u from what you saw in my encounters with the Kshatriyas!' Having said
this, Rama then, along with all those seekers of Brahma, resolved to
depart from that asylum, and the great ascetic then rose from his seat.
Then all those ascetics passing that night there, performed (on the next
morning) their homa-rites and recited their prayers. And then they all
set out, desirous of taking my life. And Rama, accompanied by all those
devotees of Brahma, then came to Kurukshetra, O monarch, with that
maiden, O Bharata, in their company. And those high-souled ascetics, with
that foremost one of Bhrigu's race at head, having arrived on the banks
of the stream of Saraswati, quartered themselves there."'"

SECTION CLXXXI

"'Bhishma said, "After he had quartered there, on the third day, O king,
Jamadagni's son of high vows, sent a message to me, saying, 'I have come
here, do what is agreeable to me.' Hearing that Rama, of great might, had
come to the confines of our kingdom, I speedily went with a joyous heart
to that master who was an ocean of energy. And I went to him, O king,
with a cow placed in the van of my train, and accompanied by many
Brahmanas, and (ordinary) priests (of our family), and by others,
resembling the very gods in splendour, employed by us on special
occasions. And beholding me arrived at his presence, Jamadagni's son, of
great prowess, accepted the worship I offered unto him and said these
words unto me."

"'"Rama said, 'Thyself, divested of desire, with what mood of mind, O
Bhishma, didst thou abduct, on the occasion of her self-choice, this
daughter of the king of Kasi and again dismiss her subsequently? By thee
hath this famous lady been dissociated from virtue! Contaminated by the
touch of thy hands before, who can marry her now? Rejected she hath been
by Salwa, because thou, O Bharata, hadst abducted her. Take her
therefore, to thyself, O Bharata, at my command. Let this daughter of a
king, O tiger among men, be charged with the duties of her sex! O king, O
sinless one, it is not proper that this humiliation should be hers!'

"'"Seeing him plunged into sorrow (on account of the maiden) I said unto
him,--'O Brahmana, I cannot, by any means, bestow this girl on my brother.
O thou of Bhrigu's race, it was to myself that she said, I am Salwa's!
And it was by me that she was permitted to go to Salwa's city. As regards
myself, even this is my firm vow that I cannot abandon Kshatriya
practices from fear or p