"Bhima said, 'O king, unsubstantial as thou art like froth, unstable
like a fruit (falling when ripe), dependent on time, and mortal, having
entered into an agreement in respect of time, which is infinite and
immeasurable, quick like a shaft or flowing like a stream, and carrying
everything before it like death itself, how canst regard it as available
by thee? How can he, O son of Kunti, wait whose life is shortened every
moment, even like a quantity of collyrium that is lessened each time a
grain is taken up by the needle? He only whose life is unlimited or who
knoweth with certitude what the period of his life is, and who knoweth
the future as if it were before his eyes, can indeed wait for the
arrival of (an expected) time. If we wait, O king, for thirteen years,
that period, shortening our lives, will bring us nearer to death. Death
is sure to overtake every creature having a corporeal existence.
Therefore, we should strive for the possession of our kingdom before we
die. He that faileth to achieve fame, by failing to chastise his foes,
is like an unclean thing. He is a useless burden on the earth like an
incapacitated bull and perisheth ingloriously. The man who, destitute of
strength, and courage, chastiseth not his foes, liveth in vain, I regard
such a one as low-born. Thy hand can rain gold; thy fame spreadeth over
the whole earth; slaying thy foes, therefore, in battle, enjoy thou the
wealth acquired by the might of thy arms. O repressor of all foes, O
king, if a man slaying his injurer, goeth the very day into hell, that
hell becometh heaven to him. O king, the pain one feeleth in having to
suppress one's wrath is more burning than fire itself. Even now I burn
with it and cannot sleep in the day or the night. This son of Pritha,
called Vibhatsu, is foremost in drawing the bow-string. He certainly
burneth with grief, though he liveth here like a lion in his den. This
one that desireth to slay without aid all wielders of the bow on earth,
represseth the wrath that riseth in his breast, like a mighty elephant.
Nakula, Sahadeva, and old Kunti--that mother of heroes, are all dumb,
desiring to please thee. And all our friends along with the Srinjayas
equally desire to please thee. I alone, and Prativindhya's mother speak
unto thee burning with grief. Whatever I speak unto thee is agreeable to
all of them, for all of them plunged in distress, eagerly wish for
battle. Then, O monarch, what more wretched a calamity can overtake us
that our kingdom should be wrested from us by weak and contemptible foes
and enjoyed by them? O king, from the weakness of thy disposition thou
feelest shame in violating thy pledge. But, O slayer of foes, no one
applaudeth thee for thus suffering such pain in consequence of the
kindliness of thy disposition. Thy intellect, O king, seeth not the
truth, like that of a foolish and ignorant person of high birth who hath
committed the words of the Vedas to memory without understanding their
sense. Thou art kind like a Brahmana. How hast thou been born in the
Kshatriya order? They that are born in the Kshatriya order are generally
of crooked hearts. Thou hast heard (recited) the duties of kings, as
promulgated by Manu, fraught with crookedness and unfairness and
precepts opposed to tranquillity and virtue. Why dost thou then, O king,
forgive the wicked sons of Dhritarashtra? Thou hast intelligence,
prowess, learning and high birth. Why dost thou then, O tiger among men,
act in respect of thy duties, like a huge snake that is destitute of
motion? O son of Kunti, he that desireth to conceal us, only wisheth to
conceal the mountains of Himavat by means of a handful of grass. O son
of Pritha, known as thou art over whole earth, thou wilt not be able to
live unknown, like the sun that can never course through the sky unknown
to men. Like a large tree in a well-watered region with spreading
branches and flowers and leaves, or like Indra's elephant, how will
Jishnu live unknown? How also will these children, the brothers, Nakula
and Sahadeva, equal unto a couple of young lions, both live in secret?
How, O son of Pritha, will Krishna--the daughter of Drupada--a princess
and mother of heroes, of virtuous deeds and known over all the world,
live unknown? Me also, everybody knoweth from my boyhood. I do not see
how I can live unknown. As well mighty mountains of Meru be sought to be
concealed. Then, again, many kings had been expelled by us from their
kingdom. These kings and princes will all follow the bad son of
Dhritarashtra, for robbed and exiled by us, they have not still become
friendly. Desiring to do good unto Dhritarashtra, they will certainly
seek to injure us. They will certainly set against us numerous spies in
disguise. If these discover us and report their discovery, a great
danger will overtake us. We have already lived in the woods full
thirteen months. Regard them, O king, for their length as thirteen
years. The wise have said that a month is a substitute for a year, like
the pot-herb that is regarded as a substitute for the _Soma_. Or, (if
thou breakest thy pledge), O king, thou mayst free thyself from this sin
by offering good savoury food to a quiet bull carrying sacred burdens.
Therefore, O king resolve thou to slay thy enemies. There is no virtue
higher than fighting, for every Kshatriya!'"