ts of mail, their
resplendent robes of celestial make, and let them all attire themselves
in deer-skins according to the stake they had accepted of the son of
Suvala. They who always used to boast that they had no equals in all the
world, will now know and regard themselves in this their calamity as
grains of sesame without the kernel. Although in this dress of theirs the
Pandavas seem like unto wise and powerful persons installed in a
sacrifice, yet they look like persons not entitled to perform sacrifices,
wearing such a guise. The wise Yajnasena of the Somake race, having
bestowed his daughter--the princess of Panchala--on the sons of Pandu,
acted most unfortunately for the husbands of Yajnaseni--these sons of
Pritha are as eunuchs. And O Yajnaseni, what joy will be thine upon
beholding in the woods these thy husbands dressed in skins and
thread-bare rags, deprived of their wealth and possessions. Elect thou a
husband, whomsoever thou likest, from among all these present here. These
Kurus assembled here, are all forbearing and self-controlled, and
possessed of great wealth. Elect thou one amongst these as thy lord, so
that these great calamity may not drag thee to wretchedness. 'The sons of
Pandu now are even like grains of sesame without the kernel, or like
show-animals encased in skins, or like grains of rice without the kernel.
Why shouldst thou then longer wait upon the fallen sons of Pandu? Vain is
the labour used upon pressing the sesame grain devoid of the kernel!'

"Thus did Dussasana, the son of Dhritarashtra, utter in the hearing of
the Pandavas, harsh words of the most cruel import. And hearing them, the
unforbearing Bhima, in wrath suddenly approaching that prince like a
Himalayan lion upon a jackal, loudly and chastisingly rebuked him in
these words,--Wicked-minded villain, ravest thou so in words that are
uttered alone by the sinful? Boastest thou thus in the midst of the
kings, advanced as thou art by the skill of the king of Gandhara. As thou
piercest our hearts hear with these thy arrowy words, so shall I pierce
thy heart in battle, recalling all this to thy mind. And they also who
from anger or covetousness are walking behind thee as thy
protectors,--them also shall I send to the abode of Yama with their
descendants and relatives."

Vaisampayana continued,--Unto Bhima dressed in deer-skins and uttering
these words of wrath without doing any thing, for he could not deviate
from the path of virtue, D