banian tree in that deep forest, and sat down in its cool shade.  And when they had sat down, Nakula stricken with sorrow and urged by impatience, addressed his eldest brother of the Kuru race, saying, ’In our race, O king, virtue hath never been sacrificed, nor hath there been loss of wealth from insolence.  And being asked, we have never said to any creature, Nay!  Why then in the present case have we met with this disaster?”

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Yudhishthira said, “There is no limit to calamities.  Nor is it possible to ascertain either their final or efficient cause.  It is the Lord of justice alone who distributeth the fruits of both virtue and vice.’  Thereupon Bhima said, ’Surely, this calamity hath befallen us, because I did not slay the Pratikamin on the very spot, when he dragged Krishna as a slave into the assembly.  And Arjuna said, ’Surely, this calamity hath befallen us because I resented not those biting words piercing the very bones, uttered by the Suta’s son!’ And Sahadeva said, ’Surely, O Bharata, this calamity hath befallen us because I did not slay Sakuni when he defeated thee at dice!’”

Vaisampayana continued, “Then king Yudhishthira addressed Nakula saying, ’Do thou, O son of Madri, climb this tree and look around the ten points of the horizon.  Do thou see whether there is water near us or such trees as grow on watery grounds!  O child, these thy brothers are all fatigued and thirsty.’  Thereupon saying, ‘So be it,’ Nakula speedily climbed up a tree, and having looked around, said unto his eldest brother, ’O king, I see many a tree that groweth by the water-side, and I hear also the cries of cranes.  Therefore, without doubt, water must be somewhere here.’  Hearing these words, Kunti’s son Yudhishthira, firm in truth, said, ’O amiable one, go thou and fetch water in these quivers!’ Saying, ’So be it,’ at the command of his eldest brother Nakula quickly proceeded towards the place where there was water and soon came upon it.  And beholding a crystal lake inhabited by cranes he desired to drink of it, when he heard these words from the sky, ’O child, do not commit this rash act!  This lake hath already been in my possession.  Do thou, O son of Madri, first answer my questions and then drink of this water and take away (as much as thou requirest).  Nakula, however, who was exceedingly thirsty, disregarding these words, drank of the cool water, and having drunk of it, dropped down dead.  And, O represser of foes, seeing Nakula’s delay, Yudhishthira the son of Kunti said unto Sahadeva, the heroic brother of Nakula, ’O Sahadeva, it is long since our brother, he who was born immediately before thee, hath gone from hence!  Do thou, therefore, go and bring back thy uterine brother, together with water.’  At this, Sahadeva, saying, ‘So be it,’ set out in that direction; and coming to the spot, beheld his brother lying dead on the ground.  And afflicted at the death of his brother, and suffering