Chapter 96
Vaisampayana said, “After this the royal son of Kunti who was everdistinguished for his profuse gifts unto Brahmanas, proceeded to theasylum of Agastya and took up his abode in Durjaya.
Vaisampayana said, “After this the royal son of Kunti who was everdistinguished for his profuse gifts unto Brahmanas, proceeded to theasylum of Agastya and took up his abode in Durjaya.
“Yudhishthira said, ‘Who deserve to be worshipped? Who are they unto whomwe should bow? How, indeed, should we behave towards whom? What course ofconduct, O grandsire, towards what classes of persons is regardedfaultless?’
“Gandhari said, There, O Madhava, my son Vikarna, applauded by the wise,lieth on the bare ground, slain by Bhima and mangled horribly!
“Garuda continued, ‘In days of yore, Vivaswat, having performed asacrifice, gave this quarter away as a present (Dakshina) unto hispreceptor, And it is for this that this region is known by the name ofDakshina (south).
“Narada said, ‘Gaya, the son of Amartarayas, O Srinjaya, we hear, fell aprey to death, That king, for a hundred years, ate nothing but whatremained of the libations of clarified butter poured into the sacrificialfire.
“Vaisampayana said, ‘Then those illustrious sons of Pritha, on returningto the potter’s abode, approached their mother. And those first of menrepresented Yajnaseni unto their mother as the alms they had obtainedthat day.
Vaisampayana said, “The heroic sons of Pandu, accompanied by theirfollowers, proceeding from place to place, at last arrived at Naimisha.
“Yudhishthira said, ‘O grandsire, O thou of great wisdom, O thou that artconversant with all branches of knowledge, what is that subject of silentrecitation by reciting which every day one may acquire the merit ofrighteousness in a large measure?
“Gandhari said, Behold, O Madhava, my century of sons, incapable offatigue (from exertion in battle), have all been slain by Bhimasena withhis mace in battle!
“Garuda said, ‘This quarter is the favourite one of king Varuna, theruler of the ocean. Indeed, the lord of the waters had his origin here,and it is hither that sovereignty lieth.