Chapter 260

Janamejaya said, “While the high-souled Pandavas were living in thosewoods, delighted with the pleasant conversation they held with the Munis,and engaged in distributing the food they obtained from the sun, withvarious kinds of venison to Brahmanas and others that came to them foredibles till the hour of Krishna’s meal, how, O great Muni, didDuryodhana and the other wicked and sinful sons of Dhritarashtra, guidedby the counsels of Dussasana, Karna and Sakuni, deal with them? I askthee this. Do thou, worshipful Sir, enlighten me.”

Vaisampayana said, “When, O great king, Duryodhana heard that thePandavas were living as happily in the woods as in a city, he longed,with the artful Karna, Dussasana and others, to do them harm. And whilethose evil-minded persons were employed in concerting various wickeddesigns, the virtuous and celebrated ascetic Durvasa, following the bentof his own will, arrived at the city of the Kurus with ten thousanddisciples. And seeing the irascible ascetic arrived, Duryodhana and hisbrothers welcomed him with great humility, self-abasement and gentleness.And himself attending on the Rishi as a menial, the prince gave him aright worshipful reception. And the illustrious Muni stayed there for afew days, while king Duryodhana, watchful of his imprecations, attendedon him diligently by day and night. And sometimes the Muni would say, ‘Iam hungry, O king, give me some food quickly.’ And sometimes he would goout for a bath and, returning at a late hour, would say, ‘I shall not eatanything today as I have no appetite,’ and so saying would disappear fromhis sight. And sometimes, coming all on a sudden, he would say, ‘Feed usquickly.’ And at other times, bent on some mischief, he would awake atmidnight and having caused his meals to be prepared as before, would carpat them and not partake of them at all. And trying the prince in this wayfor a while, when the Muni found that the king Duryodhana was neitherangered, nor annoyed, he became graciously inclined towards him. Andthen, O Bharata, the intractable Durvasa said unto him, ‘I have power togrant thee boons. Thou mayst ask of me whatever lies nearest to thyheart. May good fortune be thine. Pleased as I am with thee, thou maystobtain from me anything that is not opposed to religion and morals.’

Vaisampayana continued, “Hearing these words of the great ascetic,Suyodhana felt himself to be inspired with new life. Indeed, it had beenagreed upon between himself and Karna and Dussasana as to what the boonshould be that he would ask of the Muni if the latter were pleased withhis reception. And the evil-minded king, bethinking himself of what hadpreviously been decided, joyfully solicited the following favour, saying,’The great king Yudhishthira is the eldest and the best of our race. Thatpious man is now living in the forest with his brothers. Do thou,therefore, once become the guest of that illustrious one even as, OBrahmana, thou hast with thy disciples been mine for some time. If thouart minded to do me a favour, do thou go unto him at a time when thatdelicate and excellent lady, the celebrated princess of Panchala, afterhaving regaled with food the Brahmanas, her husbands and herself, may liedown to rest.’ The Rishi replied, ‘Even so shall I act for thysatisfaction.’ And having said this to Suyodhana, that great Brahmana,Durvasa, went away in the very same state in which he had come. AndSuyodhana regarded himself to have attained all the objects of hisdesire. And holding Karna by the hand he expressed great satisfaction.And Karna, too, joyfully addressed the king in the company of hisbrothers, saying, ‘By a piece of singular good luck, thou hast fared welland attained the objects of thy desire. And by good luck it is that thyenemies have been immersed in a sea of dangers that is difficult tocross. The sons of Pandu are now exposed to the fire of Durvasa’s wrath.Through their own fault they have fallen into an abyss of darkness.'”

Vaisampayana continued, “O king, expressing their satisfaction in thisstrain, Duryodhana and others, bent on evil machinations, returnedmerrily to their respective homes.”