Vaisampayana said, “Thus addressed by Bhimasena, the high-souled king
Ajatasatru firmly devoted to truth, mustering his patience, after a few
moments said these words, ‘No doubt, O Bharata, all this is true. I
cannot reproach thee for thy torturing me thus by piercing me with thy
arrowy words. From my folly alone hath this calamity come against you. I
sought to cast the dice desiring to snatch from Dhritarashtra’s son his
kingdom with the sovereignty. It was therefore that, that cunning
gambler--Suvala’s son--played against me on behalf of Suyodhana. Sakuni,
a native of the hilly country, is exceedingly artful. Casting the dice in
the presence of the assembly, unacquainted as I am with artifices of any
kind, he vanquished me artfully. It is, therefore, O Bhimasena, that we
have been overwhelmed with this calamity. Beholding the dice favourable
to the wishes of Sakuni in odds and evens, I could have controlled my
mind. Anger, however, driveth off a person’s patience. O child, the mind
cannot be kept under control when it is influenced by hauteur, vanity, or
pride. I do not reproach thee, O Bhimasena, for the words thou usest. I
only regard that what hath befallen us was pre-ordained. When king
Duryodhana, the son of Dhritarashtra, coveting our kingdom, plunged us
into misery and even slavery, then, O Bhima, it was Draupadi that rescued
us. When summoned again to the assembly for playing once more, thou
knowest as well as Arjuna what Dhritarashtra’s son told me, in the
presence of all the Bharatas, regarding the stake for which we were to
play. His words were, O prince Ajatsatru, (if vanquished), thou shalt
have with all thy brothers, to dwell, to the knowledge of all men, for
twelve years in the forest of thy choice, passing the thirteenth year in
secrecy. If during the latter period, the spies of the Bharatas, hearing
of thee, succeed in discovering thee, thou shalt have again to live in
the forest for the same period, passing once more the last year in
secrecy. Reflecting upon this, pledge thyself to it. As regards myself, I
promise truly in this assembly of the Kurus, that if thou canst pass this
time confounding my spies and undiscovered by them, then, O Bharata, this
kingdom of the five rivers is once more thine. We also, O Bharata, if
vanquished by thee, shall, all of us, abandoning all our wealth, pass the
same period, according to the same rules. Thus addressed by the prince, I
replied unto him in the midst of all the Kurus, ‘So be it!’ The wretched
game then commenced. We were vanquished and have been exiled. It is for
this that we are wandering miserably over different woody regions
abounding with discomfort. Suyodhana, however, still dissatisfied, gave
himself up to anger, and urged the Kurus as also all those under his sway
to express their joy at our calamity. Having entered into such an
agreement in the presence of all good men, who dareth break it for the
sake of a kingdom on earth? For a respectable person, I think, even death
itself is lighter than the acquisition of sovereignty by an act of
transgression. At the time of the play, thou hadst desired to burn my
hands. Thou wert prevented by Arjuna, and accordingly didst only squeeze
thy own hands. If thou couldst do what thou hadst desired, could this
calamity befall us? Conscious of thy prowess, why didst thou not, O
Bhima, say so before we entered into such an agreement? Overwhelmed with
the consequence of our pledge, and the time itself having passed, what is
the use of thy addressing me these harsh words? O Bhima, this is my great
grief that we could not do anything even beholding Draupadi persecuted in
that way. My heart burneth as if I have drunk some poisonous liquid.
Having, however, given that pledge in the midst of the Kuru heroes, I am
unable to violate it now. Wait, O Bhima, for the return of our better
days, like the scatterer of seeds waiting for the harvest. When one that
hath been first injured, succeedeth in revenging himself upon his foe at
a time when the latter’s enmity hath borne fruit and flowers, he is
regarded to have accomplished a great thing by his prowess. Such a brave
person earneth undying fame. Such a man obtaineth great prosperity. His
enemies bow down unto him, and his friends gather round him, like the
celestials clustering round Indra for protection. But know, O Bhima, my
promise can never be untrue. I regard virtue as superior to life itself
and a blessed state of celestial existence. Kingdom, sons, fame,
wealth,--all these do not come up to even a sixteenth part of truth.’