And when they had sat down, Nakula stricken with
sorrow and urged by impatience, addressed his eldest brother of the Kuru
race, saying, 'In our race, O king, virtue hath never been sacrificed,
nor hath there been loss of wealth from insolence. And being asked, we
have never said to any creature, Nay! Why then in the present case have
we met with this disaster?'"
SECTION CCCX
"Yudhishthira said, 'There is no limit to calamities. Nor is it possible
to ascertain either their final or efficient cause. It is the Lord of
justice alone who distributeth the fruits of both virtue and vice.'
Thereupon Bhima said, 'Surely, this calamity hath befallen us, because I
did not slay the _Pratikamin_ on the very spot, when he dragged Krishna
as a slave into the assembly.' And Arjuna said, 'Surely, this calamity
hath befallen us because I resented not those biting words piercing the
very bones, uttered by the _Suta's_ son!' And Sahadeva said, 'Surely, O
Bharata, this calamity hath befallen us because I did not slay Sakuni
when he defeated thee at dice!'"
Vaisampayana continued, "Then king Yudhishthira addressed Nakula saying,
'Do thou, O son of Madri, climb this tree and look around the ten points
of the horizon. Do thou see whether there is water near us or such trees
as grow on watery grounds! O child, these thy brothers are all fatigued
and thirsty.' Thereupon saying, 'So be it,' Nakula speedily climbed up a
tree, and having looked around, said unto his eldest brother, 'O king, I
see many a tree that groweth by the water-side, and I hear also the
cries of cranes.
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