, O exalted one, wending then with Draupadi
to the kitchen, and adored by her duly, the son of Pandu set himself to
cook (their day's) food. And the clean food, however little, that was
dressed, furnished with the four tastes, increased and became
inexhaustible. And with it Yudhishthira began to feed the regenerate
ones. And after the Brahmanas had been fed, and his younger brothers
also, Yudhishthira himself ate of the food that remained, and which is
called _Vighasa_. And after Yudhishthira had eaten, the daughter of
Prishata took what remained. And after she had taken her meal, the day's
food became exhausted.

"And having thus obtained the boon from the maker of day, the son of
Pandu, himself as resplendent as that celestial, began to entertain the
Brahmanas agreeably to their wishes. And obedient to their priest, the
sons of Pritha, on auspicious lunar days and constellations and
conjunctions, performed sacrifices according to the ordinance, the
scriptures, and the _Mantras_. After the sacrifices, the sons of Pandu,
blessed by the auspicious rites performed by Dhaumya and accompanied by
him, and surrounded also by the Brahmanas set out for the woods of
_Kamyaka_."

SECTION IV

Vaisampayana said,--"After the Pandavas had gone to the forest,
Dhritarashtra the son of Amvika, whose knowledge was his eye,[14] became
exceedingly sorrowful. And seated at his ease the king addressed these
words to the virtuous Vidura of profound intelligence, 'Thy
understanding is as clear as that of Bhargava.[15] Thou knowest also all
the subtleties of morality, and thou lookest on all the Kauravas with an
equal eye. O, tell me what is proper for me and them. O Vidura, things
having thus taken their course, what should we do now? How may I secure
the goodwill of the citizens so that they may not destroy us to the
roots? O, tell us all, since thou art conversant with every excellent
expedient.'

[14] Dhritarashtra being blind is described as _Pragnachakshu,
i.e._ having knowledge for his eye. It may also mean. "Of the
prophetic eye."

[15] The great preceptor of the Asuras, _viz., Sukra_,
possessing the highest intelligence as evidenced by his various
works on all manner of subjects particularly, the _Sukra-niti_.

"Vidura said, 'The three-fold purposes, O king (_viz_., profit,
pleasure, and salvation), have their foundations in virtue, and the
sages say that a kingdom also standeth on virtue as its basis.