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300 The banks were decked with various flowers whose fragrance filled the atmosphere. The Kauravas and the Pandavas sat down and began to enjoy the things provided for them. They became engaged in play and began to exchange morsels of food with one another. Mean. while the wicked Duryodhana had mixed a powerful poison with a quantity of food, with the object of making away with Bhima, That wicked youth who had nectar in his tongue and a razor in his heart, rose at length, and in a friendly way fed Bhima largely with that poisoned food, and thinking himself lucky in having compassed his end, was exceedingly glad at heart. Then the sons of Dhritarashtra and Pandu together became cheerfully engaged in sporting in the water. Their sport having been finished, they dressed themselves in white habiliments, and decked themselves with various ornaments. Fatigued with play, they felt inclined in the evening to rest in the pleasurehouse belonging to the garden. Having made the other youths exercise in the waters, the powerful second Pandava was excessively fatigued. So that on rising from the water, he lay down on the ground. He was weary and under the influence of the poison. And the cool air served to spread the poison over all his frame, so that he lost his senses at once. Seeing this Duryodhada bound him with chords of shrubs, and threw bim into the water. The insensible son of Pandu sank down till be reached the Naga kingdom. The Nagas, furnished with fangs containing virulent venom, bit him by thousands. The vegetable poison, mingled in the blood of the son of the Wind-god, was neutralised by the snake.poison. The serpents had bitten all over his frame, except his chest, the skin of which was so tough that their fangs could not penetrate it.

"On regaining consciousness, the son of Kunti burst his bands and began to press the snakes down under the ground. A remnant fied for life, and going to their king Vasuki, represented.-'O king of snakes, a man sunk under the water, bound in chords of shrubs, probably he had drunk poison. For when he fell amongst us, he was insensible. But when we began to bite him, he regained his senses, and bursting his fetters, commenced laying at us. May it please your Majesty to enquire who is.'

"Then Vasuki, in accordance with the prayer of the inferior Nagas. went to the place and saw Bhimasena. Of the serpents, there was one, named Aryaka. He was the grand father of the father of Kunti. The lord of serpents saw bis relative and embraced him. Then, Vasuki, learning all, was pleased with Bhima, and said to Aryaka with satisfaction,'How are we to please him? Let him have money and gems in profusion.