All the gardens and even the rivers had been thoroughly searched, but Bhimasena was nowhere to be found. The wise Vidura, also called Kshatta, reported, “Bhimasena is not to be seen.” Kunti, anxious and troubled, lamented, “All the brothers have come out of the gardens together with their siblings, but here, the mighty-armed Bhima alone does not return to me. He never pleases the eye of Duryodhana, who is cruel, evil-minded, petty, greedy for the kingdom, and shameless. If angered, Suyodhana—Duryodhana—might even kill that heroic one. Because of this, my mind is troubled and my heart feels as if it burns.” Vidura gently counseled her, “Do not speak so, O noble lady; protect the rest of your sons. For that wicked-hearted one, even when warned, might attack your remaining children. Yet, your sons are destined for long life, as the great sage has said; your son will return and bring you joy.” Having offered these words of reassurance, the wise Vidura departed to his own residence, while Kunti, filled with anxiety, remained at home with her sons. On the eighth day, the mighty Pandava Bhima awoke. His strength was now beyond measure, for he had digested the powerful potion he had consumed. Seeing the Pandava awaken, the serpents who had been watching over him became anxious, but they comforted him and spoke: “O mighty-armed one, the potion you drank is full of strength. Because of it, you will possess the strength of ten thousand nagas and be invincible in battle. Now go to your home today, bathed in these divine waters; your brothers, O best of the Kurus, are grieving without you.” Bhima then bathed, and the mighty-armed one, pure and adorned in spotless white garments and garlands, performed auspicious rites in the naga’s mansion. Endowed with great strength, he ate the supreme food given by the nagas, fragrant and purified by antidotal herbs. Honored by the serpents and greeted with their blessings, the hero, adorned with divine ornaments, took leave of the Nagas. Elated in spirit, the subduer of foes rose up from the realm of the Nagas. The serpents lifted him from the water, and his eyes shone like lotus petals. In that very part of the forest, the son of Kuru was set down, and the Nagas vanished from sight as the Pandavas looked on. Bhimasena, son of Kunti and mighty in strength, arose and swiftly came to his mother, his powerful arms at his sides. Bowing to his mother and his eldest brother, he embraced his younger brothers, pressing their heads with affection. He too was embraced by those bull-like men together with their mother, and, rejoicing in their mutual affection, they exclaimed again and again, “By fortune, by fortune!” Then Bhimasena, mighty in prowess, recounted to his brothers all the deeds of Duryodhana and narrated in full all that had happened in the world of the Nagas, both the merits and the faults. King Yudhishthira then spoke meaningful words to Bhima: “Remain silent; under no circumstances should you speak of this matter. From now on, O son of Kunti, let us protect one another with care.” Having spoken thus, the mighty-armed, righteous king Yudhishthira became ever vigilant together with all his brothers. When the Pandavas understood what had happened, they did not make great efforts to guard their counsel, but the righteous Vidura, wise among them, gave them prudent advice. Duryodhana, seeing the Pandava returned once more, sighed and brooded, tormented day after day. Observing those princes, so proud, playing together, the king sought out the teacher Gautama and entrusted the princes to him for instruction. This teacher, Kripa, was versed in the meaning of the Vedas and scriptures and was born from a clump of arrows. The king entrusted the princes to him, and all the Kurus learned the science of archery from Kripa. “O Brahman,” the listener inquired, “you ought to tell me of Kripa’s origin as well—how he was born from the clump of arrows, and how he obtained his weapons.” The sage replied: There was a great sage named Gautama, and his son, called Sharadvata, was born together with arrows. He did not develop such an aptitude for study of the Vedas as he did for the science of archery. Just as the Vedas are mastered by students through ascetic discipline, so he, endowed with austerity, acquired all the weapons. Because of his devotion to the science of archery and his intense austerity, that Gautama greatly troubled the king of the gods. Then, O Kaurava, the lord of the gods sent a celestial maiden named Jālavati, saying, “Go and hinder his austerity.” She went to the beautiful hermitage of Sharadvata and began to entice Gautama, who was young and armed with bow and arrows. Seeing that apsaras in the forest, clad in a single garment and of incomparable beauty in the world, Gautama’s eyes widened. His bow and arrows fell from his hands to the ground, and suddenly a trembling arose in his body. But, being possessed of great wisdom and strengthened by knowledge and austerity, he stood firm with supreme self-control. Yet, O King, because of the sudden change that appeared in him, his seed was released, though he was not aware of it.