on. And they also said unto Draupadi
of pure deeds in the hearing of Vasudeva himself, these words, "O lady,
in consequence of thy anger, Duryodhana shall lay down his life. We
promise it, O thou of the fairest complexion. Therefore, grieve no more.
O Krishna, those that mocked thee, beholding thee won at dice, shall
reap the fruit of their act. Beasts of prey and birds shall eat their
flesh, and mock them thus. Jackals and vultures will drink their blood.
And, O Krishna, thou shalt behold the bodies of those wretches that
dragged thee by the hair prostrate on the earth, dragged and eaten by
carnivorous animals. They also that gave thee pain and disregarded thee
shall lie on the earth destitute of their heads, and the earth herself
shall drink their blood." These and other speeches of various kinds were
uttered there, O king, by those bulls of the Bharata race. All of them
are endued with energy and bravery, and marked with the marks of battle.
On the expiration of the thirteenth year, those mighty warriors, chosen
by Yudhishthira and headed by Vasudeva, will come (to the field of
battle). Rama and Krishna and Dhananjaya and Pradyumna and Shamva and
Yuyudhana and Bhima and the sons of Madri and the Kekaya princes and the
Panchala princes, accompanied by the king of Matsya, these all,
illustrious and celebrated and invincible heroes, with their followers
and troops, will come. Who is there that, desiring to live, will
encounter these in battle, resembling angry lions of erect manes?'

"Dhritarashtra said, 'What Vidura told me at the time of the game at
dice, "If thou seekest, O king, to vanquish the Pandavas (at dice), then
certainly a terrible blood-shed ending in the destruction of all the
Kurus will be the result," I think it is about to be realised. As Vidura
told me of old, without doubt a terrible battle will take place, as soon
as the pledged period of the Pandavas expireth.'"

SECTION LII

(Nalopakhyana Parva)

Janamejaya said, "When the high-souled Partha went to Indra's region for
obtaining weapons, what did Yudhishthira and the other sons of Pandu
do?"

Vaisampayana said, "When the high-souled Partha went to Indra's region
for obtaining weapons, those bulls of the Bharata race continued to
dwell with Krishna in (the woods of) _Kamyaka_. One day, those foremost
of the Bharatas, afflicted with grief, were seated with Krishna on a
clean and solitary sward. Grieving for Dhananjaya, overwhelmed with
sorrow,