corns, began to weep. And that mighty son of Kunti, holding the hands of
Draupadi in his, shed copious tears. And afflicted with great woe, he
spoke these words."

SECTION XXI

"Bhima said, 'Fie on the might of my arms and fie on the _Gandiva_ of
Phalguna, inasmuch as thy hands, red before, now become covered with
corns. I would have caused a carnage in Virata's court but for the fact
that Kunti's son eyed me (by way of forbidding it), or like a mighty
elephant, I would, without ado, have crushed the head of Kichaka
intoxicated with the pride of sovereignty. When, O Krishna, I beheld
thee kicked by Kichaka, I conceived at that instant a wholesale
slaughter of the Matsyas. Yudhishthira, however, forbade me by a glance,
and, O beauteous lady, understanding his intention I have kept quiet.
That we have been deprived of our kingdom, that I have not yet slain the
Kurus, that I have not yet taken the heads of Suyodhana and Karna, and
Suvala's son Sakuni, and the wicked Duhsasana, these acts and omissions,
O lady, are consuming every limb of mine. The thought of those abides in
my heart like a javelin implanted in it. O thou of graceful hips, do not
sacrifice virtue, and, O noble-hearted lady, subdue thy wrath. If king
Yudhishthira hear from thee such rebukes, he will surely put an end to
his life. If also Dhananjaya and the twins hear thee speak thus, even
they will renounce life. And if these, O slender-waisted maiden, give up
life, I also shall not be able to bear my own. In olden days Sarjati's
daughter, the beautiful Sukanya, followed into the forest Chyavana of
Bhrigu's race, whose mind was under complete control, and over whom,
while engaged in ascetic meditation, the ants had built a hill. Thou
mayst have heard that Indrasena also who in beauty was like unto
_Narayani_ herself, followed her husband aged a thousand years. Thou
mayst have heard that Janaka's daughter Sita, the princess of Videha,
followed her lord while living in dense woods. And that lady of graceful
hips, Rama's beloved wife, afflicted with calamities and persecuted by
the Rakshasas, at length regained the company of Rama. Lopamudra also, O
timid one, endued with youth and beauty, followed Agastya, renouncing
all the objects of enjoyment unattainable by men. And the intelligent
and faultless Savitri also followed the heroic Satyavan, the son of
Dyumatsena, alone into the world of Yama. Even like these chaste and
beautiful ladies that I have named,