ong been under the impression that in consequence of my love for
him, I could, (for his sake) abandon all,--sire, brother, children, wife
and life itself. And yet moved by the desire of sovereignty, I interfered
not when he was about to be slain. For this fault, O king, I have, O
lord, already sunk into hell, overcome with shame. Having, for the sake
of kingdom, caused the slaughter of one who was a Brahmana, who was
venerable in years, who was my preceptor, who had laid aside his weapons,
and who was then devoted, like a great ascetic, to Yoga, death has become
preferable to me to life!"'"

SECTION CXCVIII

"Sanjaya said, 'Hearing these words of Arjuna, the mighty car-warriors
present there said not a single word, O monarch, agreeable or
disagreeable, unto Dhananjaya. Then the mighty-armed Bhimasena, filled
with wrath, O bull of Bharata's race, reproaching Kunti's son, Arjuna,
said these words, "Thou preachest truths of morality like an anchorite
living in the woods or a Brahmana of rigid vows and senses under complete
control. A person is called a Kshatriya because he rescues others from
wounds and injuries. Being such, he must save himself from wounds and
injuries. Showing forgiveness towards the three that are good (viz., the
gods, the Brahmanas, and preceptor), a Kshatriya, by doing his duties,
soon wins the earth as also piety and fame and prosperity.[262] Thou, O
perpetuator of thy race, art endued with every attribute of a Kshatriya.
It does not, therefore, look well for thee to speak like an ignorant
wight. O son of Kunti, thy prowess is like that of Sakra himself, the
lord of Sachi. Thou dost not transgress the bounds of morality like the
ocean that never transgresses its continents. Who is there that would not
worship thee, seeing that thou seekest virtue, having abandoned the wrath
cherished by thee for thirteen years? By good luck, O sire, thy heart
today followeth in the wake of virtue. O thou of unfading glory, by good
luck, thy understanding inclineth towards compassion. Though, however,
thou art inclined to adopt the path of virtue, thy kingdom was snatched
from thee most unrighteously. Dragging thy wife Draupadi to the assembly,
thy foes insulted her. Clad in barks of trees and skins of animals, all
of us were exiled to the woods, and though we were undeserving of that
plight, our foes nevertheless compelled us to endure it for thirteen
years. O sinless one, thou hast forgiven all these circumstanc