Vaishampayana said : O Janamejaya, O descendant of Bharata, then they all saw Dhritarashtra and asked his welfare; they were also asked their welfare in reiurn,

Then a cowherd named Samanga who had been instructed before-hand come to the king Dhritarashtra and spoke about the cattle.

O king, the son of Radha (Karna) and Shakuni thus spoke to that foremost of kings, the ruler of earth, Dhritarashtra,

"O descendant of Kuru, our cattle are now stationed in a charming place. The time for marking the calves has also come.

O king, this is also an excellent season for your son Duryodhana to go to a hunting expedition. Therefore you should grant him permission to go there.

Dhritarashtra said: O child, hunting and seeing the cattle are both very proper acts. I think the herdsman should not be (completely) trusted.

But I have heard that those foremost of men (the Pandavas) are living some where near that place; therefore I think you should not yourselves go there.

Defeated by deceitful means, they are now living in the deep forest in great misery. O son of Radha, those greatly powerful car-warriors are now engaged in asceticism.

Dharmaraja (Yudhishthira) will never be angry, but Bhimasena is naturally wrathful; the daughter of Yajnasena (Draupadi) also is effulgence herself.

Full of pride and folly as you are you are certain to give her offence. Endued with ascetic merit as she is (now), she will certainly consume you.

Or perhaps, those heroes, armed with swords and other weapons and filled with wrath, may consume you with the fire of their weapons.

Or if from the force of numbers you seek to injure them in any way, even that will be a highly improper act, though I know you will never succeed.

The mighty armed Dhananjaya (Arjuna) had lived in the abode of Indra. Having obtained the celestials weapons, he has returned to the forest.

While unaccomplished in arms, Bibhatsu (Arjuna) conquered the whole earth. He is now a great car-warrior and highly accomplished in arms, why will he not be able (now) to kill you all?

Or if you in obedience to my words on going there, behave carefully you will then never be able to live happily, as you will always be in a state of trustlessness.

Or some soldiers of yours may do some injury to Yudhishthira and that unpremeditated act may be ascribed to you. O descendant of Bharata, therefore let some faithful men go there to count the cattle and mark the calves. I do not think it is proper for your to go in person.

Shakuni said: O descendant of Bharata, the eldest Pandava is virtuous; he has taken the pledge in the assembly that he will live twelve years in the forest.

The other Pandavas are virtuous and obedient to him. The son of Kunti, Yudhishthira will never be angry with us.

We desire very much to go to a hunting expedition; we shall also take that opportunity to count the cattle. We have no wish to see the Pandavas.

We shall not go to that place where the Pandavas are living. Therefore no misconduct on our part can possibly arise.

Vaishampayana said : Having been thus addressed by Shakuni, the ruler of earth, Dhritarashtra, unwillingly gave permission to Duryodhana and his counsellors togo.

Having received permission, the son of Gandhari, that foremost of the Bharata race (Duryodhana) with Karna and with a large host started.

He has accompanied by Dushasana the intclligent son of Subala (Shakuni) and by many others of his brothers and also thousands of women.

When he started to see that lake in the Dvaitavana, the citizens also with their wives proceeded towards that forest.

Eight thousand cars, thirty thousand elephants, nine thousand horses and many thousands of foot soldiers,

Carriages, shops, pavilions, traders, bards and men, trained in hunting, by hundred and thousands, followed the king.

O monarch, as the king started, followed by many thousands of men, the uproar caused by the march resembled the deep roar of winds in the rains.

Arriving at the lake of Dvaitavana with his followers and conveyances, king Duryodhana encamped at the distance of four miles from the lake.