O mighty one, after Bhimasena drank the potent potion offered by the Nagas, they addressed him with reverence: “O strong-armed hero, the elixir you have consumed is filled with power. Because of it, you will possess the strength of ten thousand nagas and none shall overcome you in battle.” They then advised him, “Now return to your home, bathed in these sacred waters, for your brothers, O best of the Kurus, grieve in your absence.” Having performed his ablutions, Bhima emerged pure, adorned in spotless white garments and garlands, and completed the auspicious rites within the naga’s splendid mansion. The Nagas honored him further, offering him the finest food, fragrant and purified by antidotal herbs, befitting his newfound might. Blessed and adorned with divine ornaments, Bhima received the Nagas’ heartfelt farewells and blessings. His spirit uplifted, Bhima, the subduer of foes, rose from the realm of the Nagas. The serpents themselves lifted him from the waters, and as he emerged, his eyes shone like lotus petals. In that very part of the forest, the Nagas gently set Bhima down before the astonished eyes of his brothers, then vanished from sight. Bhimasena, son of Kunti, mighty and renewed, swiftly approached his mother, his powerful arms at his sides. With deep respect, he bowed before her and his eldest brother, Yudhishthira, and embraced his younger brothers with loving affection, pressing their heads in warmth. The family, united once more, embraced Bhima in return, their hearts overflowing with joy as they exclaimed again and again, “By fortune, by fortune!” Then Bhima, mighty in prowess, recounted to his brothers all the wicked deeds of Duryodhana. He narrated in detail all that had transpired in the world of the Nagas—the merits and the faults—leaving nothing untold. Hearing this, King Yudhishthira spoke with gravity: “Bhima, remain silent. Under no circumstances should you speak of these matters.” And he added, “From now on, O son of Kunti, let us guard one another with utmost care.” Thus, Yudhishthira, righteous and strong, became ever vigilant, as did all his brothers. Yet, as the Pandavas reflected on these events, they did not always take great pains to guard their secrets. The wise Vidura, ever prudent, counseled them with sound advice. Meanwhile, Duryodhana, seeing Bhima returned alive, was tormented daily, sighing and brooding over his failed schemes. Witnessing the Pandava princes, proud and playful, the king sought out the teacher Gautama, entrusting the boys to his care for their education. This teacher, Kripa, was well-versed in the Vedas and all scriptures, and his origins were remarkable. The king placed the Kurus under Kripa’s guidance, and thus all the princes learned the science of archery from him. At this, Janamejaya, eager for knowledge, asked, “O Brahman, tell me of Kripa’s origin—how was he born from a clump of arrows, and how did he gain his weapons?” The sage replied: There was once a great sage named Gautama, whose son was called Sharadvata. This Sharadvata, born together with arrows, developed a passion for the science of archery even greater than his zeal for Vedic study. Just as diligent students master the Vedas through ascetic discipline, so did Sharadvata, through his austerities, master all weapons. Because of his devotion to archery and his intense penance, Sharadvata’s prowess troubled even the king of the gods. Indra, therefore, sent a celestial maiden named Jālavati, instructing her, “Go and disturb his austerity.” Jālavati journeyed to Sharadvata’s hermitage and began to entice the young sage, who was armed with bow and arrows. When Sharadvata beheld the apsaras in the forest—clad in a single garment, her beauty without compare—his eyes widened in astonishment. His bow and arrows slipped from his hands, and his body trembled. Yet, fortified by wisdom and ascetic power, Sharadvata regained control. Still, due to the sudden stirring within him, his seed was released, unbeknownst to him. Leaving behind his bow, arrows, and black deerskins, the sage departed from the hermitage and the apsaras. His seed fell upon a clump of reeds, and from this, two children were born near the hermitage of Gautama, just as King Shantanu happened to be hunting nearby. A soldier wandering the forest discovered the twin infants, along with the bow, arrows, and deerskins. Realizing they were the offspring of a twice-born sage skilled in archery, he brought the children and their belongings to King Shantanu. Moved by compassion, the king took them as his own, declaring, “These are my children.” He raised them with all proper rites and ceremonies. Because he adopted them out of compassion, the king named the boy Kripa and the girl Kripi. Later, their father Gautama, through his ascetic power, honored them and revealed their true lineage. Kripa, devoted to the science of archery, mastered its fourfold branches and many treatises, becoming a peerless teacher for the Kurus. Thus, the Pandavas, under Kripa’s instruction, advanced in the science of arms and wisdom, guided by the blessings of fate, the vigilance of their elders, and the subtle workings of destiny.