Do thou, worshipful Sir, enlighten me."
Vaisampayana said, "When, O great king, Duryodhana heard that the
Pandavas were living as happily in the woods as in a city, he longed,
with the artful Karna, Dussasana and others, to do them harm. And while
those evil-minded persons were employed in concerting various wicked
designs, the virtuous and celebrated ascetic Durvasa, following the bent
of his own will, arrived at the city of the Kurus with ten thousand
disciples. And seeing the irascible ascetic arrived, Duryodhana and his
brothers welcomed him with great humility, self-abasement and
gentleness. And himself attending on the _Rishi_ as a menial, the prince
gave him a right worshipful reception. And the illustrious _Muni_ stayed
there for a few days, while king Duryodhana, watchful of his
imprecations, attended on him diligently by day and night. And sometimes
the _Muni_ would say, 'I am hungry, O king, give me some food quickly.'
And sometimes he would go out for a bath and, returning at a late hour,
would say, 'I shall not eat anything today as I have no appetite,' and
so saying would disappear from his sight. And sometimes, coming all on a
sudden, he would say, 'Feed us quickly.' And at other times, bent on
some mischief, he would awake at midnight and having caused his meals to
be prepared as before, would carp at them and not partake of them at
all. And trying the prince in this way for a while, when the _Muni_
found that the king Duryodhana was neither angered, nor annoyed, he
became graciously inclined towards him.
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