ed them with
due rites. And worshipped by the monarch thus, those blessed ones,
addressing Yudhishthira, said, 'O Yudhishthira, O Bhima, and ye twins,
banish all evil thoughts from your minds. Purify your hearts and then
set out for the _tirthas_. The Brahmanas have said that the observance
of regulations in respect of the body are called earthly vows, while
efforts to purify the heart, so that it may be free from evil thoughts,
are called spiritual vows. O king, the mind that is free from all evil
thoughts is highly pure. Purifying yourselves, therefore, harbouring
only friendly feelings for all, behold ye the _tirthas_. Observing
earthly vows in respect of your bodies and purifying your minds by
spiritual vows, obtain ye the fruits as recited, of pilgrimages.'

"Saying, 'So be it,' the Pandavas with Krishna, caused those celestial
and human Rishis to perform the usual propitiatory ceremonies. And those
heroes, having worshipped the feet of Lomasa and Dwaipayana and Narada
and the celestial Rishi Parvata, O king, and accompanied by Dhaumya as
also the ascetics that had been residing with them in the woods, set out
on the day following the full moon of _Agrahayana_ in which the
constellation _Pushya_ was ascendant. Dressed in barks and hides, and
with matted lock on head, they were all cased in impenetrable mail and
armed with swords. And O Janamejaya, the heroic sons of Pandu with
quivers and arrows and scimitars and other weapons, and accompanied by
Indrasena and other attendants with fourteen and one cars, a number of
cooks and servants of other classes, set out with faces turned towards
the east!"

SECTION XCIV

"Yudhishthira said, 'O best of celestial Rishis, I do not think that I
am without merits. Yet am I afflicted with so much sorrow that there
never was a king like me. I think, however, that my enemies are
destitute of good qualities and even destitute of morality. Yet why, O
Lomasa, do they prosper in this world?'

"Lomasa said, 'Grieve not ever, O king, O son of Pritha, that sinful men
should often prosper in consequence of the sins they commit. A man may
be seen to prosper by his sins, obtain good therefrom and vanquish his
foes. Destruction, however, overtakes him to the roots. O king, I have
seen many Daityas and Danavas prosper by sin but I have also seen
destruction overtake them. O exalted one, I have seen all this in the
righteous age of yore. The gods practised virtue, while the Asuras
abandon