e and look around the ten points
of the horizon. Do thou see whether there is water near us or such trees
as grow on watery grounds! O child, these thy brothers are all fatigued
and thirsty.' Thereupon saying, 'So be it,' Nakula speedily climbed up a
tree, and having looked around, said unto his eldest brother, 'O king, I
see many a tree that groweth by the water-side, and I hear also the
cries of cranes. Therefore, without doubt, water must be somewhere
here.' Hearing these words, Kunti's son Yudhishthira, firm in truth,
said, 'O amiable one, go thou and fetch water in these quivers!' Saying,
'So be it,' at the command of his eldest brother Nakula quickly
proceeded towards the place where there was water and soon came upon it.
And beholding a crystal lake inhabited by cranes he desired to drink of
it, when he heard these words from the sky, 'O child, do not commit this
rash act! This lake hath already been in my possession. Do thou, O son
of Madri, first answer my questions and then drink of this water and
take away (as much as thou requirest).' Nakula, however, who was
exceedingly thirsty, disregarding these words, drank of the cool water,
and having drunk of it, dropped down dead. And, O represser of foes,
seeing Nakula's delay, Yudhishthira the son of Kunti said unto Sahadeva,
the heroic brother of Nakula, 'O Sahadeva, it is long since our brother,
he who was born immediately before thee, hath gone from hence! Do thou,
therefore, go and bring back thy uterine brother, together with water.'
At this, Sahadeva, saying, 'So be it,' set out in that direction; and
coming to the spot, beheld his brother lying dead on the ground. And
afflicted at the death of his brother, and suffering severely from
thirst, he advanced towards the water, when these words were heard by
him, 'O child, do not commit this rash act! This lake hath already been
in my possession. First answer my question, and then drink of the water
and take away as much as thou mayst require.' Sahadeva, however, who was
extremely thirsty, disregarding these words, drank of the water, and
having drunk of it, dropped down dead. Then Yudhishthira, the son of
Kunti, said unto Vijaya, 'It is long since, O Vibhatsu, that thy two
brothers have gone, O represser of foes! Blessed be thou! Do thou bring
them back, together with water. Thou art, O child, the refuge of us all
when plunged in distress!' Thus addressed, the intelligent Gudakesa,
taking his bow and arrows and als