h himself to be pierced over all by the
remembrance of his wrongs, sleepeth not in the night! Beholding the twins
and Krishna and Yudhisthira and Bhima plunged in misery, Arjuna without
doubt, sigheth like a serpent of fierce energy and sleepeth not from
wrath in the night! The twins also, who are even like a couple of blessed
celestials in heaven sunk in woe though deserving of bliss, without doubt
pass their nights in restless wakefulness restrained (from avenging their
wrongs) by virtue and truth! The mighty son of the Wind-god, who is equal
to the Wind-god himself in strength, without doubt, sigheth and
restraineth his wrath, being tied through his elder brother in the bonds
of truth! Superior in battle to all warriors, he now lieth quiet on the
ground, restrained by virtue and truth, and burning to slay my children,
he bideth his time. The cruel words that Dussasana spoke after
Yudhishthira had been deceitfully defeated at dice, have sunk deep into
Vrikodara's heart, and are consuming him, like a burning bundle of straw
consuming a fagot of dry wood! The son of Dharma never acteth sinfully;
Dhananjaya also always obeyeth him; but Bhima's wrath, in consequence of
a life of exile, is increasing like a conflagration assisted by the wind!
That hero, burning with rage such as that, squeezeth his hands and
breatheth hot and fierce sighs, as if consuming therewith my sons and
grandsons! The wielder of the Gandiva and Vrikodara, when angry, are like
Yama and Kala themselves; scattering their shafts, which are like unto
thunder-bolts, they exterminate in battle the ranks of the enemy. Alas
Duryodhana, and Sakuni, and the Suta's son, and Dussasana also of wicked
soul, in robbing the Pandavas of their kingdom by means of dice, seem to
behold the honey alone without marking the terrible ruin. A man having
acted rightly or wrongly, expecteth the fruit of those acts. The fruit,
however, confounding him, paralyses him fully. How can man, thereof, have
salvation? If the soil is properly tilled, and the seed sown therein, and
if the god (of rain) showereth in season, still the crop may not grow.
This is what we often hear. Indeed, how could this saying be true unless,
as I think, it be that everything here is dependent on Destiny? The
gambler Sakuni hath behaved deceitfully towards the son of Pandu, who
ever acteth honestly. From affection for my wicked sons I also have acted
similarly. Alas, it is owing to this that the hour of destr