re with the Brahmanas offering oblations and practising
meditation. And those tigers among men, the Pandavas of the god-like
appearance, felt delight in witnessing the various amusements of
Draupadi."

SECTION CXLV

Vaisampayana said, "There observing cleanliness, those tigers among men
dwelt for six nights, in expectation of beholding Dhananjaya. And it came
to pass that all of a sudden there blew a wind from the north-east and
brought a celestial lotus of a thousand petals and effulgent as the sun.
And Panchali saw that pure and charming lotus of unearthly fragrance,
brought by the wind and left on the ground. And having obtained that
excellent and beautiful lotus, that blessed one became exceedingly
delighted, O king, and addressed Bhimasena in the following words,
'Behold, O Bhima, this most beautiful unearthly flower having within it
the very source of fragrance. It gladdenth my heart, O represser of foes.
This one shall be presented to Yudhishthira the just. Do thou, therefore,
procure others for my satisfaction--in order that I may carry them to our
hermitage in the Kamyaka. If, O Pritha's son, I have found grace with
thee, do thou then procure others of this species in large numbers. I
wish to carry them to our hermitage.' Having said this, the blameless
lady of beautiful glances approached Yudhishthira the just, taking the
flower. And knowing the desire of his beloved queen that bull among men,
Bhima of great strength, also set out, in order to gratify her. And
intent upon fetching the flowers, he began to proceed at rapid space,
facing the wind, in the direction from which the flower had come. And
taking the bow inlaid with gold on the back as also arrows like unto
venomous snakes, he proceeded as a lion in anger or an elephant in rut.
And all beings gazed at him, holding a mighty bow and arrows. And neither
exhaustion, nor langour, neither fear nor confusion, ever possessed the
son of Pritha and the offspring of Vayu (wind). And desirous of pleasing
Draupadi the mighty one, free from fear or confusion, ascended the peak
depending on the strength of his arms. And that slayer of foes began to
range that beautiful peak covered with trees, creepers and of black rocky
base; and frequented by Kinnaras; and variegated with minerals, plants,
beasts, and birds of various hues; and appearing like an upraised arm of
the Earth adorned with an entire set of ornaments. And that one of
matchless prowess proceeded, fixi