Brahmana, in great distress, spake these words, 'As a deer was butting
about, it happened, O king, that my fire-sticks and churning staff which
had been placed against a large tree stuck fast to its antlers. O king,
that powerful deer of exceeding fleetness hath speedily gone out of the
hermitage with long bounds, taking those articles away. Tracking that
powerful deer, O king, by its foot-prints, do ye, ye sons of Pandu,
bring back those articles of mine, so that my _Agnihotra_ may not be
stopped!' Hearing these words of the Brahmana, Yudhishthira became
exceedingly concerned. And the son of Kunti taking up his bow sallied
out with his brothers. And putting on their corselets and equipped with
their bows, those bulls among men, intent upon serving the Brahmana,
swiftly sallied out in the wake of the deer. And descrying the deer at
no great distance, those mighty warriors discharged at it barbed arrows
and javelins and darts, but the sons of Pandu could not pierce it by any
means. And as they struggled to pursue and slay it, that powerful deer
became suddenly invisible. And losing sight of the deer, the
noble-minded sons of Pandu, fatigued and disappointed and afflicted with
hunger and thirst, approached a banian tree in that deep forest, and sat
down in its cool shade. And when they had sat down, Nakula stricken with
sorrow and urged by impatience, addressed his eldest brother of the Kuru
race, saying, 'In our race, O king, virtue hath never been sacrificed,
nor hath there been loss of wealth from insolence. And being asked, we
have never said to any creature, Nay! Why then in the present case have
we met with this disaster?'"

SECTION CCCX

"Yudhishthira said, 'There is no limit to calamities. Nor is it possible
to ascertain either their final or efficient cause. It is the Lord of
justice alone who distributeth the fruits of both virtue and vice.'
Thereupon Bhima said, 'Surely, this calamity hath befallen us, because I
did not slay the _Pratikamin_ on the very spot, when he dragged Krishna
as a slave into the assembly.' And Arjuna said, 'Surely, this calamity
hath befallen us because I resented not those biting words piercing the
very bones, uttered by the _Suta's_ son!' And Sahadeva said, 'Surely, O
Bharata, this calamity hath befallen us because I did not slay Sakuni
when he defeated thee at dice!'"

Vaisampayana continued, "Then king Yudhishthira addressed Nakula saying,
'Do thou, O son of Madri, climb this tre