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assumed the full splendor of his Avatar for lightening the burthen 

 of the earth Creeshna answered him with great tenderness and 

 respect, as head of the Yadava family, and requested as a favour 

 of him that he would go to Hastanapoor to bring certain intelligence 

 of the state of affairs at that capital, where he had heard that, after 

 Rajah Pandoo's death, Doorjoodhen oppressed his five cousins; 

 Judishter, that ocean of modesty and tenderness; Bheema, strong 

 as the mountain Sumeru; Arjoon, the famous bowman; Nacul, 

 renowned for his beauty ; and Sahadeva, the wise and penetrative ; 

 in short, that he looked with an eye of extreme jealousy and ill- will 

 on all the Pandoos. 



Akroor, exceedingly happy at this commission, chose a fortunate 

 moment for his journey, and went to Hastanapoor. There he first 

 respectfully visited Bheekheem, and Dhreetrarashtra, and Doorjoo- 

 dhen, and his brothers. He then went to the abode of the Pandoos, 

 where he paid the profoundest reverence to Koontee, and severally 

 embraced Judishter and his brothers, and made a proper obeisance 

 to Dropeda, their sister, endeavouring by every means in his power 

 to comfort the Pandoos. For the purpose of learning a true state 

 of affairs, Akroor stayed some months at Hastanapoor; but, such 

 was the general fear of Doorjoodhen, that no one ventured to tell 

 him the truth. At last, Koontee had a private interview with him, 

 and at that interview informed him of the secret of Dhreetrarashta's 

 weakness and Doorjoodhen 5 s jealousy of the Pandoos, who were 

 every where well spoken of, but against whom his fury had risen 

 to such a height, that he had some time before presumed to put a 

 venomous snake into their victuals and poison into their water. 

 Koontee pleaded to him her near affinity with Creeshna, as sister 

 to Vasudeva, and sent a message to Creeshna, complaining that 

 Doorjoodhen, like some fatal eclipse of the sun and moon, ob- 

 structed the rising glory of her sons, and imploring his assistance, 



