Vedas to memory without understanding their sense.  Thou art kind like a Brahmana.  How hast thou been born in the Kshatriya order?  They that are born in the Kshatriya order are generally of crooked hearts.  Thou hast heard (recited) the duties of kings, as promulgated by Manu, fraught with crookedness and unfairness and precepts opposed to tranquillity and virtue.  Why dost thou then, O king, forgive the wicked sons of Dhritarashtra?  Thou hast intelligence, prowess, learning and high birth.  Why dost thou then, O tiger among men, act in respect of thy duties, like a huge snake that is destitute of motion?  O son of Kunti, he that desireth to conceal us, only wisheth to conceal the mountains of Himavat by means of a handful of grass.  O son of Pritha, known as thou art over whole earth, thou wilt not be able to live unknown, like the sun that can never course through the sky unknown to men.  Like a large tree in a well-watered region with spreading branches and flowers and leaves, or like Indra’s elephant, how will Jishnu live unknown?  How also will these children, the brothers, Nakula and Sahadeva, equal unto a couple of young lions, both live in secret?  How, O son of Pritha, will Krishna—­the daughter of Drupada—­a princess and mother of heroes, of virtuous deeds and known over all the world, live unknown?  Me also, everybody knoweth from my boyhood.  I do not see how I can live unknown.  As well mighty mountains of Meru be sought to be concealed.  Then, again, many kings had been expelled by us from their kingdom.  These kings and princes will all follow the bad son of Dhritarashtra, for robbed and exiled by us, they have not still become friendly.  Desiring to do good unto Dhritarashtra, they will certainly seek to injure us.  They will certainly set against us numerous spies in disguise.  If these discover us and report their discovery, a great danger will overtake us.  We have already lived in the woods full thirteen months.  Regard them, O king, for their length as thirteen years.  The wise have said that a month is a substitute for a year, like the pot-herb that is regarded as a substitute for the Soma.  Or, (if thou breakest thy pledge), O king, thou mayst free thyself from this sin by offering good savoury food to a quiet bull carrying sacred burdens.  Therefore, O king resolve thou to slay thy enemies.  There is no virtue higher than fighting, for every Kshatriya!”

SECTION XXXVI

Vaisampayana said, “Hearing those words of Bhima, Yudhishthira. the son of Kunti—­tiger among men and slayer of all foes—­began to sigh heavily, and reflect in silence.  And he thought within himself, ’I have heard recited the duties of kings, also all truths about the duties of the different orders.  He is said to observe those duties truly who keepeth them before his eyes, so as to regulate his conduct both in the present and the future.  Knowing as I do the true course of virtue, which, however is so very difficult of being known, how can I forcibly grind virtue down like grinding the mountains of Meru?  Having reflected so for a moment, and settled what he should do, he replied unto Bhima as follows without allowing him another word: