ready,
we have come hither for a bath. But how, O regenerate _Rishi_, can we
eat anything now, for our stomachs seem to be full to the throat. The
repast hath been uselessly prepared for us. What is the best thing to be
done now?' Durvasa replied, 'By spoiling the repast, we have done a
great wrong to that royal sage, king Yudhishthira. Would not the
Pandavas destroy us by looking down upon us with angry eyes? I know the
royal sage Yudhishthira to be possessed of great ascetic power. Ye
Brahmanas, I am afraid of men that are devoted to Hari. The high-souled
Pandavas are all religious men, learned, war-like, diligent in ascetic
austerities and religious observances, devoted to Vasudeva, and always
observant of rules of good conduct. If provoked, they can consume us
with their wrath as fire doth a bale of cotton. Therefore, ye disciples,
do ye all run away quickly without seeing them (again)!'"

Vaisampayana continued, "All those Brahmanas, thus advised by their
ascetic preceptor, became greatly afraid of the Pandavas and fled away
in all directions. Then Bhimasena not beholding those excellent _Munis_
in the celestial river, made a search after them here and there at all
the landing places. And learning from the ascetics of those places that
they had run away, he came back and informed Yudhishthira of what had
happened. Then all the Pandavas of subdued senses, expecting them to
come, remained awaiting their arrival for some time. And Yudhishthira
said, 'Coming dead of night the _Rishis_ will deceive us. Oh how, can we
escape from this difficulty created by the facts?' Seeing them absorbed
in such reflections and breathing long deep sighs at frequent intervals,
the illustrious Krishna suddenly appeared to them and addressed them
these words: 'Knowing, ye sons of Pritha, your danger from that wrathful
_Rishi_, I was implored by Draupadi to come, and (therefore) have I come
here speedily. But now ye have not the least fear from the _Rishi_
Durvasa. Afraid of your ascetic powers, he hath made himself scarce ere
this. Virtuous men never suffer. I now ask your permission to let me
return home. May you always be prosperous!'"

Vaisampayana continued, "Hearing Kesava's words, the sons of Pritha,
with Draupadi, became easy in mind. And cured of their fever (of
anxiety), they said unto him, 'As persons drowning in the wide ocean
safely reach the shore by means of a boat, so have we, by thy aid, O
lord Govinda, escaped from this