his allies. The
loss of kingdom did not grieve me; the defeat at dice did not grieve me.
That the illustrious and beautiful princess of Panchala was dragged into
the assembly while clad in a single raiment and made to hear bitter words
grieved me most. What, O Krishna, could be a greater grief to me? Alas,
ever devoted to Kshatriya customs and endued with great beauty, the
princess, while ill, underwent that cruel treatment, and though
possessing powerful protectors was then as helpless as if she had none. O
slayer of Madhu, having thee and that foremost of all mighty persons,
Rama, and that mighty car-warrior Pradyumna for me and my children's
protectors and having, O foremost of men, my sons the invincible Bhima
and the unretreating Vijaya both alive, that I had still such grief to
bear is certainly strange!'"

Vaisampayana continued, "Thus addressed by her, Sauri the friend of
Partha, then comforted his paternal aunt, Pritha, afflicted with grief on
account of her sons. And Vasudeva said, 'What woman is there, O aunt, in
the world who is like thee? The daughter of king Surasena, thou art, by
marriage, admitted into Ajamida's race. High-born and highly married,
thou art like a lotus transplanted from one mighty lake into another.
Endued with every prosperity and great good fortune, thou wert adored by
thy husband. The wife of a hero, thou hast again given birth to heroic
sons. Possessed of every virtue, and endued with great wisdom, it
behoveth thee to bear with patience, both happiness and misery.
Overcoming sleep and langour, and wrath and joy, and hunger and thirst,
and cold and heat, thy children are always in the enjoyment of that
happiness, which, as heroes, should by theirs. Endued with great exertion
and great might, thy sons, without affecting the comforts derivable from
the senses such as satisfy only the low and the mean, always pursue that
happiness which as heroes they should. Nor are they satisfied like little
men having mean desires. They that are wise enjoy or suffer the same of
whatever enjoyable or sufferable. Indeed, ordinary persons, affecting
comforts that satisfy the low and the mean, desire an equable state of
dullness, without excitement of any kind. They, however, that are
superior, desire either the acutest of human suffering or the highest of
all enjoyments that is given to man. The wise always delight in extremes.
They find no pleasure betwixt; they regard the extreme to be happiness,
while