pplaudeth thee for thus suffering such pain in consequence of the
kindliness of thy disposition. Thy intellect, O king, seeth not the
truth, like that of a foolish and ignorant person of high birth who hath
committed the words of the Vedas to memory without understanding their
sense. Thou art kind like a Brahmana. How hast thou been born in the
Kshatriya order? They that are born in the Kshatriya order are generally
of crooked hearts. Thou hast heard (recited) the duties of kings, as
promulgated by Manu, fraught with crookedness and unfairness and
precepts opposed to tranquillity and virtue. Why dost thou then, O king,
forgive the wicked sons of Dhritarashtra? Thou hast intelligence,
prowess, learning and high birth. Why dost thou then, O tiger among men,
act in respect of thy duties, like a huge snake that is destitute of
motion? O son of Kunti, he that desireth to conceal us, only wisheth to
conceal the mountains of Himavat by means of a handful of grass. O son
of Pritha, known as thou art over whole earth, thou wilt not be able to
live unknown, like the sun that can never course through the sky unknown
to men. Like a large tree in a well-watered region with spreading
branches and flowers and leaves, or like Indra's elephant, how will
Jishnu live unknown? How also will these children, the brothers, Nakula
and Sahadeva, equal unto a couple of young lions, both live in secret?
How, O son of Pritha, will Krishna--the daughter of Drupada--a princess
and mother of heroes, of virtuous deeds and known over all the world,
live unknown? Me also, everybody knoweth from my boyhood. I do not see
how I can live unknown. As well mighty mountains of Meru be sought to be
concealed. Then, again, many kings had been expelled by us from their
kingdom. These kings and princes will all follow the bad son of
Dhritarashtra, for robbed and exiled by us, they have not still become
friendly. Desiring to do good unto Dhritarashtra, they will certainly
seek to injure us. They will certainly set against us numerous spies in
disguise. If these discover us and report their discovery, a great
danger will overtake us. We have already lived in the woods full
thirteen months. Regard them, O king, for their length as thirteen
years. The wise have said that a month is a substitute for a year, like
the pot-herb that is regarded as a substitute for the _Soma_. Or, (if
thou breakest thy pledge), O king, thou mayst free thyself from this sin
by offering good s