Received with respect by that chief of the Kurus, the old
king, the Brahmana took his seat; and asked by the monarch he began to
talk of the sons of Dharma, Pavana, Indra and of the twins, all of whom
having fallen into severe misery, had become emaciated and reduced owing
to exposure to wind and sun. And that Brahmana also talked of Krishna
who was overwhelmed with suffering and who then had become perfectly
helpless, although she had heroes for her lords. And hearing the words
of that Brahmana, the royal son of Vichitravirya became afflicted with
grief, at the thought of those princes of royal lineage then swimming in
a river of sorrow. His inmost soul afflicted with sorrow and trembling
all over with sighs, he quieted himself with a great effort, remembering
that everything had arisen from his own fault. And the monarch said,
'Alas, how is it that Yudhishthira who is the eldest of my sons, who is
truthful and pious and virtuous in his behaviour, who hath not a foe,
who had formerly slept on beds made of soft _Ranku_ skins, sleepeth now
on the bare ground! Alas, wakened formerly by _Sutas_ and _Magadhas_ and
other singers with his praises, melodiously recited every morning, that
prince of the Kuru race, equal unto Indra himself, is now waked from the
bare ground towards the small hours of the night by a multitude of
birds! How doth Vrikodara, reduced by exposure to wind and sun and
filled with wrath, sleep, in the presence of the princess of Panchala,
on the bare ground, unfit as he is to suffer such lot! Perhaps also, the
intelligent Arjuna, who is incapable of bearing pain, and who, though
obedient to the will of Yudhishthira, yet feeleth himself to be pierced
over all by the remembrance of his wrongs, sleepeth not in the night!
Beholding the twins and Krishna and Yudhishthira and Bhima plunged in
misery, Arjuna without doubt, sigheth like a serpent of fierce energy
and sleepeth not from wrath in the night! The twins also, who are even
like a couple of blessed celestials in heaven sunk in woe though
deserving of bliss, without doubt pass their nights in restless
wakefulness restrained (from avenging their wrongs) by virtue and truth!
The mighty son of the Wind-god, who is equal to the Wind-god himself in
strength, without doubt, sigheth and restraineth his wrath, being tied
through his elder brother in the bonds of truth! Superior in battle to
all warriors, he now lieth quiet on the ground, restrained by virtue and
truth, and burning to slay my children, he bideth his time.
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