Vaishampayana said : Having been thus addressed by Bhimasena, the high-souled and ever devoted to truth, Ajatashatru (Yudhishthira), mastering his patience, thus spoke after a few moments.

Yudhishthira said: O descendant of Bharata, no doubt all this is true. I cannot reproach you for giving me pain by piercing me with your arrow words. From my folly alone this great calamity has overtaken you all.

I was engaged to play at dice with the desire of snatching from Dhritarashtra's son his kingdom with its sovereignty. It was thus that the cunning gambler, the son of Subala (Shakuni), played with me on behalf of Suyodhana (Duryodhana).

Bhimasena, that dweller of the mountainous country, Shakuni, is exceedingly artful. Plying at dice in the midst of the assembly-unacquainted as I am with the artifices of any kind, he defeated me by adopting all possible artful means. It is therefore we have been overwhelmed with this c:lamity.

Seeing the dice obedient to the wishes of Shakuni in Ayuja and Yuja (odds and evens), I could have controlled my mind, but anger (you know) drives off a person's patience.

O child, the mind cannot be controlled when it is influenced by manliness, pride and prowess. O Bhimasena, I do not reproach you for what you have said. I consider that what have happened was preordained.

O Bhimasena, when the king (Duryodhana) the son of Dhritarashtra, wishing to get possession of our kingdom, plunged us into misery and even slavery, it was Draupadi who rescued us.

When summoned again to the Sabha for playing once more, you as well as Arjuna know what the son of Dhritarashtra told me in the presence of the Bharatas.

(He said), "O prince Ajatashatru, you shall have to live for twelve years with all your brothers (if defeated in the play) in the forest which you will chose to dwell in, but which must be known to all men; you shall have to spend the thirteenth year in disguise without your whereabouts being known to anybody.

O sire, O son of Pritha, (if during that period) spies of the Bharatas, hearing of you, become successful in discovering you, you shall then have again to live in the forest for the same period passing once more the last year in secrecy. Reflecting on this, pledge yourself to it.

O king, as regards myself, I pledge myself in this assembly of the Kurus, if you can pass this period of time evading the vigilance of my spies and if you can remain undiscovered by them, then O descendant of Bharata, this kingdom of the five rivers will be once more yours.

O descendant of Bharata, we also, if defeated by you at play, shall all of us, abandoning all our wealth, pass other same period according to the same rules." Thus said that king in the midst of the Kurus; and I said "So Be it."

The hateful play then began. We were defeated and we were all exiled. We are thus wandering miserably over difficult forests full of discomforts.

Suyodhana (Duryodhana), however, having been not satisfied (with what he had done), gave himself up to anger and urged the Kurus and all those who were under his away to express their joy at our distress.

Having entered into such a pledge in the presence of all the pious and good men, who can now dare break it for the sake of a kingdom in this world? For in my opinion, to a respectable person death is not more serious than an act of transgression in order to gain a kingdom.

O hero, you desired to burn my hand at the time of the play; you were, however, prevented by Arjuna and you only squeezed your mace. O Bhima, if you had done it, this calamity could not then befall us.

O Bhima, conscious as you are of your prowess, why did you not say so before we entered into such an agreement? Having already burdened myself with the pledge made at that time what is the use of your speaking to me these harsh words (now)?

O Bhimasena, this was my great grief that I could not do anything when I saw Yajnaseni (Draupadi) persecuted in that way. O Bhima, my heart burns on account of this, as if I have drunk some poisonous liquid.

O foremost of the Bharata race, having made the pledge in the presence of the Kurus there, I am unable (now) to violate it. Wait for the return of our better days, as scatterers of seed wait for the harvest.

When one that has been first injured succeeds in revenging himself upon his enemy at a time when the latter's enmity has borne fruits and flowers, he is regarded as one who has accomplished a great deed by his prowess. Such a brave man earns undying fame. Such a man obtains great prosperity. His enemies bow down to him and his friends gather round him, as the celestials cluster round Indra for protection.

Know my promise cannot be made false. I regard Dharma as superior to life itself and divinity. Kingdoms, sons, fame and wealth all these do not come up even to a sixteenth part of truth.