(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 followers 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 Kshatriya 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.'"