no exhibition of misconduct can possibly
arise on our part.'"

Vaisampayana continued, "Thus addressed by Sakuni, that lord of men,
Dhritarashtra, granted permission, but not very willingly, to Duryodhana
and his counsellors to go to the place. And permitted by the monarch the
Bharata prince born of Gandhari started, accompanied by Karna and
surrounded by a large host. And he was also accompanied by Dussasana and
Suvala's son of great intelligence and by many other brothers of his and
by ladies in thousands. And as the mighty-armed prince started for
beholding the lake that was known by the name of _Dwaitavana_, the
citizens (of Hastina), also accompanied by their wives began to follow
him to that forest. Eight thousand cars, thirty thousand elephants, nine
thousand horses, and many thousands of foot-soldiers, and shops and
pavilions and traders, bards and men trained in the chase by hundreds
and thousands followed the prince. And as the king started, followed by
this large concourse of people, the uproar that was caused there
resembled, O king, the deep tumult of the ranging winds in the rainy
season. And reaching the lake _Dwaitavana_ with all his followers and
vehicles, king Duryodhana took up his quarters at the distance of four
miles from it."

SECTION CCXXXVIII

Vaisampayana said, "King Duryodhana then moving from forest to forest,
at last approached the cattle-stations, and encamped his troops. And his
attendants, selecting a well-known and delightful spot that abounded in
water and trees and that possessed every convenience constructed an
abode for him. And near enough to the royal residence they also erected
separate abodes for Karna and Sakuni and the brothers of the king. And
the king beheld his cattle by hundreds and thousands and examining their
limbs and marks supervised their tale. And he caused the calves to be
marked and took note of those that required to be tamed. And he also
counted those kine whose calves had not yet been weaned. And completing
the task of tale by marking and counting every calf that was three years
old, the Kuru prince, surrounded by the cowherds, began to sport and
wander cheerfully. And the citizens also and the soldiers by thousands
began to sport, as best pleased them, in those woods, like the
celestials. And the herdsmen, well skilled in singing and dancing and
instrumental music, and virgins decked in ornaments, began to minister
to the pleasures of Dhritarashtra's son.