deserved to be slain by us even then. At the command,
however, of king Yudhishthira the just, we suffered ourselves to be
restrained by the compact that had been made. By this means, O queen, thy
son provoked deadly hostilities with us. Great were our sufferings in the
forest (whither we were driven by thy son). Remembering all this, I acted
in that way. Having slain Duryodhana in battle, we have reached the end
of our hostilities. Yudhishthira has got back his kingdom, and we also
have been freed from wrath.' Hearing these words of Bhima, Gandhari said,
'Since thou praisest my son thus (for his skill in battle), he did not
deserve such a death. He, however, did all that thou tellest me. When
Vrishasena, however, had deprived Nakula of his steeds, O Bharata, thou
quaffedst in battle the blood from Duhshasana's body! Such an act is cruel
and is censured by the good. It suits only a person that is most
disrespectable. It was a wicked act, O Vrikodara, that was then
accomplished by thee! It was undeserving of thee.' Bhima replied, saying,
'It is improper to quaff the blood of even a stranger, what then need be
said about quaffing the blood of one's own self? One's brother, again, is
like one's own self. There is no difference between them. The blood,
however, (that I am regarded to have quaffed) did not, O mother, pass
down my lips and teeth. Karna knew this well. My hands only were smeared
with (Duhshasana's) blood. Seeing Nakula deprived of his steeds by
Vrishasena in battle, I caused the rejoicing (Kaurava) brothers to be
filled with dread. When after the match at dice the tresses of Draupadi
were seized, I uttered certain words in rage. Those words are still in my
remembrance, I would, for all years to come, have been regarded to have
swerved from the duties of a Kshatriya if I had left that vow
unaccomplished. It was for this, O queen, that I did that act. It
behoveth thee not, O Gandhari, to impute any fault to me. Without having
restrained thy sons in former days, doth it behove thee to impute any
fault to our innocent selves?'

"Gandhari said, 'Unvanquished by anyone, thou hast slain a hundred sons of
this old man. Oh, why didst thou not spare, O child, even one son of this
old couple deprived of kingdom, one whose offences were lighter? Why
didst thou not leave even one crutch for this blind couple? O child,
although thou livest unharmed, having slain all my children, yet no grief
would have been mine if thou hads