ures. Even this is my
certain conclusion. Amongst the heroes of the Kuru race, in consequence
of thy righteousness, thou shinest today in great glory. They have all
been cast into the shade, O king, by thee. Thou art our king, and thou
art our senior. With my approval freely granted, do thou adore the
deities in the sacrifice suggested. Do thou, O Bharata, appoint us to
whatever tasks thou likest. Truly, do I pledge myself that I shall
accomplish all, O sinless one, that thou mayst bid me accomplish.
Bhimasena and Arjuna and the two sons of Madravati will be sacrificing
when thou, O king, sacrificest."'"[188]

SECTION LXXII

"Vaisampayana said, 'Thus addressed by Krishna, Yudhishthira, the son of
Dharma, endued with great intelligence, saluted Vyasa and said these
words: "Do thou cause me to be initiated when the proper hour, as thou
truly knowest, comes for that rite. This my sacrifice is entirely
dependent on thee."

"'Vyasa said, "Myself, O son of Kunti, and Paila and Yajnavalkya, shall
without doubt, achieve every rite at the proper time. The rite of
initiating thee will be performed on the day of full moon belonging to
the month of Chaitra. Let all the necessaries of the sacrifice, O
foremost of men, be got ready. Let Sutas well-versed in the science of
horses, and let Brahmanas also possessed of the same lore, select, after
examination, a worthy horse in order that thy sacrifice may be completed.
Loosening the animal according to the injunctions of the scriptures, let
him wander over the whole Earth with her belt of seas, displaying thy
blazing glory, O king!"'

"Vaisampayana continued, 'Thus addressed (by the Rishi), Yudhishthira,
the son of Pandu, that lord of Earth, answered,--"So be it!"--and then, O
monarch, he accomplished all that that utterer of Brahma had directed.
All the articles necessary for the sacrifice, O king, were duly procured.
The royal son of Dharma, possessed of immeasurable soul, having procured
all the necessaries, informed the Island-born Krishna of it. Then Vyasa
of great energy said unto the royal son of Dharma,--"As regards
ourselves, we are all prepared to initiate thee in view of the sacrifice.
Let the Sphya and the Kurcha and all the other articles that, O thou of
Kuru's race, may be needed for thy sacrifice, be made of gold.[189] Let
the horse also be loosened today, for roaming on the Earth, agreeably to
the ordinances of the scriptures. Let the animal, duly protected, wand