SECTION XIX
"Vaisampayana said. 'Following the advice of Vidura, the king took up his
abode on the banks of the Bhagirathi which were sacred and deserved to be
peopled with the righteous. There many Brahmanas who had taken up their
abode in the woods, as also many Kshatriyas and Vaisyas and Sudras, came
to see the old monarch. Sitting in their midst, he gladdened them all by
his words. Having duly worshipped the Brahmanas with their disciples, he
dismissed them all. As evening came, the king, and Gandhari of great
fame, both descended into the stream of the Bhagirathi and duly performed
their ablutions for purifying themselves. The king and the queen, and
Vidura and others, O Bharata, having bathed in the sacred stream,
performed the usual rites of religion. After the king had purified
himself by a bath, the daughter of Kuntibhoja gently led both him, who
was to her as her father-in-law and Gandhari from the water into the dry
bank. The Yajakas had made a sacrificial altar there for the king.
Devoted to truth, the latter poured libations then on the fire. From the
banks of the Bhagirathi the old king, with his followers, observant of
vows and with senses restrained, then proceeded to Kurukshetra. Possessed
of great intelligence, the king arrived at the retreat of the royal sage
Satayupa of great wisdom and had an interview with him. Satayupa, O
scorcher of foes, had been the great king of the Kekayas. Having made
over the sovereignty of his kingdom to his son he had come into the
woods. Satayupa, received king Dhritarashtra with due rites. Accompanied
by him, the latter proceeded to the retreat of Vyasa. Arrived at Vyasa's
retreat, the delighter of the Kurus received his initiation into the
forest mode of life. Returning he took up his abode in the retreat of
Satayupa. The high-souled Satayupa, instructed Dhritarashtra in all the
rites of the forest mode, at the command of Vyasa. In this way the
high-souled Dhritarashtra set himself to the practice of penances, and
all his followers also to the same course of conduct. Queen Gandhari
also, O monarch, along with Kunti, assumed barks of trees and deer-skins
for her robe, and set herself to the observance of the same vows as her
lord. Restraining their senses in thought, words, and deeds, as well as
by eye, they began to practise severe austerities. Divested of all
stupefaction of mind, king Dhritarashtra began to practise vows and
penances like a great Rishi, reducing his body to skin and bones, for his
flesh was all dried up, bearing matted locks on head, and his person clad
in barks and skins. Vidura, conversant with the true interpretations of
righteousness, and endued with great intelligence, as also Sanjaya,
waited upon the old king with his wife. Both of them with souls under
subjection, Vidura and Sanjaya also reduced themselves, and wore barks
and rags."'
