Chapter 215
“Vaisampayana said, ‘The Pandavas, having established such a rule,continued to reside there. By the prowess of their arms they brought manykings under their sway. And Krishna became obedient unto all the fivesons of Pritha, those lions among men, of immeasurable energy.
Like theriver Saraswati decked with elephants, which again take pleasure in thatstream, Draupadi took great delight in her five heroic husbands and theytoo took delight in her. And in consequence of the illustrious Pandavasbeing exceedingly virtuous in their practice, the whole race of Kurus,free from sin, and happy, grew in prosperity.
“After some time, O king, it so happened that certain robbers lifted thecattle of a Brahmana, and while they were carrying away the booty, theBrahmana, deprived of his senses by anger, repaired to Khandavaprastha,and began to reprove the Pandavas in accents of woe. The Brahmana said,’Ye Pandavas, from this your dominion, my kine are even now being takenaway by force by despicable and wicked wretches! Pursue ye the thieves.Alas, the sacrificial butter of a peaceful Brahmana is being taken awayby crows! Alas, the wretched jackal invadeth the empty cave of a lion! Aking that taketh the sixth part of the produce of the land withoutprotecting the subject, hath been called by the wise to be the mostsinful person in the whole world. The wealth of a Brahmana is being takenaway by robbers! Virtue itself is sustaining a diminution! Take me up bythe hand, ye Pandavas for I am plunged in grief!”
“Vaisampayana continued, ‘Dhananjaya, the son of Kunti, heard thoseaccents of the Brahmana weeping in bitter grief. As soon as he heardthose accents, he loudly assured the Brahmana, saying, ‘No fear!’ But itso happened that the chamber where the illustrious Pandavas had theirweapons was then occupied by Yudhishthira the just with Krishna. Arjuna,therefore, was incapable of entering it or, going alone with theBrahmana, though repeatedly urged (to do either) by the weeping accentsof the Brahmana. Summoned by the Brahmana, Arjuna reflected, with asorrowful heart, Alas, this innocent Brahmana’s wealth is being robbed! Ishould certainly dry up his tears. He hath come to our gate, and isweeping even now. If I do not protect him, the king will be touched withsin in consequence of my indifference; our own irreligiousness will becited throughout the kingdom, and we shall incur a great sin. If,disregarding the king, I enter the chamber, without doubt I shall bebehaving untruthfully towards the monarch without a foe. By entering thechamber, again, I incur the penalty of an exile in the woods. But I mustoverlook everything. I care not if I have to incur sin by disregardingthe king. I care not if I have to go to the woods and die there. Virtueis superior to the body and lasteth after the body hath perished!’Dhananjaya, arriving at this resolution, entered the chamber and talkedwith Yudhishthira. Coming out with the bow, he cheerfully told theBrahmana, ‘Proceed, O Brahmana, with haste, so that those wretchedrobbers may not go much ahead of us. I shall accompany thee and restoreunto thee thy wealth that hath fallen into the hands of the thieves.’Then Dhananjaya, capable of using both his arms with equal skill, armedwith the bow and cased in mail and riding in his war-chariot decked witha standard, pursued the thieves, and piercing them with his arrows,compelled them to give up the booty. Benefiting the Brahmana thus bymaking over to him his kine, and winning great renown, the hero returnedto the capital. Bowing unto all the elders, and congratulated byeverybody, Partha at last approached Yudhishthira, and addressing him,said, ‘Give me leave, O lord, to observe the vow I took. In beholdingthee sitting with Draupadi, I have violated the rule established byourselves. I shall therefore go into the woods, for this is even ourunderstanding.’ Then Yudhishthira, suddenly hearing those painful words,became afflicted with grief, and said in an agitated voice, ‘Why!’ Alittle while after, king Yudhishthira in grief said unto his brotherDhananjaya 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 Isay. O hero, full well do I know the reason why thou hadst entered mychamber and didst what thou regardest to be an act disagreeable to me.But there is no displeasure in my mind. The younger brother may, withoutfault, enter the chamber where the elder brother sitteth with his wife.It is only the elder brother that acts against the rules of propriety byentering 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, thatquibbling is not permitted in the discharge of duty. I cannot waver fromtruth. Truth is my weapon.’
“Vaisampayana continued, ‘Obtaining then the king’s permission, Arjunaprepared himself for a forest-life; and he went to the forest to livethere for twelve years.'”
