(Nalopakhyana Parva)
Janamejaya said, “When the high-souled Partha went to Indra’s region for
obtaining weapons, what did Yudhishthira and the other sons of Pandu do?”
Vaisampayana said, “When the high-souled Partha went to Indra’s region
for obtaining weapons, those bulls of the Bharata race continued to dwell
with Krishna in (the woods of) Kamyaka. One day, those foremost of the
Bharatas, afflicted with grief, were seated with Krishna on a clean and
solitary sward. Grieving for Dhananjaya, overwhelmed with sorrow, their
voices were choked with weeping. Tortured by Dhananjaya’s absence, grief
afflicted them equally. And filled with sorrow at their separation from
Arjuna and at the loss of their kingdom, the mighty-armed Bhima among
them addressed Yudhishthira, saying, “That Bull of the Bharata race,
Arjuna, O great king, on whom depend the lives of Pandu’s sons, and on
whose death the Panchalas as also ourselves with our sons and Satyaki and
Vasudeva are sure to die, hath gone away at thy behest. What can be
sadder than this that the virtuous Vibhatsu hath gone away at thy
command, thinking of his many griefs? Depending upon the might of that
illustrious hero’s arms, regard our foes as already vanquished in battle,
and the whole earth itself as already acquired by us. It was for the sake
of that mighty warrior that I refrained from sending to the other world
all the Dhartarashtras along with the Suvalas, in the midst of the
assembly. Gifted with might of arms, and supported by Vasudeva, we have
to suppress the wrath that hath been roused in us, because thou art the
root of that wrath. Indeed, with Krishna’s help, slaying our foes headed
by Karna, we are able to rule the entire earth (thus) conquered by our
own arms. Endued with manliness, we are yet overwhelmed with calamities,
in consequence of thy gambling vice, while the foolish null of
Dhritarashtra are growing stronger with the tributes (gathered from
dependent kings). O mighty monarch, it behoveth thee to keep in view the
duties of the Kshatriya. O great king, it is not the duty of a Khsatriya
to live in the woods. The wise are of the opinion that to rule is the
foremost duty of a Kshatriya. O king, thou art conversant with Kshatriya
morality. Do not, therefore, deviate from the path of duty. Turning away
from the woods, let us, summoning Partha and Janardana, slay, O king, the
sons of Dhritarashtra, even before the twelve years are complete. O
illustrious monarch O king of kings, even if these Dhartarashtras be
surrounded by soldiers in array of battle, I shall send them to the other
world by dint of might alone. I shall slay all the sons of Dhritarashtra
along with the Sauvalas, indeed, Duryodhana, Karna, and any one else that
will fight with me. And after I shall have slain all our foes, thou mayst
come back unto the woods. By acting thus, O king, no fault will be thine.
(Or if any sin be thine), O represser of foes, O mighty monarch, washing
it off, O sire, by various sacrifices, we may ascend to a superior
heaven. Such a consummation may come to pass, if our king proveth not
unwise or procrastinating. Thou art, however, virtuous. Verily the
deceitful should be destroyed by deceit. To slay the deceitful by deceit,
is not regarded as sinful. O Bharata, it is, also said by those versed in
morality that one day and night is, O great prince, equal unto a full
year. The Veda text also, exalted one, is often heard, signifying that a
year is equivalent to a day when passed in the observance of certain
difficult vows. O thou of unfading glory, if the Vedas are an authority
with thee, regard thou the period of a day and something more as the
equivalent of thirteen years. O represser of foes, this is the time to
slay Duryodhana with his adherents. Else, O king, he will beforehand
bring the whole earth obedient to his will. O foremost of monarchs, all
this is the result of thy addiction to gambling. We are on the verge of
destruction already, in consequence of thy promise of living one year
undiscovered. I do not find the country where, if we live, the
wicked-minded Suyodhana may not be able to trace us by his spies. And
finding us out, that wretch will again deceitfully send us into such
exile in the woods. Or if that sinful one beholdeth us emerge, after the
expiry of the pledged period of non-discovery, he will again invite thee,
O great king, to dice, and the play will once more begin. Summoned once
more, thou wilt again efface thyself at dice. Thou art not skilled at
dice, and when summoned at play, thou wilt be deprived of thy senses.
Therefore, O mighty monarch thou wilt have to lead a life in the woods
again. If, O mighty king, it behoveth thee not to make us wretched for
life, observe thou fully the ordinance of the Vedas, (which inculcateth
that) verily the deceitful ought to be slain by deceit. If I but have thy
command I would go (to Hastinapura) and, even as fire falling upon a heap
of grass consumeth it, would slay Duryodhana, putting forth my utmost
might. It behoveth thee, therefore, to grant me the permission.’”
Vaisampayana continued, “Thus addressed by Bhima, king Yudhishthira the
just, smelt the crown of that son of Pandu, and pacifying him said, ‘O
mighty-armed one, without doubt, thou wilt, assisted by the wielder of
the Gandiva, slay Suyodhana at the expiry of the thirteenth year. But, O
son of Pritha, as for thy assertion, ‘O Lord, the time is complete’, I
cannot dare tell an untruth, for untruth is not in me. O son of Kunti,
without the help of fraud, wilt thou kill the wicked and irrepressible
Duryodhana, with his allies.’
“While Yudhishthira the just, was speaking unto Bhima thus, there came
the great and illustrious Rishi Vrihadaswa before them. And beholding
that virtuous ascetic before him, the righteous king worshipped him
according to the ordinance, with the offering of Madhuparka. And when the
ascetic was seated and refreshed, the mighty-armed Yudhishthira sat by
him, and looking up at the former, addressed him thus in exceedingly
piteous accents:
‘O holy one, summoned by cunning gamblers skilled at dice, I have been
deprived of wealth and kingdom through gambling. I am not an adept at
dice, and am unacquainted with deceit. Sinful men, by unfair means,
vanquished me at play. They even brought into the public assembly my wife
dearer unto me than life itself. And defeating me a second time, they
have sent me to distressful exile in this great forest, clad in deer
skins. At present I am leading a distressful life in the woods in grief
of heart. Those harsh and cruel speeches they addressed me on the
occasion of that gambling match, and the words of my afflicted friends
relating to the match at dice and other subjects, are all stored up in my
remembrance. Recollecting them I pass the whole night in (sleepless)
anxiety. Deprived also (of the company) of the illustrious wielder of the
Gandiva, on whom depend the lives of us all, I am almost deprived of
life. Oh, when shall I see the sweet-speeched and large-hearted Vibhatsu
so full of kindness and activity, return to us, having obtained all
weapons? Is there a king on this earth who is more unfortunate than
myself? Hast thou ever seen or heard of any such before? To my thinking,
there is no man more wretched than I am.’
“Vrihadaswa said, ‘O great king, O son of Pandu, thou sayest, ‘There is
no person more miserable than I am’ O sinless monarch, if thou wilt
listen, I will relate unto thee the history of a king more wretched than
thyself?
Vaisampayana continued, “And thereupon the king said unto the ascetic, ‘O
illustrious one, tell me, I desire to hear the history of the king who
had fallen into such a condition.’
“Vrihadaswa said, ‘O king, O thou that never fallest off, listen
attentively with thy brothers, I will narrate the history of a prince
more miserable than thyself. There was a celebrated king among the
Nishadhas, named Virasena. He had a son named Nala, versed in (the
knowledge of) virtue and wealth. It hath been heard by us that, that king
was deceitfully defeated by Pushkara, and afflicted with calamity, he
dwelt in the woods with his spouse. And, O king, while he was living in
the forest, he had neither slaves nor cars, neither brother nor friends
with him. But thou art surrounded by thy heroic brothers like unto the
celestials, and also by foremost regenerate ones like unto Brahma
himself. Therefore, it behoveth thee not to grieve.’
“Yudhishthira said, ‘I am anxious to hear in detail, O thou foremost of
eloquent men, the history of the illustrious Nala. It behoveth thee
therefore to relate it unto me.’