Janamejaya said, "After having delivered Duryodhana, what did the mighty
sons of Pandu do in that forest? It behoveth thee to tell me this."
Vaisampayana said, "Once on a time, as Yudhishthira lay down at night in
the _Dwaita_ woods, some deer, with accents choked in tears, presented
themselves before him in his dreams. To them standing with joined hands,
their bodies trembling all over that foremost of monarchs said, 'Tell me
what ye wish to say. Who are ye? And what do ye desire?' Thus accosted
by Kunti's son--the illustrious Pandava, those deer, the remnant of
those that had been slaughtered, replied unto him, saying, 'We are, O
Bharata, those deer that are still alive after them that had been
slaughtered. We shall be exterminated totally. Therefore, do thou change
thy residence. O mighty king, all thy brothers are heroes, conversant
with weapons; they have thinned the ranks of the rangers of the forest.
We few--the remnants,--O mighty-minded one, remain like seed. By thy
favour, O king of kings, let us increase.' Seeing these deer, which
remained like seed after the rest had been destroyed trembling and
afflicted with fear, Yudhishthira the just was greatly affected with
grief. And the king, intent on the welfare of all creatures, said unto
them, 'So be it. I shall act as ye have said.' Awaking after such a
vision, that excellent king, moved by pity towards the deer, thus spake
unto his brothers assembled there, 'Those deer that are alive after them
that have been slaughtered, accosted me at night, after I had awakened,
saying, "_We remain like the cues of our lines. Blest be thou! Do thou
have compassion on us_." And they have spoken truly. We ought to feel
pity for the dwellers of the forest. We have been feeding on them for a
year together and eight months. Let us, therefore, again (repair) to the
romantic Kamyakas, that best of forests abounding in wild animals,
situated at the head of the desert, near lake Trinavindu. And there let
us pleasantly pass the rest of our time.' Then, O king, the Pandavas
versed in morality, swiftly departed (thence), accompanied by the
Brahmanas and all those that lived with them, and followed by Indrasena
and other retainers. And proceeding along the roads walked (by
travellers), furnished with excellent corn and clear water, they at
length beheld the sacred asylum of Kamyaka endued with ascetic merit.
And as pious men enter the celestial regions, those foremost of the
Bharata race, the Kauravas, surrounded by those bulls among Brahmanas
entered that forest."