, that hero of
immeasurable splendour who having vanquished single-handed the assembled
Yadavas in battle, ravished Subhadra with the consent of Vasudeva, he,
who having invaded the dominion of the illustrious Drupada gave, O
Bharata, unto the preceptor Drona his tuition fee--beholding, O king,
that Jishnu's bed of grass empty in our asylum, my heart refuses
consolation. A migration from this forest is what, O represser of foes,
I would prefer for without that hero this forest cannot be delightful.'"

SECTION LXXXI

Vaisampayana said, "Hearing these words of his brothers as also of
Krishna, all of whom were anxious on account of Dhananjaya, king
Yudhishthira, the just, became melancholy. And at that time he saw
(before him) the celestial Rishi Narada blazing with _Brahmi_ beauty and
like unto a fire flaming up in consequence of sacrificial libation. And
beholding him come, king Yudhishthira with his brothers stood up and
duly worshipped the illustrious one. And endued with blazing energy, the
handsome chief of the Kuru race, surrounded by his brothers, shone like
the god of a hundred sacrifices encircled by the celestials. And
Yajnaseni in obedience to the dictates of morality adhered to her lords,
the sons of Pritha, like Savitri to the Vedas or the rays of the Sun to
the peak of Meru. And the illustrious Rishi Narada, accepting that
worship, comforted the son of Dharma in proper terms. And, O sinless
one, addressing the high-souled king Yudhishthira, the just, the Rishi
said, 'Tell me, O foremost of virtuous men, what it is that thou seekest
and what I can do for thee.' At this, the royal son of Dharma bowing
with his brothers unto Narada, who was the revered of the celestials,
told him with joined hands, 'O thou that art highly blessed and
worshipped by all the worlds when thou art gratified with me, I regard
all my wishes in consequence of thy grace, as already fulfilled, O thou
of excellent vows! If, O sinless one, I with my brothers deserve thy
favour, it behoveth thee, O best of Munis, to dispel the doubt that is
in my mind. It behoveth thee to tell me in detail what merit is his that
goeth round the worlds, desirous of beholding the sacred waters and
shrines that are on it.'

"Narada said, 'Listen, O king, with attention, to what the intelligent
Bhishma had heard before from Pulastya! Once, O blessed one, that
foremost of virtuous men, Bhishma, while in the observance of the
_Pitrya_ vow, lived, O king, in