"Karna said,--'We have never heard of such an act (as this one of
Draupadi), performed by any of the women noted in this world for their
beauty. When the sons of both Pandu and Dhritarashtra were excited with
wrath, this Draupadi became unto the sons of Pandu as their salvation.
Indeed the princess of Panchala, becoming as a boat unto the sons of
Pandu who were sinking in a boatless ocean of distress, hath brought
them in safety to the shore.'"
Vaisampayana continued,--"Hearing these words of Karna in the midst of
the Kurus,--viz., that the sons of Pandu were saved by their wife,--the
angry Bhimasena in great affliction said (unto Arjuna),--'O Dhananjaya,
it hath been said by Devala three lights reside in every person, viz.,
offspring, acts and learning, for from these three hath sprung
creation. When life becometh extinct and the body becometh impure and
is cast off by relatives, these three become of service to every
person. But the light that is in us hath been dimmed by this act of
insult to our wife. How, O Arjuna, can a son born from this insulted
wife of ours prove serviceable to us?'
"Arjuna replied,--'Superior persons, O Bharata, never prate about the
harsh words that may or may not be uttered by inferior men. Persons
that have earned respect for themselves, even if they are able to
retaliate, remember not the acts of hostility done by their enemies,
but, on the other hand, treasure up only their good deeds.'
"Bhima said,--'Shall I, O king, slay, without loss of time all these
foes assembled together, even here, or shall I destroy them, O Bharata,
by the roots, outside this palace? Or, what need is there of words or
of command? I shall slay all these even now, and rule thou the whole
earth, O king, without a rival.' And saying this, Bhima with his
younger brothers, like a lion in the midst of a herd of inferior
animals, repeatedly cast his angry glances around. But Arjuna, however,
of white deeds, with appealing looks began to pacify his elder brother.
And the mighty-armed hero endued with great prowess began to burn with
the fire of his wrath. And, O king, this fire began to issue out of
Vrikodara's ears and other senses with smoke and sparks and flames. And
his face became terrible to behold in consequence of his furrowed brows
like those of Yama himself at the time of the universal destruction.
Then Yudhishthira forbade the mighty hero, embracing him with his arms
and telling him 'Be not so. Stay in silence and peace.' And having
pacified the mighty-armed one with eyes red in wrath, the king
approached his uncle Dhritarashtra, with hands joined in entreaty.