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ADI PARVA
475

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 1 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 sball 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 Dhananjaya, arriving at this resolution, entered the chamber and talked with Yudhishthira. Coming out with the bow, he cheerfully told the Brahmana,-Proceed, O Brahmana, with haste, so that those wretched robbers may not go much ahead of us. I shall accompany thee and restore unto thee thy Wealth that hath fallen into the hands of the thieves ! Then Dhananjaya, capable of using both his arms with equal skill, armed with the bow and cased in mail and riding in his war-chariot decked with standard, persued the thieves, and piercing them with his arrows, compelled them co give up the booty. Benefitting the Brabmana thus by making over to him his kine, and winning great renown, the hero returned to the capital. Bowing unto all the elders, and congratulated by everybody. Partha at last approached Yudhishthira, and addressing him, said,- Give me leave, O lord, to observe the vow I took 1 In be holding thee sitting with Draupadi, I have violated the rule establisbed by ourselves! I shall therefore go into the woods, for this is even our understanding! Then Yudhishthira, suddenly bearing those painful words, became afflicted with grief, and said in an agitated voice.-'Why ! A little while after, king Yudhishthira in grief said unto his brother Dhananjaya of curly hair who never departed from his vows, these words.-'0 sinless one, if I am an authority worthy of regard, listen to what I say ! O hero, full well do I know the reason why thou hadst entered my chamber and didst what thou regardest to be an act disagreeable to me! But there is no displeasure in my mind. The younger brother may, without fault, enter the chamber where the elder brother sitteth with his wife. It is only the elder brother that acts against the rules of propriety by entering the room where the younger brother sitteth with his wife. Therefore, O thou of mighty arms, desist from thy purpose