Chapter 12
“Arjuna said, ‘O Bhima, thou art my elder brother and, therefore, mysenior and preceptor. I dare not say anything more than what I havealready said. The royal sage Dhritarashtra deserves to be honoured by usin every respect. They that are good, they that are distinguished abovethe common level, they that break not the distinctions which characterisethe good, remember not the wrongs done to them but only the benefits theyhave received.’ Hearing these words of the high-souled Phalguna, therighteous-souled Yudhishthira, the son of Kunti, addressed Vidura andsaid these words, ‘Instructed by me, O Kshattri, do thou say unto theKuru king that I shall give him as much wealth from my treasury as hewishes to give away for the obsequies of his song, and of Bhishma andothers among his well-wishers and benefactors. Let not Bhima be cheerlessat this!’
“Vaisampayana continued, ‘Having said these words, king Yudhishthira thejust, highly applauded Arjuna. Meanwhile Bhimasena began to cast angryglances at Dhananjaya. Then Yudhishthira, endued with great intelligence,once more addressed Vidura and said, ‘It behoves not king Dhritarashtrato be angry with Bhimasena. This Bhima of great intelligence was greatlyafflicted by cold and rain and heat and by a thousand other griefs whileresiding in the woods. All this is not unknown to thee. Do thou, however,instructed by me, say unto the king, O foremost one of Bharata’s race,that he may take from my house whatever articles he wishes and inwhatever measure also he likes. Thou shalt also tell the king that heshould not allow his heart to dwell on this exhibition of pride in whichBhima, deeply afflicted, has indulged. Whatever wealth I have andwhatever Arjuna has in his house, the owner thereof is kingDhritarashtra. Even this thou shouldst tell him. Let the king make giftsunto the Brahmanas. Let him spend as largely as he likes. Let him freehimself from the debt he owes to his sons and well-wishers. Let him betold besides,–O Monarch, this very body of mine is at thy disposal andall the wealth I have. Know this, and let there be no doubt in this.
