द्यूत पर्व — भीष्म के वचन

Vaishampayana said Through the kings present there saw the lady (Draupadi) crying piteously in affliction like a female osprey, yet they, out of the fear for the son of Dhritarashtra (Duryodhana), did not utter a word good or evil.

Seeing the sons and grandsons of kings sitting silent, the son of Dhritarashtra (Duryodhana) smiled and spoke thus to the daughter of the Panchala king.

Duryodhana said O Yajnaseni, the question you have asked depends on the greatly powerful Bhima, on Arjuna, on Nakula and on Sahadeva. Let them answer your question.

O Panchali, let them for them for your sake declare in the midst of these most noblemen (present here) that Yudhisthira is not their lord and that he is a liar; you will then be freed from the slavery.

Let the illustrious son of Dharma (Yudhisthira), ever devoted to virtue, who is like Indra himself, declare whether he is or is not your lord. At his words, accept us or accept the Pandavas without (further) delay.

All the Kurus present in this assembly are floating in the sea of your affliction. They are endued with magnanimity and looking at your husbands they are unable to answer your question.

Vaishampayana said Hearing these words of the Kuru king (Duryodhana), all persons present in the assembly loudly applauded him. Some shouting approvingly made signs to one another by motions of their eyes and lips and some made sounds of distress such as "Oh," "Alas."

Hearing his these delightful words, the Kurus present in the assembly become exceedingly glad. All the kings, becoming much pleased, applauded the virtuous chief of the Kurus.

All the kings, turning their faces sideways, looked at Yudhisthira, learned in the precepts of morality, and they all became curious to learn what he would say,

And they became curious to learn also invincible Pandavas, Bibhatsa (Arjuna), Bhimasena and the twins (Nakula and Sahadeva) would say.

When the noise was silenced, Bhimasena, waving his strong and well armed arms smeared with sandal paste, thus spoke (in the assembly).

Bhima said If our this Guru (superior), this high-souled Dharmaraja, were not our lord, we would not have pardoned this (Kuru) race.

He is the lord of our all religions and ascetic merits, he is the lord even of our lives. If he considers himself won, then we are all won.

If it were not so, who is there amongst creatures that touch the earth with his feet or amongst the mortals that would escape from me with life after having touched the hair of the Panchala princess?

Look at my powerful and well formed arms like two iron clubs, if once within them, even Shatakratu (Indra) cannot escape.

Bound by the ties of virtue, for the reverence that is due to our elder brother and repeatedly urged by Arjuna to remain silent, I am doing nothing awful.

If I am once commanded by Dharmaraja (Yudhisthira), I would, by making my slaps do the work of swords, kill these sinful sons of Dhritarashtra as a lion kills a number of small animals.

Vaishampayana said Thereupon Bhisma, Drona, and Vidura spoke thus to Bhima, “Forbear, everything is possible in you."