inted with
the truth of every affair. Endued with celestial sight, thou beholdest, O
regenerate Rishi, what the diverse goals are of human beings. Thou hast
said what the goal has been of the kings mentioned by thee, viz.,
association with the chief of celestials. Thou hast not, however, O great
Rishi, declared what those regions are that will be acquired by this
king. O puissant one, I wish to hear from thee what region will be
acquired by the royal Dhritarashtra. It behoveth thee to tell me truly
the kind of region that will be his and the time when he will attain to
it." Thus addressed by him, Narada of celestial sight and endued with
austere penances, said in the midst of the assembly these words highly
agreeable to the minds of all.'

"'Narada said, "Repairing at my will to the mansion of Sakra, I have seen
Sakra the lord of Sachi; and there, O royal sage, I have beheld king
Pandu. There a talk arose, O monarch, regarding this Dhritarashtra and
those highly austere penances which he is performing. There I heard from
the lips of Sakra himself that there are three years yet of the period of
life allotted to this king. After that, king Dhritarashtra, accompanied
by his wife Gandhari, will go to the regions of Kuvera and be highly
honoured by that king of kings. He will go there on a car moving at his
will, his person adorned with celestial ornaments. He is the son of a
Rishi; he is highly blessed; he has burnt all his sins by his penances.
Endued with a righteous soul, he will rove at will through the regions
of the deities, the Gandharvas, and the Rakshasas. That about which thou
hast enquired is a mystery of the gods. Through my affection for you, I
have declared this high truth. Ye all are possessed of the wealth of
Srutis and have consumed all your sins by your penances."'

"Vaisampayana continued, 'Hearing these sweet words of the celestial
Rishi, all the persons there assembled, as also king Dhritarashtra,
became greatly cheered and highly pleased. Having cheered Dhritarashtra
of great wisdom with such talk, they left the spot, wending away by the
path that belongs to those who are crowned with success.'"

SECTION XXI

"Vaisampayana said, 'Upon the retirement of the chief of the Kurus into
the forest, the Pandavas, O king, afflicted besides by grief on account
of their mother, became very cheerless. The citizens also of Hastinapura
were possessed by deep sorrow. The Brahmanas always talked of the old
kin