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29.AFFLICTION IS NOTHING NEW
It is not a sin to kill by
stratagem an enemy who has resorted to
stratagem. I have heard that the Atharva
Veda has incantations, which can
compress time and reduce its span. If we
could, by such means, squeeze thirteen
years into thirteen days, we would be
perfectly justified in doing so, and you
will permit me on the fourteenth day to
kill Duryodhana."
Hearing these words of Bhima,
Dharmaputra affectionately embraced him
and sought to restrain his impetuosity.
"Beloved brother, as soon as the period of
thirteen years is over, Arjuna, the hero,
with the Gandiva bow, and yourself will
fight and kill Duryodhana. Be patient till
then. Duryodhana and his followers, who
are sunk in sin, cannot escape. Be assured
of it." While the sorrow-stricken brothers
were thus engaged in debate, the great
sage Brihadaswa came to the hermitage of
the Pandavas and was received with the
customary honors.
After a while, Yudhishthira said to him:
"Revered sage, our deceitful enemies,
drew us into this game of dice and cheated
us of our kingdom and riches, and drove
my heroic brothers, as well as Panchali
and myself, to the forest. Arjuna, who left
us a long time ago to get divine weapons,
has not returned as yet and we miss him
sorely. Will he return with divine arms?
And when will he be back? Surely never
was there in this world a man who
suffered so much sorrow as myself."
The great sage replied: "Do not let your
mind dwell on sorrow.
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