and cool with clouds and
beautified by myriads of planets and stars and the moon. And they beheld
rivers and ponds, adorned with lilies and white lotuses, full of cool
and pleasant water. And while roving by the river _Saraswati_ whose
banks resembled the firmament itself and were overgrown with canes, and
as such abounded in sacred baths, their joy was great. And those heroes
who wielded powerful bows, were specially glad to see the pleasant river
_Saraswati_, with its limpid waters full to the brim. And, O Janamejaya,
the holiest night, that of the full moon in the month of _Kartika_ in
the season of autumn, was spent by them while dwelling there! And the
sons of Pandu, the best of the descendants of Bharata, spent that
auspicious juncture with righteous and magnanimous saints devoted to
penance. And as soon as the dark fortnight set in immediately after, the
sons of Pandu entered the forest named the Kamyaka, accompanied by
Dhananjaya and their charioteers and cooks."

SECTION CLXXXII

Vaisampayana said, "O son of Kuru, they, Yudhishthira and others, having
reached the forest of _Kamyaka_, were hospitably received by hosts of
saints and they lived together with Krishna. And while the sons of Pandu
were dwelling in security in that place, many _Brahmanas_ came to wait
upon them. And a certain _Brahmana_ said, 'He the beloved friend of
Arjuna, of powerful arms and possessed of self control, descendant of
_Sura_, of a lofty intellect, will come, for, O ye foremost of the
descendants of Kuru, Hari knows that ye have arrived here. For, Hari has
always a longing for your sight and always seeks your welfare. And
Markandeya, who lived very many years devoted to great austerities,
given to study and penance, will erelong come and meet you.' And the
very moment that he was uttering these words, there was beheld Krishna,
coming thitherward upon a car unto which were yoked the horses Saivya
and Sugriva,--he the best of those that ride on cars, accompanied by
Satyabhama, is like Indra by Sachi, the daughter of Pulaman. And the son
of Devaki came, desirous to see those most righteous of the descendants
of Kuru. And the sagacious Krishna, having alighted from the car,
prostrated himself, with pleasure in his heart, before the virtuous
king, in the prescribed way, and also before Bhima, that foremost of
powerful men. And he paid his respects to Dhaumya, while the twin
brothers prostrated themselves to him. And he embraced Arjuna