prowess, he also said, 'Even if, O Bharata, ye range this (entire) earth
in your proper forms none in the three worlds shall recognise you. Ye
perpetuators of the Kuru race, through my grace, ye will spend this
thirteenth year, secretly and unrecognised, in Virata's kingdom! And
every one of you will be able at will to assume any form he likes! Do ye
now present the Brahmana with his fire-sticks. It was only to test you
that I carried them away in the form of a deer! O amiable Yudhishthira,
do thou ask for another boon that thou mayst like! I will confer it on
thee. O foremost of men, I have not yet been satisfied by granting boons
to thee! Do thou my son, accept a third boon that is great and
incomparable! Thou, O king, art born of me, and Vidura of portion or
mine!" Thereat Yudhishthira said,--'It is enough that I have beheld thee
with my senses, eternal God of gods as thou art! O father, whatever boon
thou wilt confer on me I shall surely accept gladly! May I, O lord,
always conquer covetousness and folly and anger, and may my mind be ever
devoted to charity, truth, and ascetic austerities! The Lord of justice
said,--'Even by nature, O Pandava, hast thou been endued with these
qualities, for thou art the Lord of justice himself! Do thou again attain
what thou asked for!"

Vaisampayana continued,--"Having said these words, the worshipful Lord of
justice, who is the object of contemplation of all the worlds, vanished
therefrom; and the high-souled Pandavas after they had slept sweetly were
united with one another. And their fatigue dispelled, those heroes
returned to the hermitage, and gave back that Brahmana his firesticks.
That man who pursueth this illustrious and fame-enhancing story of the
revival (of the Pandavas) and the meeting of father and son (Dharma and
Yudhishthira), obtaineth perfect tranquillity of mind, and sons and
grandsons, and also a life extending over a hundred years! And the mind
of that man that layeth this story to heart, never delighteth in
unrighteousness, or in disunion among friends, or misappropriation of
other person's property, or staining other people's wives, or in foul
thoughts!

SECTION CCCXIII

Vaisampayana continued,--"Commanded by the Lord of justice to thus spend
in disguise the thirteenth year of non-discovery, the high-souled
Pandavas, observant of vows and having truth for prowess, sat before
those learned and vow-observing ascetics that from regard were dwelling
with