Bhagirathi and took rest there for the night.
Brahmanas conversant with the Vedas duly ignited their sacred fires in
that retreat of ascetics. Surrounded by those foremost of Brahmanas,
those sacred fires blazed forth in beauty. The sacred fire of the old
king was also ignited. Sitting near his own fire, he poured libations on
it according to due rites, and then worshipped the thousand-rayed sun as
he was on the point of setting. Then Vidura and Sanjaya made a bed for
the king by spreading some blades of Kusa grass. Near the bed of that
Kuru hero they made another for Gandhari. In close proximity to Gandhari,
Yudhishthira's mother Kunti, observant of excellent vows, happily laid
herself down. Within hearing distance of those three, slept Vidura and
others. The Yajaka Brahmanas and other followers of the king laid
themselves down on their respective beds. The foremost of Brahmanas that
were there chanted aloud many sacred hymns. The sacrificial fires blazed
forth all around. That night, therefore, seemed as delightful to them as
a Brahmi night.[37] When the night passed away, they all arose from their
beds and went through their morning acts. Pouring libations then on the
sacred fire, they continued their journey. Their first day's experience
of the forest proved very painful to them on account of the grieving
inhabitants of both the city and the provinces of the Kuru kingdom."
