Mahabharata

Arjunabhigamana Parva

Comforting Draupadi. The words of Krishna. The destruction of Saubha. The departure of the citizens. The Pandava's entrance into the Dvaitavana. The words of Draupadi. The conversation between Draupadi and Yudhishthira. The words of Bhima. The words of Yudhishthira. Pandavas entrance into the Kamyaka forest. The meeting of Indra and Arjuna.

Vaishampayana said:
Having heard that the Pandavas had been banished, the Bhojas with the Vrishnis and the Andhakas went to the afflicted Pandavas in the great forest.

The relatives of (the king) Panchala, Dhristadyumna, the king of Chcdi and the greatly powerful and renowned brothers, the Kaikeyas. Went to see the sons of Pritha in the forest. Their heart inflamed with wrath, they reproaching the sons of Dhritarashtra said, "What should we do?"

All those foremost of Kshatriyas with Vasudeva (Krishna) at their head sat around Dharmaraja Yudhishthira. Saluting that chief of the Kurus, Keshava (Krishna) spoke thus in sorrow.

Krishna said:
The earth will drink the blood of Duryodhana, Karna, Shakuni and the fourth (of their allies) Dushashana.

Killing all these and defeating all their followers and royal allies. We shall all install Dharmaraja Yudhishthira (on the throne). The crafty men deserve to be slain. This is eternal morality.

Vaishampayana said:
Janardana (Krishna) became angry for the wrongs done to the sons of Pritha and he seemed bent upon consuming all created things. But Arjuna tried to pacify him. Seeing Keshava (Krishna) angry, Falguni (Arjuna) began to recite the feats achieved in his former lives by that soul of all things who is immeasurable, who is the eternal one of infinite energy, the lord of Prajapati, the supreme ruler of the world and the greatly wise Vishnu.

Arjuna said:
O Krishna, in the days of yore, you had wandered on the Gandhamadana mountain for ten thousand years as a Fatrashayanagriha Rishi.

O Krishna, living on water alone, you passed eleven thousand years in the days of yore by the side of the Pushkara (lake).

O slayer of Madhu, you with your arms upraised and standing on one leg, living all the while on air, passed one hundred years on the high hills of Badari.

O Krishna, leaving aside your upper garment and looking like a bundle of veins, with your body emaciated you lived on the banks of the Sarasvati, employed in your sacrifice extending for twelve years.

O greatly effulgent Krishna, in observance of your vow, you stood on one leg for one thousand celestials years on the plains of Pravasha which the virtuous ought to visit Vyasa has told me that you are the cause of the creation and its course.

O Keshava, the lord of Kshetra, you are the mover of all minds and the beginning and the end of all things. O Krishna, all asceticism rests in you; you are the embodiment of all sacrifices and you are the eternal one.

O Krishna, killing the fearful Naraka, the first begotten offspring of the earth, you have obtained his ear-rings by the performance of the first horse sacrifice.

O foremost of all the worlds, having performed that feat, you have become victorious over all. You have killed all the Daityas and the Danavas mustered in battle.

O mighty-armed Keshava, giving the lord of Sachi (Indra) the sovereignty of the universe, you have taken your birth among men.

O chastiser of foes, having floated on Primordial waters, you subsequently became Hari, Brahma, Surya, Dharma, Dhatri, Yama, Anala. Vayu, Vaisravana, Rudra, Kala and the sky, the earth, the air and the directions. O foremost of Purushas, you are your own creator, you are the lord of all mobile and immobile universe.

O slayer of Madhu, O greatly effulgent one, O Krishna, you gratified with your sacrifice in the forest of Chitraratha the chief of the celestials, the highest of the high.

O Janardana, at each sacrifice you offered, according to (each one's) shares, gold by hundred and thousands.

O descendant of Yadu, becoming the son of Aditi you have been known as the younger brother of Indra, though you are the exalted one'of the supreme attributes.

O chastiser of foes, O Krishna while you are but a child, you filled by three steps the heaven, the sky and the earth in consequences of your energy.

O soul of all creatures, covering the heaven and the sky, you dwell in the body of the sun and afflict him with your own effulgence.

O exalted one, O Krishna, in your incarnations on three thousand occasions, you have killed the sinful Asuras by thousands.

By destroying the Mansavas and the Pashas and killing Nishunda and Naraka, you have again made the road to Pragjotisha safe.

You killed Ahuti at Jarutha, Kratha and Shishupala with his followers and allies, Jarasandha, Saivya and Shatadhanvan.

You defeated on your car which is as effulgent as the sun and as roaring a the clouds, Rukmi in battle and then obtained for your queen the daughter of Bhoja.

You killed in fury Indradyumna and the Yavana called Kaseruman. Killing Shalva, the king of Saivya, you destroyed his city.

At Irvati, you killed king Bhoja, who was equal to Kartavirya in battle.

Both Gopati and Taluketu also have been killed by you. O Janardana, you have also obtained for yourself the sacred city of Dvarka which abounds in wealth and which is agreeable to all Rishis. You will submerge it into the ocean at the end.

O slayer of Madhu, O descendant of Dasahara race, how can crookedness be in you, devoid as you are of anger, envy, untruth and cruelty? O undeteriorating one, all the Rishis come to you when seated in your glory on the sacrificial ground and seek your protection.

O slayer of Madhu. O chastiser of foes, contracting all things and withdrawing this universe into your own self, you stay at the end of Yuga.

O descendant of the Vrishni race, there at the beginning of the Yuga, sprang from your lotus-like navel Brahma himself who is the lord of all mobile and immobile things and whose is this entire universe.

O Hari, when the fearful Danavas Madhu and Kaitava were bent on killing Brahma, seeing their impious endevour you grew angry and from your head then sprang Sambhu, the holder of trident, the deity of three eyes. Thus have these two foremost on the deities sprung from your body to accomplish your work.

It was Narada who has told me (all) this. O Narayana, you performed in the forest of Chaitraratha a. grand sacrifice with multitudes of rites and plentiful of gifts. O lotus-eyed deity the feats you accomplished with your prowess aided by Baladeva have never before been done by others. They are not capable of being done by others in future. You dwelt even in Kailasa accompanied by Brahmanas.

Vaishampayana said:
Having spoken thus to Krishna, the high-souled Pandava (Arjuna) who was his (Krishna's) soul became dumb. Janardana (Krishna) then thus replied to Partha (Arjuna).

You are mine and I am yours. All that is mine is yours also. He who hates you hates me and he who follows you follows me.

O irrepressible hero, you are Nara and I am Narayana (Hari). We are the Rishis Nara and Narayana born in the world of men for a special purpose.

O Partha, you are from me and I am from you. O best of the Bharata race, none can understand the difference that exists between us.

Vaishampayana said:
When the high-souled Krishna said this in the midst of that assembly of the heroic kings, who were all excited with anger. The Panchala princess (Draupadi), surrounded by Dhristadyumna and her other heroic brothers, came to the lotus-eyed one (Krishna) who was seated with his cousins. Desirous of getting protection, she spoke thus to the refuge of all (Krishna) in angry words.

Draupadi said:
Asita and Devala have said that in the matter of creation of things you have been indicated as the only Prajapati and the creator of all the worlds.

O irrepressible one, Jamadagni says you are Vishnu. O slayer of Madhu, you are the sacrifice, you are the sacrificer and you are he for whom the sacrifice is performed.

O best of Purushas (male beings), the Rishis call you Forgiveness and Truth. Kashyapa has said that you are the sacrifice sprung from Truth.

O lord, Narada says that you are the God of the Sadhyas and of the Shivas, you are the creator and the lord of all.

O foremost of men, as children sport with their toys, you repeatedly sport with the celestials including Brahma, Shankara (Shiva) and Shakra (Indra).

O lord, the firmament is covered by your head and the earth by your feet. These worlds are your womb and you are the Eternal one.

You are the best of all objects to those Rishis who have been sanctified by the Vedic lore and asceticism, whose souls have been purified by penance and who are contended with some visions.

O best of Purushas, you are the refuge of all royal sages, who are devoted to piety, who never turn their looks on the field of battle and who possess every accomplishment. You are the lord of all; you are omnipresent, you are the soul of all things, you are the active power pervading everything.

The rulers of the several worlds, those worlds themselves, the steller-conjunctions, the ten points of horizon, the firmament, the moon and the sun are all established in you.

O mighty armed hero, the mortality of all creatures and the immortality of the universe are established in you.

O slayer of Madhu, impelled by the affection, you bore for me, I shall relate to you my griefs. You. are the supreme lord of all creatures, both celestials and human.

O Krishna, how could one like me, the wife of Pritha's sons (the Pandavas), the sister of Dhristadyumna and the friend of yours, be dragged to the assembly?

Alas, in my season, stained with blood, with but a single cloth on, trembling and weeping, I was dragged into the court of the Kurus!

Seeing me stained with blood (standing) in the presence of the kings in that assembly, the wicked-minded sons of Dhritarashtra laughed at me.

O slayer of Madhu, though the Pandavas, the Panchalas and the Vrishnis were present, yet they (the sons of Dhritarashtra) dared express their desire of making me their slave.

O Krishna, I am the daughter-in-law of both Bhishma and Dhritarashtra according to the ordinance, yet, O slayer of Madhu, they wished to make me their slave by force.

I blame the Pandavas who are mighty and the foremost (heroes) in battle, for they (silently) looked at the cruel treatment that was offered to their renowned wedded wife.

O Janardana, fie to the prowess of Bhimasena and fie to the Gandiva of Arjuna, for they both suffered me to be thus disgraced by men of no importance!

This eternal course of morality is ever followed by the pious men, namely the husband, however weak he might be, should protect his wedded wife.

By protecting his wife one protects his offspring and by protecting the offspring one protects his own self.

One's own self is begotten on one's wife and therefore wife is called Jaya. A wife should also protect her husband, remembering that he would take his birth in her womb.

The Pandavas never forsake the persons who ask for their protection, but they abandoned me who asked for their protection.

Five greatly powerful sons have been born of me by my five husbands; O Janardana, for their sake it was necessary to protect me.

Prativindhya (was begotten) by Yudhishthira, Satasoma by Vrikodara (Bhima), Shrutakirti by Arjuna, Satanika by Nakula. Shrutakarman by the youngest (of my husbands) Sahadeva. They are all of irrepressible prowess. O Krishna, they are all as great car-warriors as Pradyumna (Krishna's son).

They are all foremost of all bowmen and they are all invincible in battle by any foe. Why do they (silently) bear the wrongs inflicted (on me) by the weak sons of Dhritarashtra?

Having been deprived of their kingdom by deception, the Pandavas were made slaves and I myself in my season and in one cloth was dragged into the Sabha.

O slayer of Madhu, fie to the Gandiva, which none else can string except Arjuna; Bhima and yourself!

O Krishna, fie to the strength of Bhima and to the prowess to Partha (Arjuna) for Duryodhana lived for even a moment (after what he did).

O slayer of Madhu, it was he who formerly drove the guileless Pandavas with their mother from the kingdom while they were but boys engaged in study and in the observance of their vows.

It was that sinful wretch who mixed fresh, virulent, horrible and excessive poison with the food of Bhimasena.

O Janardana, but Bhima without sustaining any injury digested that poison with the food. O mighty armed hero, O best of men, Bhima's days had not (then) ended.

O Krishna, it was Duryodhana, who at the house that stood by the banian tree, called Pramana, bound the sleeping and unsuspecting Bhima; and then throwing him into the Ganges, he returned to the city.

But the son of Kunti, the greatly strong and mighty armed Bhima, on waking from his sleep, tore his bonds and rose from the water.

It was he (Duryodhana) who caused venomous snakes to bite all over the body of Bhimasena, but that slayer of foes did not die.

Awaking, the son of Kunti (Bhima) killed all the serpents with his left hand; and he killed his (Duryodhana's) favorite charioteer (also).

Again, while the children (the Pandavas) were sleeping unsuspicious with the revered one (their mother), he set fire to the house (Jatugriha). Who is there who is capable of doing such an act?

It was then the revered madam (Kunti), overtaken by this calamity and surrounded by the flames, began to cry in terrors.

Kunti said:
Alas, I am undone! How shall we today escape from this fire! Alas, I shall meet with detraction my sons who are but children!

Draupadi said:
Thereupon the mighty-armed Bhima Vrikodara whose prowess is like that of wind, comforted the revered madam (Kunti) and his brothers. I will spring up into the air like the son of Vinata that best of birds, Garuda. We have no fear from this fire.

Then taking the revered lady (his mother) on his left flank and the king (Yudhishthira) on the right, the twins on each shoulder and Vivatsu (Arjuna) on his back. The powerful hero (Bhima), taking all of them, cleared off the fire at one leap and thus delivered his mother and brothers from the conflagration.

Setting out that night with their illustrious mother, they (the Pandavas) came near the great forest, the forest of Hidimba.

Fatigued and distressed they fell asleep with their mother. A Rakshasas woman, named Hidimba then came to them.

Seeing the Pandavas asleep on the ground with their mother and being influenced by desire, she sought to have Bhimasena as her lord.

That weak and blessed one (the Rakshasas woman), thereupon taking up Bhima's feet on her lap, began to press them with her soft hands.

The immeasurably energetic, irrepressibly powerful and greatly strong Bhima then awoke and asked, "O faultless one, what do you wish (here)?"

Having been thus addressed by Bhima, the faultless Rakshasas woman, who could assume any form at will, thus replied to the high-souled Bhimasena.

"Speedily fly from this place; my powerful brother will (soon) come to kill you. Therefore speed away, do not stay here any longer."

Thereupon Bhima spoke thus in haughtiness, "I do not fear him. If he comes here, I shall kill him."

Having heard their conversations, that worst of Rakshasas of fearful form and dreadful appearance uttered a loud cry as he came.

The Rakshasas said:
O Hidimba, with whom are you talking? Bring him to me; I will eat him up. You ought not to tarry.

Draupadi said:
But move I by compassion, the faultless featured and pure hearted Rakshasas woman did not speak a word out of pity.

Then the man-eating Rakshasas, uttering dreadful cries, rushed with great force at Bhimasena.

Coming furiously and angrily at him, the mighty Rakshasas caught hold of Bhimasena's hand by his own. Catching hold of his other hand and making it as hard as the thunder of Indra, he suddenly struck Bhima a blow that descended with the force of lightning.

His hand having been seized by the Rakshasas, the mighty-armed Vrikodara (Bhima), without being able to brook it, flew into rage.

Then a fearful combat took place between Bhimasena and Hidimba, both skilled in all sorts of weapons, like the battle between Vasava (Indra) and Vritra.

O sinless one, after playing with (the strength of) the Rakshasas for a long time, the powerful and greatly energetic Bhima killed him when he became exhausted and weak.

Having thus killed Hidimba, Bhima proceeded with his brothers, placing Hidimba in their front, (Hidimba) of whom Ghatotkacha was born.

Thereupon all those chastisers of foes, accompanied by their mother and surrounded by many Brahmanas, proceeded towards Eka-chakra.

In their this journey, Vyasa, ever engaged in their welfare, became their counsellor. Then the Pandavas of rigid vows, arriving at Ekachakra.

Killed there a greatly strong man eating monster, named Baka, who was as terrible as Hidimba.

Having killed him, that foremost of smiters, Bhima, with all his brothers went to the capital of Drupada.

O Krishna, as you have obtained Rukmani, the daughter of Bhishmaka, so Savyasachi (Arjuna) obtained me while he lived there (at Draupada's capital).

O slayer of Madhu, I ,was thus obtained in the Saimvara by Partha (Arjuna) who performed a feat difficult of achievment by others and who fought with the assembled kings.

O Krishna, thus afflicted with numerous griefs, I am living in sorrow and in great distress with Dhaumya at our head, but deprived of the company of the revered lady (Kunti).

Why do these (Pandavas), who are gifted with strength and who possess the prowess of the lion, sit silently on seeing me afflicted by so despicable enemies (as the Kurus).

Suffering such wrongs at the hands of the sinful, evil-doing and weak foes, am I to suffer misery so long?

I was born in a great race and I came to the world in an extraordinary way. I am the beloved wife of the Pandavas and the daughter-in-law of the illustrious Pandu.

O Krishna, O slayer of Madhu, being the foremost of women and devoted to my husbands, even I was seized by the hair in the very sight of the Pandavas, each of whom was like an Indra.

Having said this, the mild-speeched Krishna (Draupadi) hid her face with her soft hands which were like the buds of lotus and began to weep.

The tears of the Panchala princess, the out-pourings of her grief, washed her deep, plump and graceful breasts, which were crowned with auspicious marks.

Wiping her eyes and sighing frequently she thus spoke in anger and in a choked voice.

Draupadi said:
O slayer of foes, husbands, sons, friends, brothers, father or you, I have none.

For you all, seeing me treated so cruelly, by inferior foes, (still) sit unmoved in silence. My grief at Karna's ridicule is capable of being assuaged.

O Keshava, O Krishna, I always deserve to be protected by you for four reasons, namely for our relationship, for the respect you bear for me, for our friendship and for your lordship over me.

Thereupon Krishna thus spoke to her in that assembly of heroes.

Krishna said:
O fair lady, the wives of those with whom you are angry will weep like you on seeing their husbands lying dead on the ground, their bodies covered with the arrows of Vivatsu and weltering in blood. Do not grieve; I shall do for the Pandavas whatever lies in my power.

I tell you the truth; you shall be the queen of kings. The heavens might fall and the Himalayas might split, the earth might be rent. And the waters of the ocean might be dried up, but, O Krishna (Draupadi), my words shall never be futile. Having heard these words of Achyuta (Krishna), as a reply to her, Draupadi. The princess of Panchala, glanced obliquely at her third husband (Arjuna). O great king, Arjuna then thus spoke to Draupadi.

O copper-colour-eyed lady, do not weep. What the slayer of Madhu (Krishna) has said will (surely) happen. O lady, O beautiful one, it cannot be otherwise.

Dhristadyumna said:
I shall kill Drona, Sikhandi will kill the Grandsire (Bhishma), Bhimasena will kill Duryodhana and Karna will be killed by Dhananjaya (Arjuna). O sister, with the assistance of Rama (Baladeva) and Krishna we are invincible even in a battle with the slayer of Vritra (Indra), what (to speak of a battle) with the sons of Dhritarashtra.

Vaishampayana said:
When this was spoken, all the heroes turned their faces towards Vasudeva and the mighty armed Keshava (Krishna) thus spoke in their midst.

Krishna said:
O king of the earth, had I been then present at Dvarka, O king, this misfortune would not have overtaken you.

Even if uninvited by the Kauravas the son of Ambika, (Dhritarashtra) and the king Duryodhana, I would have come to the gambling match, O irrepressible one and I would have been able to prevent it by pointing out (to them) its many evils,

And by inviting to my help Bhishma, Drona, Kripa and Valhika. O descendant of Kuru, I would have said to the king, the son of Vichitravirya, for your sake, "O lord of kings, your sons should desist from gambling." I would have also pointed out the evils by which you have been reduced to this distress.

And in the days of yore Virasena's son was deprived of his kingdom. Do king of the earth, gambling brings on unthought of misfortunes.

I would have also described duly the continued desire of playing.

Women, gambling, hunting and drinking which originate from desire have been designated as the four evils by which people are deprived of their prosperity. Those conversant with the sacred lore observe that evils exist in all these and the wise consider that they particularly exist in gambling.

From gambling proceeds, the destruction of property, misfortune, the squandering of untasted wealth and the use, of harsh words only. O mighty armed hero, O descendant of Kuru, approaching the son of Ambika, I would have pointed out these evils of gambling and other attendant evils.

Being thus accosted by me, if he had listened to my words, the well-being and the virtue of the Kurus, O enhancer of the Kuru race, would have been secured.

And if he had not accepted, O king of kings, my sweet words like medicine. O foremost of the Bharata race, I would have compelled him to accept them by force.

And if he had been supported by his courtiers who pass for his friends, but who are in reality his enemies, I would have destroyed all his retinue and the gamblers present there.

O descendant of Kuru, it is on account of my absence at that time from the country of Anartha that you have been beset by the misfortunes engendered by gambling.

Having reached Dvarka, O foremost of Kurus. O son of Pandu, I heard all about your misfortune from Yuyudhana.

Having heard this, O king of kings and having been stricken with great anxiety. I have speedily come here, O king, to see you.

O Bharata chief, you have all been overtaken by great calamity; I see you along with your brothers sunk in misfortune.

Yudhishthira said:
O Krishna, O son of Vrishni, why were you absent? Where did you live in your sojourn and what did you do?

Srikrishna said:
O Bharata chief, O foremost of the Kurus, I went to destroy the city of Shalva; listen to the reasons thereof. O foremost of the Bharatas, at the sacrifice of Rajasuya, the heroic son of Damaghosha, the highly effulgent, the mighty-armed and the illustrious king Shishupala was killed by me, for he could not bear to see the first worship offered to me. O descendant of Bharata, having heard of his destruction, Shalva, stricken with dreadful anger, went to the empty Dvarka, myself living here.

Having reached there, O king, in a chariot, coursing at will, made of precious metals and called accordingly Saubha, he fought ruthlessly with the young and leading princes of the Vrishni family.

Thereupon slaying a numberless young princes of the Vrishni race, the wicked-minded one laid waste all the gardens belonging to the city.

O mighty armed hero, he (Shalva) said, "Where has that greatly vicious-minded son of Vasudeva, that disgrace of the Vrishni race Vasudeva (Krishna) gone?

I shall humiliate in battle his pride. Tell me truly, O Anarthas, I shall repair where he has gone. I shall go back after slaying that destroyer of Kansa and Keshi; I swear by my weapon that I shall not return without slaying him."

(Exclaiming repeatedly) 'Where is he! Where is he!' the lord of Saubha, being desirous of fighting with me again and again rushed hither and thither in battle.

"Being enraged at the destruction of Shishupala, I shall dispatch today to the abode of Yama that mean and treacherous wight of vicious deeds. Oh king of the earth, "I shall slay him, vicious character as he is by whom, my brother, the great king Shishupala, was killed.

My royal brother was a boy and that hero was killed in the battle field unprepared and therefore I shall kill Janarddana."

O great king, having thus bewailed and abused me, O descendant of Kuru, he rose up in the sky in (his car) Saubha, coursing at will.

Returning there, O descendant of Kuru, I heard all that the vicious-minded and evil-souled king of Martika had said regarding myself.

Thereupon, O descendant of Kuru, O king, having my mind agitated by wrath and resolving in my mind to kill him, I determind to do it.

O descendant of Kuru, having heard of his oppressions on the Anarthas, of his vilifying me and also of the increasing arrogance of that one of impious deeds (I resolved upon his destruction). Thereupon, I proceeded, O lord of the earth, to destroy Saubha. He (Shalva) was espied by me in an island in the midst of an ocean.

Thereupon O king, blowing my conch, called Panchajanya, obtained from the ocean and inviting Shalva to an encounter I prepared myself for battle.

There took place at once a dreadful encounter between me and the Danavas and they were all vanquished and prostrated on earth by me.

It is for this, O mighty-armed hero, that I could not come to you. But no sooner I heard of the unfair gambling at Hastinapur than I have come here to see you who have been thus sunk in calamity.

Yudhishthira said:
O Vasudeva, O mighty-armed and high-minded hero, tell me in detail the account of the death of the king of Saubha I am not as yet fully satisfied.

Krishna said:
O mighty-armed king, O best of the Bharata race, having heard that the son of Shrutasrava (Shishupala) was killed, Shalva came to the city of Daravati.

O son of Pandu, the wicked-minded Shalva, stationing his forces in battle-array, invaded that city all around and from above.

Thereupon, that ruler of earth, stationing himself in the sky, began to fight with that city. The battle commenced with a thick shower of weapons form all sides.

The city (was then) well furnished with pennons, arches, soldiers, walls, turrets, engines and miners.

With streets barricaded with spiked wood-works, with towers and edifices on gateways, with plentiful provisions, with offensive weapons, with engines for hurling burning brands and fires.

O best of the Bharata race, O king, with deer-skin vessels (for carrying water), with trumpets, taboos and drums, with lances and forks and Sataghnis, with plough-shares. With rockets, stones, battle-axes and other weapons, with shields protected by iron, with engines for hurling balls and bullets and fires.

O best of the Bharata race, all this was kept-according to the Shastras.It was also well-protected by numerous cars and also by Gada, Samba, Udhava and others. O best of the Kurus and also by warriors of prowess, all well-tried in battle, all well-born and all capable of encountering any foe. All these warriors, placing themselves in commanding positions and being aided by cavalry and standard bearers, began to protect the city. To prevent carelessness and to avoid danger Ugrasena, Udhava and others, proclaimed throughout the city that none should drink liquor.

Well-knowing that they would be killed by king Shalva, if they became intoxicated all the Vrishnis and the Andhakas, remained sober and watchful.

The guards soon drove out of the city all actors, dancers and singers of the Anartha country.

O descendant of Kuru, all the bridges over rivers were destroyed and boats were forbidden to ply (in those rivers) and the trenches around the city were spiked with poles at the bottom, O best of the Kurus, the land around the city for full two miles was rendered uneven and holes and pits were dug there; combustibles were secreted below its surface.

O sinless one, our fort is naturally strong. It is always well-defended and filled with all kinds of weapons.

And in consequence of the preparations made, our city became then more prepared than ever to meet the enemy. O best of the Bharata race, in consequence of all this, it looked like the abode of Indra.

O king, when Shalva thus came, none could, without presenting the sign, that was agreed upon, either enter or leave the city of the Vrishnis and the Andhakas.

O descendant of Kuru, O great king, all the streets of the city and its open spaces were filled with numerous horses and elephants.

O mighty-armed hero, the soldiers were all gratified with the allowances, wages, rations, weapons and dresses (that were given to them).

Among those soldiers there was none who was not paid in gold, who was not paid at all, who was not somehow obliged and who was not of tried valour.

O lotus-eyed hero, it was thus that Dvarka, abounding in well-ordered arrangements, was defended by Ahuka (Ugrasena).

Krishna said:
O king of kings, the lord of Saubha Shalva, came to the city of Dvarka with numerous men, elephants and soldiers.

The army, headed by king Shalva, consisting of four kinds of troops, occupied a level ground where there was plentiful supply of water.

Avoiding cremation-grounds, temples of gods, sacred trees and grounds covered with ant-hills, his army occupied every other places.

O king, the roads (leading to Dvarka) were all blocked up by the (various) divisions of his army and the secret passages (from the city) were also all blocked up by the encampment of Shalva's troops.

O descendant of Kuru, O best of men, like the king of birds (Garuda), he rushed upon Dvarka, with his army, equipped with every kind of weapons, skilled in all arms, furnished with numerous chariots, elephants and cavalry, full of pennons and banners and strengthened with well-paid, well-fed and greatly powerful foot soldiers who bore every mark of heroism and who used wonderful chariots and bows.

Seeing the army of the king Shalva approached, the youthful princes of the Vrishni race sallied out with the desire of giving him battle.

O descendant of Kuru, without being able to bear the pride of king Shalva, Charudeshna, Samba and the great car-warrior, Pradyumna. Clad in armour and adorned with ornaments with color flying, sallied out on their chariots, with the desire of meeting the numerous great warriors of king Shalva.

Samba, taking up his bow, eagerly attacked on the field of battle Kshemavriddhi, the minister and the commander of Shalva's army.

O best of the Bharata race, as Indra shower down rain, so did the son of Jambhavati (Samba) showers down arrows in a continuous stream. O great king, the commander of (Shalva's) forces, Kshemavriddhi, bore that shower of arrows (and stood) as immovable as the Himalayas.

O king of kings, thereupon Kshemavriddhi, aided by his power of illusion, poured a great shower of arrows.

Then dispersing by counter illusion that shower of arrows aided by illusion, Samba showered on his (adversary's) car one thousand arrows.

Then pierced and overwhelmed by the arrows of Samba, the commander of (Shalva's) forces, Kshemavriddhi fled from the field with the help of his fleet steeds.

When the crooked-minded commander of Shalva's army fled from the field, a powerful Daitya, named Vegavan, rushed at my son.

O king of kings, thus attacked the heroic Samba, the perpetuator of the Vrishni race, withstanding the attack of Vegavan, kept his ground,

O son of Kunti, the heroic and irresistibly powerful Samba, whirling a swift-going club, soon hurled it at Vegavan.

O king, thus struck with it, Vegavan fell on the ground like a faded, weather beaten and decayed-rooted lord of the forest (banian tree).

When that heroic and great Asura was killed with the club, my son rushed into (enemy's) troops and began to fight with all.

O great king, a well-known Danava, named Vivindha, a great car-warrior and a great bowman, then rushed upon Charudeshna.

O king, the battle between Charudeshna and Vivindha was as fierce as that in the days of yore between Vitra and Vasava (Indra).

Enraged with each other, the combatants pierced each other with their arrows and uttered loud roars like two powerful lions.

Having first vivified it with incantations the son of Rukmini fixed on his bow-string a powerful weapon which possessed the splendour of the sun or the fire and which was capable of destroying all foes.

O king, that great car-warrior, my son, inflamed with anger, challenged Vivindha and discharged the weapon at him. He (thus struck) fell dead.

Seeing Vivindha killed and his army (very much) agitated, Shalva came back again on his (car) Saubha, capable of going everywhere at will.

O mighty-armed king, thereupon seeing Shalva seated on his (car) Saubha, the warriors of Dvarka became very much alarmed.

O descendant of Kuru, Pradyumna sallied out and asked the Anarthas not to lose courage. He then thus spoke.

"(O warriors), do not lose courage; stay and see me fight. I shall repel with force (the car) Saubha with the king (Shalva) on it.

O Yadavas, I shall this day destroy the army of the lord of Saubha with my serpent-like weapons discharged from my bow with my hand.

Be of good cheer, Fear not. I shall today kill him. Attacked by me, the wicked-minded (Shalva) with (his car) Saubha will be destroyed."

O son of Pandu, O hero, when Pradyumna thus spoke with a cheerful heart, the Yadava warriors stood on the field and began to fight cheerfully.

Krishna said:
O best of the Bharata race, having thus spoken to the Yadavas, the son of Rukmini (Pradyumna) ascended on his golden car yoked with horses dad in armour. On it (the car) stood a standard, bearing, the figure of a gaping-mouthed Makara. It was as fearful as Yama himself. He rushed upon the enemy with his steeds who were rather flying than running over the ground. The hero, equipped with quiver and sword and with his fingers incased in leather, stringed with great strength the bow which possessed the splendour of bow which possessed the splendour pf lightning. Transferring it from hand to hand as if in contempt of the enemy, he spread confusion among the Danavas and the other warriors, the inhabitants of Saubha.

As he went on killing the Danavas in battle and as he sat in contempt of the foe (on his car), none could mark the slightest interval between the successive arrows (shot by him.)

The color of his face did not change and his limbs did not tremble. People only heard his lion-like roars which indicated his wonderful valour.

The aquatic creature (Makara), that devourer of all fishes, which was on the golden flag-staff of that best of cars with wide-opened mouth, struck terror into the hearts of all the warriors of (king) Shalva.

O king, that chastiser of foes, Pradyumna, rushed there with speed against Shalva himself who was so desirous of fighting with him.

O perpetuator of the Kuru race, challenged by the heroic Pradyumna in that great battle, the angry Shalva could not bear it.

Resolved to fight with Pradyumna and maddened with anger, that conqueror of hostile city, Shalva, then descended from his beautiful car of unchecked speed.

All the people (as spectators) looked at that battle between Shalva and that foremost of the Vrishni heroes (Pradyumna) which was like the battle between Vasava (Indra) and Bali.

O hero, O lord, O descendant of Kuru, ascending on his beautiful, illusive and best of all chariots, decked with gold and furnished with flags and flag-staffs and (equipped) with quivers, the illustrious and the mighty Shalva began to discharge his arrows at Pradyumna.

Thereupon Pradyumna also overwhelmed Shalva in the battle by a thick shower of arrows shot by the strength of his arms.

The king of Saubha thus attacked did not endure it. He discharged, at my son, arrows that were like blazing fire.

That great warrior (my son) drove off that shower of arrows. Seeing this, he (Shalva) rained on my son other weapons of blazing splendour.

O king of kings, having been thus pierced, the son of Rukmani without loss of time discharged an arrow which was capable of reaching the vitals of a foe.

That winged arrow, discharged by my son, pierced his (Shalva's) armour and entered into his heart; whereupon he fell down in a swoon.

When the heroic king Shalva fell down senseless, all the chief Danavas rending the earth beneath their feet fled away.

O ruler of earth, seeing their king, the lord of Saubha drop down senseless (on the ground), the soldiers of Shalva sent up exclamations of "Oh”.and "Alas."

O descendant of Kuru, (soon) regaining his consciousness, that greatly powerful hero (Shalva) suddenly discharged arrows at Pradyumna.

Thereupon the heroic and the mighty-armed Pradyumna, having been thus severely wounded about his throat by his adversary ink the battle, was enfeebled on his car.

O great king, thus wounding the son of Rukmani, Shalva roared like a lion and filled the entire earth with his roars.

O descendant of Bharata, thereupon when my son became senseless, he (Shalva) without losing a moment again discharged at him other weapons, all difficult to withstand.

O best of Kurus, thus pierced with numberless arrows and deprived of his consciousness, Pradyumna fell (on his car) motionless in the field of battle.

Krishna said:
O king, when Pradyumna (wounded by the arrows) became very much disheartened and aggrieved, the Vrishnis and the Andhakas began to exclaim, "Oh" and "Alas." The enemies (Shalva's men) became exceedingly joyful.

Having seen him thus unconscious, his trained charioteer, the son of Daruka, carried him off the field with the help of his fleet steed.

The chariot had not been taken far off, when that foremost of warriors (Pradyumna) regained his consciousness. Taking up his bow, he thus spoke to his charioteer.

Pradyumna said:
O son of Suta, what have you done? Why do you go away, leaving the field of battle? This is not the usage of the Vrishni heroes in battle.

O son of Suta, have you been bewildered at the sight of Shalva in that great battle? Have you been disheartened at the sight of the battle? Tell me truly your mind.

The Charioteer said:
O son of Janardana, I am not bewildered. Fear has not taken possession of me. But O son of Keshava, I think it is difficult to defeat Shalva.

Therefore, O hero, I am slowly retiring from the field. This wretch is stronger than you. A charioteer ought to protect the warrior on his car when he is deprived of his senses in battle.

O hero of long life, you should always be protected by me, as you ought to protect me always. Thinking that a warrior on a car should always be protected by his charioteer, I am carrying you away (from the field of battle).

O mighty-armed hero, you are but only one, whereas the Danavas are many. O son of Rukmani, thinking that you are not equal to them in battle, I am going away (from the battle).

Krishna said:
O descendant of Kuru, when the son of Suta thus spoke, the Makara standard hero (Pradyumna) said to the Suta, "Turn back the chariot? O son of Daruka, never do so again. O son of Suta, never turn back from the battle till I am alive.

He is no son of a Vrishni who forsakes the field of battle, who kills the enemy fallen at his feet and crying “I am yours.”

Who kills a woman, a boy, an old man or a warrior who is in distress and who is deprived of his car or whose weapons are broken.

You are born in the race of Sutas (charioteers) and you are well-skilled in your profession. O son of Daruka, you know the usage of the Vrishnis in battle.

Conversant as you are with all the usages of the Vrishnis in battle, O son of Suta, you should never again fly from the field as you have done now.

What will the irrepressible Madhava, the elder brother of Gada, say when he will hear that I have run away from the battle in bewilderment and that I have been struck on my back?

What will the elder brother of Keshava, the mighty-armed Baladeva, who is clad in blue and inebriated with wine, say when he will return?

O Suta, what will that best of men, the grandson of Sini that great bowman (Satyaki), say when he will hear that I have run away from the battle? What will the ever-victorious Samba.

O charioteer and irrepressible Charudeshna, Gada, Sarana and the mighty-armed Akrura say to me?

What will the wives of the Vrishni heroes when they would meet together say of me who have been hitherto considered as brave, well-conducted, respectable and possessing manly pride.

They will say "Here comes Pradyumna, the coward, running away from the great battle. Fie on him." They will never say "Well done?"

O son of Suta, ridicule with the exclamation of fie is to me or to a person like me is more than death. Thereupon never again leave the field of battle.

Giving charge (of the city) to me, the slayer of Madhu, Hari (Krishna), has gone to the sacrifice of the foremost of the Bharata race (Yudhishthira). Therefore I cannot bear to be quiet now.

O son of Suta, when the heroic Kritavarma was coming out to meet Shalva, I made his desist, saying "I will resist him (Shalva). You better stay."

The son of Hridika (Kritavarma) desisted in order to honour me. Having left the field of battle, what shall I say to that great car-warrior?

When that irresistible and mighty-armed hero, that holder of the conch, the discuss and the club, will return, what shall I say to that lotus-eyed one?

What shall I say to Satyaki, Baladeva and others of the Vrishni and the Andhaka races who always boast of me?

O son of Suta, having left the battle and having been struck at the back with arrows and carried away by you (from the field of battle) as I was insensible, I shall by no means be able to live (any longer).

O son of Daruka, turn speedily the chariot back again. Never act in this way again, even not at the time of the greatest danger.

O son of Suta, having fled from the field like a coward and having been wounded at the back by arrows I consider life worth nothing?

O son of Suta, have you ever seen me fly from the battle like a coward?

O son of Daruka, you ought not to have left the battle while my desire for fight had not been gratified. Therefore, go back to the battle again.

Krishna said:
O son of Kunti, having been thus addressed the son of Suta (the charioteer) then replied to Pradyumna, that foremost of heroes, in these sweet words.

The Charioteer said:
O son of Rukmani, I am not afraid to guide horses in battle. I am acquainted with the usage of the Vrishnis in war. It is in no way otherwise.

O hero of long life, those that are placed as charioteers (on the cars) are taught to protect the warriors on their chariots. You were greatly afflicted.

O hero, you were very much wounded by the arrows shot by Shalva, you were also deprived of your senses. Therefore I retired (with you) from the field of battle.

O foremost of the Satyatas, O son of Keshava, now that you have regained your senses, without further trouble you will now see my skill in guiding the horses.

I am born of Daruka and I have been duly trained (in my art); I shall now enter into the well-arranged army of Shalva without the least fear.

Krishna said:
O hero, having said this, the charioteer pulled the reins and led the horses with great speed to the field of battle.

O king, struck with the whip and pulled by the reins, those excellent horses, appeared as if they were flying in the air by performing various beautiful motions, now circular, now similar, now dissimilar, now going to the right and now going to the left.

O king, those horses, understanding as it were the desire of the son of Daruka, became as if burned with energy and seemed to fly without touching the ground with their feet.

O foremost of men, he wheeled round Shalva's army so easily that they who witnessed it became very much surprised.

Being unable to bear that manouvere of Pradyumna, the king of Saubha, instantly discharged three arrows at the charioteer (of his adversary).

O mighty-armed hero, without taking any notice of the force of those arrows the son of Daruka, continued to lead the chariot round the (Shalva's) army as he was doing (from the start). O hero, thereupon the king Shalva, again discharged at my son, the son born of Rukmani, a shower of various kinds of weapons. But that slayer of hostile heroes, the son of Rukmani, smilingly showed the lightness of his hand and cut off all those weapons before they reached him. Seeing all his weapons cut down, the Saubha king, taking recourse of the terrible illusion, natural to the Asuras, poured a shower of weapons.

Cutting off those greatly powerful weapon of the Daitya in the mid-air by means of the Brahma weapon, he (Pradyumna) discharged winged weapons of other kinds.

These (weapons), which ever delight (in tasting) blood, warded off the arrows of the Daitya and pierced his head, bosom and face. Thereupon he (Shalva) fell down senseless.

When wounded by arrows, the mean-minded Shalva fell down, the son of Rukmani discharged at him another arrows capable destroying every enemy.

When that arrow, which was worshipped by all the Dashaharas, which was flaming like the fire and which was as fatal as a venomous snake, was fixed on the bowstring, that sight filled the air with cries of "Oh" and "Alas."

Thereupon all the celestials with Indra and the lord of wealth (Kubera) at their head sent (to Pradyumna) Narada and the god of wind (Vayu) with the speed of mind.

These two (celestials), coming to the son of Rukmani, thus told him the message (sent) by the celestials. They said "O hero, the king Shalva is never to be killed by you.

There is none who cannot be killed by that arrow. He is however unslayable by you in battle, therefore draw back the arrow.

"O mighty-armed hero, the creator has ordained that he will be killed by Krishna, the son of Devaki. Let it not be falsified."

Thereupon that excellent hero, Pradyumna, withdrew that foremost of arrows from his excellent bow and kept it back into his quiver.

O king of kings, then the mighty Shalva, pierced with the arrows of Pradyumna, rose up disheartened; and he then speedily fled away.

O king of kings, the wicked-minded (Shalva), thus defeated by the Vrishni, ascended (his car) Saubha made of precious metals; and leaving Dvarka he disappeared through the skies.

Krishna said:
O king, when he (Shalva) left the city of the Anarthas, I returned there on the completion of your great Rajasuya sacrifice.

O great king, on my arrival I found Dvarka shorn of its splendour. Vedic recitations and sacrificial offerings were stopped, beautiful damsels were destitute of ornaments and the gardens were devoid of beauty. Alarmed by the sight, I asked the son of Hridika.

"O best of men, why are the men and the women of the Vrishni race are all woe-begone. I desire to hear all about it."

O best of kings, having been thus addressed by me, the son of Hridika narrated to me in detail the invasion of the city by Shalva and his subsequent defeat and departure.

O best of the Bharata race, thereupon having heard all, I instantly made up my mind to kill king Shalva.

O best of the Bharata race, encouraging the citizens, I thus addressed with cheerfulness king Ahuka and Anakadundubhi and also all the chief heroes of the Vrishni race, "O best of the Yadavas, stay all of you in the city with all caution.

Know, I shall go to kill Shalva, Without killing him, I shall not return to the city of Dvarvati.

I will again come back to you after destroying Shalva with his city "Saubha" made of precious metals. Strike up the three notes of the Dundubhi (musical instrument) which are so dreadful to the foes."

O best of the Bharata race, thus adequately encouraged by me, they all with cheerful hearts said to me, “Go and kill the enemy."

O king, having received the benedictions of those cheerful heroes and having caused the Brahmanas to utter auspicious words and having also bowed down to the best of Brahmanas and to Shiva, I started on my car yoked with (my horses) Shaivya and Sugriva, filling all directions with the clatter of its wheels and blowing that best of conches named the Panchajanya. O best of men, surrounded by my invincible and victorious army consisting of four kinds of troops, all so persevering in battle, I started.

Passing over many countries, mountains and trees, many lakes and rivers, I at last arrived at the country of Martikavata.

O best of men, here did I hear that Shalva was coursing in his (car) Saubha near the ocean. I soon followed him there.

O slayer of foes, having reached the ocean (I saw) Shalva on his (Saubha, car made of precious metal) in the midst of the ocean full of heaving billows.

O Yudhishthira, having seen me from a distance, that wicked-minded (Asura) challenged me again and again to the fight.

Many arrows, each capable of piercing to the very heart, discharged from my bow, did not reach his car. Thereupon I became filled with wrath.

O king, that greatly sinful and irrepressibly powerful wretch of a Daitya's son began to shoot at me thousands of arrows in torrents.

O descendant of Bharata, he showered arrows on my soldiers, on my charioteer and on my horses. But without much caring for his arrows, we continued to fight.

Thereupon those warriors who were at the command of Shalva showered on me thousands of straight arrows.

The Asura heroes covered my horses, my car and my charioteer, Daruka, with arrows each capable of piercing to the very heart.

O hero, I could not at that time see either my car or horses or my charioteer Daruka. For I and my soldiers were covered with arrows.

O son of Kunti, thereupon I too discharged from my bows tens of thousands of arrows inspiring them with proper Mantras and shooting them with celestials methods.

O descendant of Bharata, as that (car) Saubha made of precious metals was in the sky full two miles off, it could not be seen by my troops.

Therefore, they only looked on from that field of battle like (so many) spectators in a place of amusement but they cheered me on by clappings and by shouts loud as the roars of lions.

The beautiful arrows discharged from the fore part of my hand penetrated into the bodies of the Danavas like biting insects.

Thereupon loud cries of those dying of the wounds inflicted by the arrows rose on the Saubha (car); and they (those wounded) fell into the water of the great ocean.

Having lost their arms and necks and having appeared like Kabandhas (a sort of headless ghosts), the Danavas fell (down into the sea) with fearful cries.

As they fell, they were devoured by the animals, living in the waters of the ocean. Thereupon I powerfully blew the (conch) Panchajanya, which was obtained from the waters and which was as graceful as the lotus stock and as white as the milk or the Kunda flower or the moon or the silver. Having seen them fall, the king of Saubha Shalva. Began to fight with me with the help of illusion. Then he began to hurl upon me clubs, plough-shares, winged darts, lances, javelins, thunder-bolts, nooses, broad-swords, bullets, shafts, axes and rockets.

Allowing them to come towards me, I soon destroyed them all by counter illusion. On his illusion being rendered ineffectual; he began to fight with mountain-peaks.

O descendant of Bharata, then there was darkness and light alternately, the day was now fair, now gloomy and now hot and now cold. There was a fearful shower of cools, ashes and weapons. Creating such illusions, the enemy fought with me.

Knowing this, I destroyed his illusion by counter illusion; and at the proper times I showered arrows all around.

O great king, O son of Kunti, then the sky blazed forth with one hundred suns, with one hundred moons and thousands and tens of thousands of stars.

None could ascertain whether it was then day or night. None could distinguish even the points of heaven. Thereupon becoming bewildered, I fixed on my bowstring the weapon, named Prajnastra.

O son of Kunti, that weapon rushed onwards like flakes of cotton blown away by the winds. Then a great and hair-stirring battle took place. O king of kings, having regained light, I again fought with the enemy.

Krishna said:
O best of men, the great enemy, the king Shalva, thus encountered by me in battle, again rose in the sky.

O great king, thereupon eagerly desiring victory, that wicked-minded (Danava) hurled at me Shataghnis, great maces, flaming lances, big clubs and swords.

As the weapons came down through the sky I speedily stopped them with my swift arrows. I cut them off into two or three pieces before they could reach me. Thereupon a great uproar rose in the sky.

He (Shalva) then covered Daruka, my horses and car with hundreds and thousands of straight arrow.

O hero, Daruka, who was about to faint away, spoke thus to me, "As it is my duty to stay, therefore I stay, though severely afflicted with the arrows of Shalva. But I am unable any longer to stay, my body has become weak."

Hearing these piteous words of my charioteer. I looked at him and saw that my charioteer had been fearfully wounded with arrows.

O best of the Pandavas, there was not a spot on his breast or on his head or in his body or in his two arms which was not covered with arrows. Blood flowed profusely from his wounds thus inflicted by the arrows. He looked like a hill of red chalk after a shower of rain.

O mighty-armed hero, seeing my charioteer thus pierced and enfeebled by the hands I cheered him.

O descendant of Bharata, (at this time) a certain person quickly came to my car and addressed me like a friend. O hero, O Yudhishthira, know he appeared (to me) to be a servant of Ahuka and he delivered to me a message from his (Ahuka) in a sad and choked voice.

(He said), "O hero, the king of Dvarka, Ahuka, has said this to you. "O Keshava, hear what your father's friend has said.

O descendant of Vrishni race, O irrepressible hero, Shalva came to Dvarka in your absence and by main force he has killed the son of Sura (Vasudeva, Krishna's father).

O Janardana, therefore there is no need of fighting here. Cease fighting and defend Dvarka. This is (now) your principal duty."

Having heard his words, my heart became heavy and I could not ascertain what I should do and what I should not.

O hero, having heard of this great evil, I mentally censured Satyaki, Baladeva and also the great car-warrior Pradyumna.

O descendant of Kuru, having reposed on them the duty of protecting Dvarka and my father, I had come to the destruction of Saubha.

I asked myself in sorrow, "Do that slayer of foes Baladeva, Satyaki, the son of Rukmani, (Pradyumna) the greatly powerful Charudeshna, Samba and others live? O best of men, if they were alive. Even the wielder of thunder (Indra) could not have killed the son of Sura (my father). It is evident the son of Sura is dead; it is also evident that the others. With Baladeva at their head have all lost their lives. This is my firm belief." I was again and again filled with the thought of their destruction. I was overwhelmed with grief, O great king, but I again fought with Shalva.

O great king, O hero, I now saw the son of Sura (my father) himself falling from the Saubha (car). At this sight I fainted away.

O ruler of men, my father appeared like Yayati when he (that king) losing all his virtues fell down towards earth from heaven.

I saw my father falling like a luminary whose merit is lost, his headgear pale and loosely flowing his hair and dress disordered.

O son of Kunti, thereupon my Saranga bow fell from my hand; I fainted away and sat down on the side of the car.

O descendant of the Bharata race, seeing me in a swoon on the car and one like dead, my soldiers all exclaimed, "Oh" and "Alas!"

My father with out-stretched arms and legs appeared like a bird dropping from the sky.

O mighty-armed hero, when he was thus falling, the hostile warriors with lances and axes in their hands began to strike him grievously. At this my heart trembled.

O hero, regaining my consciousness soon after, I did not find them in that great battle either the (car) Saubha or the enemy Shalva or my old father.

I then concluded in my mind that it was nothing but illusion. Thereupon regaining my senses, I again began to discharge hundreds of arrows.

Krishna said:
O best of the Bharata race, then taking up my beautiful bow, I began to cut off with my arrows the heads of the enemies of the celestials from the (car) Saubha.

I began to discharge from the Saranga (bow) many excellent arrows of the forms of snakes, each capable of going to a great height and each possessing great energy.

O perpetuator of the Kuru race, I could not then see the Saubha, for it had then disappeared on account of the illusion (displayed by the Danava). I became astonished.

O descendant of Bharata, O great king, the host of Asuras of fearful visages and hair then sent up a loud roar as I was waiting for it (Saubha).

In that great battle, I then with the object of destroying them, fixed on my bowstring the weapon capable of piercing the foes, if only their voice could be heard. Thereupon their roaring ceased.

But all those Danavas that had sent up that shout were killed by my those arrows, which were as blazing as the sun and which were capable of striking (at a foe) if only his voice could be heard.

O great king, when the shout (of the Danavas) ceased at one place, it arose at another place. There also I sent up my arrows.

O descendant of Bharata, in this way the Asuras sent up roars from all the ten quarters, above and across. But they were all killed by me.

O hero, bewildering my eyes and going to Pragjotisha the Saubha, capable of going every where at will, reappeared again.

Thereupon those agents of destruction, the Danavas of fearful forms, suddenly covered me with a great shower of rocks.

O king of kings, he tried to kill me again and again by showers of rocks; and I looked like an ant-hill covered with those rocks.

O king, being covered with those rocks along with my horses, charioteer, (car with) flag-staff, I altogether disappeared from the view.

Thereupon the foremost heroes of the Vrishni race who were in my army were seized with panic and they suddenly began to fly in all directions.

O king, seeing me in that state, the heaven the sky and the earth were all filled with exclamation of "Oh" and "Alas."

O king, my friends, afflicted with sorrow and grief, then wept and wailed in sorrowful hearts.

O hero, O undeteriorating one, delight filled the hearts of the enemies as sorrow filled those of my men. I heard of this after I had defeated the enemy.

Then wielding the thunder, the favourite (weapon) of Indra, which is (ever) capable of grinding stones, I destroyed that entire mass of rocks.

O great king, my horses, afflicted with the weight of the rocks and almost at the point of death, stood trembling.

Seeing me, all my friends rejoiced as men are rejoiced on seeing the sun rising in the sky after dispersing the clouds.

Seeing my horses, afflicted with the weight of the rocks and almost at the point of death, my charioteer spoke to me in words suitable to the occasion.

"O descendant of the Vrishni race, behold there stays Shalva, the lord of Saubha. Do not disregard him. Exert yourself.

O mighty-armed Keshava, abandon all mildness and consideration for Shalva. Kill him, do not allow him to live (any longer).

O hero, O slayer of your enemies, a foe should be killed with all exertion. Even a weak enemy should not be disregarded by a strong man.

Even if he is at his feet, not to speak of one who dares for stay in battle. O lord, put forth every exertion. And conquer him. O best of the Vrishni race, O hero, do not make any further delay. That one is not to be killed by milder means. In my opinion he can never be a friend who devastated Dvarka and who is now fighting with you." O son of Kunti, hearing such words of my charioteer. And knowing that what he had said was true, I again engaged myself in the fight with the intention of killing Shalva and destroying his Saubha (car).

O hero, telling Daruka "Stay for a moment," I then in that Danava-destroying battle fixed on my bow-string, my favourite fire-weapon of celestials origin, of blazing splendour of irresistible force, of great effulgence and of bursting energy, incapable of being ever baffled and capable of penetrating into everything.

"Destroy Saubha with all the enemies that are in it" and saying this, after having inspired it with Mantras. I hurled in anger with the strength of my arms the greatly powerful discuss which reduces to ashes all the Yakshas, Rakshasas, Danavas and kings born in impure races and which is as sharp-edged as the razor, which is without stain as Yama himself, which is incomparable and which kills all enemies.

Rising into the sky, the Sudarshana (discuss) seemed to look like the exceedingly effulgent sun at the end of the Yuga.

Approaching the city of Saubha, the splendour of which had disappeared, it went right through it as a saw divides a tall tree.

Cut in twain by the force of the Sudarshana, the Saubha fell like the city of Tripura shaken by the weapon of the great God (Shiva).

When the Saubha fell, the discuss came (back) to my hand. Taking it up, I once more hurled it with great, force, saying "Go to Shalva."

Thereupon it suddenly cut Shalva in twain who was at the point of hurling a great club in that great battle. With its effulgence it soon set the foe (Shalva) ablaze.

When that brave warrior was killed by my bow, the disheartened Danavas fled in all directions, exclaiming "Oh" and "Alas."

Thereupon taking my chariot in front of the city of Saubha, I cheerfully blew my conch and gladdened the hearts of my friends.

Seeing their city as high as the peak of the Meru (mountain) with its palaces and gateways utterly destroyed and all ablaze (in fire), the Danavas all fled in fear.

Having thus killed Shalva and destroyed Saubha, I returned to the Anartas and delighted my friends.

O king, O slayer of hostile heroes, this is the reason why I could not come to Hastinapur. If I had come Duryodhana would not have been alive and the gambling match would not have taken place. What can I do today? It is difficult stop the water when the dam is broken.

Vaishampayana said :
Having thus spoken to the Kurus, that handsome slayer of Madhu, that foremost of men, that mighty-armed hero, saluting the Pandavas, was prepared to go away.

The mighty-armed hero was saluted in return by king Dharmaraja Yudhishthira. And the mighty-armed Bhima also smelt the crown of his head.

He was embraced by Arjuna; and the twins (Nakula and Sahadeva) saluted him with all reverence. He was duly honoured by Dhaumya and worshipped by Draupadi with her tears.

Causing Subhadra and Abhimanyu to ascend his golden car, Krishna, being duly worshipped by the Pandavas, ascended it himself.

Consoling Yudhishthira, Krishna started for Dvarka on his car which was as effulgent as the sun and to which were yoked (his horses) Shaivya and Sugriva.

When the hero of the Dashahara race had gone away, Dhristadyumna, the son of Prishata, taking with him the son of Draupadi started for his own city.

After seeing the Pandavas the king of Chedi, Dhristaketu also, taking his sister (Karenumati, the wife of Nakula) started for his beautiful city, named Suktimati.

O descendant of Bharata, the Kaikeyas also, with the permission of Kunti's immeasurably energetic son (Yudhishthira) and having reverentially saluted all the Pandavas. went away.

Though the Brahmanas, the Vaishyas and the (other) inhabitants of his kingdom, were repeatedly requested to go, but they did not leave the Pandavas.

O king of kings, O best of the Bharata race, the crowd of people that surrounded those high-souled men the (Pandavas) in the forest of Kamyaka was extraordinary.

Honouring those high-souled Brahmanas, Yudhishthira in due time ordered his men to "Make ready the chariots."

Vaishampayana said:
When the chief of the Dasharhas had gone away, Yudhishthira, Bhima, Arjuna, the twins (Nakula and Sahadeva), Krishna (Draupadi) and the priest (Dhaumya) ascending costly chariots yoked with excellent horses, departed for another forest. The heroes, each looking like the lord of spirits (Shiva,) distributed (at the time of their departure) Nishkas of gold, cloth and kine to the Brahmanas, learned in Sikha, Akshara and Mantras.

Twenty body-guards followed them armed with bows, bowstrings, blazing weapons, shafts, arrows and other engines of destruction.

Taking the clothes the ornaments, the nurses and the maid-servants, Indraseni soon followed (the princes) on another chariot.

Thereupon the high-souled citizens, approaching that best of Kurus, walked round him. The principal Brahmanas of Kurujangala cheerfully saluted him.

Dharmaraja (Yudhishthira) together with his brothers saluted them cheerfully in return. Seeing the concourse of the people of Kurujangala, the virtuous-minded king stayed there for some time.

The high-souled hero, the foremost of the Kurus, felt for them as a father feels for his sons; and they too felt for the Kuru chief as sons feel for their father.

That great crowd (of the people of Kurujangala) coming near the Kuru chief stood around him. O king, overwhelmed with shame and with tears in their eyes, they all exclaimed, "Alas, O lord," "Alas, Oh Dharma!"

(They said), "You are the chief of the Kurus, you are our king, we are your subjects. O Dharmaraja, where do you go leaving all these citizens and the inhabitants of the country (your kingdom) as a father leaves his sons.

Fie on the cruel-hearted son of Dhritarashtra! Fie on the evil-minded son of Subala (Shakuni)! Fie on Karna! O ruler of men, those sinful wretches always wish evil to you who are so firm in virtue.

O virtuous-minded Dharmaraja of extraordinary deeds, having yourself founded the matchless city of Indraprastha having the splendour of the city of the great god (Kailasa), where do you go leaving us?

O virtuous-minded Dharmaraja, leaving that matchless Sabha, built by Moya, which possesses the splendour of the celestials Sabha, which is like a celestials illusion itself and which is ever guarded by the celestials themselves, where do you go?"

To them in a loud voice said Vivatsa (Arjuna), learned in the rules of Dharma, Artha and Kama, "By living in the forest the king (Yudhishthira) intends to take away the fame of his enemies.

O men, with the Brahmanas at your head, all learned in Dharma and Artha, going to the ascetics, separately and each praying for their grace, represent to them, what is for your supreme good."

O king, at these words of Arjuna, the Brahmanas and the men of other orders saluted him cheerfully and walked round that foremost of all virtuous men.

Then bidding farewell to the son of Pritha (Yudhishthira). Vrikodara (Bhima) Dhananjaya and Yajnascni (Draupadi) and the twins (Nakula and Sahadeva), they at the command of Yudhishthira, sorrowfully returned to their respective house in the kingdom.

Vaishampayana said:
They having gone, the virtuous-souled son of Kunti, Yudhishthira, of firm vows addressed all his brothers.

"We shall have to live in this lonely forest for twelve years; do you find out in this huge forest a spot, charming, auspicious and abounding in many deer, birds, flowers and fruits and filled with pious men, where we may live happily for all these years."

Being thus addressed, Dhananjaya replied to the pious and intelligent (Yudhishthira) having honoured him as if he were his spiritual guide.

Arjuna said:
You have respectfully worshipped the old and great Rishis; there is nothing on this earth which is unknown to you.

O best of the Bharatas, you have always worshipped the Brahmanas of great austerities such as Dvaipayana and Narada.

Who, having controlled over senses, always wander over all the regions from the region of the celestials to those of Brahma, Gandharvas and Apsaras.

You know well, without any doubt, the opinions of all the Brahmanas; you know, O king, the prowess of all.

You know also, O king, what conduces to our well-being; and wherever you wish, O great king, we shall fix our habitation.

Here is the lake called Dvyaitavana, resorted to by the pious, abounding in many flowers and fruits, charming and inhabited by birds of diverse species.

If you please, O king, we would like to live here for twelve years; do you think otherwise?

Yudhishthira said:

I do fully approve of what you have said. O Partha, let us repair to that sacred and celebrated lake Dvyaitavana.

Vaishampayana said:
Thereupon the pious sons of Pandu, followed by numberless Brahmanas all repaired to the holy lake Dvyaitavana.

The Brahmanas, some offering sacrifice to the fire, some without it, some engaged in the study of the Vedas, some depending upon alms and some living in the forest, all these numberless Brahmanas as well as hundreds of Mahatamas of accomplished ascetic piety and hard austerities surrounded Yudhishthira.

And setting out with these numberless Brahmanas the Bharata chiefs, the sons of Pandu, entered the holy and the charming forest of Dvyaita.

The king saw that huge forest covered, at the end of summer, with Shalas palms, mangoes, Madhukas, Nipas, Kadambas, Sarjas, Arjunas, Kamikaras clothed with flowers;

And peacocks, Datyuhas, Chakoras, Barhins and Kokilas sat on the top of the highest trees and emitted their sweet notes.

In that forest the king (also) saw the leaders of elephant-herds, gigantic like hills with temporal juice trickling down in the season of rut and accompanied by herds of she-elephants.

And approaching the picturesque Bhagavati (Sarasvati) he saw many ascetics of accomplished piety in that forest in the hermitages of pious (Rishis) of purified souls and wearing bark and matted-locks.

Thereupon descending from his chariot, the king, the foremost of the pious, with his brothers and followers, entered the forest like Indra of immeasurable prowess entering heaven.

With a view of seeing the truthful king many Charanas and Siddhas approached him; and the dwellers of the forest stood encircling that highly intelligent chief of kings.

Then saluting all the Siddhas and being adored by them in return like a king or a god, that foremost of the pious, accompanied by all the leading twice-born, entered (the forest).

And being worshipped in return by those pious ascetics who had approached him that pious and high-souled king, sat down with them at the foot of a huge tree covered with flowers like her father Pandu in the days of yore.

Bhima, Krishna (Draupadi), Dhananjaya, the twins and all their retinue all wearied and leaving conveyances sat on all sides of that foremost of kings.

The huge tree, bent down with the weight of creepers, with those five illustrious bowmen sitting under it for rest, appeared like a mountain with five gigantic elephants resting at its side.

Vaishampayana said:
Having arrived at that forest those princes resembling Indra, (formerly) used to happiness, (but now) labouring under misfortune, began to sport in that sacred forest of Shala trees washed by Sarasvati.

In that forest, that king, the foremost of the Kurus, began to please all the Yatis, Munis and all the leading Brahmanas by offering them excellent fruits and roots.

And their highly energetic priest Dhaumya, like a father, began to perform for those Pandavas living in the forest, the sacrificial rites (in honour of their departed manes) of Ishti and Paitreya.

The old Rishi Markandeya, of profuse and increasing energy, approached as a guest to the hermitage of the illustrious Pandavas who had repaired there on the loss of their kingdom.

The high-minded Kuru chief Yudhishthira of incomparable energy and prowess welcomed that great ascetic, who had come there gifted with the effulgence of blazing fire and worshipped by the celestials.

Seeing Draupadi, Yudhishthira, Bhima and Arjuna in the midst of the ascetics, that illustrious and omniscient ascetic of incomparable prowess, smiled thinking of Rama in his mind.

The pious Yudhishthira who was beside himself (with grief) said, "All these ascetics are sorry for seeing me here; why is it that you alone smile, as if in delight, before all these?"

Markandeya said:
I am not delighted, O my child, but I am struck with amazement; nor does haughtiness begotten of delight, possess me. Seeing your calamity to day I think of Dasharatha's son Rama of truthful vows.

O son of Pritha, at the behest of his sire he (Rama) resided in the forest; I saw him in the days of yore wandering with his bow, at the summit of the mount Rishyamuka.

The high-souled and innocent son of Dasharatha, resembling the thousand-eyed Deity, the lord of Yama and the slayer of Namuchi, lived in the forest at the command of his father and for the satisfaction of his duty.

He was equal to Shakra in prowess, high-minded and invincible in warfare, still he had to range the forest, renouncing pleasure; therefore none should act unrighteously thinking "I am powerful."

Having conquered by truth this earth bounded by seas the kings headed by Nabhaga and Bhagiratha obtained, O my son, all the regions hereafter. Therefore, none should act unrighteously thinking "I am powerful."

O foremost of men, for forsaking his kingdom and wealth, the pious and truthful king of Kashi and Karusha was called a mad-dog. Therefore, none should act unrighteously thinking "I am powerful."

O best of men, O son of Pritha, for satisfying the ordinances, laid down by the Creator himself in the Vedas, the seven pious Rishis shone brilliantly in the sky. Therefore, none should act unrighteously, thinking "I am powerful."

Behold, O king, O foremost of men, (even) the powerful elephants, having tusks as huge as the mountain tops, do not pass by the laws of the Creator. Therefore none should act unrighteously, thinking, “I am powerful.”

Behold, O king of men, all creatures act according to the laws (of their species) as laid down by the Creator. Therefore none should act unrighteously thinking, "I am powerful."

O son of Pritha, you have excelled all men in truth, piety, decorum and modesty; your fame and energy are brilliant as fire or the sun.

O great king, having spent the painful days of your exile in the forest as promised, you shall again snatch from the Kauravas your blazing prosperity by dint of your own energy.

Vaishampayana said :
Having addressed these words to him in the midst of the ascetics with friends the great Rishi saluting Dhaumya and all the Pandavas, proceeded towards the north.

The high-minded Pandavas while residing in the forest of Dvaita that great forest was filled with Brahmanas.

Resounding always and all over with the recitations of the Veda, the lake of the forest became as holy as the region of Brahma.

The sounds of Yajus, Riks, Saman and other words uttered by the Brahmanas, were exceedingly charming.

The Vedic recitations of the high-minded Brahmanas, mingling with twang of the bows of the sons of Pritha brought about a delightful union of the Brahmana and Kshatriya customs.

Thereupon one evening (the Rishi) Baka of the Dalvya family addressed the son of Kunti, the pious king Yudhishthira seated in the midst of the Rishis.

"Behold, O Partha, O Kuru chief, in this forest Dvaita the hour of the ascetic Brahmanas for performing Homa when the (sacred) fires have all been enkindled.

Being protected by you, they of firm vows, are observing their religious rites in this sacred (forest). Bhrigu and Angiras together with Vasishtha and Kashyapa, the renowned sons of Agastya, the offspring of Atri, all of excellent vows, in face, all the leading Brahmanas of the world are united with you.

O son of Pritha, O son of Kunti, O descendant of Kuru, hear along with your brothers what I speak to you.

Brahma-energy combined with Kshatriya-energy, Brahma-prowess united with Kshatriya-prowess, when rendered strong, might consume the enemies as fire united with the wind consumes the forest.

O my son, O king, one should never be without a Brahmana, if he wished to conquer this world and the next for long. Having got a Brahmana, well-versed in religion and worldly affairs and cleansed of passion and folly a king destroys his enemies.

Having governed his subjects, the King Bali performed those duties that lead to salvation and did not know of any other means in this world than the Brahmanas.

It was for this, that all the desires of the Asura (Bali) Virochana's son, were satisfied and his wealth was even inexhaustible. Having obtained (the entire) earth through the instrumentality of the Brahmanas, he met with destruction when he began to oppress (people).

The earth with her wealth, never worships him for long, as her lord, who is without a Brahmana. The earth however surrounded by the sea worships him who is governed by a Brahmana and is instructed by him regarding his duties.

Like an elephant without a driver in battle, the strength of a Kshatriya, without a Brahmana, decreases.

Incomparable is the sight of a Brahmana and the might of a Kshatriyas; when they proceed in unision the whole world is delighted.

As fire rendered stronger by the win destroys straw and woo, so kings united with Brahmanas destroy (all their) enemies.

An intelligent man, for acquiring what he has not got and for multiplying what he has got, should take the advice of the Brahmanas.

Therefore for obtaining what you have not got and multiplying what you have got and for spending that on proper objects and persons, do keep with you a Brahmana of fame, wise, experienced and well-versed in the knowledge of the Vedas.

O Yudhishthira, you have always highly respected the Brahmanas, it is for this that your reputation shines brilliantly in the three worlds.

Vaishampayana said:
Then all the Brahmanas, who were with Yudhishthira, adored Baka of Dalvya family; and hearing him eulogize Yudhishthira they were greatly delighted.

Dvaipayana, Narada, Jamadagni, Pithushrava, Indradyumna, Bhalaki, Kritachetas, Sahasrapat, Karnasravas, Munja, Lavanashva, Kashyapa, Harita, Sthulakama, Agnivishya, Saunaka, Kritavak, Suvak, Vrihadashya, Vibhavasu, Urdharetas, Vrishamitra, Suhotra, Hotravahana, all these and many other Brahmanas of firm vows worshipped Yudhishthira like celestials sages worshipping Purandara in the celestials region.

Vaishampayana said:
Thereupon the sons of Pritha with Draupadi banished to the forest, sat one evening, stricken with grief and sorrow and began to talk with one another.

The beloved, beautiful, learned and faithful Draupadi addressed, the following words to the pious king (Yudhishthira).

Draupadi said:
No feeling for us exists in the mind of that vile, vicious-souled and cruel son of Dhritarashtra.

For, that vicious-minded one, O king, having sent you along with me to the forest clad in deer-skin, feels no mortification.

For, the heart of that one of impious deed is made of steel since he could address harsh words to his pious eldest brother.

Having brought you, who are used to happiness, to such a miserable plight that vicious-souled wretch delights with his friends.

O descendant of Bharata, O king, when clad in deer-skin you set out for the forest, only four vicious wights did not shed tears; Duryodhona, Karna, the evil-minded Shakuni and the fierce and vicious brother Dushashana.

O foremost of the Kurus, the other Kurus filled with sorrow, shed tears from their eyes.

O great king, seeing this your bed and recollecting what you had before I grieve for you, who do not deserve misery and have been brought up in every luxury.

Thinking of that ivory seat in your court crested with jewels and seeing this seat of Kusha grass grief assails me.

I saw you in your court surrounded by the kings; seeing you without kings how can my mind have peace?

O descendant of Bharata, I am beside myself on seeing you pasted with mud, you, gifted with the effulgence of sun whom I saw before pasted with sandal.

O king of kings, I see you now clad in bark, whom I saw before clothed in white silken raiment.

(Formerly) pure food of every kind was taken from your house, on golden plates to thousands of Brahmanas.

O lord, best food was given by you to ascetics, the houseless and those leading domestic lives, like an accomplished king.

Formerly living in your palace you had thousands of plates filled with every kind of food and used to worship the Brahmana, satisfying every desire of theirs.

Not beholding all these, how can my heart, O king have peace! Thy youthful brothers, adorned with ear-rings, were formerly treated by cooks with sweat and skillfully prepared dishes-I now behold them all, unused to misery, in the forest living on the produces of the forest. My mind finds no peace, O lord of men. Beholding this Bhimasena sorry and living in forest and thinking over this, does not your mind in proper time become wrathful, Bhimasena who used to perform all actions unaided.

Beholding him stricken with sorrow who was used to all happiness, surrounded by numerous conveyances and clothed in costly raiment, why does not your anger blaze up?

I Beholding him in the forest why does not your anger blaze up, this great one is prepared to slay all Kurus in battle. In honour of your promise Vrikodara bears all this.

O King, this Arjuna though possessed of two hands is equal to Arjuna of a thousand arms for light handedness in discharging arrows; he is equal to Yama at the end of Yuga; humbled by the prowess of whose weapons all the kings. Waited upon the Brahmanas in your sacrifice, O great king, beholding this foremost of men worshipped of Devas and Danavas. Arjuna stricken with anxiety, does not your mind become worked with anger?

O king, beholding Partha used to happiness and unworthy of misery, living in the forest. Your anger is not excited, I am stricken with wonder for this.

O Bharata, who mounted on a single car, vanquished men and serpents. Beholding him in the forest why is not your anger excited?

He was honoured with the present of various vehicles, horses and elephants; he, the slayer of foes, wrested wealth by force from various other kings and discharges with one velocity hundreds of shafts; is not your mind worked up with ire beholding him in exile?

Beholding him fair, able-bodied, youthful and the best of swordsmen. Nakula in exile does not your anger blaze up?

Beholding, O Yudhishthira, O king, the heroic and handsome son of Madri, Sahadeva, in exile do you forgive (them)?

Beholding, O king of men, these Nakula and Sahadeva, unworthy of misery, stricken with grief does not your anger blaze up?

Beholding me in the forest born in the race of Drupada, the daughter-in-law of the great Pandu, sister of Dhristadyumna, the devoted spouse of a heroes, do you forgive them, O king?

Forsooth, O foremost of Bharatas, you have no anger, since beholding me and your brothers your mind is not pained.

This is the saying of Smriti, that in this world there is not a Kshatriya who is without anger, but in you do I behold today the contradiction.

The Kshatriya who does not manifest his energy in proper hour is disregarded by all creatures, O son of Pritha.

Therefore you should by no means, vouchsafe your forgiveness to the enemies; forsooth, by your energy you may destroy them all.

So that Kshatriya too becomes unpopular with all and meets with destruction both in this world and in the next, whose anger is not appeased when the time for forgiveness comes.

Draupadi said:
On this is cited as an example the ancient history relating to the conversation between Prahlada and Bali the son of Virochana.

One day, Bali accosted his grandfather Prahlada, the king of Asuras and Danava, endued with great wisdom and well-versed in duties (saying).

Bali said:
Does forgiveness lead to well-being, O father or prowess or energy? I have great doubt in this; father, tell me who am asking you.

Tell me, without any doubt, O you conversant with duties, whatever leads to well-being. I shall obey duly all your commands.

Draupadi said:
Being thus accosted the wise grandfather, conversant with all truths, replied at length for the removal of his doubts.

Prahlada said:
Do you learn, my son, these two truths without any doubt neither does prowess always lead to well-being nor does forgiveness.

He who forgives always, O my son, suffers many evils-servants, strangers and enemies always disregard him. No one does ever bow to him; perpetual forgiveness therefore, O my son, is avoided by the learned.

Disregarding him his servants contract many vicious habits; all those evil-minded men try to deprive him of his wealth.

Those vicious servants also appropriate to themselves his conveyances, clothes ornaments, dress, beds, seats, food, drink and other articles of use. They do not at the behest of their master, give to others things they are commanded to do. Nor do they treat their master with that respect which is his due. Disregard in this world is worse than death.

O my child, sons, servants attendants and even strangers use harsh words to such a forgiving person.

Disregarding him even they wish to have the wife of a forgiving person and his wife too does whatever she likes.

The pleasure-loving servants, if a slight punishment is not meted out to them, contract all sorts of vices and the wicked always injure such a master.

These and various other evils attend always upon the forgiving. Listen, O son of Virochana, to (other) evils that beset a person that never forgives.

If an angry person, always beset by the quality of darkness, inflicts punishments, by this own energy, upon deserving and non-deserving persons, he is alienated from his friends and hated by outsiders as well as his own relations.

Such a man who insults others is subject to loss of wealth, disregard, misery and hatred and creates enemies.

A man, in anger, inflicts various punishments upon people and is soon deprived of his wealth, life and even kinsmen.

People are afraid of him who abuses his power equally upon his benefactor and enemy, as the inmates of a house are of a snake.

How can good betide him of whom the people are afraid-forsooth do the people injure him as soon as they find a hole.

Therefore people should not be always angry or mild; they should exhibit their anger or mildness in proper hours.

He, who is forgiving in proper hour and angry when the occasion arises, attains to happiness both in this world and in the next.

Hear, I shall now describe to you the hours of forgiveness as pointed out by the learned and which should always be followed.

If your former benefactor commits a heinous offence you should forgive him considering his former benefaction.

Those that commit an offence out of ignorance or foolishness should be forgiven-for people cannot always easily attain to learning.

Those crooked men, who having committed an offence wittingly plead ignorance should be punished even if their offence by trifling.

The first offence of all men should be forgiven; when they commit the second, however insignificant it might be they should be punished.

If a person unknowingly commits an offence-he should be pardoned, it is said, after having made a proper enquiry.

Strength might be vanquished by forgiveness, weakness might be vanquished by forgiveness; there is nothing which forgiveness cannot accomplish, therefore forgiveness is truly fiercer.

Considering his own strength or weakness one should act with reference to time or place; nothing is successful that is not taken in hand with reference to time or place; therefore wait for place or time; sometimes, offenders should be forgiven for fear of people.

These have been described as the proper hours of forgiveness; and at other times besides these one should exhibit his prowess.

I therefore consider, O king, this to be the time when you should display your might to the avaricious sons of Dhritarashtra who always injure others.

This is not the time for showing forgiveness towards the Kurus; when the hour for showing might arrives, it behoves you to display it.

The humble and forgiving person is always neglected; while those that are powerful assail others; he is the king who takes recourse to both in proper time.

Yudhishthira said:
Anger is the destroyer of mankind and anger again places them in prosperity; consider, therefore, O highly-intelligent lady, that anger is the root of prosperity and adversity.

Prosperity crown him, O beautiful lady, who destroys anger; and the greatly terrible anger brings on his adversity who cannot always control it, O fair one.

Anger is in this world, the root of the destruction of mankind; how can, one like me indulge in anger which brings about the destruction of the world?

The angry man commits a sin; the angry man murders his preceptor; the angry man insults his elders with harsh words.

The angry man cannot distinguish what should be and should not be said by him; there is nothing which cannot be said or done by an angry man.

From anger a man may kill one who should not be killed and adore one that should be slain; an angry man may even dispatch his own self to the abode of Yama.

Beholding these evils, anger is conquered by one desirous of excellent well-being both in this world and in the next.

Why should persons like myself indulge in that anger which has been controlled by
persons of tranquil mind; thinking this, O Draupadi, my anger is not excited.

One, that does not act against a person whose anger has been excited, saves himself and others from great fear-in fact he is the physician of both.

When a weak man when oppressed by others is angry with those that are more powerful, he brings about his own ruin.

There is no region hereafter for such a man who deliberately brings about his own destruction; therefore it is said, O Draupadi, that a weak man should control his anger.

And the wise man too, who though oppressed does not allow his anger to be excited, rejoices in the next world for having treated his persecutor with indifference.

For this, it is said that a wise man whether he be strong or weak, should always forgive his persecutor, even if he is in difficulty.

The pious always praise him, O Krishna (Draupadi), who has conquered his anger; it is held by the pious that the honest and forgiving man is always victorious.

Truth is superior to untruth and gentle to cruel conduct; why should I, for slaying Suyodhana, display that anger of many evils, renounced by the virtuous? The far-seeing sages regard him as a man of character in whom anger does not exist; the learned men, seeing the real things, always regard him as a man of character who restrains his rising wrath. O you of fair hips, the angry man does not observe the real state of things; the angry man does not see his way nor regard persons.

The angry man kills those who should not be killed; he even slays his preceptor; therefore a man of character should always leave off anger at a distance.

The man that is possessed by anger does not easily acquire generosity, dignity, bravery, skill and other accomplishments of a real man of character.

Renouncing anger a man can display his true energy, whereas it is difficult, O highly wise one, for an angry man to display energy at the proper hour.

Anger is regarded by the illiterate as equivalent to energy, anger has been given to mankind for the destruction of the world.

The person, who wishes to behave with decorum, should renounce anger; even one who has forsaken the virtues of his own order, does not indulge in anger.

Light-minded fools might transgress all these, but O faultless damsel, how can persons like myself (transgress).

If there were not persons amongst mankind equal to the earth in forgiveness there would be no peace amongst them but perpetual dissension's engendered by anger.

If the injured persons were to return their injuries; if one admonished by his superiors were to chastise his superiors in return, the result would be the destruction of all creatures and sin would take its root firm.

If the man when vilified by another vilifies him in return; if the injured man returns his injuries; if the chastised man chastises in return; if fathers kill their sons and sons their fathers; and if husbands destroy their wives and wives their husbands; then, how can, O Krishna, births take place in this world where anger so predominates? Know you, O fair damsel, that birth of creatures in this world, is dependent upon peace.

If the kings yield to anger, O Draupadi, their subjects soon meet with ruin. Thus anger brings on destruction and distress of mankind.

Because persons forgiving like the earth are seen in this world, it is therefore that creatures are born and enjoy prosperity.

O fair damsel, in every form of injury, persons should forgive; it is said that the birth of creatures is due to the forgiveness of mankind.

He is considered as an excellent and learned person who, having conquered his anger, always shows his forgiveness even when insulted, oppressed and excited by a strong man.

Eternal regions are for that person, who, though powerful (conquers his anger), while he that is angry, is foolish and meets with ruin both in this world and in the next.

As an illustration of this, the following hymn, O Krishna, in honor of the forgiving has been sung by the high-souled and ever-forgiving Kashyapa.

Forgiveness is virtue, forgiveness is sacrifice, forgiveness is the Vedas, forgiveness is Shruti; he who knows all this is capable of forgive all.

Forgiveness is Brahma, forgiveness is truth, forgiveness is the accumulated and future (ascetic) merit, forgiveness is the devout penance and forgiveness is purity; and by forgiveness the universe is sustained.

Forgiving persons attain to the regions of those conversant with the rituals, of those well-versed with the knowledge of Brahman and those of ascetics.

Persons performing Vedic rites as well as those performing other rituals attain to other regions; whereas forgiving persons attain to the highly adored regions in the world of Brahma.

Forgiveness is the energy of the energetic; forgiveness is the sacrifice and forgiveness is the control of mind; forgiveness is the truth of the truthful; forgiveness is the control of mind.

How can, O Krishna, the persons like me renounce such forgiveness in which are established Brahma, truth, wisdom and the three worlds.

Even, knowing all, person should always forgive; whoever forgives everything attains to Brahma.

This world belongs to the forgiving, the other world also belongs to the forgiving, they obtain honors here and holy blessedness in the next.

Those persons, whose anger is overpowered by forgiveness, attain to the higher regions; therefore forgiveness is considered the highest (virtue).

These verses were always chanted by Kashyapa in honor of the forgiving; hearing these verses of forgiveness, be pleased and be not angry, O Draupadi.

Our grandfather, the son of Shantanu, worships peace, as well as Krishna, the son of Devaki.

The preceptor and Vidura, (known as) Khattva both speak of peace; Kripa as well as Sanjaya also speak of peace.

Somadatta, Yuyutsu, Drona's son as well as our grandfather Vyasa daily speak of peace.

Being led by all these towards peace the king will return us the kingdom; if he yields to temptation he will meet with destruction.

A dreadful time has set in to bring about the misfortune of the Bharatas; from some time before this has been settled conclusion, O fair damsel.

Suyodhana does not deserve kingdom and therefore he does not know forgiveness; I deserve it and therefore forgiveness has taken possession of me.

Forgiveness and humility are the qualities of the self- controlled and constitute the eternal virtue and I shall therefore adopt them.

Draupadi said:
I bow to Dhatri and Vidhatri who have thus bewildered my sense; you think otherwise from your father and grandfather regarding what you have got to bear.

By actions men are placed in different situations of life; consequences of action are inevitable, from ignorance people desire for the liberation from action. A man does not even attain prosperity in this world by virtue, gentleness, forgiveness, straight-forwardness and fear of censure.

Or else, O descendant of Bharata, this unbearable misfortune would not have befallen you, who are so unworthy of it and your brothers of great energy.

Neither then, nor even now, O descendant of Bharata, has anything appeared to you dearer than virtue, which is dearer to you even than your life.

That your kingdom is for virtue and your life even is for virtue, is known by Brahmanas, superiors and even celestials.

You can abandon Bhimasena, Arjuna these twin sons of Madri along with myself, I think, but you can never renounce virtue.

I have heard from elders that a king protects virtue and virtue in return protects him-but me thinks it does not protect you.

O best of men, like a shadow following a man, you with a singleness of purpose always follow virtue.

You have never disregarded your equals, inferiors and superiors; obtaining even the entire universe your pride never increased.

O son of Pritha, with Yvahas and Svaddhas and other forms of worship you ever adore the Brahmanas, the celestials and the Pitris.

O son of Pritha, you have always pleased the Brahmanas by granting all their desires; the Yatis, the ascetics, the householder ascetics, have always been fed by you on golden plates where (myself) have distributed food. You always give food and gold to Vanaprasthas; there is nothing in your house which you cannot bestow upon the Brahmanas.

Having distributed duly, O king, all to the guests in the Vishvadeva sacrifice that is solemnized in your house for your peace you live upon what remains.

Ishtis, Pashubandhas, sacrifice for obtaining the gratification of desires and ordinary household ceremonies, Paka sacrifices and various other rites are daily performed in your house.

Even in this huge solitary forest frequented by robbers, living in banishment, deprived of your kingdom your virtue has suffered no decrease.

The Ashvamedha, the Rajasuya, Pundarika, the Gosava-all these great sacrifices requiring large gifts have been celebrated by you.

O king, by your perverse understanding, in your defeat at the gambling match you lost your kingdom, wealth, weapons your brothers and even myself.

How could your mind, simple, gentle, liberal, modest and truthful as you are, be drawn to the vice of gambling?

Beholding this your calamity and misfortune my sense is bewildered and mind overwhelmed.

I shall cite here an old historical incident as an illustration that men are subject to the will of Providence and not to themselves.

The Lord Ishana ordains beforehand, with reference to weal and woe, happiness and misery, of all creatures like a seed.

O hero among men, O king, as a wooden figure is made to move its limbs by the wire-puller so are all these creatures (made to act by the lord.)

O descendant of Bharata, pervading all creatures, like ethereal space the Providence ordains its happiness or misery.

Like a bird tied with a string all creatures depend upon God; they all live in dependence upon God not upon others; nor are they their own masters.

Like a pearl set on a string, a bull tied by a rope passing through its nose or a tree fallen from the bank into the middle of a river. All creatures follow the ordinances of the Creator for they are identical with Him and live in Him; they are not subject to themselves and cannot pass an hour independently.

Ignorant as they are, creatures are not masters of their own happiness or misery; dispatched by the Providence they either go to heaven or hell.

As light straws are brought to the subjugation of the strong wind, so all creatures, O descendant of Bharata, depend upon the Creator.

Again, performing actions right or wrong and pervading the universe, the Lord exists but is not perceived by any (who can say) "This is God."

This physical body is merely the instrument of God by which the Lord engages them in actions, the fruits of which are either good or bad.

Behold the power of the illusive energy by which he makes them kill their fellows.

This is seen in a different light by the sages seeing the real truths; they appear to them in a different light like the rays of the sun.

Ordinary people see all those things in a different view; the Lord create and destroy them in a different way.

As one can break a piece of inactive senseless wood with wood, stone with stone and iron with iron. So, O Yudhishthira the Self-create, divine Grandsire spreading his illusive energy destroys creatures, with creatures.

Like a child playing with his creatures, creating and destroying them.

O king, the Providence behaves towards the creatures, like a father or mother, like an ordinary person he (sometimes) seems to be angry towards them.

Seeing elderly, well behaved and modest persons, in distress and the vicious, in happiness, I am beside myself with thought.

O son of Pritha, seeing your misfortune and the prosperity of Suyodhana, I blame the Providence who sees such an inequality.

Conferring prosperity upon the wily avaricious son of Dhritarashtra, who transgresses the sacred scriptures and injures virtue, what fruit shall the Creator reap?

If the act done follows the performer then forsooth, the God himself is contaminated with the sin of every action.

If the sin consequent upon actions does not touch the doer then the individual power is the cause and I grieve for those who are weak.

Yudhishthira said:
O Yajnaseni, your speech is sweet, clear and full of nice expressions; we have listened to it; you speak of atheism.

O princess, I never act being desirous of the fruits thereof; I distribute (a thing) which should be distributed and I perform a sacrifice which should be performed.

I perform, as best as I can, O Krishna, what a householder should do, not caring for the fruits (of my actions).

O fair-lady, I act piously not for getting the fruits of virtue but for not transgressing the Vedas and seeing the conduct of the pious.

My mind and nature, O Krishna, are naturally bent upon virtue; that vile trader of virtue, the worst of the virtuous, who wishes to reap the fruits of virtue, does never obtain them; nor does a vicious-minded person, for his scepticism, who doubts a virtuous act, having accomplished it.

From the evidence of the Vedas I say, "You should never doubt virtue; the person doubting virtue is destined to be born among the brutes."

A weak-minded man who doubts religion, virtue and the words of the Rishis, is precluded form the regions of immortality and bliss as the Shudras are from the Vedas.

O large-minded lady, one studying the Vedas, virtuous and born in a high race, (though young) is considered aged by the pious royal saints.

That vicious-minded one, who transgresses the scriptures and doubts virtue is regarded as lower even than the Shudras and robbers.

You have seen with your own eyes the great ascetic Markandeya of incomparable magnanimity come to us who has been rendered immortal by virtue.

Vyasa, Vasishtha, Maitreya, Narada Lomasha, Shuka and all other Rishis have become of pure souls by virtue.

You yourself see all these endued with celestials asceticism capable of cursing or blessing and superior even to the celestials.

O sinless lady, these sages, equal to the Rishis and who can see what is written in the Vedas, describe virtue as the foremost duty.

You should not, O blessed queen, with a foolish mind either doubt or censure the Providence or (His act).

The fool, who doubts religion and disregards virtue and being proud of the proof of his own reasoning, does not receive it from others, considers all these sages who look upon the future as present, like mad man. He considers the external world as conducive to the gratification of senses and is blind to everything else.

Whoever, doubts religion has no expatiation of his sin; that wretched and vile person feels anxiety (here) and does not attain to the regions (of bliss) hereafter.

That stupid person, who does not regard evidences, who vilifies the interpretation of the Vedic texts and who commits sin under the influence of lust and covetousness, is doomed to hell.

O blessed lady, he however, who, with faith and without any doubt follows religion, attains to eternal bliss in the next world.

That stupid person, who transgresses the evidences of the Rishis, who does not follow religion and who transgresses all the scriptures, never obtains bliss in any life.

For him, O fair lady, who disregards the words of the Rishis and does not care for the evidence of the pious, neither this world nor the next exists.

Doubt not, O Krishna, the ancient religion which is followed by the good and formulated by the omniscient and omnipotent Rishis.

O Draupadi, virtue is the only raft and nothingelse to those who wish to go to heaven, like a ship to the merchant wishing to cross the ocean.

O blameless lady, if the pieties practised by the virtuous had no fruits then this world would been enshrouded by infamous darkness.

None would have followed emancipation, none would have cared for the acquisition of knowledge or even of wealth and people would have lived like beasts.

If devout penances, life of celibacy, sacrifice, the study of the Vedas, charity and honesty-these were fruitless then people would not have practised virtues, generation after generation. If all the action had been fruitless a terrible confusion would have set in. Why do the Rishis, the gods the Gandharvas, the Asuras and the Rakshasas who are lords of themselves, with love practise virtues?

Considering for certain that Providence is the giver of fruits in virtue, they practise virtues; O Krishna, for them is eternal bliss.

Whereas the fruits of knowledge and ascetic observances are seen, virtue and vice can never be devoid of fruits. Recollect, O Krishna, the circumstances of your birth, as you have heard and also the manner in which the powerful Dhristadyumna was born.

These are sufficient proofs, O you of sweet smiles; the self-controlled reap the fruits of acts and are satisfied with a little.

Ignorant and stupid persons are not satisfied even with much and they have no happiness begotten of virtue for them in the next world.

The fruits of the holy acts laid down in the Vedas as well as of sinful acts, the root and the destruction of actions, O fair lady, are mysteries even to the celestials.

These are not known to all; ordinary people are ignorant of these; he does not follow in a thousand Kalpa the well- being of the celestials.

These are kept (in secrecy) by the celestials for their illusive energy is mysterious; those Brahmanas that have conquered their aspirations, those that have built up their hopes, those whose sins have been burnt down by ascetic observances, those who have got contented minds, can observe these.

For not seeing the fruit you should not doubt religion or the gods; you should perform sacrifices assiduously and charities without any insolence.

Acts have their fruits in this world and virtue is eternal; as said by Kashyapa, Brahma told all this to his sons.

O Krishna, let your doubt be destroyed like dews meditating upon all this. Let your scepticism yield to faith.

Do not speak ill of God who is the lord of all creatures; learn to know him; bow to him; let not your understanding be such.

Never disregard that Supreme being, O Krishna, by whose mercy the mortals, by pious observances, become immortals.

Draupadi said:
I never disregard or speak ill of religion, O son of Pritha; why should I disregard God, the lord of creations?

O descendant of Bharata, consider me raving as being stricken with misery, listen to me, I shall again bewail.

O represser of enemies, forsooth every conscious being should engage in actions in this world; it is only the immobile and not even other creatures that can live without action.

Immediately after the birth the calf sucks the mother's teat. (People feel distress) as soon as incantations are performed on their statues; the creatures, O Yudhishthira, deserve the character of their lives according to pristine actions.

O foremost of Bharatas, this is the difference of man from mobile creatures, that he aspires to like his course of life both in this world and in the next by means of his acts.

O descendant of Bharata, all creatures perceive the impression of the pristine life and they visibly reap in this world the fruits of their acts.

All creatures live according to the impression of the pristine life, even the creatures and the ordainers of the universe like a crane that lives on the water.

The course of life for a creatures that does not act is impossible; for them there is action and never inaction.

You should therefore act and never incur censure by leaving affection; cover yourself with action as with an armour. There might not be one in a thousand who does not truly understand the utility of work.

One should act either for increasing or protecting his wealth; if spent without being earned it vanishes although it be like (the mount) Himavana.

All creatures would have been exterminated if there were no action; if acts had born no fruits they would not have multiplied.

It is sometimes observed that creatures perform acts that give them no fruits; for without action the course of life would be an impossibility.

Whoever in this world believe in Destiny and whoever in chance are both the worst of people; those only are praiseworthy who believe in the efficacy of acts.

He, who has been at ease without any action and believing in Destiny, is soon consumed like an unburnt earthen pot in water.

So also that man, who believes in chance and who, though capable of work, does not work, does not live long, for his life is one of weakness and helplessness.

If a person in the world attains, by accident, to an accession of wealth-people consider it derived from chance for none has tried for it.

O son of Pritha, whatever good fortune a person acquires in consequence of religious rites is called Providential.

The fruit, that a person reaps by acting himself and which is the direct outcome of his actions, is considered as a proof of manliness.

Of best of men, know that the riches acquired spontaneously and without cause are considered as a spontaneous acquisition.

Whatever is thus acquired accidentally, providentially or spontaneously by a person is the outcome of his pristine actions.

And judging according to their pristine actions, the good and bad, the ordainer of the universe distributes among men, their portions in this world.

Know that whatever actions, either good or bad, that a person performs are the outcome of God's arrangements with reference to their pristine actions.

This body is the instrument of God for actions; inert in itself, it performs what is urged on by God.

O son of Kunti, it is the supreme Lord of all who makes all creatures do what they do, though they themselves are all inert.

O hero, having settled upon some object in mind, a man carries it out into action aided by his intelligence; man is himself therefore the cause.

O best of men, the number of actions cannot be ascertained for towns and palaces are the result of man's acts. By the aid of their intelligence, intelligent men know that oil may be had from sesame, curds from milk and that food may be cooked by means of igniting fuel; they know the means for accomplishing them.

Thereupon they set themselves, by instruments, to accomplishing them; and creatures maintain their lives by the results acquired in these directions by their own acts.

If a work is done by a clever work-man it is done well; from the difference in execution another work may be said to be that of an unskilled hand.

If a person were not himself the instrument of his acts, the sacrifices would not bear any fruits in his case nor would anybody be a disciple or preceptor.

It is because a person is himself the instrument of his action that he is praised when he acquires success, so the doer is censured when he is unsuccessful; nothing else exists.

Some say that everything is the outcome of chance, some say everything is providential, whereas others hold that this, is not so, but everything that is said to be the outcome of Destiny or chance is the result of pristine actions.

It is seen that wealth proceeds from chance or Destiny; something accidental and something natural. In the acquisition of fruits for a man, there is not the fourth cause; this is said by those who are cognizant of truth and well-versed in knowledge.

If God himself were not the bestower of good or bad fruits then among creatures there would not be any miserable being.

If pristine actions had no existence then all purposes for which a man would work should prove successful.

Those persons, who do not observe these three doors for the accomplishment of objects as well as for the failure, are dull and exist like the body itself.

Man should always act; for this is the conclusion of Manu; a person that does not act is always defeated.

A man of action in this world, O Yudhishthira, generally meets with success; the idle however never acquire success.

If success becomes impossible a person should remove the difficulties; when engaged in action, O king, he is freed from debts (whether he is successful or not).

Adversity overpowers a person who is idle and lies down; whereas whoever is active reaps success and enjoys prosperity.

Intelligent persons engaged confidently in acts consider all who are diffident as doubting and unsuccessful.

Now we are overtaken by misfortune and if you engage in action this misfortune will certainly be removed.

Even if you are unsuccessful it shall be proved to you. Vrikodara, Vivatsu and the twins (that you are unable to take the kingdom).

The actions of others have been seen crowned with success and ours might be as well; how can one, performing action, perceive beforehand what would be the result?

Having tilled the ground with plough one sows the seeds; the tiller then sits silent (for) the clouds are the next cause.

If however the clouds do not favour him the cultivator is not to blame-he says :-“I have done what others do."

If however I do not meet with success I am not to blame thinking this he contents himself and does not reproach himself.

O descendant of Bharata, no one should despair saying, "I am working still I do not succeed," for besides exertion there are two other cause for success.

Success or failure, no one should despair, for success in action depends upon the union of many circumstances.

One element wanting proportionate success does not come or nothing at all; if however no exertion is made no success is acquired, nor any quality is seen.

The man is by his intelligence and according to his might and power, brings place, time, means and auspicious rites for the acquisition of prosperity.

One should assiduously engage in action, his guide being his prowess; among the qualities necessary for action energy is the foremost.

If an intelligent man finds his enemy superior to him in many qualities he should accomplish his object by the arts of conciliation and proper appliances.

O Yudhishthira, he should wish for the calamity and banishment (of his foe), what of mortal men, even he be an ocean or a mountain.

A person, by actively praying into the holes of his enemy, satisfies a debt to himself as well as to his enemies.

A man should never think ill of himself; whoever thinks ill of himself never earns splendid prosperity.

O descendant of Bharata, the success of persons is thus situated; it is said that the course of success depends upon time and situation.

In the days of yore my father housed a learned Brahmana; he said all this to my father, O foremost of Bharatas. My brothers, formerly accept from Brihaspati moral precepts and then in our house I heard all this from them.

O king, O Yudhishthira, he said this to me, consoling, who had approached my father for some work and who for serving was seated on my father's lap.

Vaishampayana said:
Having heard these words of Yajnaseni (Draupadi), Bhimasena came to the king (Yudhishthira). And sighing in wrath, he thus spoke to him.

Bhima said:
O king, walk as regards kingdoms in the customary path trodden by good men. What do you gain by living in the hermitage of the ascetics, thus deprived of Dharma, Artha and Kama?

Your kingdom has been robbed by Duryodhana by an unfair gambling at dice and not by virtue or by honesty or by prowess.

He has robbed our kingdom like a weak offal-eating jackal that steals the prey from mighty lions.

O king, why do you, abandoning the wealth which is the source of both virtue and pleasures and in obedience of the (mere) trifling virtue of keeping one's promise, suffer such afflictions?

Our kingdom, protected by the wielder of Gandiva (Arjuna) and incapable of being snatched from us by (even) Shakra (Indra), was robbed from us in our very sight (only) on account of your carelessness.

It was for you, that notwithstanding we were alive, our prosperity was wrested from use like a fruit from one who is unable to use his arms or like kine from one who cannot use his legs.

O descendant of Bharata, you are firm in the desire of acquiring virtue. It was to please you that we suffered ourselves to be overwhelmed with such calamities.

O best of the Bharata race, it was because we are at your command that we are giving pain to our friends and joy to our enemies.

It was on our part an act of folly which gives me great pain that we did not, obeying your command, kill the sons of Dhritarashtra then and there.

O king, this your living in the forest like an wild animal is an act which only a weak man alone would submit to.

Your this act is approved of neither by Krishna, nor by Vivatsu (Arjuna), nor by Abhimanyu, nor by the Srinjayas, nor by myself, nor by the sons of Madri.

Afflicted with your vow you always cry, "Virtue, virtue." O king, have you from despair become a man of no manliness?

Cowards only, being unable to win back their prosperity, cherish despair which is fruitless and destructive of one's own purpose.

You have ability and eyes. You see that we possess manliness. O king, it is because you have adopted a peaceful life that you do not feel (the pain of) this distress.

The sons of Dhritarashtra consider us, who are only forgiving, as men really incompetent and weak. O king, this gives me more pain than death in battle would have given me.

If we all die in a fair fight without turning our backs on our foes, even that would be better than this exile, for we shall then obtain regions of bliss.

O best of the Bharata race, on the other hand if we become the ruler of the whole earth by killing them, that would be doing us a great good.

This is our bounded duty, we who ever adhere to the duties of our own order, who are ever desirous of great achievements and who wish to take revenge on our enemies.

Our kingdom having been robbed from us, if we (under the circumstances) engage in a war, our that act, when it well be known in the world, will bring praise and no condemnation.

O king, the virtue, that produces affliction on one's ownself and on one's own friends, is no virtue, at all. It is vice that produces calamities.

O sire, virtue is sometimes (the indirect cause of) the weakness of men. Dharma and Artha forsake such men, as pain and pleasure forsake a dead man.

He who practices virtue only for the sake of virtue always suffers afflictions. He can never be called a wise man. He cannot know the (real) purpose of virtue, as a blind man is incapable of seeing the light of the sun.

He who considers that his wealth exists for himself alone does not at all understand the purpose of wealth. He is like the servant tending kine in the forest.

He, again, who pursues Artha (profit or wealth) too much without pursuing Dharma (virtue) and Kama (pleasure) deserves to be censured and killed by all creatures.

He who always pursues Kama without pursuing Dharma and Artha loses his friends and also loses virtue and profit.

Such a man, indulging in pleasure at will, becoming destitute of virtue and profit, meets with certain death at the expiration of the period of enjoyment, as the fish dies when the water is dried up.

It is for this, those that are wise always pursue both virtue and profit, for the union of virtue and profit is the essential requisite of pleasure, as wood is of fire.

Pleasure has always virtue for its root and virtue is always united with pleasure. Know that both are dependent on one another, as the ocean and the clouds (depend on each other).

The sensation that one feels in consequence of the contact with the objects of touch or in consequence of the possession of wealth is called pleasure. It exists in the mind and has no corporeal existence.

O king, he that wishes to have Artha should seek a large share of virtue. Those that wish Kama should seek (also) Artha, but Kama does not yield any thing in return.

Pleasure brings its own fruit; it cannot lead to another (pleasure). Ashes may be had from wood, but nothing could be had from ashes.

O king, as a fowler kills the birds, so does sin kill all the creatures of the world. He who, being misled by pleasure and covetousness, does not understand the nature of virtue, deserves to be killed by all. He becomes a wretch here and hereafter (after death).

O king, it is evident that you know that pleasure is to be derived from virtuous objects of enjoyments. You also know (what) their ordinary states as well as their great changes (are).

From their (objects of enjoyment's) loss, destruction, decrepitude and death, arises what is called affliction. That affliction has overtaken us.

The pleasure that is produce by the five senses, by the mind and by the heart being directed to the objects proper to each, is in my opinion, one of the best fruits of our actions.

Thus Dharma, Artha and Kama should be taken into one's consideration one after the other. One should not pursue virtue alone. No man should consider profit or pleasure as the highest object of his desire. All the three should always be (equally) pursued. The Shastras ordain that one should pursue virtue in the morning, profit at noon and pleasure in the evening.

The Shastras ordain that one should pursue pleasure in the first, profit in the second and virtue in the last portion of his life.

O foremost of eloquent men, those that are learned and fully conversant with the proper divisions of time, dividing their time properly, pursue all three, Dharma Artha and Kama.

O king, O descendant of Kuru, whether freedom from all these three (Dharma, Artha and Kama) or possession of them is the better course for those that desire happiness, should be settled by you after careful thought. O king, you should then without the least hesitation act either to achieve them or to abandon them, for he who lives wavering between the two becomes most miserable.

It is well that your conduct is ever regulated by virtue. Knowing this, your sensible friends advise you to act (thus).

O king, gift, sacrifice, adoration to the honest, study of the Vedas and honesty, these are the highest virtues strong both here and hereafter.

But, O foremost of men, these virtues, cannot be attained by one that has no wealth, even if he possess infinite other accomplishments.

O king, the universe depends on virtue. There is nothing higher than virtue. O king, virtue is attainable (only) by those who possess wealth.

But wealth cannot be acquired by leading the life of a mendicant nor by bearing a life of weakness. O king, wealth can be earned by virtuous intelligence.

O best of men, in your case, begging, which is a success to the Brahmanas, has been forbidden. Therefore try to acquire wealth by prowess and energy.

It is not proper for you to lead a life of mendicancy or the life of Shudra. Prowess and energy constitute the special virtue of the Kshatriya.

Therefore, O son of Pritha, perform the duty of your own (order) and destroy the enemies. Destroy the prowess of the sons of Dhritarashtra with my help and with that of Partha (Arjuna).

The wise and learned man says that prosperity is virtue. Therefore, acquire prosperity, for you ought not to be in frivolity.

O king of kings, awake and understand the eternal virtues (of one's own order). You belong by birth to an order the acts of which are cruel and are the sources of pain to others.

O king, cherish your subjects and reap the fruits (of that good act) that can never be wrong. This is the eternal duty ordained (for us the Kshatriyas) by the Creator himself.

O son of Pritha, if you fall off from it, you will be the laughing stock (of all men). Deviation from the duties of one's own (order) is never praised.

O descendant of Kuru, therefore, making your heart as the order in which you belong requires it and abandoning this your course of weakness, summon prowess an bear your weight (of duty) like one that bears it manfully.

O king, no monarch can acquire the sovereignty of earth or prosperity or affluence by means of being only virtuous-minded.

As a fowler catches a flock of very easily-tempted games by offering them some attractive food, so does an intelligent man acquire a kingdom by offering bribes to his enemy's men and covetous enemies.

O foremost of monarchs, the Asuras, though they were elder brothers of the Devas and though they were in affluence were, vanquished by the Devas by mean of stratagem.

O mighty armed hero, O ruler of the world, thus everything belongs to those that possess might. Destroy enemy by means of stratagem.

There is none equal to Arjuna in wielding the bow in battle. There is none equal to me in wielding the mace.

O king, men of prowess engage in battle depending on their prowess alone and not on the strength of numbers and not on information of the enemy' plan through spies. O son of Pandu, therefore exert your prowess.

Prowess is the root of wealth; whatever else is called its root is not so. As the shade of the tree in winter is useless, so is everything fruitless without prowess.

O son of Kunti, wealth should be spent in the way that seeds are scattered on the ground by one who wishes to increase it. Let there be no doubt (about it) in your mind.

But where wealth is more than sufficient, there should be no expenditure of wealth. In such cases investment of wealth is like the scratching of an ass, which is first pleasurable and then painful.

O king of men, a man, who in order to earn a greater measure of virtue casts away like seeds the little virtue that he is sticking to, is certainly considered to be wise.

Those, that are learned, alienate the friends of the foe that possesses friends. Having thus weakened him by making his friends abandon him, they bring him to subjugation.

O king, those that are strong engage in battle by depending on their own courage. They do not conquer people by continued efforts or by the arts of conciliation.

O king, sometimes those that are weak kill a powerful enemy by combination, as bees kill the spoiler of their honey by the force of their numbers.

O king, like the sun that sustains as well as destroys all creatures by this rays, you too adopt the ways of the sun.

O king, it has been heard by us in the Puranas that to protect one's own kingdom and cherish one's own subjects, as was done by our forefathers, is a kind of Tapa (austerities).

O king, a Kshatriya cannot acquire those regions of blessedness which he can by -fair fight, whether (that fight) ends in victory or defeat.

Seeing your this affliction, (the people of) the world have come to this conclusion that light may (some day) forsake the sun and beauty may (some day) forsake the moon.

O king, the learned men, both separately and assembling together, talk with one another by praising you and blaming the other (Duryodhana).

O king, over and above this the Brahmanas and the Kurus assembling together talk cheerfully of your great adherence to truth.

They say that you have, never from delusion, from meanness, from covetousness, from fear, from desire or from wealth, uttered an untruth.

Whatever sin a king commits in acquiring dominions, he consumes it all by means of performing sacrifices in which large Dakshinas are given away.

O king, as the moon emerges from the clouds, so does a king emerge from all sins by bestowing thousands of villages and kine on the Brahmanas.

O descendant of Kuru, O Yudhishthira, all the citizens and the inhabitants of the country, both young and old, praise you.

"As milk in a bag made of a boar's hide, as the Vedas in a Shudra, as truth in a robber and as strength in a woman, so is sovereignty in Duryodhana.

Thus talk the people among one another. O descendant of Bharata, even women and children are repeating it, as if it were a lesson they wanted to commit to memory.

O chastiser of foes, you have fallen into this state along with me. Alas! we too are lost with you on account of your this calamity.

Therefore, ascending on your chariot, furnished with every implement of war and making the chief Brahmanas utter benedictions on you, march at once, even this very day, against Hastinapur, so that you may be able to give to the Brahmanas the spoils of your victory. Surrounded by your brothers, who are all great wielders of bows and by (other) heroes, who are all skilled in weapons and, all like virulent snakes, start (at once) like the slayer of Vitra (Indra) surrounded by the Marutas. Destroy with your prowess your weak enemies as the slayer of Vitra (Indra) destroyed the Asuras. O son of Kunti, snatch away from the son of Dhritarashtra (Duryodhana) the prosperity he (now) enjoys.

There is no mortal who can withstand the touch of the arrows which are equipped with the feathers of vulture and which are like the snakes of virulent poison when these are shot from the Gandiva (bow).

O descendant of Bharata, there is not a warrior, nor an elephant, nor an horse that can withstand the force of my mace when I am angry in battle.

O son of Kunti, why should we not snatch back our kingdom from our foe after fighting a great battle with the help of the Srinjayas the Kaikeyas and the chief of the Vrishnis.

O king, why should we not succeed in snatching away the (sovereignty of the) earth from the hands of our enemy? Let us but try with the help of a large army.

Vaishampayana said:
Having been thus addressed by Bhimasena, the high-souled and ever devoted to truth, Ajatashatru (Yudhishthira), mastering his patience, thus spoke after a few moments.

Yudhishthira said:
O descendant of Bharata, no doubt all this is true. I cannot reproach you for giving me pain by piercing me with your arrow words. From my folly alone this great calamity has overtaken you all.

I was engaged to play at dice with the desire of snatching from Dhritarashtra's son his kingdom with its sovereignty. It was thus that the cunning gambler, the son of Subala (Shakuni), played with me on behalf of Suyodhana (Duryodhana).

O Bhimasena, that dweller of the mountainous country, Shakuni, is exceedingly artful. Plying at dice in the midst of the assembly-unacquainted as I am with the artifices of any kind, he defeated me by adopting all possible artful means. It is therefore we have been overwhelmed with this calamity.

Seeing the dice obedient to the wishes of Shakuni in Ayuja and Yuja (odds and evens), I could have controlled my mind, but anger (you know) drives off a person's patience.

O child, the mind cannot be controlled when it is influenced by manliness, pride and prowess. O Bhimasena, I do not reproach you for what you have said. I consider that what have happened was preordained.

O Bhimasena, when the king (Duryodhana) the son of Dhritarashtra, wishing to get possession of our kingdom, plunged us into misery and even slavery, it was Draupadi who rescued us.

When summoned again to the Sabha for playing once more, you as well as Arjuna know what the son of Dhritarashtra told me in the presence of the Bharatas.

(He said), "O prince Ajatashatru, you shall have to live for twelve years with all your brothers (if defeated in the play) in the forest which you will chose to dwell in, but which must be known to all men; you shall have to spend the thirteenth year in disguise without your whereabouts being known to anybody.

O sire, O son of Pritha, (if during that period) spies of the Bharatas, hearing of you, become successful in discovering you, you shall then have again to live in the forest for the same period passing once more the last year in secrecy. Reflecting on this, pledge yourself to it.

O king, as regards myself, I pledge myself in this assembly of the Kurus, if you can pass this period of time evading the vigilance of my spies and if you can remain undiscovered by them, then O descendant of Bharata, this kingdom of the five rivers will be once more yours.

O descendant of Bharata, we also, if defeated by you at play, shall all of us, abandoning all our wealth, pass other same period according to the same rules." Thus said that king in the midst of the Kurus; and I said "So Be it."

The hateful play then began. We were defeated and we were all exiled. We are thus wandering miserably over difficult forests full of discomforts.

Suyodhana (Duryodhana), however, having been not satisfied (with what he had done), gave himself up to anger and urged the Kurus and all those who were under his away to express their joy at our distress.

Having entered into such a pledge in the presence of all the pious and good men, who can now dare break it for the sake of a kingdom in this world? For in my opinion, to a respectable person death is not more serious than an act of transgression in order to gain a kingdom.

O hero, you desired to bum my hand at the time of the play; you were, however, prevented by Arjuna and you only squeezed your mace. O Bhima, if you had done it, this calamity could not then befall us.

O Bhima, conscious as you are of your prowess, why did you not say so before we entered into such an agreement? Having already burdened myself with the pledge made at that time what is the use of your speaking to me these harsh words (now)?

O Bhimasena, this was my great grief that I could not do anything when I saw Yajnaseni (Draupadi) persecuted in that way. O Bhima, my heart burns on account of this, as if I have drunk some poisonous liquid.

O foremost of the Bharata race, having made the pledge in the presence of the Kurus there, I am unable (now) to violate it. Wait for the return of our better days, as scatterers of seed wait for the harvest.

When one that has been first injured succeeds in revenging himself upon his enemy at a time when the latter’s enmity has borne fruits and flowers, he is regarded as one who has accomplished a great deed by his prowess. Such a brave man earns undying fame. Such a man obtains great prosperity. His enemies bow down to him and his friends gather round him, as the celestials cluster round Indra for protection.

Know my promise cannot be made false. I regard Dharma as superior to life itself and divinity. Kingdoms, sons, fame and wealth all these do not come up even to a sixteenth part of truth.

Bhima said:
O great king, being mortal and unsubstantial as froth, unstable as fruit and dependant on time, how can you consider of any avail your having made an agreement in respect of Time, which is infinite and immeasurable, which passes as quickly as an arrow or a stream, carrying everything before it like death itself?

O son of Kunti, how can he wait whose life is shortened every moment, as a quantity of collyrium is lessened each time, a grain is taken up by the needle?

Only he whose life has no limit or he who knows with certainty what the period of his life (really) is or he who knows the future as if it were placed before his eyes can wait for the arrival of (a certain fixed) time.

O king, if we wait for thirteen years, that period of time will shorten our lives and bring us nearer to death.

Wealth is ever established in every creature having corporeal body. Therefore we should try to get possession of our kingdom before we meet with death.

He who fails to achieve fame by not chastising his enemies is like a thing unclean. He is an useless burden of the earth as a brute is and perishes with ignominy.

The man, who being destitute of strength and courage, fails to chastise his enemies lives in vain. I consider such a man as low- born.

Your hand can shower gold; your fame spreads over the whole earth. Therefore, killing your enemies in battle, enjoy the wealth acquired by the strength of your arms.

O king, O chastiser of foes, if a man goes to hell on the very day he kills his injurer, that hell at once becomes heaven to him.

The pain that one feels in suppressing his anger is more burning than fire itself. I burn with it even now and I cannot sleep either in the night or in the day.

This son of Pritha, Vivatsu (Arjuna) is foremost in drawing the bow-string. He is certainly much aggrieved, though he lives (quietly) like a lion in its den.

This one (Arjuna) who desires to kill all the wielders of bow of the world without (any body's) help, suppresses his wrath within his breast like a great elephant.

Nakula, Sahadeva, the old mother of heroes (Kunti) are all sitting like dumb people in order to please you.

All our friends with the Srinjayas wish to please you. Only I and the mother of Prativindhya, (Draupadi) are greatly aggrieved.

And speak to you. Whatever I speak is (surely) agreeable to them all, for they plunged in great affliction eagerly wish for the battle.

O king, what greater calamity would befall us than that our kingdom should be snatched away from us and enjoyed by weak and contemptible foes?

O chastiser of foes, (only) from the weakness of your character you feel shame to violate the pledge you made. But O king, none praises you for your this kindly disposition.

O king, your intellect cannot see the truth like that of a foolish and ignorant man, though of high birth, who has committed to memory the Vedas without understanding them.

You are kind as a Brahmana; how have you been born in the Kshatriya order? Those born in it (the Kshatriya order) are generally crooked-minded.

You have heard the duties of kings told by Manu, they are fraught with crookedness and unfairness, they are perfectly opposed to peace and virtue. O great king, why do you then forgive the wicked-minded sons of Dhritarashtra. O foremost of men, why are you silent in performing your duties being a man of high birth?

O son of Kunti, who wishes to conceal the Himalayas by means of a handful of grass.

Known as you are all over the world, you will hardly be able to live unknown and undiscovered. O son of Pritha, the sun can never pass through the sky unknown to men.

A large tree with spreading branches; flowers and with leaves in a well watered place (can never remain hidden). Nor can the Airavat (Indra's elephant). How will Jishnu (Arjuna) be able to live undiscovered and unknown?

How will these lion-like young children, together with the two brothers. Nakula and Sahadeva, O son of Pritha, be able to live in secrecy?

The mother of heroes, the princess Draupadi of virtuous deeds. O son of Pritha, how will this Krishna be able to live undiscovered and unknown?

O king, all the people know me from my childhood. I do not see how I shall be able to live undiscovered and unknown. The Meru (mountains) might as well be concealed!

Then again many kings have been driven away from their kingdoms. These kings and princes will all follow the wicked son of Dhritarashtra. For robbed and exiled by us, they cannot be friendly towards us.

They will certainly seek to injure us with the desire of doing good to him (Duryodhana); and they will certainly set against us many spies in disguise. If they discover us and report it, a great calamity will (then) befall us.

We have already lived in the forest for full thirteen months. Consider them for their length as fall thirteen years.

The wise men have said that a month is (but) a substitute for a year, as Pritika is considered as a substitute for the Soma.

O king, (if you violate the pledge) you may free yourself from its sin by offering good food to a well-conducted bull which carries sacred burdens.

O king, therefore make up your mind to kill your enemies. There is no virtue higher to a Kshatriya than battle.

Vaishampayana said:
O foremost of men, having heard the words of Bhima, that chastiser of foes, the son of Kunti, Yudhishthira, sighed and reflected in silence. (He thought in his mind) “I have heard the duties of king recited to me. I have heard also the duties of the different orders. He sees truly who sees how to regulate his conduct both in the present and in the future.

Knowing as I do the true course of Dharma, which is so difficult to be known, how can I forcibly grind it, which would be like my grinding the Meru (mountain)."

Having thus reflected for a moment and having also settled (in his mind) what he should do, he thus spoke to Bhimasena without allowing him to say anything.

Yudhishthira said:
O descendant of Bharata, O mighty-armed hero, what you say is true. O best of speakers, listen (also) to what I say.

O descendant of Bharata, O Bhimasena, the greatly sinful deeds that one wants to perform depending only on his courage become a source of pain to him.

But, O mighty-armed hero, whatever is performed with (due) deliberation, with well-directed prowess, with all (necessary) appliances and with much previous thought, is (always) seen to be successful (at the end.) The celestials themselves favour such acts.

Hear something about the act which you think should be at once done from your pride of strength and restlessness of mind.

Bhurishrava,Shalva, the powerful Jarasandha, Bhishma, Drona, Karna, the mighty son of Drona (Ashvathama). The invincible sons of Dhritarashtra Duryodhana and others, all are accomplished in arms and ever ready for battle. Those kings and the rulers of the world, who have been injured by us, have all taken the side of the Kurus; and their affection has grown towards them.

O descendant of Bharata, they are engaged in seeking to do good to Duryodhana and not to us. With their treasury full and large army, they will try their best in the war (to defeat us).

All the officers of the Kuru army with their sons and relatives have been honoured by Duryodhana with the presentation of wealth according to proper divisions.

These heroes have been much honored by Duryodhana. My firm conviction is that they will give their lives in battle for him.

O mighty-armed hero, though the behaviour of Bhishma, Drona and the high-souled Kripa is the same (to both parties). Yet it is my firm conviction that they would sacrifice in battle their lives, then which there is nothing dearer in this world, so that they might pay off (their debt) in the shape of royal favours which they enjoy.

They are all masters in celestials weapons and they are all devoted to virtue. My opinion is that they cannot be vanquished even by the celestials with Vasava (Indra) at their head.

There is Karna, the great car-warrior, who is impetuous, ever angry, invincible, accomplished in all weapons and encased in impenetrable armour.

Without first defeating in battle all these foremost of men, you cannot, unaided as you are, kill Duryodhana.

O Vrikodara, I cannot sleep as I ponder upon the lightness of hand that the Suta's son (Karna) possesses. I consider him to be the foremost of all wielders of bows.

Vaishampayana said:
Having heard these words, the impetuous Bhimasena became alarmed and pensive; and he did not utter a word.

When the Pandavas were talking one another, there came to that place the great ascetic Vyasa, the son of Satyavati.

When he arrived, he was duly worshipped by the sons of Pandu. That best of speakers then thus spoke to Yudhishthira.

Vyasa said:
O mighty-armed Yudhishthira, O best of men, knowing by my intelligence what is passing in your mind, I have speedily come to this place.

O descendant of Bharata, O slayer of foes, I shall destroy the fever that is in your mind and I shall tell you, by means of what act according to the ordinance you will be able to kill Bhishma, Kripa, Karna, Drona, the son of Drona, Duryodhana and the other princes and Dushasana.

O king of kings, hearing it from me, accomplish the act with patience. Having accomplished it, soon destroy your this (mental) fever.

Vaishampayana said:
That foremost of all eloquent men, the son of Parasara (Vyasa), taking him aside thus spoke to Yudhishthira in words of deep import.

Vyasa said :
O best of the Bharatas, that prosperous time has come when the son of Pritha, Dhananjaya (Arjuna), will kill your enemies in battle.

Accept from me this knowledge, called Pratismriti. Uttered by me it is like success personified. You are capable of accepting it; I shall tell it to you.

Receiving it, the mighty-armed Arjuna will be able to accomplish his desire. O son of Pandu, let him go for the acquisition of weapons to Mahendra, Rudra, Varuna, Kubera and Yama. He is competent to see the celestials on account of his asceticism and prowess.

He is a Rishi of great effulgence; he is the friend of Narayana (Krishna); he is ancient, eternal celestials, invincible, ever successful and undeteriorating. O mighty-armed hero, he will achieve great deeds by receiving weapons from Indra, Rudra and the Lokapalas.

O son of Kunti, O ruler of the world, think of going from this forest to another (forest) that may be fit for your abode.

To reside in one place for a length of time is never pleasant. It might produce anxieties to the ascetics.

As you support numerous Brahmanas, learned in the Vedas, your continued residence here (in this forest) may exhaust the deer of the forest and may be destructive of the creepers and plant.

Vaishampayana said:
Having thus addressed by that illustrious lord, the ascetic of great wisdom, the intelligent Vyasa, the son of Satyavati, learned in the mysteries of the world, then imported that foremost of knowledge to the willing Dharmaraja (Yudhishthira) who had meanwhile purified himself. Bidding farewell to the son of Kunti, he then disappeared.

Having received that knowledge, the virtuous-minded and the intelligent Yudhishthira carefully retained it in his memory and always repeated it at the proper times.

Being glad at the words of Vyasa, he, leaving the Dvaiytavana, went to the forest of Kamyaka on the banks of the Sarasvati.

O great king, the Brahmanas, possessing ascetic merits and versed in the science of ortheopy and orthography, followed him, as the Rishis follow the king of the celestials (Indra).

Thereupon arriving at Kamyaka, those high-souled chiefs of the Bharata race took up their residence there with their friends and followers.

O king, those intelligent heroes then lived there for some time, devoting themselves to the science of archery and hearing the excellent Vedas.

They went about the forest every day with non-poisoned arrows in search of deer. They duly performed all the rites in honour of the Pitris, the celestials and the Brahmanas.

Vaishampayana said:
After sometime, Dharmaraja Yudhishthira, remembering the words of the Muni (Vyasa), spoke these words. Calling to himself in private that foremost of men, the greatly wise Arjuna and taking hold of his hands. That chastiser of foes, Dharmaraja, reflecting for a moment over their exile, smilingly spoke these words to Dhananjaya (Arjuna).

Yudhishthira said:
O descendant of Bharata, the four divisions of the science of arms always dwell in Bhishma, Drona, Kripa, Karna and the son of Drona (Ashvathama).

They fully know all sorts of Brahma, celestials, human, Vayavya weapons, together with the mode of using them and warding them off.

They are all conciliated honoured and gratified by the son of Dhritarashtra (Duryodhana) who behaves to them as one does towards his preceptor.

Towards all his warriors he behaves with great affection. All the revered ones, thus honoured and gratified, seek to do him good.

Thus honoured by him, they will not fail to exert their might. The whole world is today under the sway of Duryodhana. With villages and cities, with all the seas and forests and mines. O Partha, you are our sole favourite refuge. On you rests a great burden.

O chastiser of foes, I shall tell you what you should do now. O child, I have received a knowledge from Krishna Dvaipayana (Vyasa).

O child, if used by you, the whole universe will be brought to your view by that knowledge, Having attentively received that Brahma-knowledge. Attain in due time the grace of the celestials. O best of the Bharata race, devotes yourself to auster asceticism. Armed with the bow and the sword and clad in armour, devote yourself to austere asceticism and deep meditation. O child, without giving way to any body, go towards the north.

O Dhananjaya, all celestials weapons are with Indra. The celestials at one time gave all their strength to Shakra (Indra) from the fear of Vitra.

They are all collected together in one place. And he will (surely) give you all his weapons, Go to Shakra (Indra); he will give you all his weapons. Be initiated and go this very day to the god Purandara (Indra).

Vaishampayana said:
Having said this, the lord Dharmaraja (Yudhishthira) imparted to him (Arjuna) the knowledge. The elder brother communicated with due rites the knowledge to his heroic brother whose speech, body and mind were all under complete control. He then commanded him to go.

At the command of Dharmaraja (Yudhishthira), the mighty-armed (Arjuna), clad in mail and incased with gauntlets and furnished with finger protectors made of the guana skin, taking up the Gandiva (bow) and also his inexhaustible quivers; and having poured oblations into the fire and made the Brahmanas utter benediction on receipts of gifts, started to see Purandara (Indra). Armed with bow and arrows the mighty-armed hero heaved a sigh and cast a look upwards, when he set out for the destruction of Dhritarashtra's sons.

Seeing the son of Kunti, about to start, thus armed with bow and arrows, the Brahmanas, the Siddhas and the invisible spirits said.

"O son of Kunti, soon obtain what you wish for in your mind." The Brahmanas blessed him with benedictions and said to Partha (Arjuna). "O son of Kunti, engage yourself in achieving the object you have in view. Victory is sure to come to you."

Then when the heroic Arjuna of thighs like the trunks of the Sala tree was about to start, taking away the hearts of all, Krishna (Draupadi) thus spoke.

Draupadi said:
O mighty-armed Dhananjaya, O son of Kunti, let all that Kunti desired at your birth and all that you yourself (always) desire be accomplished.

Let none of us again be born in the order of Kshatriya. Daily salutation to the Brahmanas whose mode of life is mendicancy.

This is my great grief that the sinful wretch Suyodhana (Duryodhana). Seeing me in the assembly of the kings, mockingly called me a cow.

Besides this, other harsh words were spoken by him. But this is my opinion, that the grief I now feel in parting with you is greater than any I felt then at his words.

Your brothers will while away their waking moments in repeatedly talking over your great deeds. O hero, O Partha, if you stay away (from us) for a long period of time, we shall derive no pleasure from enjoyments or luxury. Life itself would be distasteful to us. O son of Kunti, our weal and woe, our life and death, our kingdom and prosperity all depend on you. O descendant of Bharata, I bless you. Let success be yours.

O mighty hero, O sinless one, you will be able to perform your this task even against powerful enemies. Go with speed to win success. Let there be no danger to you. I bow to Dhatri and Vidhatri; undeteriorating blessings be to you.

O Dhananjaya, let Hri, Shri, Kirti, Dhriti, Pushti, Uma, Lakshmi and Sarasvati, all protect you on your way.

For you always worship your elder brother and always obey his commands. I bow to the Vasus, the Rudras, the Adityas, the Marutas. The Vishvadevas and the Siddhas for your welfare. O best of the Bharata race, O descendant of Bharata, be safe from all mischievous spirits belonging to the firmament, the earth. And the heaven and also from other such ones generally.

Vaishampayana said:
Having uttered these benedictions, the illustrious Krishna (Draupadi) stopped.

Having then walked round his brothers and Dhaumya, the mighty-armed Pandava (Arjuna), taking up his beautiful bow, started.

All creatures left the path that the greatly energetic and powerful (hero) took with the desire of seeing Indra.

O child, that chastiser of foes passed over many mountains inhabited by the ascetics; and (at last) he reached the sacred and the celestials Himalayas.

The high-minded hero reached the sacred mountain in one day, for he, being a great ascetic, possessed the speed like that of the mind.

Having cross the Himalayas and also the Gandhamadana and many other uneven and dangerous passes by walking day and night.

He reached Indrakila and Dhananjaya (Arjuna) stopped there. He then heard a voice in the sky. It said, "stop."

Having heard it, the Pandava (Arjuna) looked at all sides and Savyasachi (Arjuna) then saw an ascetic sitting at the foot of a tree.

(He was) blazing with Brahma-effulgence. With brawny colour and matted-locks, (he was) thin and lean. Seeing him (Arjuna) stopped there. The great ascetic then thus spoke to Aijuna,

"O child, who are you that have come here with bow and arrows, clad in armour, scabbard and gauntlet and devoted to the Kshatriya usage? There is no necessity for weapons here. This is the abode of peaceful Brahmana ascetics (who are all) without either joy or anger.

O child, there is no use of the bow here. There is no sort of fight here. Therefore throw away your bow. You have obtained the highest state of life.

O hero, there is no man who is equal to you in energy and prowess." The Brahmana smilingly thus spoke to Arjuna. But he could not move him, who was so firm in his purpose.

Thereupon that Brahmana, being much pleased with him, again spoke to him with smiles, "O slayer of foes, be blessed. I am Shakra (Indra). Ask the boon you desire to have."

Having been thus addressed by the deity of one thousand eyes (Indra), that perpetuator of the Kuru race, the heroic Dhananjaya (Arjuna) with joined hands and bowing head said,

"O exalted one, this is the object of my wishes; grant me this boon, (namely) I desire to learn from you all weapons."

Mahendra (Indra), being much please with him smilingly replied, "O Dhananjaya, when you have reached this region, what need is there of you to get weapons? You have already obtained the highest state of life. Ask for other regions of bliss you desire to obtain." Having been thus addressed, Dhananjaya thus replied to the deity of one thousand eyes (Indra), "O lord of heaven, I do not desire to obtain regions of bliss, nor objects of enjoyment, nor the celestials state, what to speak of (other) pleasures. I do not desire to obtain the prosperity of all the celestials. Having left my brothers behind me in the forest and having been unable to avenge myself on the enemy, shall I incur the opprobrium of all the world for everlasting time?"

Having been thus addressed, the slayer of Vitra, the worshipped of all the worlds (Indra), consoling him with sweet words, thus spoke to the son of Pandu (Arjuna),

"O child, when you will be able to meet the three-eyes deity, Shiva, the wielder of trident and the lord of all creatures, it is then I shall bestow on you all my weapons.

O son of Kunti, try to meet the greatest of all gods, for it is only when you have seen him that you would have your desire fulfilled."

Having thus spoken to Falguni (Arjuna), Shakra (Indra) disappeared. Arjuna remained at that spot, devoting himself to severe asceticism.

Mahabharata

Arjunabhigamana Parva

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