between the deserving and the
undeserving. For this reason the practice of even the virtue of charity
is difficult. These are the two faults connected with wealth even when
acquired, viz., gift to an undeserving person and abstaining from giving
unto him that is deserving."'"

SECTION XXVII

"'Yudhishthira said, "In consequence of the fall of Abhimanyu of tender
years, of the sons of Draupadi, of Dhrishtadyumna, of Virata, of king
Drupada, of Vasusena conversant with every duty, of the royal
Dhrishtaketu, and of diverse other kings hailing from diverse regions, in
battle, grief does not forsake my wretched self that am a slayer of
kinsmen. Indeed, I am inordinately covetous of kingdom and am an
exterminator of my own race. He upon whose breast and limbs I used to
roll in sport, alas, that Ganga's son has been slain by me in battle
through lust of sovereignty. When I beheld that lion among men, viz., our
grandsire, assailed by Sikhandin and trembling and reeling in consequence
of Partha's shafts that resembled thunder-bolts in energy, when I beheld
his tall form pierced all over with blazing arrows and himself become
weak like an aged lion, my heart was deeply pained. When I beheld that
afflictor of hostile cars reel like a mountain summit and fall down
strengthless on the terrace of his own vehicle with his face turned
towards the east, my senses were stupefied. That scion of Kuru's race who
with bow and shaft in hand had contended in fierce battle for many days
with Rama himself of Bhrigu's line on the field sanctified by Kuru, that
son of Ganga, that hero, who, at Baranasi, for the sake of brides, had,
on a single car, challenged to battle the assembled Kshatriyas of the
world, he who had burnt by the energy of his weapons that irresistible
and foremost of kings, viz., Ugrayudha, alas, that hero has been caused
by me to be slain in battle. Knowing full well that Sikhandin the prince
of Panchala was his destroyer, that hero still refrained from slaying the
prince with his shafts. Alas, such a magnanimous warrior was slain by
Arjuna. O best of sages, at that moment when I beheld the grandsire
stretched on the earth and covered with blood, a violent fever afflicted
my heart. He who had protected and reared us when we were children, alas,
he was caused to be slain by my sinful self that am covetous of kingdom,
that am a slayer of reverend seniors, and a perfect fool, for the sake of
sovereignty that would last but a