by his friendship for the Pandavas, informed them of this. Vrikodara, however, swallowed it without any hesitation, and digested it completely. And though virulent, the poison produced no change on Bhima.
"And when that terrible poison intended for the destruction of Bhima failed of effect, Duryo-dhana, Karna, and Sakuni, without giving up their wicked designs, had recourse to numerous other contrivances for accomplishing the death of the Pandavas. And though every one of these contrivances was fully known to the Pandavas, yet in accordance with the advice of Vidura they suppressed their indignation.
"Meanwhile, the king (Dhrita-rashtra) beholding the Kura princes passing their time in idleness and growing naughty, appointed Gautama as their preceptor and sent them unto him for instruction. Born among a clump of heath, Gautama was well-skilled in the Vedas, and it was from him (also called Kripa) that the Kuru princes began to learn the use of arms."
Thus ends the hundred and twenty-ninth Section in the Sambhava of the Adi Parva.
( Sambhava Parva continued. )
Janamejaya sad, "O Brahmana, it behoveth thee to relate to me everything about the birth of Kripa! How did he spring from a clump of heath? And whence also obtained he his weapons?"
Vaisampayana said, "O king, the great sage Gotama had a son named Saradwan. This Saradwan was born with arrows (in hand). O thou oppressor of all foes, the son of Gotama exhibited great aptitude for the study of the Dhanur-veda (science of weapons), but none for the other Vedas. And Saradwan acquired all his weapons by those austerities by which Brahmanas in student life acquire the knowledge of the Vedas. And Gautama (the son of Gotama) by his aptitude for the science of weapons and by his austerities also made Indra himself greatly afraid of him. Then, O thou of the Kuru race, the chief of the gods summoned a celestial dam-
