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Mahābhārata The History of the Great India
<< 103 Arjuna's Intrusion >>
 |  | Then after a long time had passed, O king, some thieves stole the cows of a brahmana. When his only property was being stolen away, the brahmana, almost senseless with rage, came to Khandava Prastha and cried out to the Pandavas, "Pandavas! Cruel, wretched, and ignorant men are stealing my wealth of cows, right here in your kingdom. Pursue them! Crows are plundering the religious property of a distracted brahmana. A lowly jackal is attempting to enjoy a tiger's cave. When thieves plunder a brahmana's property and I am crying out for help, you must take up arms!"
| | | Arjuna, son of Pandu and Kunti, was standing nearby, and he heard the brahmana sage. The great-armed one called to the sage, "Do not fear!"
| | | Yudhisthira, king of virtue, was sitting alone with Draupadi in the place where the glorious Pandavas had stored their weapons. Therefore Arjuna could not go in to gather his weapons and pursue the thieves. But the suffering brahmana continued to cry out, and he urged the rulers again and again to help him.
| | | Arjuna was pained by these piteous cries, and he anxiously wondered what to do. Finally, he decided he must act to dry up the tears of the ascetic sage whose wealth in cows was being plundered.
| | | "If I do not give protection at once to that sage crying at the gate, my neglect will be a terrible offense for one who claims to be a ruler of the land. Everyone will lose faith in our ability or willingness to give protection, lawlessness will prevail, and irreligion will corrupt us. But if I enter without permission from King Yudhisthira, he will be displeased with me, without a doubt. In fact, as soon as I intrude upon the king I must be banished to the forest. Either I commit a most impious act by neglecting a helpless and saintly citizen, or I shall die in the forest. Well, virtue is more important, even at the cost of one's body."
| | | Having thus decided, Arjuna intruded on the king, grabbed a bow, and took leave.
| | | He approached the brahmana and with a jubilant heart said, "Brahmana, come with me quickly before those wretched men who covet another's property get far away. I shall at once take back your wealth from the hands of those thieves."
| | | The mighty-armed prince, with bow, armor, chariot, and flag, pursued and killed the thieves with arrows, recovering the brahmana's wealth. Pandava Arjuna thus returned the cows, and after hearing the brahmana praise him, the ambidextrous hero returned to the city, having once again burned his foes to ashes.
| | | Bowing to all his elders and receiving their welcome, Arjuna said to his older brother, Yudhisthira, Dharmaraja, the king of virtue, "I have violated our agreement by intruding upon you. I shall go to live in the forest, for that is the agreement we made."
| | | At these dreaded words spoken all of a sudden, Yudhisthira's heart sank.
| | | "But how can you go?" said Yudhisthira to his vigilant, unfailing brother. "If I am the judge, then listen to my words, innocent one. If you have displeased me by coming into the room, O hero, I forgive everything, and there is no pain or hidden motive in my heart. There is no transgression when a younger brother enters his older brother's place; rather, the rule is broken when the elder intrudes upon the younger. Turn back from your decision, O mighty-armed one, and obey my words. You have broken no religious rule nor done me any harm."
| | | Arjuna said, "I have heard you say, 'One cannot practice virtue by deception or pretense.' I shall not deviate from the truth, for by truth I gain the right to use weapons."
| | | Arjuna then persuaded the king to grant him leave. When the priests had duly initiated him for a life of celibacy, he left for the forest to live there for twelve months.
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