ese my sons) desire. Let the Pandavas
return. And let my sons again gamble with the sons of Pandu."

SECTION LXXV

Vaisampayana said,--'The royal messenger, agreeably to the commands of
the intelligent king Dhritarashtra, coming upon Yudhishthira, the son of
Pritha who had by that time gone a great way, addressed the monarch and
said,--'Even these are the words of thy father-like uncle, O Bharata,
spoken unto thee, 'The assembly is ready. O son of Pandu, O king
Yudhisthira, come and cast the dice.'

Yudhishthira said,--'Creatures obtain fruits good and ill according to
the dispensation of the Ordainer of the creation. Those fruits are
inevitable whether I play or not. This is a summons to dice; it is,
besides the command of the old king. Although I know that it will prove
destructive to me, yet I cannot refuse.'

Vaisampayana continued,--"Although (a living) animal made of gold was an
impossibility, yet Rama suffered himself to be tempted by a (golden)
deer. Indeed, the minds of men over whom calamities hang, became deranged
and out of order. Yudhishthira, therefore, having said these words,
retraced his steps along with his brothers. And knowing full well the
deception practised by Sakuni, the son of Pritha came back to sit at dice
with him again. These mighty warriors again entered that assembly,
afflicting the hearts of all their friends. And compelled by Fate they
once more sat down at ease for gambling for the destruction of
themselves."

"Sakuni then said,--'The old king hath given ye back all your wealth.
That is well. But, O bull of the Bharata race, listen to me, there is a
stake of great value. Either defeated by ye at dice, dressed in deer
skins we shall enter the great forest and live there for twelve years
passing the whole of the thirteenth year in some inhabited region,
unrecognised, and if recognised return to an exile of another twelve
years; or vanquished by us, dressed in deer skins ye shall, with Krishna,
live for twelve years in the woods passing the whole of the thirteenth
year unrecognised, in some inhabited region. If recognised, an exile of
another twelve years is to be the consequence. On the expiry of the
thirteenth year, each is to have his kingdom surrendered by the other. O
Yudhishthira, with this resolution, play with us, O Bharata, casting the
dice.'

"At these words, they that were in that assembly, raising up their arms
said in great anxiety of mind, and from the strength of