After performing the proper water offerings and other sacred rites, the sages residing in the forest took Kunti, accompanied by her five sons, and journeyed to Hastinapura. News of their arrival quickly reached Bhishma, Vidura, and the other elders, who gathered together in the city of Dhritarashtra. As the people assembled, curiosity stirred among them, and they asked Kunti, “Whose sons are these, O beautiful one?” The memory of Pandu’s curse weighed heavily upon Kunti, filling her with sorrow. She replied, “These sons are born of the gods, descendants of the Kuru line.” To assure the assembled crowd, Kunti summoned the gods themselves. The gods appeared in the sky, declaring, “These are indeed our sons.” Bhishma honored their words, and the sons of the gods were revered by all. Filled with joy, Bhishma and the others took the sons and their mother to Nagapura, caring for them with devotion. Thus, the Parthas—the sons of Pandu—were born and protected by Bhishma, the son of Ganga. Now, let us recount the tale of the Pandavas and the appearance of those who departed. Suta said: Draupadi, wife to the five Pandavas, was honored and devoted to her husbands. By each of them, she bore five sons, all exceedingly handsome. Arjuna’s wife was Subhadra, the noble sister of Krishna, whom Arjuna had formerly taken with Krishna’s blessing. From Subhadra was born Abhimanyu, a great hero who fell on the battlefield, where Draupadi’s sons too were slain. Abhimanyu’s wife, the beautiful daughter of Virata, gave birth to a son at the end of her lineage, but that child was killed by a rain of arrows. Yet Krishna, through his wondrous power, brought Abhimanyu’s son back to life, though he had been burned by the fire of Drona’s arrows. When the dynasties were nearly extinguished, such an excellent son was born and became renowned on earth as Parikshit. After the slaughter of his sons, Dhritarashtra was overwhelmed with grief and remained in the Pandava kingdom, afflicted by Bhima’s harsh words and arrows. Gandhari too stayed there, tormented by sorrow for her sons, while Yudhishthira, deeply afflicted, served both Dhritarashtra and Gandhari day and night. Vidura, exceedingly righteous, enlightened them with wisdom, and with Yudhishthira’s consent, stayed by his brother’s side. The righteous son of Dharma rendered service to his father, striving to ease the sorrow arising from the loss of his sons. Yet Bhima, enraged, struck Dhritarashtra with words as sharp as arrows for all to hear: “By me all your sons, O wicked blind one, were slain in battle; I drank the blood of Dushasana and found it most satisfying. This blind man shamelessly eats the food I give, like a vulture or a dog; this person lives in vain.” Day after day, Bhima uttered such harsh words, but Yudhishthira would comfort Dhritarashtra, saying, “This one is a fool.” After eighteen years in sorrow, Dhritarashtra asked Yudhishthira for permission to go to the forest. The king requested, “Today I wish to offer the prescribed oblation for my sons. Bhima has performed the funeral rites for all here, but not for my sons, remembering former enmity. If you give me wealth and perform the funeral rites, I will go to the forest to practice austerities that grant the fruit of heaven.” Privately, at Vidura’s urging, the pure-hearted Yudhishthira resolved to give wealth to the supplicant Dhritarashtra. Summoning his ministers, he declared, “O blessed ones, I will give wealth to my father, who desires the funeral offering.” Hearing these words, Hanuman, mighty-armed and of immeasurable energy, became angry and spoke in the assembly: “Wealth should be given for Duryodhana’s benefit—what more? Even a blind man attains happiness; what could be greater foolishness than this? Because of your ill counsel, we suffered hardship in the forest, and the blessed Draupadi was carried away by the wicked one. By your favor, we lived in the house of Virata, becoming servants to the mighty Matsya. If you had not been queen, how could destruction have been avoided? I became the cook for Virata, having slain the Magadha. How could Brihannala, the victorious one, become a dancer for a child? The mighty-armed son of Vasava, taking the guise of a woman. Hands adorned with Gandiva were made to shine with bangles; having assumed a human form, what greater sorrow could there be than this? Seeing the braid made on the head and kohl in the eyes, seizing the sword swiftly, I will cut—otherwise, there is no happiness. Without asking the king, I placed fire in the house; wishing to burn, the evil-minded Purocana was burned up. All the Kichakas were slain without asking the lord of men; not so were all the sons of Dhritarashtra slain along with their wives. Your foolishness, O king, freed us from the Gandharvas; Duryodhana and others, though enemies, were bound as captives. Today you wish to give wealth for Duryodhana’s benefit; O king, I will not give, even though urged by you in every way.” Having spoken thus, Bhima departed, surrounded by three. Yet the righteous son of Dharma, Yudhishthira, gave abundant wealth to Dhritarashtra, fulfilling his duty with compassion.