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294 me have thy sanction! This foremost one of the Bharata princes had approached me, desiring to have intercourse. His appetite unsatiated, shall I not follow him in the region of Yama to gratify him ? O revered one, if I survive thee, it is certain I shall not be able to rear thy children as if they were mine. Will not sin touch me on that account? But, thou, O Kunti, shalt be able to bring my sons up as if they were thine 1 The king, in seeking me wishfully, hath gone to the region of spirits; therefore, my body should be burnt with his. O revered sister, withhold not thy sanction to this which is agreeable to me! Thou wilt certainly bring up the children carefully 1 That, indeed, would be very agreeable to me. I have no other direction to give !'

Vaisampayana continued, "Having said this, the daughter of the king of Madras,--the wedded wife of Pandu-ascended the funeral pyre of her lord, that bull among men."

Thus ends the hundred and twenty-fifth section in the Sambhava Parva of the Adi Parva.

Vaisampayana said, "The godlike Rishis, wise in counsels, beholding the death of Pandu, consulted with one another, and said, -The virtuous and renowned king Pandu, abandoning both sovereignty, and kingdom came hither for practising ascetic austerities and resigned himself to the ascetics dwelling on this mountain. He hath hence ascended to heaven, leaving his wife and infant sons as a trust in our hands. Our duty now is to repair to his kingdom with these his offspring, his body and his wife I'

Vaisampayana continued, -"Then those godlike Rishis of magnanim. ous hearts, and crowned - with ascetic success, summoning one another, resolved to go to Hastinapura with Pandu's children ahead, desiring to place them in the hands of Bhishma and Dhritarashtra. The ascetics set out that very moment, taking with them those children and Kunti and the two dead bodies. And though unused to toil all her life, the affectionate Kunti now regarded as very short the really long journey she had to perform. Having arrived at Kurujangala within a short time, the illustrious Kunti presented herself at the principal gate. The ascetics then charged the porters to inform the king of their arrival. The men carried the message in a trice to the court. And the citizens of Hastinapura, hearing of the arrival of thousands of Charanas and Munis, were filled with wonder. And it was soon after sunrise that they began