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. Therefore, without doubt, water must be somewhere here.’
Hearing these words, Kunti’s son Yudhishthira, firm in truth, said, ‘O
amiable one, go thou and fetch water in these quivers!’ Saying, ‘So be
it,’ at the command of his eldest brother Nakula quickly proceeded
towards the place where there was water and soon came upon it. And
beholding a crystal lake inhabited by cranes he desired to drink of it,
when he heard these words from the sky, ‘O child, do not commit this rash
act! This lake hath already been in my possession. Do thou, O son of
Madri, first answer my questions and then drink of this water and take
away (as much as thou requirest). Nakula, however, who was exceedingly
thirsty, disregarding these words, drank of the cool water, and having
drunk of it, dropped down dead. And, O represser of foes, seeing Nakula’s
delay, Yudhishthira the son of Kunti said unto Sahadeva, the heroic
brother of Nakula, ‘O Sahadeva, it is long since our brother, he who was
born immediately before thee, hath gone from hence! Do thou, therefore,
go and bring back thy uterine brother, together with water.’ At this,
Sahadeva, saying, ‘So be it,’ set out in that direction; and coming to
the spot, beheld his brother lying dead on the ground. And afflicted at
the death of his brother, and suffering severely from thirst, he advanced
towards the water, when these words were heard by him, ‘O child, do not
commit this rash act! This lake hath already been in my possession. First
answer my question, and then drink of the water and take away as much as
thou mayst require.’ Sahadeva, however, who was extremely thirsty,
disregarding these words, drank of the water, and having drunk of it,
dropped down dead. Then Yudhishthira, the son of Kunti, said unto Vijaya,
‘It is long since, O Vibhatsu, that thy two brothers have gone, O
represser of foes! Blessed be thou! Do thou bring them back, together
with water. Thou art, O child, the refuge of us all when plunged in
distress!’ Thus addressed, the intelligent Gudakesa, taking his bow and
arrows and also his naked sword, set out tor that lake of waters. And
reaching that spot, he whose car was drawn by white steeds beheld those
tigers among men, his two younger brothers who had come to fetch water,
lying dead there. And seeing them as if asleep, that lion among men,
exceedingly aggrieved, raised his bow and began to look around that wood.
But he found none in that mighty forest. And, being fatigued, he who was
capable of drawing the bow by his left hand as well, rushed in the
direction of the water. And as he was rushing (towards the water), he
heard these words from the sky, ‘Why dost thou approach this water? Thou
shalt not be able to drink of it by force. If thou, O Kaunteya, can
answer the question I will put to thee, then only shalt thou drink of the
water and take away as much as thou requirest, O Bharata!’ Thus
forbidden, the son of Pritha said, ‘Do thou forbid me by appearing before
me! And when thou shalt be sorely pierced with my arrows, thou wilt not
then again speak in this way!’ Having said this, Partha covered all sides
with arrows inspired by mantras. And he also displayed his skill in
shooting at an invisible mark by sound alone. And, O bull of the Bharata
race, sorely afflicted with thirst, he discharged barbed darts and
javelins and iron arrows, and showered on the sky innumerable shafts
incapable of being baffled. Thereupon, the invisible Yaksha said, ‘What
need of all this trouble, O son of Pritha? Do thou drink only after
answering my questions! If thou drink, however, without answering my
questions, thou shalt die immediately after.’ Thus addressed, Pritha’s
son Dhananjaya capable of drawing the bow with his left hand as well,
disregarding those words, drank of the water, and immediately after
dropped down dead. And (seeing Dhananjaya’s delay) Kunti’s son
Yudhishthira addressed Bhimasena, saying, ‘O represser of foes, it is a
long while that Nakula and Sahadeva and Vibhatsu have gone to fetch
water, and they have not come yet, O Bharata! Good betide thee! Do thou
bring them back, together with water!’ Thereupon saying, ‘So be it,’
Bhimasena set out for that place where those tigers among men, his
brothers, lay dead. And beholding them, Bhima afflicted though he was
with thirst, was exceedingly distressed. And that mighty armed hero
thought all that to have been the act of some Yaksha or Rakshasa. And
Pritha’s son Vrikodara thought, ‘I shall surely have to fight today. Let
me, therefore, first appease my thirst.’ Then that bull of the Bharata
race rushed forward with the intention of drinking. Thereupon the Yaksha
said, ‘O child, do not commit this rash act! This lake hath already been
in my possession. Do thou first answer my questions, and then drink and
take away as much water as thou requirest!’”
Vaisampayana continued, “Thus addressed by that Yaksha of immeasurable
energy, Bhima, without answering his questions, drank of the water. And
as soon as he drank, he fell down dead on the spot. Then thinking that
his brothers had left him long since, Yudhishthira waited for some time.
And the king said unto himself again and again, ‘Why is it that the two
sons of Madri are delaying? And why doth the wielder also of the Gandiva
delay? And why doth Bhima too, endued with great strength, delay? I shall
go to search for them!’ And resolved to do this, the mighty-armed
Yudhishthira then rose up, his heart burning in grief. And that bull
among men, the royal son of Kunti thought within himself. ‘Is this forest
under some malign influence? Or, is it infested by some wicked beasts?
Or, have they all fallen, in consequence of having disregarded some
mighty being? Or, not finding water in the spot whither those heroes had
first repaired, they have spent all this time in search through the
forest? What is that reason for which those bulls among men do not come
back?’ And speaking in this strain, that foremost of monarchs, the
illustrious Yudhishthira, entered into that mighty forest where no human
sound was heard and which was inhabited by deer and bears and birds, and
which was adorned with trees that were bright and green, and which echoed
with the hum of the black-bee and the notes of winged warblers. As he was
proceeding along, he beheld that beautiful lake which looked as if it had
been made by the celestial artificer himself. And it was adorned with
flowers of a golden hue and with lotuses and Sindhuvars. And it abounded
with canes and Ketakas and Karaviras and Pippalas, and fatigued with
toil, Yudhishthira saw that tank and was struck with wonder.”