Kotika said, “Excellent lady, who art thou that standest alone, leaningon a branch of the Kadamva tree at this hermitage and looking grand likea flame of fire blazing at night time, and fanned by the wind?Exquisitely beautiful as thou art, how is it that thou feelest not anyfear in these forests?
“Sanjaya continued, ‘Then Drona, beholding Yudhishthira near himfearlessly received him with a thick shower of arrows.
“Vyasa said, ‘Thou hadst asked me about the Creation of all beings; Ihave now narrated that to thee in full.
Sanjaya said, “And when the battle was thus raging and after Susarman hadceased fighting, and the (other) heroic warriors (of the Kuru army) hadbeen routed by the high-souled son of
“Vaisampayana said, ‘After the high-souled Pandavas had all been seated,Satyavati’s son Vyasa said,–O Dhritarashtra of mighty arms, hast thoubeen able to achieve penances? Is thy mind, O king, pleased with thyresidence in the woods?
“Sauti said, ‘Then the councillors beholding the king in the coils ofTakshaka, became pale with fear and wept in exceeding grief. And hearingthe roar of Takshaka, the ministers all fled. And as they were flyingaway in great grief, they saw Takshaka, the king of snakes, thatwonderful serpent, coursing through the blue sky like a streak of the hueof the lotus, and looking very much like the vermilion-coloured line on awoman’s crown dividing the dark masses of her hair in the middle.
Vaisampayana said, “These great warriors of the race of Bharata sojournedlike immortals in the great forest of Kamyaka, employed in hunting andpleased with the sight of numerous wild tracts of country and widereaches of woodland, gorgeous with flowers blossoming in season.
“Dhritarashtra said, ‘When the Pandavas were broken by Bharadwaja’s sonin hat dreadful battle, and the Panchalas also, was there anybody thatapproached Drona for battle?
“Vaisampayana said, ‘Endued with great energy, the delighter of the Kurus(viz., Bhishma), said, ‘I shall discourse on the subject of duty.
“Vyasa said, ‘The knowledge called Trayi which occurs in the Vedas andtheir branches should be acquired.
