cide this point."

"Draupadi said,--"The king was summoned to this assembly and though
possessing no skill at dice, he was made to play with skilful, wicked,
deceitful and desperate gamblers. How can he be said then to have staked
voluntarily? The chief of the Pandavas was deprived of his senses by
wretches of deceitful conduct and unholy instincts, acting together, and
then vanquished. He could not understand their tricks, but he hath now
done so. Here, in this assembly, there are Kurus who are the lords of
both their sons and their daughters-in-law! Let all of them, reflecting
well upon my words, duly decide the point that I have put.

Vaisampayana continued,--'Unto Krishna who was thus weeping and crying
piteously, looking at times upon her helpless lord, Dussasana spake many
disagreeable and harsh words. And beholding her who was then in her
season thus dragged, and her upper garments loosened, beholding her in
that condition which she little deserved, Vrikodara afflicted beyond
endurance, his eyes fixed upon Yudhishthira, gave way to wrath."

"Bhima said,--'O Yudhishthira, gamblers have in their houses many women
of loose character. They do not yet stake those women having kindness for
them even. Whatever wealth and other excellent articles the king of Kasi
gave, whatever, gems, animals, wealth, coats of mail and weapons that
other kings of the earth gave, our kingdom, thyself and ourselves, have
all been won by the foes. At all this my wrath was not excited for thou
art our lord. This, however, I regard as a highly improper act--this act
of staking Draupadi. This innocent girl deserveth not this treatment.
Having obtained the Pandavas as her lords, it is for thee alone that she
is being thus persecuted by the low, despicable, cruel, and mean-minded
Kauravas. It is for her sake, O king, that my anger falleth on thee. I
shall burn those hands of thine. Sahadeva, bring some fire."

'Arjuna hearing this, said,--'Thou hast never, O Bhimasena, before this
uttered such words as these. Assuredly thy high morality hath been
destroyed by these cruel foes. Thou shouldst not fulfil the wishes of the
enemy. Practise thou the highest morality. Whom doth it behave to
transgress his virtuous eldest brother? The king was summoned by the foe,
and remembering the usage of the Kshatriyas, he played at dice against
his will. That is certainly conducive to our great fame.

'Bhima said,--'If I had not known, O Dhananjaya, that the ki