There is no mortal that can bear the touch of the
shafts furnished with the feathers of the vulture and
resembling snakes of virulent poison, that would be
shot from the
Gandiva. And, O Bharata,
there is not a warrior, nor an elephant, nor a horse,
that is able to bear the impetus of my mace when I
am angry in battle. Why, O son of Kunti, should
we not wrest our kingdom from the foe, fighting with
the aid of the Srinjayas and Kaikeyas, and the bull
of the Vrishni race? Why, O king, should we not
succeed in wresting the (sovereignty of the) earth
that is now in the hands of the foe, if, aided by a
large force, we do but strive?’”
Vaisampayana said, “Thus addressed by Bhimasena,
the high-souled king Ajatasatru firmly devoted to
truth, mustering his patience, after a few moments
said these words, ’No doubt, O Bharata, all this
is true. I cannot reproach thee for thy torturing
me thus by piercing me with thy arrowy words.
From my folly alone hath this calamity come against
you. I sought to cast the dice desiring to snatch
from Dhritarashtra’s son his kingdom with the
sovereignty. It was therefore that, that cunning
gambler—Suvala’s son—played
against me on behalf of Suyodhana. Sakuni, a
native of the hilly country, is exceedingly artful.
Casting the dice in the presence of the assembly,
unacquainted as I am with artifices of any kind, he
vanquished me artfully. It is, therefore, O Bhimasena,
that we have been overwhelmed with this calamity.
Beholding the dice favourable to the wishes of Sakuni
in odds and evens, I could have controlled my mind.
Anger, however, driveth off a person’s patience.
O child, the mind cannot be kept under control when
it is influenced by hauteur, vanity, or pride.
I do not reproach thee, O Bhimasena, for the words
thou usest. I only regard that what hath befallen
us was pre-ordained. When king Duryodhana, the
son of Dhritarashtra, coveting our kingdom, plunged
us into misery and even slavery, then, O Bhima, it
was Draupadi that rescued us. When summoned again
to the assembly for playing once more, thou knowest
as well as Arjuna what Dhritarashtra’s son told
me, in the presence of all the Bharatas, regarding
the stake for which we were to play. His words
were, O prince Ajatsatru, (if vanquished), thou shalt
have with all thy brothers, to dwell, to the knowledge
of all men, for twelve years in the forest of thy choice,
passing the thirteenth year in secrecy. If during
the latter period, the spies of the Bharatas, hearing
of thee, succeed in discovering thee, thou shalt have
again to live in the forest for the same period, passing
once more the last year in secrecy. Reflecting
upon this, pledge thyself to it. As regards myself,
I promise truly in this assembly of the Kurus, that
if thou canst pass this time confounding my spies and
undiscovered by them, then, O Bharata, this kingdom
of the five rivers is once more thine. We also,
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