Vaisampayana continued,—­’When the intelligent king Yudhishthira the just has spoken thus,—­’Fie!’ ‘Fie!’ were the words that were uttered by all the aged persons that were in the assembly.  And the whole conclave was agitated, and the kings who were present there all gave way to grief.  And Bhishma and Drona and Kripa were covered with perspiration.  And Vidura holding his head between his hands sat like one that had lost his reason.  He sat with face downwards giving way to his reflections and sighing like a snake.  But Dhritarashtra glad, at heart, asked repeatedly, ’Hath the stake been won?’ ‘Hath the stake been won?’ and could not conceal his emotions.  Karna with Dussassana and others laughed aloud, while tears began to flow from the eyes of all other present in the assembly.  And the son of Suvala, proud of success and flurried with excitement and repeating.  Thou hast one stake, dear to thee, etc. said,—­’Lo!  I have won’ and took up the dice that had been cast.”

SECTION LXV

Duryodhana said,—­’Come, Kshatta, bring hither Draupadi the dear and loved wife of the Pandavas.  Let her sweep the chambers, force her thereto, and let the unfortunate one stay where our serving-women are.’

“Vidura said,—­’Dost thou not know, O wretch, that by uttering such harsh words thou art tying thyself with cords?  Dost thou not understand that thou art hanging on the edge of a precipice?  Dost thou not know that being a deer thou provokest so many tigers to rage?  Snakes of deadly venom, provoked to ire, are on thy head!  Wretch, do not further provoke them lest thou goest to the region of Yama.  In my judgement, slavery does not attach to Krishna, in as much as she was staked by the King after he had lost himself and ceased to be his own master.  Like the bamboo that beareth fruit only when it is about to die, the son of Dhritarashtra winneth this treasure at play.  Intoxicated, he perceiveth nor in these his last moments that dice bring about enmity and frightful terrors.  No man should utter harsh speeches and pierce the hearts of the others.  No man should subjugate his enemies by dice and such other foul means.  No one should utter such words as are disapproved by the Vedas and lead to hell and annoy others.  Some one uttereth from his lips words that are harsh.  Stung by them another burneth day and night.  These words pierce the very heart of another.  The learned, therefore, should never utter them, pointing them at others.  A goat had once swallowed a hook, and when it was pierced with it, the hunter placing the head of the animal on the ground tore its throat frightfully in drawing it out.  Therefore, O Duryodhana, swallow not the wealth of the Pandavas.  Make them not thy enemies.  The sons of Pritha never use words such as these.  It is only low men that are like dogs who use harsh words towards all classes of people, viz., those that have retired to the woods, those