ie at
hands! But what can I do? The king is always overflowing with mercy, and
thou, too, art constantly putting obstacles in my way from a childish
sense of virtue!' Having said these words, Vrikodara, with his
crescent-shaped arrow, shaved the hair of the prince's head, heaving five
tufts in as many places. Jayadratha uttered not a word at this. Then
Vrikodara, addressing the foe said, 'If thou wishest to live, listen to
me. O fool! I shall tell thee the means to attain that wish! In public
assemblies and in open courts thou must say,--I am the slave of the
Pandavas.--on this condition alone, I will pardon thee thy life! This is
the customary rule of conquest on the field of battle.' Thus addressed
and treated, king Jayadratha said to the mighty and fierce warrior who
always looked awful, 'Be it so!' And he was trembling and senseless and
begrimed with dust. Then Arjuna and Vrikodara, securing him with chains,
thrust him into a chariot. And Bhima, himself mounting that chariot, and
accompanied by Arjuna, drove towards the hermitage. And approaching
Yudhishthira seated there, he placed Jayadratha in that condition before
the king. And the king, smiling, told him to set the Sindhu prince at
liberty. Then Bhima said unto the king, 'Do thou tell Draupadi that this
wretch hath become the slave of the Pandavas.' Then his eldest brother
said unto him affectionately, 'If thou hast any regard for us, do thou
set this wretch at liberty!' And Draupadi too, reading the king's mind,
said, 'Let him off! He hath become a slave of the king's and thou, too,
hast disfigured him by leaving five tufts of hair on his head.' Then that
crest-fallen prince, having obtained his liberty, approached king
Yudhishthira and bowed down unto him. And seeing those Munis there, he
saluted them also. Then the kind-hearted king Yudhishthira, the son of
Dharma, beholding Jayadratha in that condition, almost supported by
Arjuna, said unto him, 'Thou art a free man now; I emancipate thee! Now
go away and be careful not to do such thing again; shame to thee! Thou
hadst intended to take away a lady by violence, even though thou art so
mean and powerless! What other wretch save thee would think of acting
thus?" Then that foremost king of Bharata's race eyed with pity that
perpetrator of wicked deeds, and believing that he had lost his senses,
said, 'Mayst thy heart grow in virtue! Never set thy heart again on
immoral deeds! Thou mayst depart in peace now with t