SECTION LXIX
(Dyuta Parva Continued)
Vaisampayana said,--"The kings present in
that assembly, from tear of Duryodhana, uttered not a word, good or ill,
although they beheld Draupadi crying piteously in affliction like a female
osprey, and repeatedly appealing to them. And the son of Dhritarashtra
beholding those kings and sons and grand sons of kings all remaining silent,
smiled a little, and addressing the daughter of the king of Panchala, said,--O
Yajnaseni, the question thou hast put dependeth on thy husbands--on Bhima of
mighty strength, on Arjuna, on Nakula, on Sahadeva. Let them answer thy
question. O Panchali, let them for thy sake declare in the midst of these
respectable men that Yudhishthira is not their lord, let them thereby make king
Yudhishthira the just a liar. Thou shalt then be freed from the condition of
slavery. Let the illustrious son of Dharma, always adhering to virtue, who is
even like Indra, himself declare whether he is not thy lord. At his words,
accept thou the Pandavas or ourselves without delay. Indeed, all the Kauravas
present in this assembly are floating in the ocean of thy distress. Endued with
magnanimity, they are unable to answer thy question, looking at thy unfortunate
husbands.'"
Vaisampayana continued,--"Hearing these
words of the Kuru king, all who were present in the assembly loudly applauded
them. And shouting approvingly, they made signs unto one another by motions of
their eyes and lips. And amongst some that were there, sounds of distress such
as 'O! and 'Alas!" were heard. And at these words of Duryodhana, so
delightful (to his partisans), the Kauravas present in that assembly became
exceedingly glad. And the kings, with faces turned sideways, looked upon
Yudhishthira conversant with the rules of morality, curious to hear what he
would say. And every one present in that assembly became curious to hear what
Arjuna, the son of Pandu never defeated in battle, and what Bhimasena, and what
the twins also would say. And when that busy hum of many voices became still,
Bhimasena, waving his strong and well-formed arms smeared with sandalpaste
spake these words,--'If this high-souled king Yudhishthira the just, who is our
eldest brother, had not been our lord, we would never have forgiven the Kuru
race (for all this). He is the lord of all our religious and ascetic merits,
the lord of even our lives. If he regardeth himself as won, we too have all
been won. If this were not so, who is there amongst creatures touching the
earth with their feet and mortal, that would escape from me with his life after
having touched those locks of the princess of Panchala? Behold these mighty,
well-formed arms of mine, even like maces of iron. Having once come within
them, even he of a hundred sacrifices is incapable of effecting an escape.
Bound by the ties of virtue and the reverence that is due to our eldest
brother, and repeatedly urged by Arjuna to remain silent, I am not doing
anything terrible. If however, I am once commanded by king Yudhishthira the
just, I would slay these wretched sons of Dhritarashtra, making slaps do the
work of swords, like a lion slaying a number of little animals."
Vaisampayana continued,--"Unto Bhima who had
spoken these words Bhishma and Drona and Vidura said, 'Forbear, O Bhima.
Everything is possible with thee.'"
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