The Mahabharata of Krishna Dwaipayana Vyasa Bk. 3 Pt. 2 by Translated by Kisari Mohan Ganguli

T >> Translated by Kisari Mohan Ganguli >> The Mahabharata of Krishna Dwaipayana Vyasa Bk. 3 Pt. 2

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Vaisampayana continued, "All those Brahmanas, thus advised by their
ascetic preceptor, became greatly afraid of the Pandavas and fled away
in all directions. Then Bhimasena not beholding those excellent _Munis_
in the celestial river, made a search after them here and there at all
the landing places. And learning from the ascetics of those places that
they had run away, he came back and informed Yudhishthira of what had
happened. Then all the Pandavas of subdued senses, expecting them to
come, remained awaiting their arrival for some time. And Yudhishthira
said, 'Coming dead of night the _Rishis_ will deceive us. Oh how, can we
escape from this difficulty created by the facts?' Seeing them absorbed
in such reflections and breathing long deep sighs at frequent intervals,
the illustrious Krishna suddenly appeared to them and addressed them
these words: 'Knowing, ye sons of Pritha, your danger from that wrathful
_Rishi_, I was implored by Draupadi to come, and (therefore) have I come
here speedily. But now ye have not the least fear from the _Rishi_
Durvasa. Afraid of your ascetic powers, he hath made himself scarce ere
this. Virtuous men never suffer. I now ask your permission to let me
return home. May you always be prosperous!'"

Vaisampayana continued, "Hearing Kesava's words, the sons of Pritha,
with Draupadi, became easy in mind. And cured of their fever (of
anxiety), they said unto him, 'As persons drowning in the wide ocean
safely reach the shore by means of a boat, so have we, by thy aid, O
lord Govinda, escaped from this inextricable difficulty. Do thou now
depart in peace, and may prosperity be thine.' Thus dismissed, he
repaired to his capital and the Pandavas too, O blessed lord, wandering
from forest to forest passed their days merrily with Draupadi. Thus, O
king, have I related to thee the story which thou askedest me to repeat.
And it was thus that the machinations of the wicked sons of
Dhritarashtra about the Pandavas in the forest, were frustrated."

SECTION CCLXII

Vaisampayana said, "These great warriors of the race of Bharata
sojourned like immortals in the great forest of Kamyaka, employed in
hunting and pleased with the sight of numerous wild tracts of country
and wide reaches of woodland, gorgeous with flowers blossoming in
season. And the sons of Pandu, each like unto Indra and the terror of
his enemies, dwelt there for some time. And one day those valiant men,
the conquerors of their foes, went about in all directions in search of
game for feeding the Brahmanas in their company, leaving Draupadi alone
at the hermitage, with the permission of the great ascetic Trinavindu,
resplendent with ascetic grandeur, and of their spiritual guide Dhaumya.
Meanwhile, the famous king of Sindhu, the son of Vriddhakshatra was,
with a view to matrimony, proceeding to the kingdom of Salwa, dressed in
his best royal apparel and accompanied by numerous princes. And the
prince halted in the woods of Kamyaka. And in that secluded place, he
found the beautiful Draupadi, the beloved and celebrated wife of the
Pandavas, standing at the threshold of the hermitage. And she looked
grand in the superb beauty of her form, and seemed to shed a lustre on
the woodland around, like lightning illuminating masses of dark clouds.
And they who saw her asked themselves, 'Is this an Apsara, or a daughter
of the gods, or a celestial phantom?' And with this thought, their hands
also joined together, they stood gazing on the perfect and faultless
beauty of her form. And Jayadratha, the king of Sindhu, and the son of
Vriddhakshatra, struck with amazement at the sight of that lady of
faultless beauty, was seized with an evil intention. And inflamed with
desire, he said to the prince named Kotika, 'Whose is this lady of
faultless form? Is she of the human kind? I have no need to marry if I
can secure this exquisitely beautiful creature. Taking her with me, I
shall go back to my abode, Oh sir, and enquire who she is and whence she
has come and why also that delicate being hath come into this forest
beset with thorns. Will this ornament of womankind, this slender-waisted
lady of so much beauty, endued with handsome teeth and large eyes,
accept me as her lord? I shall certainly regard myself successful, if I
obtain the hand of this excellent lady. Go, Kotika, and enquire who her
husband may be.' Thus asked, Kotika, wearing a kundala, jumped out of
his chariot and came near her, as a jackal approacheth a tigress, and
spake unto her these words."

SECTION CCLXIII

"Kotika said, 'Excellent lady, who art thou that standest alone, leaning
on a branch of the _Kadamva_ tree at this hermitage and looking grand
like a flame of fire blazing at night time, and fanned by the wind?
Exquisitely beautiful as thou art, how is it that thou feelest not any
fear in these forests? Methinks thou art a goddess, or a _Yakshi_, or a
_Danavi_, or an excellent _Apsara_, or the wife of a _Daitya_, or a
daughter of the _Naga_ king, or a _Rakshasi_ or the wife of Varuna, or
of Yama, or of Soma, or of Kuvera, who, having assumed a human form,
wanderest in these forests. Or, hast thou come from the mansions of
Dhatri, or of Vidhatri, or of Savitri, or of Vibhu, or of Sakra? Thou
dost not ask us who we are, nor do we know who protects thee here!
Respectfully do we ask thee, good lady, who is thy powerful father, and,
O, do tell us truly the names of thy husband, thy relatives, and thy
race, and tell us also what thou dost here. As for us, I am king
Suratha's son whom people know by the name of Kotika, and that man with
eyes large as the petals of the lotus, sitting on a chariot of gold,
like the sacrificial fire on the altar, is the warrior known by the name
of Kshemankara, king of Trigarta. And behind him is the famous son of
the king of Pulinda, who is even now gazing on thee. Armed with a mighty
bow and endued with large eyes, and decorated with floral wreaths, he
always liveth on the breasts of mountains. The dark and handsome young
man, the scourge of his enemies, standing at the edge of that tank, is
the son of Suvala of the race of Ikshwaku. And if, O excellent lady,
thou hast ever heard the name of Jayadratha, the king of Sauviras, even
he is there at the head of six thousand chariots, with horses and
elephants and infantry, and followed by twelve Sauvira princes as his
standard-bearers, named Angaraka, Kunjara, Guptaka, Satrunjaya,
Srinjaya, Suprabiddha, Prabhankara, Bhramara, Ravi, Sura, Pratapa and
Kuhana, all mounted on chariots drawn by chestnut horses and every one
of them looking like the fire on the sacrificial altar. The brothers
also of the king, viz., the powerful Valahaka, Anika, Vidarana and
others, are among his followers. These strong-limbed and noble youths
are the flowers of the Sauvira chivalry. The king is journeying in the
company of these his friends, like Indra surrounded by the Maruts. O
fine-haired lady, do tell us that are unacquainted (with these matters),
whose wife and whose daughter thou art.'"

SECTION CCLXIV

Vaisampayana continued, "The princess Draupadi, thus questioned by that
ornament of Sivi's race, moved her eyes gently, and letting go her hold
of the Kadamva branch and arranging her silken apparel she said, 'I am
aware, O prince, that it is not proper for a person like me to address
you thus, but as there is not another man or woman here to speak with
thee and as I am alone here just now, let me, therefore, speak. Know,
worthy sir, that being alone in this forest here, I should not speak
unto thee, remembering the usages of my sex. I have learned, O Saivya,
that thou art Suratha's son, whom people know by the name of Kotika.
Therefore, on my part, I shall now tell thee of my relations and
renowned race. I am the daughter of king Drupada, and people know me by
the name of Krishna, and I have accepted as my husbands, five persons of
whom you may have heard while they were living at Khandavaprastha. Those
noble persons, viz., Yudhishthira, Bhimasena, Arjuna, and the two sons
of Madri, leaving me here and having assigned unto themselves the four
points of the horizon, have gone out on a hunting excursion. The king
hath gone to the east, Bhimasena towards the south, Arjuna to the west,
and the twin brothers towards the north! Therefore, do ye now alight and
dismiss your carriages so that ye may depart after receiving a due
welcome from them. The high-souled son of Dharma is fond of guests and
will surely be delighted to see you!' Having addressed Saivya's son in
this way, the daughter of Drupada, with face beautiful as the moon,
remembering well her husband's character for hospitality, entered her
spacious cottage."

SECTION CCLXV

Vaisampayana said, "O Bharata, Kotikakhya related to those princes who
had been waiting, all that had passed between him and Krishna. And
hearing Kotikakhya's words, Jayadratha said to that scion of the race of
Sivi, 'Having listened only to her speech, my heart has been lovingly
inclined towards that ornament of womankind. Why therefore, hast thou
returned (thus unsuccessful)? I tell thee truly, O thou of mighty arms,
that having once seen this lady, other women now seem to me like so many
monkeys. I having looked at her, she has captivated my heart. Do tell
me, O Saivya, if that excellent lady is of the human kind.' Kotika
replied, 'This lady is the famous princess Krishna, the daughter of
Drupada, and the celebrated wife of the five sons of Pandu. She is the
much esteemed and beloved and chaste wife of the sons of Pritha. Taking
her with thee, do thou proceed towards Sauvira!'"

Vaisampayana continued, "Thus addressed, the evil-minded Jayadratha, the
king of Sindhu, Sauvira and other countries, said, 'I must see
Draupadi.' And with six other men he entered that solitary hermitage,
like a wolf entering the den of a lion. And he said unto Krishna, 'Hail
to thee, excellent lady! Are thy husbands well and those, besides, whose
prosperity thou always wishest.' Draupadi replied, 'Kunti's son king
Yudhishthira of the race of Kuru, his brothers, myself, and all those of
whom thou hast enquired of, are well. Is everything right with thy
kingdom, thy government, exchequer, and thy army? Art thou, as sole
ruler, governing with justice the rich countries of Saivya, Sivi, Sindhu
and others that thou hast brought under thy sway? Do thou, O prince,
accept this water for washing thy feet. Do thou also take this seat. I
offer thee fifty animals for thy train's breakfast. Besides these,
Yudhishthira himself, the son of Kunti, will give thee porcine deer and
_Nanku_ deer, and does, and antelopes, and _Sarabhas_, and rabbits, and
_Ruru_ deer, and bears, and _Samvara_ deer and gayals and many other
animals, besides wild boars and buffaloes and other animals of the
quadruped tribe.' Hearing this Jayadratha replied, saying, 'All is well
with me. By offering to provide our breakfast, thou hast in a manner
actually done it. Come now and ride my chariot and be completely happy.
For it becomes not thee to have any regard for the miserable sons of
Pritha who are living in the woods, whose energies have been paralysed,
whose kingdom hath been snatched and whose fortunes are at the lowest
ebb. A woman of sense like thee doth not attach herself to a husband
that is poor. She should follow her lord when he is in prosperity but
abandon him when in adversity. The sons of Pandu have for ever fallen
away from their high state, and have lost their kingdom for all time to
come. Thou hast no need, therefore, to partake of their misery from any
regard for them. Therefore, O thou of beautiful hips, forsaking the sons
of Pandu, be happy by becoming my wife, and share thou with me the
kingdoms of Sindhu and Sauvira.'"

Vaisampayana continued, "Hearing these frightful words of the king of
Sindhu, Krishna retired from that place, her face furrowed into a frown
owing to the contraction of her eye-brows. But disregarding his words
from supreme contempt, the slender-waisted Krishna reproving said unto
the king of Sindhu, 'Speak not thus again! Art thou not ashamed? Be on
thy guard!' And that lady of irreproachable character anxiously
expecting the return of her husband, began, with long speeches, to
beguile him completely."

SECTION CCLXVI

Vaisampayana said, "The daughter of Drupada, though naturally handsome,
was suffused with crimson arising from a fit of anger. And with eyes
inflamed and eye-brows bent in wrath, she reproved the ruler of the
Suviras, saying, 'Art thou not ashamed, O fool, to use such insulting
words in respect of those celebrated and terrible warriors, each like
unto Indra himself, and who are all devoted to their duties and who
never waver in fight with even hosts of _Yakshas_ and _Rakshasas_? O
Sauvira, good men never speak ill of learned persons devoted to
austerities and endued with learning, no matter whether they live in the
wilderness or in houses. It is only wretches that are mean as thou who
do so. Methinks there is none in this assemblage of Kshatriya, who is
capable of holding thee by the hand to save thee from falling into the
pit thou openest under thy feet. In hoping to vanquish king Yudhishthira
the just, thou really hopest to separate, stick in hand, from a herd
roaming in Himalayan valleys, its leader, huge as a mountain peak and
with the temporal juice trickling down its rent temples. Out of childish
folly thou art kicking up into wakefulness the powerful lion lying
asleep, in order to pluck the hair from off his face! Thou shalt,
however, have to run away when thou seest Bhimasena in wrath! Thy
courting a combat with the furious Jishnu may be likened to thy kicking
up a mighty, terrible, full-grown and furious lion asleep in a mountain
cave. The encounter thou speakest of with those two excellent
youths--the younger Pandavas--is like unto the act of a fool that
wantonly trampleth on the tails of two venomous black cobras with
bifurcated tongues. The bamboo, the reed, and the plantain bear fruit
only to perish and not to grow in size any further. Like also the crab
that conceiveth for her own destruction, thou wilt lay hands upon me who
am protected by these mighty heroes!'

"Jayadratha replied, 'I know all this, O Krishna, and I am well aware of
the prowess of those princes. But thou canst not frighten us now with
these threats. We, too, O Krishna, belong by birth to the seventeen high
clans, and are endowed with the six royal qualities.[49] We, therefore,
look down upon the Pandavas as inferior men! Therefore, do thou, O
daughter of Drupada, ride this elephant or this chariot quickly, for
thou canst not baffle us with thy words alone; or, speaking less
boastfully, seek thou the mercy of the king of the Sauviras!'

[49] The six acts of a king are peace, war, marching, halting,
sowing dissention, and seeking protection.

"Draupadi replied, 'Though I am so powerful, why doth the king of
Sauvira yet consider me so powerless. Well-known as I am, I cannot, from
fear of violence, demean myself before that prince. Even Indra himself
cannot abduct her for whose protection Krishna and Arjuna would together
follow, riding in the same chariot. What shall I say, therefore, of a
weak human being. When Kiriti, that slayer of foes, riding on his car,
will, on my account, enter thy ranks, striking terror into every heart,
he will consume everything around like fire consuming a stack of dry
grass in summer. The warring princes of the Andhaka and the Vrishni
races, with Janardana at their head, and the mighty bowmen of the
Kaikeya tribe, will all follow in my wake with great ardour. The
terrible arrows of Dhananjaya, shot from the string of the _Gandiva_ and
propelled by his arms fly with great force through the air, roaring like
the very clouds. And when thou wilt behold Arjuna shooting from the
_Gandiva_ a thick mass of mighty arrows like unto a flight of locusts,
then wilt thou repent of thine own folly! Bethink thyself of what thou
wilt feel when that warrior armed with the _Gandiva_, blowing his
conch-shell and with gloves reverberating with the strokes of his
bowstring will again and again pierce thy breast with his shafts. And
when Bhima will advance towards thee, mace in hand and the two sons of
Madri range in all directions, vomiting forth the venom of their wrath,
thou wilt then experience pangs of keen regret that will last for ever.
As I have never been false to my worthy lords even in thought, so by
that merit shall I now have the pleasure of beholding thee vanquished
and dragged by the sons of Pritha. Thou canst not, cruel as thou art,
frighten me by seizing me with violence, for as soon as those Kuru
warriors will espy me they will bring me back to the woods of Kamyaka.'"

Vaisampayana continued, "Then that lady of large eyes, beholding them
ready to lay violent hands on her, rebuked them and said, 'Defile me not
by your touch!' And in a great alarm she then called upon her spiritual
adviser, Dhaumya. Jayadratha, however, seized her by her upper garment,
but she pushed him with great vigour. And pushed by the lady, that
sinful wretch fell upon the ground like a tree severed from its roots.
Seized, however, once more by him with great violence, she began to pant
for breath. And dragged by the wretch, Krishna at last ascended his
chariot having worshipped Dhaumya's feet. And Dhaumya then addressed
Jayadratha and said, 'Do thou, O Jayadratha, observe the ancient custom
of the Kshatriyas. Thou canst not carry her off without having
vanquished those great warriors. Without doubt, thou shalt reap the
painful fruits of this thy despicable act, when thou encounterest the
heroic sons of Pandu with Yudhishthira the just at their head!'"

Vaisampayana continued, "Having said these words Dhaumya, entering into
the midst of Jayadratha's infantry, began to follow that renowned
princess who was thus being carried away by the ravisher."

SECTION CCLXVII

Vaisampayana said, "Meanwhile those foremost of bowmen on the face of
the earth, having wandered separately and ranged in all directions, and
having slain plenty of deer and buffaloes, at length met together. And
observing that great forest, which was crowded with hosts of deer and
wild beasts, resounding with the shrill cries of birds, and hearing the
shrieks and yells of the denizens of the wilderness. Yudhishthira said
unto his brothers. 'These birds and wild beasts, flying towards that
direction which is illuminated by the sun, are uttering dissonant cries
and displaying an intense excitement. All this only shows that this
mighty forest hath been invaded by hostile intruders. Without a moment's
delay let us give up the chase. We have no more need of game. My heart
aches and seems to burn! The soul in my body, over-powering the
intellect, seems ready to fly out. As a lake rid by Garuda of the mighty
snake that dwells in it, as a pot drained of its contents by thirsty
men, as a kingdom reft of king and prosperity, even so doth the forest
of Kamyaka seem to me.' Thus addressed, those heroic warriors drove
towards their abode, on great cars of handsome make and drawn by steeds
of the _Saindharva_ breed exceedingly fleet and possessed of the speed
of the hurricane. And on their way back, they beheld a jackal yelling
hideously on the wayside towards their left. And king Yudhishthira,
regarding it attentively, said unto Bhima and Dhananjaya, 'This jackal
that belongs to a very inferior species of animals, speaking to our
left, speaketh a language which plainly indicates that the sinful Kurus,
disregarding us, have commenced to oppress us by resorting to violence.'
After the sons of Pandu had given up the chase and said these words,
they entered the grove which contained their hermitage. And there they
found their beloved one's maid, the girl Dhatreyika, sobbing and
weeping. And Indrasena then quickly alighting from the chariot and
advancing with hasty steps towards her, questioned her, O king, in great
distress of mind, saying, 'What makes thee weep thus, lying on the
ground, and why is thy face so woe-begone and colourless? I hope no
cruel wretches have done any harm to the princess Draupadi possessed of
incomparable beauty and large eyes and who is the second self of every
one of those bulls of the Kuru race? So anxious hath been Dharma's son
that if the princess hath entered the bowels of the earth or hath soared
to heaven or dived into the bottom of the ocean, he and his brothers
will go thither in pursuit of her. Who could that fool be that would
carry away that priceless jewel belonging to the mighty and
ever-victorious sons of Pandu, those grinders of foes, and which is dear
unto them as their own lives? I don't know who the person could be that
would think of carrying away that princess who hath such powerful
protectors and who is even like a walking embodiment of the hearts of
the sons of Pandu? Piercing whose breasts will terrible shafts stick to
the ground to-day? Do not weep for her, O timid girl, for know thou that
Krishna will come back this very day, and the sons of Pritha, having
slain their foes, will again be united with Yagnaseni!' Thus addressed
by him, Dhatreyika, wiping her beautiful face, replied unto Indrasena
the charioteer, saying, 'Disregarding the five Indra-like sons of Pandu,
Jayadratha hath carried away Krishna by force. The track pursued by him
hath not yet disappeared, for the broken branches of trees have not yet
faded. Therefore, turn your cars and follow her quickly, for the
princess cannot have gone far by this time! Ye warriors possessed of the
prowess of Indra, putting on your costly bows of handsome make, and
taking up your costly bows and quivers, speed ye in pursuit of her, lest
overpowered by threats or violence and losing her sense and the colour
of her cheeks, she yields herself up to an undeserving wight, even as
one poureth forth, from the sacrificial ladle, the sanctified oblation
on a heap of ashes. O, see that the clarified butter is not poured into
an unigniting fire of paddy chaff; that a garland of flowers is not
thrown away in a cemetery. O, take care that the _Soma_ juice of a
sacrifice is not licked up by a dog through the carelessness of the
officiating priests! O, let not the lily be rudely torn by a jackal
roaming for its prey in the impenetrable forest. O, let no inferior
wight touch with his lips the bright and beautiful face of your wife,
fair as the beams of the moon and adorned with the finest nose and the
handsomest eyes, like a dog licking clarified butter kept in the
sacrificial pot! Do ye speed in this track and let not time steal a
march on you.'

"Yudhishthira said, 'Retire, good woman, and control thy tongue. Speak
not this way before us. Kings or princes, whoever are infatuated with
the possession of power, are sure to come to grief!'"

Vaisampayana continued, "With these words, they departed, following the
track pointed out to them, and frequently breathing deep sighs like the
hissing of snakes, and twanging the strings of their large bows. And
then they observed a cloud of dust raised by the hoofs of the steeds
belonging to Jayadratha's army. And they also saw Dhaumya in the midst
of the ravisher's infantry, exhorting Bhima to quicken his steps. Then
those princes (the sons of Pandu) with hearts undepressed, bade him be
of good cheer and said unto him, 'Do thou return cheerfully!'--And then
they rushed towards that host with great fury, like hawks swooping down
on their prey. And possessed of the prowess of Indra, they had been
filled with fury at the insult offered to Draupadi. But at sight of
Jayadratha and of their beloved wife seated on his car, their fury knew
no bounds. And those mighty bowmen, Bhima and Dhananjaya and the twin
brothers and the king, called out Jayadratha to stop, upon which the
enemy was so bewildered as to lose their knowledge of directions."

SECTION CCLXVIII

Vaisampayana said, "The hostile Kshatriyas, incensed at sight of
Bhimasena and Arjuna, sent up a loud shout in the forest. And the wicked
king Jayadratha, when he saw the standards of those bulls of the Kuru
race, lost his heart, and addressing the resplendent Yagnaseni seated on
his car, said, 'Those five great warriors, O Krishna, that are coming,
are I believe, thy husbands. As thou knowest the sons of Pandu well, do
thou, O lady of beautiful tresses, describe them one by one to us,
pointing out which of them rideth which car!' Thus addressed, Draupadi
replied, 'Having done this violent deed calculated to shorten thy life,
what will it avail thee now, O fool, to know the names of those great
warriors, for, now that my heroic husbands are come, not one of ye will
be left alive in battle. However as thou art on the point of death and
hast asked me, I will tell thee everything, this being consistent with
the ordinance. Beholding king Yudhishthira the just with his younger
brothers, I have not the slightest anxiety or fear from thee! That
warrior at the top of whose flagstaff two handsome and sonorous tabours
called _Nanda_ and _Upananda_ are constantly played upon,--he, O Sauvira
chief, hath a correct knowledge of the morality of his own acts. Men
that have attained success always walk in his train. With a complexion
like that of pure gold, possessed of a prominent nose and large eyes,
and endued with a slender make, that husband of mine is known among
people by the name of Yudhishthira, the son of Dharma and the foremost
of the Kuru race. That virtuous prince of men granteth life to even a
foe that yields. Therefore, O fool, throwing down thy arms and joining
thy hands, run to him for thy good, to seek his protection. And that
other man whom thou seest with long arms and tall as the full-grown
_Sala_ tree, seated on his chariot, biting his lips, and contracting his
forehead so as to bring the two eye-brows together, is he,--my husband
Vrikodara! Steeds of the noblest breed, plump and strong, well-trained
and endued with great might, draw the cars of that warrior! His
achievements are superhuman. He is known, therefore, by the name of
_Bhima_ on earth. They that offend him are never suffered to live. He
never forgetteth a foe. On some pretext or other he wrecketh his
vengeance. Nor is he pacified even after he has wrecked a signal
vengeance. And there, that foremost of bowmen, endued with intelligence
and renown, with senses under complete control and reverence for the
old--that brother and disciple of Yudhishthira--is my husband
Dhananjaya! Virtue he never forsaketh, from lust or fear or anger! Nor
doth he ever commit a deed that is cruel. Endued with the energy of fire
and capable of withstanding every foe, that grinder of enemies is the
son of Kunti. And that other youth, versed in every question of morality
and profit, who ever dispelleth the fears of the affrighted, who is
endued with high wisdom, who is considered as the handsomest person in
the whole world and who is protected by all the sons of Pandu, being
regarded by them as dearer to them than their own lives for his
unflinching devotion to them, is my husband Nakula possessed of great
prowess. Endued with high wisdom and having Sahadeva for his second,
possessed of exceeding lightness of hand, he fighteth with the sword,
making dexterous passes therewith. Thou, foolish man, shall witness
today his performances on the field of battle, like unto those of Indra
amid the ranks of Daityas! And that hero skilled in weapons and
possessed of intelligence and wisdom, and intent on doing what is
agreeable to the son of Dharma, that favourite and youngest born of the
Pandavas, is my husband Sahadeva! Heroic, intelligent, wise and ever
wrathful there is not another man equal unto him in intelligence or in
eloquence amid assemblies of the wise. Dearer to Kunti than her own
soul, he is always mindful of the duties of Kshatriyas, and would much
sooner rush into fire or sacrifice his own life than say anything that
is opposed to religion and morals. When the sons of Pandu will have
killed thy warriors in battle, then wilt thou behold thy army in the
miserable plight of a ship on the sea wrecked with its freight of jewels
on the back of a whale. Thus have I described unto thee the prowess of
the sons of Pandu, disregarding whom in thy foolishness, thou hast acted
so. If thou escapest unscathed from them, then, indeed thou wilt have
obtained a new lease of life.'"

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