f
great intelligence, Krishna had, at the very outset, understood the
intentions of Dhritarashtra, and had, therefore, kept such a contrivance
ready for baffling them. Seizing with his two arms that iron Bhima, king
Dhritarashtra, possessed of great strength, broke into pieces, thinking
it to be Bhima himself in flesh and blood. Endued with might equal to
that of 10,000 elephants, the king reduced that statue into fragments.
His own breast, however, became considerably bruised and he began to
vomit blood. Covered with blood, the king fell down on the ground like a
parijata tree topped with its flowery burden. His learned charioteer
Sanjaya, the son of Gavalgana, raised the monarch and soothing and
comforting him, said, 'Do not act so.' The king then, having cast off his
wrath and returned to his normal disposition, became filled with grief
and began to weep aloud, saying, 'Alas, oh Bhima, alas, oh Bhima!'
Understanding that he was no longer under the influence of wrath, and
that he was truly sorry for having (as he believed) killed Bhima,
Vasudeva, that foremost of men, said these words, 'Do not grieve, O
Dhritarashtra, for thou hast not slain Bhimasena! That is an iron statue,
O king, which has been broken by thee! Understanding that thou wert
filled with rage, O bull of Bharata's race, I dragged the son of Kunti
away from within the jaws of Death. O tiger among kings, there is none
equal to thee in strength of body. What man is there, O mighty-armed one,
that would endure pressure of thy arms? Indeed, as no one can escape with
life from an encounter with the Destroyer himself, even so no body can
come out safe from within thy embrace. It was for this that yonder iron
statue of Bhima, which had been caused to be made by thy son, had been
kept ready for thee. Through grief for the death of thy sons, thy mind
has fallen off from righteousness. It is for this, O great king, that
thou seekest to slay Bhimasena. The slaughter of Bhima, however, O king,
would do thee no good. Thy sons, O monarch, would not be revived by it.
Therefore, do thou approve of what has been by us with a view to secure
peace and do not set thy heart on grief!'"

13

Vaishampayana said, "Certain maid-servants then came to the king for
washing him. After he had been duly washed, the slayer of Madhu again
addressed him, saying, 'Thou hast, O king, read the Vedas and diverse
scriptures. Thou hast heard all old histories, and everything about the
d