Hāstinapura with all their wealth and jewels, Duḥśāsana
complained of it to Duryodhana, who, with Karṇa and
Śakuni, quoting the words of Bṛhaspati when counselling
Indra about politics, and declaring that the Pāṇḍavas would
certainly revenge themselves, prevailed upon Dhṛtarāṣṭra
to invite them a second time to a match of gambling between
Yudhiṣṭhira and Śakuni, on the condition that the defeated
party should repair to the woods for twelve years, dressed in
deer-skins, and spend the thirteenth year in some inhabited
country unrecognized, and if recognized, be exiled for another
twelve years. If the Pāṇḍavas should succeed in observing
this vow for thirteen years, the Dhārtarāṣṭras would in the
meantime have made alliances and have assembled an invincible
army, so that they could defeat them if they reappeared.
Droṇa, Somadatta, Bāhlīka, Gautama, Vidura, Aśvatthāman,
Vaiśyāputra (i.e. Yuyutsu), Bhūriśravas, Bhīṣma, and Vikarṇa
dissuaded in vain (II, 74).—§ 303: Gāndhārī reminded
Dhṛtarāṣṭra of the counsel Vidura had given, when Duryo-
dhana was born, to kill him, and recommended him to do it
now, and not to let the gambling match take place, saying
that it would cause the destruction of the whole race of the
Kurus. But Dhṛtarāṣṭra could not act contrary to the
will of his sons (II, 75).—§ 304: The royal messengers
overtook Yudhiṣṭhira when he had already gone a long way.
Yudhiṣṭhira having said, “Although a golden animal was
an impossibility, Rāma suffered himself to be tempted by
a golden deer,” they returned. The gambling began on the
above-mentioned conditions (cf. III, 1362 ff., where the
conditions are stated somewhat differently), and Yudhiṣṭhira
lost (II, 76). The Pāṇḍavas, casting off their royal robes,
attired themselves in deer-skins. Duḥśāsana exulted, and
exhorted Kṛṣṇā to abandon the fallen Pāṇḍavas and choose
a husband among the Kurus. As Bhīma rebuked him and
threatened to slay him with his followers, Duḥśāsana, dancing
around, said, “O cow! O cow!” Bhīṣma again swore to drink
his blood and to kill all the Dhārtarāṣṭras. As the Pāṇḍavas
were going away, Duryodhana mimicked the tread of Bhīma,
who then said: “I will slay Duryodhana with my mace, and
place my foot on his head. Dhanañjaya will slay Karṇa,
and Sahadeva will slay Śakuni, and I will drink the blood of
Duḥśāsana.” Arjuna and Sahadeva approved of it. Nakula,
“the handsomest of men,” vowed to kill all the Dhārtarāṣṭras
that had insulted Draupadī (II, 77).—§ 305: Yudhiṣṭhira
bids farewell to Bhīṣma, Somadatta, Bāhlīka, Droṇa, Kṛpa,
Aśvatthāman, Vidura, Dhṛtarāṣṭra, the Dhārtarāṣṭras
Yuyutsu, Sañjaya, etc. Vidura kept Pṛthā in his abode, and
consoled Yudhiṣṭhira: “Formerly thou wast instructed on
the Himavat by Meru-Sāvarṇi, in Vāraṇāvata by Dvaipāyana,
on Bhṛgutuṅga by Rāma, on the Dṛṣadvatī by Śambhu,
near Añjana by the great ṛṣi Asita, by Bhṛgu on the banks
of Kalmāṣī; Nārada always beholds thee, and this Dhaumya
is thy purohita,—resolve to win victory like Indra, to control
thy wrath like Yama, to give in charity like Kuvera, to control
all passions like Varuṇa.” So Yudhiṣṭhira went away,
bowing to Bhīṣma and Droṇa, (II, 78). When Kṛṣṇā
took leave of Kuntī, Kuntī broke out in complaints, and
especially recommended her ever to keep her eye on Sahadeva.
When Kuntī beheld her sons clad in deer-skins, surrounded
by rejoicing foes, she embraced them and broke out in com-
plaints, asking why Kṛṣṇa, who dwells in Dvārakā, and is
without beginning and without end, does not deliver them
from such woe. “O Sahadeva! cease to go! thou art my
dearest child, O son of Mādrī!” The Pāṇḍavas, having
consoled her, set out for the woods, and Vidura led her to his
house. The ladies of Dhṛtarāṣṭra's house wept, blaming the
Kauravas; and Dhṛtarāṣṭra, anxious, sent for Vidura (II,
79).—§ 306: Questioned by Dhṛtarāṣṭra, Vidura described
the attitude of the Pāṇḍavas, etc., when going away (α).
The citizens cried out in grief, blaming the Kurus. Flashings
of lightning and other terrible omens appeared. Nārada
appeared, surrounded by great ṛṣis, and foreboded that on
the fourteenth year thence the Kauravas would all be destroyed
by Bhīma and Arjuna. Then he disappeared through the
skies. Duryodhana, Karṇa, and Śakuni offered the kingdom
to Droṇa, who said that the Pāṇḍavas were incapable of
being slain; that they would practise the brahmacarya for
twelve years, and then return in anger; that he (Droṇa)
would protect the Dhārtarāṣṭras, who had sought his pro-
tection, to the best of his ability; but that he would himself
be slain by Dhṛṣṭadyumna, whom Drupada had obtained
(together with Kṛṣṇā) from the fire by the ascetic power of
Yāja and Upayāja; “it is widely known in the world that
Dhṛṣṭadyumna will slay Droṇa.” Dhṛtarāṣṭra sent Vidura
to bring the Pāṇḍavas back, or, if they did not come back, to
send them off with respect, with their weapons, cars, and
infantry, etc. (II, 80).—§ 307: Sañjaya spoke to
Dhṛtarāṣṭra about the perversity of his policy. Dhṛtarāṣṭra
related that when Kṛṣṇā was dragged into the court the
grief was so great that the enraged brahmans did not that
evening perform their agnihotra; he also related the omens
which had appeared on the occasion, etc. (II, 81).