Yudhishthira said In consonance with the ordinance, the works which you will perform have been already described by you, and I have also said according to my discretion the office which I shall perform.

Let this our priest go back to the house of Drupada with our charioteer and cooks, and preserve our Agnihotra fires.

Let these people with Indrasena as their head repair speedily with empty cars to the city of Amaravati. This is my wish.

Let all these attending maids of Draupadi go to the Panchalas with our charioteers and cooks.

All of them also must say this "we do not know the Pandavas, they have all departed from Dvaitavana leaving us alone here."

Vaishampayana said Thus having consulted one another and mentioned their own respective duties they asked the advice of Dhaumya and he also gave his advice.

O Pandavas, you have made arrangements in regard to the Brahmanas, friends, weapons and also in regard to the fires.

You and Falguna (Arjuna) are to protect। Krishna. O kings, the characters of men are properly known to you all. Inspite of your knowledge, it behoves the friends to describe them out of their regard for you and that is reckoned as the everlasting virtue, pleasure and profit. Therefore I shall say something-you should attend.

Alas! it is woeful to stay with a king, I shall tell you. O princes, how you shall avert the calamities while residing in the royal premises. O Kauravas, whether respected or not, may you pass thus at the royal residence undiscovered by those who know you. Then in the fourteenth year you will act according to your own pleasure.

One ought to obtain previous permission should he want to appear before the king. As regards royal secrets one should not give credit when they are mentioned; one should rather court that seat where no one can defeat him.

He alone can live in a royal residence who does not, with the confidence that he is a favorite, make use of the king's car, vehicle, or bedstead, or seat, or elephant or chariot.

He alone can live in a royal house who sits on a seat the occupation of which cannot create any suspicion in the minds of the wicked.

Unasked no one should even offer a counsel to the king; one should pay respect to never him with reticence and homage in time. Kings wish to have those who babble and hate counsellors who tell lies.

A wise man should contract friendship with the wife of the king nor with the other inmates of his seraglio, nor with those whom the despises and who are hostile to him.

One about the king should perform the act, however greatly insignificant may be in his presence. There would be no harm to him should he behave himself towards the king in the way.

Holding even the highest office one should, until he is asked or commanded, regard himself as born-blind in consideration of the dignity of his position).

Because the kings show no consideration even to their sons, grandsons and brothers when they are found to disregarded their dignity.

In this world a king should be carefully served like the fire-god or any other deity; one that plays false to the king is killed by him; this admits of no doubt.

One should follow what the master directs, and renounce carelessness, pride and anger.

After carefully pondering over all things one should relate to the king what is both agreeable and profitable; but one must say what is beneficial in preference to what is merely agreeable.

In all matters and works one ought to be well-disposed towards the king and should never relate to him what is disagreeable and unprofitable.

Thinking that one is not his favourite, one should serve the king, always do him what is good and pleasant without neglect.

He alone can live in a royal house who does not swerve from his place, nor does him any injury, nor associates with those who are unfriendly to him (the king).

Learned men should sit either on the right or the left side of the king, because the place behind him is reverend, for the guards furnished with arms and seats in his front are always forbidden.

No one should give publicity to what transpires in the very presence of the king because even for those who are very favourite it is looked upon as the height of impertinence.

One should not reveal to others any lie, that has been told by the king for he is annoyed with those who report his lies and also despise those who regard themselves as learned.

A person that does not take pride in thinking "I am heroic and intelligent," and conducts himself agreeably to the wishes of the king is worthy of royal favour and amenities of life.

A person, obtaining from the king wealth and other agreeable things hard to acquire, must employ himself assiduously in doing for him what is both pleasant and profitable.

What person, that is agreeable to the wise, can even contemplate a wrong to him, whose wrath is a great trouble and whose propitiation is productive of great fruits?

In the presence of the king no one should move his lips, anus and thighs and one should speak gently, spit slowly and break wind softly.

In the presence of the king if any laughable matter is mooted, a person should not enjoy it with the utmost reserve, nor should he laugh like a maniac.

No person should restrain himself to the reserve, for in that case he should lead him to an unnecessary gravity. But he should smile with modesty and without betraying any mistaken interest as regards real cause of the mirth. He that is always on his guard, and is neither exalted by reward nor feels wronged by disgrace, is alone worthy of residing in a royal palace.

The learned courtier who always describes the king and princes in suitable terms can stay long as a favorite in a royal residence.

The favored counsel or who refrains from speaking ill of the king, if ever deprived of royal grace for some causes, regains his prosperity.

The person, who earns his livelihood through the favour of the king or lives in his dominion, if prudent, must eulogize him both in his presence and behind him.

The courtier, who desires to gain his end by using force on the king, does not hold his place long and incurs the danger of losing his life.

No person should, for the sake of his own interest, hold communion with the king's enemies, nor should one always come forward to instruct the king on all occasions, however suitable they may be.

He, who is cheerful mighty, brave, truthful, gentle and of subdued passions, and who always follows the king like a shadow, is alone capable of living in a royal palace.

He who steps forward saying "pray, I will do it," when another is entrusted with a work, is alone worthy of living in a royal residence.

He who never fears when commanded by the king to do work, wither in or out of his dominion, is alone fit for living in the royal premises.

He alone, can live in a royal palace, who, although staying away from home, never remembers his beloved ones and suffers misery in the expectation of future happiness.

One should not dress like the king, should not burst out into a loud laughter in the presence of the king, nor should one divulge royal counsels; behaving in this way one may become favourite of the king.

Appointed to a work one should not lay hands on money; if one does it he runs the risk of being imprisoned or put to death.

One should always use the cars, the robes, the ornaments and other things which the king bestows; and by doing this one should win the royal favour.

O sons of Pandu, thus controlling your minds with great efforts, spend, O children, this year, adorned with good manners. Then regaining your kingdom you may act according to your own pleasure.

Yudhishthira said By you we have been instructed; let good betide you. There is no one else who could say so except our mother Kunti and the highininded Vidura,

Now it behoves you to do all that is necessary for our departure, for the removal of our woes and for the achievement of victory over foe.

Vaishampayana said Thus addressed by the king, Dhaumya, the best of the twice-born, arranged all that was necessary for their departure.

Lighting up fires, he offered with Mantras the oblations on them that they might gain prosperity and success and spread their conquest all over the earth.

Then the six, having circumbulated the fire and the Brahmanas whose only treasure is austerity, departed with Yajnseni ahead of them.

These heroes having departed, Dhaumya, the great among ascetics, took their Agnihotra fires and started for Panchalas.

Indrasena and others as mentioned before, after having gone to the Yadavas spent their days happily and privately in looking after the horses and cars of the Pandavas.