Having completed the sacred water-rites for the departed Pandu, all the people gathered and, seeing the Pandavas worn down by grief, gently restrained them as they mourned. The Pandavas lay upon the ground with their relatives, and in their sorrow, the townsfolk, brahmins, and others likewise slept on the earth, sharing in their pain. For twelve nights, the city and its people, together with the Pandavas, remained joyless and restless, as if the city itself had lost its prince. When the period of mourning had passed, Vidura, Bhishma, Vyasa, and King Dhritarashtra, along with their kin, offered the funeral oblations for Pandu—offerings made of nectar, fit for the ancestors. With the guidance of the family priest, they performed all the rites according to tradition. They fed thousands of Kurus and eminent brahmins, and bestowed streams of jewels and choice villages upon the foremost among the twice-born. Once the purificatory rites were complete, they brought the Pandavas, the best of the Bharatas, and all entered the city of Varanavata. Yet, the sorrow did not lift. The townspeople and countryfolk continued to lament Pandu, that bull among the Bharatas, grieving for him as if they had lost a beloved relative. When the funeral rites came to an end, Vyasa, seeing the people stricken with confusion and pain, spoke to his mother Satyavati. He said, “The days of happiness have passed; now harsh times have come. With each day, more evil approaches, and the earth has lost her youth. A dreadful age will soon arrive, filled with great hardship and many faults, when righteousness and ritual will be lost. Because of the misfortune of the Kurus, the earth will not endure. Go now, take up yoga, and dwell in the forest, devoted to austerity. Do not witness the terrible destruction that will come upon this family, nor your own suffering.” Satyavati agreed, and entered her chambers to speak with her daughter-in-law. She said to Ambika, “It is said that because of your grandson’s misrule, the Bharatas and their allies, as well as the townsfolk, will perish—so we have heard. Therefore, if you agree, let us take Kausalya, who is tormented by grief for her son, and go to the forest. May it be well for you.” Having been thus addressed, the virtuous Satyavati, after bidding farewell to Bhishma, went to the forest with her daughters-in-law, O Bharata. There, those royal ladies performed severe austerities, and, having abandoned their bodies, attained the desired state, O great king. Meanwhile, the Pandavas, having completed the rites prescribed in the Vedas, grew up enjoying the pleasures of their father’s house. Alongside the sons of Dhritarashtra, they played joyfully and happily, excelling in all childhood games through their brilliance. In running, target-hitting, eating, and even dragging in the sand, Bhimasena would overpower all the sons of Dhritarashtra. Out of delight, he would seize those who were playing, grasping their heads and making them join the Pandavas. Among all those mighty princes, Vrikodara—Bhima—alone could subdue a hundred and one, and not with much difficulty. Grabbing them by their hair, he would strike them forcefully and drag them across the ground as they cried out, their knees and heads scraped. Sometimes, playing with ten boys at once, he would hold them with his arms, submerge himself in water, and release them as if lifeless. When some climbed trees to search for fruits, Bhima would shake the trees with a blow, causing them to tremble and the fruits to fall, while the princes slipped from the branches. Some brothers fell with broken heads and shoulders, others with broken hips and faces, all overcome by Bhimasena’s strength. In wrestling, running, or any contest, the princes never surpassed Vrikodara, though they tried their best. Thus, Vrikodara, competing with the sons of Dhritarashtra, behaved in a rough and unpleasant manner—not out of malice, but from childishness. Then, the powerful Duryodhana, son of Dhritarashtra, knowing Bhimasena’s renowned strength, began to harbor evil intentions. Observing his own unrighteous conduct and many wicked acts, blinded by greed for power, evil thoughts arose in his mind. He thought, “This Vrikodara, son of Kunti, is the foremost among the strong; let him, the middle Kunti son, be subdued by deceit. He is vigorous, courageous, and endowed with great valor, and alone competes with us all.” Duryodhana schemed, “Let us throw him, while he sleeps, into the Ganga in the palace garden; then we shall seize Yudhishthira, the eldest and best. By forcibly binding him, I will rule the earth.” Thus, Duryodhana made this wicked resolve, always watching Bhima, the great-souled. To further his plan, O Bharata, Duryodhana had splendid and varied pavilions of cloth and wool built for water sports. They were filled with every pleasure and adorned with tall banners, and there he arranged many different kinds of houses. He organized what was called a water festival, choosing a certain spot on the riverbank at the edge of the region. At the end of their play, all of them, dressed in clean garments and well adorned, slowly enjoyed food rich in every delight. As the day ended, exhausted after their enjoyment, the foremost of the Kurus chose to rest in the pleasure houses. But Bhima, strong and vigorous, having exerted himself more than the others, carried the princes who had come for water games.