them. Next she
feared that some cruel and strong Rakshasas endued with powers of
deception had slain them. And she asked herself, 'Could the illustrious
Vyasa himself (who had directed my sons to come to Panchala) have been
guided by perverse intelligence?' Thus reflected Pritha in consequence of
her affection for her offspring. Then in the stillness of the late
afternoon, Jishnu, accompanied by a body of Brahmanas, entered the abode
of the potter, like the cloud-covered sun appearing on a cloudy day.'"

SECTION CLXLIII

(Swayamvara Parva continued)

"Vaisampayana said, 'Then those illustrious sons of Pritha, on returning
to the potter's abode, approached their mother. And those first of men
represented Yajnaseni unto their mother as the alms they had obtained
that day. And Kunti who was there within the room and saw not her sons,
replied, saying, 'Enjoy ye all (what ye have obtained).' The moment
after, she beheld Krishna and then she said, 'Oh, what have I said?' And
anxious from fear of sin, and reflecting how every one could be
extricated from the situation, she took the cheerful Yajnaseni by the
hand, and approaching Yudhishthira said, 'The daughter of king Yajnasena
upon being represented to me by thy younger brothers as the alms they had
obtained, from ignorance, O king, I said what was proper, viz., 'Enjoy ye
all what hath been obtained. O thou bull of the Kuru race, tell me how my
speech may not become untrue; how sin may not touch the daughter of the
king of Panchala, and how also she may not become uneasy.'

"Vaisampayana continued, 'Thus addressed by his mother that hero among
men, that foremost scion of the Kuru race, the intelligent king
(Yudhishthira), reflecting for a moment, consoled Kunti, and addressing
Dhananjaya, said, 'By thee, O Phalguna, hath Yajnaseni been won. It is
proper, therefore, that thou shouldst wed her. O thou withstander of all
foes, igniting the sacred fire, take thou her hand with due rites.'

"Arjuna, hearing this, replied, 'O king, do not make me a participator in
sin. Thy behest is not conformable to virtue. That is the path followed
by the sinful. Thou shouldst wed first, then the strong-armed Bhima of
inconceivable feats, then myself, then Nakula, and last of all, Sahadeva
endued with great activity. Both Vrikodara and myself, and the twins and
this maiden also, all await, O monarch, thy commands. When such is the
state of things, do that, after reflection, which would