Section XXXIV

Vaisampayana said, "Thus addressed by Bhimasena, the high-souled king Ajatasatru firmly devoted to truth, mustering his patience, after a few moments said these words,

'No doubt, O Bharata, all this is true. I cannot reproach you for your torturing me thus by piercing me with your arrowy words. From my folly alone has this calamity come against you. I sought to cast the dice desiring to snatch from Dhritarashtra’s son his kingdom with the sovereignty. It was therefore that, that cunning gambler—Suvala’s son—played against me on behalf of Suyodhana. Sakuni, a native of the hilly country, is exceedingly artful. Casting the dice in the presence of the assembly, unacquainted as I am with artifices of any kind, he vanquished me artfully. It is, therefore, O Bhimasena, that we have been overwhelmed with this calamity. Beholding the dice favourable to the wishes of Sakuni in odds and evens, I could have controlled my mind. Anger, however, drives off a person’s patience.

O child, the mind cannot be kept under control when it is influenced by hauteur, vanity, or pride. I do not reproach you, O Bhimasena, for the words you usest. I only regard that what has befallen us was pre-ordained. When king Duryodhana, the son of Dhritarashtra, coveting our kingdom, plunged us into misery and even slavery, then, O Bhima, it was Draupadi that rescued us. When summoned again to the assembly for playing once more, you knowest as well as Arjuna what Dhritarashtra’s son told me, in the presence of all the Bharatas, regarding the stake for which we were to play.

His words were, O prince Ajatsatru, (if vanquished), you shalt have with all your brothers, to dwell, to the knowledge of all men, for twelve years in the forest of your choice, passing the thirteenth year in secrecy. If during the latter period, the spies of the Bharatas, hearing of you, succeed in discovering you, you shalt have again to live in the forest for the same period, passing once more the last year in secrecy. Reflecting upon this, pledge thyself to it.

As regards myself, I promise truly in this assembly of the Kurus, that if you canst pass this time confounding my spies and undiscovered by them, then, O Bharata, this kingdom of the five rivers is once more thine. We also, O Bharata, if vanquished by you, shall, all of us, abandoning all our wealth, pass the same period, according to the same rules.

Thus addressed by the prince, I replied unto him in the midst of all the Kurus, 'So be it!' The wretched game then commenced. We were vanquished and have been exiled. It is for this that we are wandering miserably over different woody regions abounding with discomfort. Suyodhana, however, still dissatisfied, gave himself up to anger, and urged the Kurus as also all those under his sway to express their joy at our calamity. Having entered into such an agreement in the presence of all good men, who dares break it for the sake of a kingdom on earth? For a respectable person, I think, even death itself is lighter than the acquisition of sovereignty by an act of transgression.

At the time of the play, you had desired to burn my hands. You were prevented by Arjuna, and accordingly didst only squeeze your own hands. If you couldst do what you had desired, could this calamity befall us? Conscious of your prowess, why didst you not, O Bhima, say so before we entered into such an agreement? Overwhelmed with the consequence of our pledge, and the time itself having passed, what is the use of your addressing me these harsh words? O Bhima, this is my great grief that we could not do anything even beholding Draupadi persecuted in that way. My heart burns as if I have drunk some poisonous liquid. Having, however, given that pledge in the midst of the Kuru heroes, I am unable to violate it now.

Wait, O Bhima, for the return of our better days, like the scatterer of seeds waiting for the harvest. When one that has been first injured, succeeds in revenging himself upon his foe at a time when the latter’s enmity has borne fruit and flowers, he is regarded to have accomplished a great thing by his prowess. Such a brave person earns undying fame. Such a man obtaines great prosperity. His enemies bow down unto him, and his friends gather round him, like the celestials clustering round Indra for protection. But know, O Bhima, my promise can never be untrue. I regard virtue as superior to life itself and a blessed state of celestial existence. Kingdom, sons, fame, wealth,—all these do not come up to even a sixteenth part of truth.'