SECTION CLVIII

Vaisampayana continued, "Having approached that one, whose sins had been
consumed by asceticism, Yudhishthira announced his name, and gladly
greeted him, bending his head. And then Krishna, and Bhima, and the
devout twins, having bowed down their heads unto the royal sage, stood
(there) surrounding him. And that priest of the Pandavas, the virtuous
Dhaumya, also duly approached that vow-observing sage. And by his
prophetic eye that virtuous Muni had already known (the identity of)
those foremost of the Kurus, the sons of Pandu. And he said unto them.
'Be ye seated.' And that one of rigid austerities, after having duly
received that chief of the Kurus, when the latter with his brothers had
seated himself enquired after his welfare saying, 'Dost thou not turn
thy inclination upon untruth? And art thou intent upon virtue? And, O
Partha, hath not thy attention to thy father and thy mother diminished?
Are all thy superiors, and the aged, and those versed in the Vedas,
honoured by thee? And O Pritha's son, dost thou not turn thy inclination
unto sinful acts? And dost thou, O best of the Kurus, properly know how
to perform meritorious acts, and to eschew wicked deeds? Dost thou not
exalt thyself? And are pious men gratified, being honoured by thee? And
even dwelling in the woods, dost thou follow virtue alone? And, O
Partha, doth not Dhaumya grieve at thy conduct? Dost thou follow the
customs of thy ancestors, by charity, and religious observances, and
asceticism, and purity, and candour, and forgiveness? And dost thou go
along the way taken by the royal sages? On the birth of a son in their
(respective) lines, the _Pitris_ in their regions, both laugh and
grieve, thinking--Will the sinful acts of this son of ours harm us, or
will meritorious deeds conduce to our welfare? He conquereth both the