the elders, and congratulated by everybody, Partha at last approached Yudhishthira, and addressing him, said, ’Give me leave, O lord, to observe the vow I took.  In beholding thee sitting with Draupadi, I have violated the rule established by ourselves.  I shall therefore go into the woods, for this is even our understanding.’  Then Yudhishthira, suddenly hearing those painful words, became afflicted with grief, and said in an agitated voice, ‘Why!’ A little while after, king Yudhishthira in grief said unto his brother Dhananjaya of curly hair who never departed from his vows, these words, ’O sinless one, if I am an authority worthy of regard, listen to what I say.  O hero, full well do I know the reason why thou hadst entered my chamber and didst what thou regardest to be an act disagreeable to me.  But there is no displeasure in my mind.  The younger brother may, without fault, enter the chamber where the elder brother sitteth with his wife.  It is only the elder brother that acts against the rules of propriety by entering the room where the younger brother sitteth with his wife.  Therefore, O thou of mighty arms, desist from thy purpose.  Do what I say.  Thy virtue hath sustained no diminution.  Thou hast not disregarded me.’

“Arjuna, hearing this, replied, ’I have heard, even from thee, that quibbling is not permitted in the discharge of duty.  I cannot waver from truth.  Truth is my weapon.’

“Vaisampayana continued, ’Obtaining then the king’s permission, Arjuna prepared himself for a forest-life; and he went to the forest to live there for twelve years.’”

SECTION CCXVI

(Arjuna-vanavasa Parva continued)

“Vaisampayana said, ’When that spreader of the renown of Kuru’s race, the strong-armed Arjuna, set out (for the forest), Brahmanas conversant with the Vedas walked behind that illustrious hero to a certain distance.  Followed by Brahmanas conversant with the Vedas and their branches and devoted to the contemplation of the Supreme Spirit, by persons skilled in music, by ascetics devoted to the Deity, by reciters of Puranas, by narrators of sacred stories by devotees leading celibate lives, by Vanaprasthas, by Brahmanas sweetly reciting celestial histories, and by various other classes of persons of sweet speeches, Arjuna journeyed like Indra followed by the Maruts.  And, O thou of Bharata’s race, that bull among the Bharatas saw, as he journeyed, many delightful and picturesque forests, lakes, rivers, seas, provinces, and waters.  At length, on arriving at the source of the Ganges the mighty hero thought of settling there.