him,
and with our sorrows assuaged, we have, O son, been living in the house
of this Brahmana, unknown to the sons of Dhritarashtra. For requiting, O
son, that Brahmana, I have resolved to do this. He, indeed, is a man upon
whom good offices are never lost. The measure of his requital becometh
greater than the measure of the services he receiveth. Beholding the
prowess of Bhima on the occasion of (our escape from) the house of lac,
and from the destruction also of Hidimva, my confidence in Vrikodara is
great. The might of Bhima's arms is equal unto that of ten thousand
elephants. It was, therefore, that he succeeded in carrying you all, each
heavy as an elephant, from Varanavata. There is no one on earth equal
unto Bhima in might; he may even overcome that foremost of warriors, the
holder of the thunderbolt himself. Soon after his birth he fell from my
lap on the breast of the mountain. By the weight of his body the mass of
stone on which he fell down broke in pieces. From this also, O son of
Pandu, I have come to know Bhima's might. For this reason have I resolved
to set him against the Brahmana's foe. I have not acted in this from
foolishness or ignorance or from motive of gain. I have deliberately
resolved to do this virtuous deed. By this act, O Yudhishthira, two
objects will be accomplished; one is a requital of the services rendered
by the Brahmana and the other is the acquisition of high religious merit.
It is my conviction that the Kshatriya who rendereth help unto a Brahmana
in anything acquireth regions of bliss hereafter. So also a Kshatriya who
saveth the life of a Kshatriya achieveth that great fame in this world as
in the other. A Kshatriya rendering help unto a Vaisya also on this earth
certainly acquires world-wide popularity. One of the kingly tribe should
protect even the Sudra who cometh to him for protection. If he doeth so,
in his next life he receiveth his birth in a royal line, commanding
prosperity and the respect of other kings. O scion of Puru's race, the
illustrious Vyasa of wisdom acquired by hard ascetic toil told me so in
bygone days. It is therefore, that I have resolved upon accomplishing
this.'"

SECTION CLXV

(Vaka-vadha Parva continued)

"Having heard these words of his mother, Yudhishthira said, 'What thou, O
mother, hast deliberately done, moved by compassion for the afflicted
Brahmana, is, indeed, excellent Bhima will certainly come back with life,
after having slain the cann