Chapter 114

“Vaisampayana said, ‘Pandu, then, at the command of Dhritarashtra,offered the wealth he had acquired by the prowess of his arms to Bhishma,their grand-mother Satyavati and their mothers. And he sent portion ofhis wealth to Vidura also.

And the virtuous Pandu gratified his otherrelatives also with similar presents. Then Satyavati and Bhishma and theKosala princes were all gratified with the presents Pandu made out of theacquisitions of his prowess. And Ambalika in particular, upon embracingher son of incomparable prowess, became as glad as the queen of heavenupon embracing Jayanta. And with the wealth acquired by that heroDhritarashtra performed five great sacrifices that were equal unto ahundred great horse-sacrifices, at all of which the offerings toBrahmanas were by hundreds and thousands.

“A little while after, O bull of Bharata’s race, Pandu who had achieved avictory over sloth and lethargy, accompanied by his two wives, Kunti andMadri, retired into the woods. Leaving his excellent palace with itsluxurious beds, he became a permanent inhabitant of the woods, devotingthe whole of his time to the chase of the deer. And fixing his abode in adelightful and hilly region overgrown with huge sala trees, on thesouthern slope of the Himavat mountains, he roamed about in perfectfreedom. The handsome Pandu with his two wives wandered in those woodslike Airavata accompanied by two she-elephants. And the dwellers in thosewoods, beholding the heroic Bharata prince in the company of his wives,armed with sword, arrows, and bow, clad with his beautiful armour, andskilled in all excellent weapons, regarded him as the very god wanderingamongst them.

“And at the command of Dhritarashtra, people were busy in supplying Panduin his retirement with every object of pleasure and enjoyment.

“Meanwhile the son of the ocean-going Ganga heard that king Devaka had adaughter endued with youth and beauty and begotten upon a Sudra wife.Bringing her from her father’s abode, Bhishma married her to Vidura ofgreat wisdom. And Vidura begot upon her many children like unto himselfin accomplishments.'”