Arjun Vanavasa

Arjun Vanavasa
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(Extract from 'The Mahabharata' of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa BOOK 1 "Adi-parva"

Translated into English Prose from the Original Sanskrit Text

by Kisari Mohan Ganguli [1883-1896]
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"Vaisampayana said, 'The Pandavas, having established such a rule,
continued to reside there. By the prowess of their arms they brought many
kings under their sway. And Krishna became obedient unto all the five
sons of Pritha, those lions among men, of immeasurable energy. Like the
river Saraswati decked with elephants, which again take pleasure in that
stream, Draupadi took great delight in her five heroic husbands and they
too took delight in her. And in consequence of the illustrious Pandavas
being exceedingly virtuous in their practice, the whole race of Kurus,
free from sin, and happy, grew in prosperity.

"After some time, O king, it so happened that certain robbers lifted the
cattle of a Brahmana, and while they were carrying away the booty, the
Brahmana, deprived of his senses by anger, repaired to Khandavaprastha,
and began to reprove the Pandavas in accents of woe. The Brahmana said,
'Ye Pandavas, from this your dominion, my kine are even now being taken
away by force by despicable and wicked wretches! Pursue ye the thieves.
Alas, the sacrificial butter of a peaceful Brahmana is being taken away
by crows! Alas, the wretched jackal invadeth the empty cave of a lion! A
king that taketh the sixth part of the produce of the land without
protecting the subject, hath been called by the wise to be the most
sinful person in the whole world. The wealth of a Brahmana is being taken
away by robbers! Virtue itself is sustaining a diminution! Take me up by
the hand, ye Pandavas for I am plunged in grief!"

"Vaisampayana continued, 'Dhananjaya, the son of Kunti, heard those
accents of the Brahmana weeping in bitter grief. As soon as he heard
those accents, he loudly assured the Brahmana, saying, 'No fear!' But it
so happened that the chamber where the illustrious Pandavas had their
weapons was then occupied by Yudhishthira the just with Krishna. Arjuna,
therefore, was incapable of entering it or, going alone with the
Brahmana, though repeatedly urged (to do either) by the weeping accents
of the Brahmana. Summoned by the Brahmana, Arjuna reflected, with a
sorrowful heart, Alas, this innocent Brahmana's wealth is being robbed! I
should certainly dry up his tears. He hath come to our gate, and is
weeping even now. If I do not protect him, the king will be touched with
sin in consequence of my indifference; our own irreligiousness will be
cited throughout the kingdom, and we shall incur a great sin. If,
disregarding the king, I enter the chamber, without doubt I shall be
behaving untruthfully towards the monarch without a foe. By entering the
chamber, again, I incur the penalty of an exile in the woods. But I must
overlook everything. I care not if I have to incur sin by disregarding
the king. I care not if I have to go to the woods and die there. Virtue
is superior to the body and lasteth after the body hath perished!'

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