Section LII

Janamejaya said, "When the high-souled Partha went to Indra’s region for obtaining weapons, what did Yudhishthira and the other sons of Pandu do?"

Vaisampayana said, "When the high-souled Partha went to Indra’s region for obtaining weapons, those bulls of the Bharata race continued to dwell with Krishna in (the woods of) Kamyaka. One day, those foremost of the Bharatas, afflicted with grief, were seated with Krishna on a clean and solitary sward. Grieving for Dhananjaya, overwhelmed with sorrow, their voices were choked with weeping. Tortured by Dhananjaya’s absence, grief afflicted them equally.

And filled with sorrow at their separation from Arjuna and at the loss of their kingdom, the mighty-armed Bhima among them addressed Yudhishthira, saying,

"That Bull of the Bharata race, Arjuna, O great king, on whom depend the lives of Pandu’s sons, and on whose death the Pancalas as also ourselves with our sons and Satyaki and Vasudeva are sure to die, has gone away at your behest. What can be sadder than this that the virtuous Vibhatsu has gone away at your command, thinking of his many griefs? Depending upon the might of that illustrious hero’s arms, regard our foes as already vanquished in battle, and the whole earth itself as already acquired by us. It was for the sake of that mighty warrior that I refrained from sending to the other world all the Dhartarashtras along with the Suvalas, in the midst of the assembly.

Gifted with might of arms, and supported by Vasudeva, we have to suppress the wrath that has been roused in us, because you are the root of that wrath. Indeed, with Krishna’s help, slaying our foes headed by Karna, we are able to rule the entire earth (thus) conquered by our own arms. Endued with manliness, we are yet overwhelmed with calamities, in consequence of your gambling vice, while the foolish null of Dhritarashtra are growing stronger with the tributes (gathered from dependent kings).

O mighty monarch, it behoves you to keep in view the duties of the Kshatriya. O great king, it is not the duty of a Khsatriya to live in the woods. The wise are of the opinion that to rule is the foremost duty of a Kshatriya. O king, you are conversant with Kshatriya morality. Do not, therefore, deviate from the path of duty. Turning away from the woods, let us, summoning Partha and Janardana, slay, O king, the sons of Dhritarashtra, even before the twelve years are complete.

O illustrious monarch O king of kings, even if these Dhartarashtras be surrounded by soldiers in array of battle, I shall send them to the other world by dint of might alone. I shall slay all the sons of Dhritarashtra along with the Sauvalas, indeed, Duryodhana, Karna, and any one else that will fight with me. And after I shall have slain all our foes, you mayst come back unto the woods. By acting thus, O king, no fault will be thine. (Or if any sin be thine), O represser of foes, O mighty monarch, washing it off, O sire, by various sacrifices, we may ascend to a superior heaven. Such a consummation may come to pass, if our king proves not unwise or procrastinating. You are, however, virtuous. Verily the deceitful should be destroyed by deceit. To slay the deceitful by deceit, is not regarded as sinful.

O Bharata, it is, also said by those versed in morality that one day and night is, O great prince, equal unto a full year. The Veda text also, exalted one, is often heard, signifying that a year is equivalent to a day when passed in the observance of certain difficult vows. O you of unfading glory, if the Vedas are an authority with you, regard you the period of a day and something more as the equivalent of thirteen years. O represser of foes, this is the time to slay Duryodhana with his adherents. Else, O king, he will beforehand bring the whole earth obedient to his will.

O foremost of monarchs, all this is the result of your addiction to gambling. We are on the verge of destruction already, in consequence of your promise of living one year undiscovered. I do not find the country where, if we live, the wicked-minded Suyodhana may not be able to trace us by his spies. And finding us out, that wretch will again deceitfully send us into such exile in the woods. Or if that sinful one beholds us emerge, after the expiry of the pledged period of non-discovery, he will again invite you, O great king, to dice, and the play will once more begin. Summoned once more, you will again efface thyself at dice.

You are not skilled at dice, and when summoned at play, you will be deprived of your senses. Therefore, O mighty monarch you will have to lead a life in the woods again. If, O mighty king, it behoves you not to make us wretched for life, observe you fully the ordinance of the Vedas, (which inculcates that) verily the deceitful ought to be slain by deceit. If I but have your command I would go (to Hastinapura) and, even as fire falling upon a heap of grass consumes it, would slay Duryodhana, putting forth my utmost might. It behoves you, therefore, to grant me the permission.'"

Vaisampayana continued, "Thus addressed by Bhima, king Yudhishthira the just, smelt the crown of that son of Pandu, and pacifying him said,

'O mighty-armed one, without doubt, you will, assisted by the wielder of the Gandiva, slay Suyodhana at the expiry of the thirteenth year. But, O son of Pritha, as for your assertion, 'O Lord, the time is complete', I cannot dare tell an untruth, for untruth is not in me. O son of Kunti, without the help of fraud, will you kill the wicked and irrepressible Duryodhana, with his allies.'

"While Yudhishthira the just, was speaking unto Bhima thus, there came the great and illustrious Rishi Vrihadasva before them. And beholding that virtuous ascetic before him, the righteous king worshipped him according to the ordinance, with the offering of Madhuparka.

And when the ascetic was seated and refreshed, the mighty-armed Yudhishthira sat by him, and looking up at the former, addressed him thus in exceedingly piteous accents:

'O holy one, summoned by cunning gamblers skilled at dice, I have been deprived of wealth and kingdom through gambling. I am not an adept at dice, and am unacquainted with deceit. Sinful men, by unfair means, vanquished me at play. They even brought into the public assembly my wife dearer unto me than life itself. And defeating me a second time, they have sent me to distressful exile in this great forest, clad in deer skins.

At present I am leading a distressful life in the woods in grief of heart. Those harsh and cruel speeches they addressed me on the occasion of that gambling match, and the words of my afflicted friends relating to the match at dice and other subjects, are all stored up in my remembrance. Recollecting them I pass the whole night in (sleepless) anxiety. Deprived also (of the company) of the illustrious wielder of the Gandiva, on whom depend the lives of us all, I am almost deprived of life.

Oh, when shall I see the sweet-speeched and large-hearted Vibhatsu so full of kindness and activity, return to us, having obtained all weapons? Is there a king on this earth who is more unfortunate than myself? Hast you ever seen or heard of any such before? To my thinking, there is no man more wretched than I am.'

"Vrihadasva said,

'O great king, O son of Pandu, you sayest, 'There is no person more miserable than I am' O sinless monarch, if you will listen, I will relate unto you the history of a king more wretched than thyself?

Vaisampayana continued, "And thereupon the king said unto the ascetic,

'O illustrious one, tell me, I desire to hear the history of the king who had fallen into such a condition.'

"Vrihadasva said,

'O king, O you that never fallest off, listen attentively with your brothers, I will narrate the history of a prince more miserable than thyself. There was a celebrated king among the Nishadhas, named Virasena. He had a son named Nala, versed in (the knowledge of) virtue and wealth. It has been heard by us that, that king was deceitfully defeated by Pushkara, and afflicted with calamity, he dwelt in the woods with his spouse. And, O king, while he was living in the forest, he had neither slaves nor cars, neither brother nor friends with him. But you are surrounded by your heroic brothers like unto the celestials, and also by foremost regenerate ones like unto Brahma himself. Therefore, it behoves you not to grieve.'

"Yudhishthira said,

'I am anxious to hear in detail, O you foremost of eloquent men, the history of the illustrious Nala. It behoves you therefore to relate it unto me.'