"'Sometime after, in obedience to the injunctions of my father and tempted also by the desire of offspring, I married Kripi of short hair, who, gifted with great intelligence, had observed many rigid vows, and was ever engaged in the Agni-hotra and other sacrifices and rigid austerities. And Gautami, in time, gave birth to a son named Aswathama of great prowess and equal in splendour unto the Sun himself. Indeed, I was joyed on having obtained Aswathama, as much as my father had been on obtaining myself.
"'And it so happened that one day the child Aswathama observing some rich men's sons drink milk, began to cry. At this I was so beside myself that I lost all knowledge of direction. Instead of asking him who had only a few kine. (so that if he gave me one, he would no longer he able to perform his sacrifices and thus sustain a loss of virtue), I was desirous of obtaining a cow from one who had many, and for that I wandered from country to country. But my wanderings proved unsuccessful, for I failed to obtain a milch cow. After I had come back unsuccessful, some of his playmates gave him water mixed with powdered rice. Drinking this, the poor boy, from inexperience, was deceived into the belief that he had taken milk, and began to dance in joy, saying,—O, I have taken milk, I have taken milk!—Beholding him dancing with joy amid his playmates smiling at his simplicity, I was exceedingly touched. Hearing also the derisive speeches of busybodies who said, Fie upon the indigent Drona, who strives not to earn wealth! Whose son drinking water mixed with powdered rice mistaketh it for milk and danceth with joy, saying,—I have taken milk—I have taken milk!—I was quite beside myself. Reproaching myself much, I at last resolved that even if I should live cast off and censured by Brahmanas, I would not yet, from desire of wealth, be anybody's servant, which is ever hateful. Thus resolved, O Bhisma, I went for former friendship, unto the king of the Somakas, taking with me my dear child and wife. Hearing that he had been installed in the sovereignty (of the Somakas), I regarded myself as blest beyond compare. Joyfully I went unto that dear friend of mine seated on a throne, remembering my former
