SECTION LXXV
"Vaisampayana said, 'Hearing these words from Bhima, that were fraught
with such mildness and that were, as unexpected as if the hills had lost
their weight and fire had become cold, Rama's younger brother Kesava of
Sura's race and mighty arms, wielding the bow called Saranga, laughed
aloud, and as if to stimulate Bhima by his words, like the breeze fanning
a fire, addressed him who was then so overwhelmed by the impulse of
kindness, saying, 'At other times, O Bhimasena, you applaudest war only,
desirous of crushing the wicked sons of Dhritarashtra that take delight
in the destruction of others. O chastiser of foes, you dost not steep
but wakest the whole night, sitting up face downwards. Thou often
utterest frightful exclamation of wrath, indicative of the storm within
thy heart. Inflamed with the fire of your own fury, you sighest, O Bhima
with an unquiet heart, like a flame of fire mixed with smoke. Withdrawing
from company you liest down breathing hot sighs, like a weak man pressed
down by a heavy load. They, who do not know the cause regard you as
insane. As an elephant breaking into fragments uprooted trees lying on
the ground grunteth in rage while trampling them under his feet, so thou
also, O Bhima, runnest on, breathing deep sighs and shaking the earth
under the tread. Here in the region you takest no delight in company but
passest your time in privacy. Night or day, Nothing pleases you so much
as seclusion. Sitting apart you sometimes laughest aloud all on a
sudden, and sometimes placing your head between your two knees, thou
continuest in that posture for a long time with closed eyes. At the other
times, O Bhima, contracting your brows frequently and biting your lips,
thou starest fiercely before thee. All this is indicative of wrath. At
one time, you hadst, in the midst of your brothers, grasped the mace,
uttering this oath, 'As the sun is seen rising in the east displaying his
radiance, and as he truly setteth in the west journeying around the Meru,
so do I swear that I will certainly slay insolent Duryodhana with this
mace of mine, and this oath of mine will never be untrue.' How then doth
that same heart of thine, O chastiser of foes, now follow the counsels of
peace? Alas, when fear entereth your heart, O Bhima, it is certain that
the hearts of all who desire war are upset when war becometh actually
imminent. Asleep or awake, you beholdest, O son of Pritha, inauspicious
omens. Perhaps, it is this for which you desirest peace. Alas, like a
eunuch, you dost not display any sign indicative of manliness in thee.
Thou are overwhelmed by panic, and it is for this that your heart is
upset. The heart trembleth, your mind is overwhelmed by despair, thy
thighs tremble, and it is for this that you desirest peace. The hearts
of mortals, O Partha, are surely as inconstant as the pods of the Salmali
seed exposed to the force of the wind. This frame of your mind is as
strange as articulate speech in kine. Indeed, the hearts of your brothers
are about to sink in an ocean of despair,--like swimmers in the sea
without a raft to rescue them. That thou, O Bhimasena, shouldst utter
words so unexpected of you is as strange as the shifting of a hill.
Recollecting your own deeds and the race also in which you are born,
arise, O Bharata, yield not, to grief, O hero, and be firm. Such langour,
O repressor of foes, is not worthy of thee, for a Kshatriya never
enjoyeth that which he doth not acquire through prowess.'"
--------------------END OF PARVA 5 : UPA-PARVA 75 ---------------------
