“Vaishampaayana said, ‘The Pandavas, having established such a rule (Samayam
in Sanskrit), continued to reside there.
By the prowess of their weaponry they brought many kings under their rule.
Krishna (Draupadi) became obedient
to all the five sons of Pritha (sons of Kunti), those lions among men, of immeasurable energy. Like the river
Saraswati decked with elephants, which again take pleasure in that stream,
Draupadi took great delight in her five heroic husbands and they too took
delight in her. In consequence of the famous Pandavas being exceedingly Dharmic
in their practice, the whole race of Kurus, free from sin, and happy, grew in
prosperity.
“O king (Janamejaya), after
some time, it so happened that certain robbers lifted the cattle of a Brahmana,
and while they were carrying away the loot, the Brahmana, deprived of his
senses by anger, travelled to Khandavaprastha, and began to scolded the
Pandavas in accents of sorrowness.
“The Brahmana said, ‘O Pandavas, from this your territory, my cows are
now being taken away by force by hateful and wicked wretches! You pursue the
thieves. Alas, the butter of yagna, of a peaceful Brahmana is being taken away
by crows! Alas, the wretched jackal invades the empty cave of a lion! A king that takes the sixth part of the produce of the land (as tax) without
protecting the subject, has been called by the wise to be the most sinful
person in the whole world.
The wealth of a Brahmana is being taken away by robbers! Dharma itself is
sustaining a decline! Take me up by the hand, O Pandavas, for I am plunged in
grief!’
“Vaishampaayana continued, ‘Dhananjaya (Arjuna), the son of Kunti, heard those accents of the Brahmana weeping in
bitter grief. As soon as he heard those accents, he loudly assured the
Brahmana, saying, ‘No fear!’ But it so happened that the chamber where the famous
Pandavas had their weapons was then occupied by Dharmaraja Yudhishthira with
Krishna (Draupadi). Arjuna,
therefore, was incapable of entering it or, going alone with the Brahmana,
though repeatedly urged (to do either)
by the weeping accents of the Brahmana.
“Summoned by the Brahmana, Arjuna thought, with a sorrowful heart, ‘Alas,
this innocent Brahmana’s wealth is being robbed! I should certainly dry up his
tears. He has come to our gate, and is weeping even now. If I do not protect
him, the king (Yudhishthira) will be
touched with sin in consequence of my indifference; our own Adharma will be
cited throughout the kingdom, and we shall incur a great sin. If, disregarding
the king, I enter the chamber, without doubt I shall be behaving untruthfully
towards the monarch without an enemy. By entering the chamber, again, I incur
the penalty of an exile in the forest. But I must overlook everything. I care
not if I have to incur sin by disregarding the king. I care not if I have to go
to the forest and die there. Dharma is superior to the
body and lasts after the body has perished!’
“Dhananjaya (Arjuna),
arriving at this resolution, entered the chamber and talked with Yudhishthira.
Coming out with the bow, he cheerfully told the Brahmana, ‘Proceed quickly, O
Brahmana, so that those wretched robbers may not go much ahead of us. I shall
accompany you and restore to you your wealth that has fallen into the hands of
the thieves.’
“Then Dhananjaya (Arjuna),
capable of using both his arms with equal skill, armed with the bow and cased
in armour and riding in his war-chariot decked with a standard, pursued the
thieves, and piercing them with his arrows, compelled them to give up the loot.
Benefiting the Brahmana thus by making over to him his cows, and winning great fame,
the hero (Arjuna) returned to the
capital. Bowing to all the elders, and congratulated by everybody, Paartha (Arjuna) at last approached Yudhishthira, and
addressing him, said, ‘Give me leave, O lord, to observe the vow I took. In seeing
you sitting with Draupadi, I have violated the rule established by ourselves. I
shall therefore go into the forest, for this is our understanding.’
“Then Yudhishthira, suddenly hearing those painful words, became pained
with grief, and said in an agitated voice, ‘Why!’ A little while after, king
Yudhishthira in grief said to his brother Dhananjaya (Arjuna) of curly hair who never departed from his
vows, these words, ‘O sinless one, if I am an authority worthy of regard,
listen to what I say. O hero (Arjuna),
completely I do know the reason why you had entered my chamber and did what you
regard to be an act disagreeable to me. But there is no displeasure in my mind.
The younger brother may, without fault, enter the
chamber where the elder brother sits with his wife. It is only the elder
brother that acts against the rules of decency by entering the room where the
younger brother sits with his wife. Therefore, O you of mighty arms (Arjuna), quit from your purpose. Do what I say. Your
Dharma has sustained no decline. You have not disregarded me.’
“Arjuna, hearing this, replied, ‘I have heard, from you, that raising objections is not permitted in the discharge of duty.
I cannot waver from truth. Truth is my weapon.’
“Vaishampaayana continued, ‘Obtaining then the king’s permission,
Arjuna prepared himself for a forest-life; and he went to the forest to live
there for twelve years.’”
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