ease my thirst.' Then that bull of the Bharata
race rushed forward with the intention of drinking. Thereupon the Yaksha
said, 'O child, do not commit this rash act! This lake hath already been
in my possession. Do thou first answer my questions, and then drink and
take away as much water as thou requirest!'"

Vaisampayana continued, "Thus addressed by that Yaksha of immeasurable
energy, Bhima, without answering his questions, drank of the water. And
as soon as he drank, he fell down dead on the spot. Then thinking that
his brothers had left him long since, Yudhishthira waited for some time.
And the king said unto himself again and again, 'Why is it that the two
sons of Madri are delaying? And why doth the wielder also of the
_Gandiva_ delay? And why doth Bhima too, endued with great strength,
delay? I shall go to search for them!' And resolved to do this, the
mighty-armed Yudhishthira then rose up, his heart burning in grief. And
that bull among men, the royal son of Kunti thought within himself. 'Is
this forest under some malign influence? Or, is it infested by some
wicked beasts? Or, have they all fallen, in consequence of having
disregarded some mighty being? Or, not finding water in the spot whither
those heroes had first repaired, they have spent all this time in search
through the forest? What is that reason for which those bulls among men
do not come back?' And speaking in this strain, that foremost of
monarchs, the illustrious Yudhishthira, entered into that mighty forest
where no human sound was heard and which was inhabited by deer and bears
and birds, and which was adorned with trees that were bright and green,
and which echoed with the hum of the black-bee and the notes of winged
warblers. As he was proceeding along, he beheld that beautiful lake
which looked as if it had been made by the celestial artificer himself.
And it was adorned with flowers of a golden hue and with lotuses and
_Sindhuvars_. And it abounded with canes and _Ketakas_ and _Karaviras_
and _Pippalas_, and fatigued with toil, Yudhishthira saw that tank and
was struck with wonder."

SECTION CCCXI

Vaisampayana said, "Yudhishthira saw his brothers, each possessed of the
glory of Indra himself, lying dead like the Regents of the world dropped
from their spheres at the end of the _Yuga_. And beholding Arjuna lying
dead, with his bow and arrows dropped on the ground, and also Bhimasena
and the twins motionless and deprived of life, the king