sh; and she is
highly blessed and is also the daughter-in-law of the illustrious Pandu.
I incline to think that Time, and human Destiny that dependeth on our
acts, and the Inevitable, are irresistible in respect of creatures. (If
it were not so), how could such a misfortune afflict this wife of ours so
faithful and virtuous, like a false accusation of theft against an honest
man? The daughter of Drupada hath never committed any sinful act, nor,
hath she done anything that is not commendable: on the contrary, she hath
assiduously practised the highest virtues towards Brahmanas. And yet the
foolish king Jayadratha had carried her away by force. In consequence of
this act of violence on her, that sinful wretch hath his hair shaved off
his head and sustained also, with all his allies, defeat in battle. It is
true we have rescued her after slaughtering the troops of Sindhu. But the
disgrace of this ravishment of our wife during our hours of carelessness,
hath stained us, to be sure. This life in the wilderness is full of
miseries. We subsist by chase; and though dwelling in the woods, we are
obliged to slay the denizens thereof that live with us! This exile also
that we suffer is due to the act of deceitful kinsmen! Is there any one
who is more unfortunate than I am? Hath thou ever seen or heard of such a
one before?"

SECTION CCLXXII

"Markandeya said, 'O bull of the Bharata race, even Rama suffered
unparalleled misery, for the evil-minded Ravana, king of the Rakshasas,
having recourse to deceit and overpowering the vulture Jatayu, forcibly
carried away his wife Sita from his asylum in the woods. Indeed, Rama,
with the help of Sugriva, brought her back, constructing a bridge across
the sea, and consuming Lanka with his keen-edged arrows.'

"Yudhishthira said, 'In what race was Rama born and what was the measure
of his might and prowess? Whose son also was Ravana and for what was it
that he had any misunderstanding with Rama? It behoveth thee, O
illustrious one, to tell me all this in detail; for I long to hear the
story of Rama of great achievements!'

"Markandeya said, 'Listen, O prince of Bharata's race, to this old
history exactly as it happened! I will tell thee all about the distress
suffered by Rama together with his wife. There was a great king named Aja
sprung from me race of Ikshwaku. He had a son named Dasaratha who was
devoted to the study of the Vedas and was ever pure. And Dasaratha had
four sons conver