duty.  Formerly Bhima had vowed in the midst of the assembly that he would in great battle break with his mace the thighs of Duryodhana.  The great Rishi Maitreya also, O scorcher of foes, had formerly cursed Duryodhana, saying, ‘Bhima will, with his mace, break thy thighs!’ In consequence of all this, I do not see any fault in Bhima!  Do not give way to wrath, O slayer of Pralamva!  Our relationship with the Pandavas is founded upon birth and blood, as also upon an attraction of hearts.  In their growth is our growth.  Do not, therefore, give way to wrath, O bull among men!” Hearing these words of Vasudeva the wielder of the plough, who was conversant with rules of morality, said, “Morality is well practised by the good.  Morality, however, is always afflicted by two things, the desire of Profit entertained by those that covet it, and the desire for Pleasure cherished by those that are wedded to it.  Whoever without afflicting Morality and Profit, or Morality and Pleasure, or Pleasure and Profit, followeth all three—­Morality, Profit and Pleasure—­always succeeds in obtaining great happiness.  In consequence, however, of morality being afflicted by Bhimasena, this harmony of which I have spoken hath been disturbed, whatever, O Govinda, thou mayst tell me!” Krishna replied, saying, “Thou art always described as bereft of wrath, and righteous-souled and devoted to righteousness!  Calm thyself, therefore, and do not give way to wrath!  Know that the Kali age is at hand.  Remember also the vow made by the son of Pandu!  Let, therefore, the son of Pandu be regarded to have paid off the debt he owed to his hostility and to have fulfilled his vow!”

“Sanjaya continued, ’Hearing this fallacious discourse from Keshava, O king, Rama failed to dispel his wrath and became cheerful.  He then said in that assembly, “Having unfairly slain king Suyodhana of righteous soul, the son of Pandu shall be reputed in the world as a crooked warrior!  The righteous-souled Duryodhana, on the other hand, shall obtain eternal blessedness!  Dhritarashtra’s royal son, that ruler of men, who hath been struck down, is a fair warrior.  Having made every arrangement for the Sacrifice of battle and having undergone the initiatory ceremonies on the field, and, lastly, having poured his life as a libation upon the fire represented by his foes, Duryodhana has fairly completed his sacrifice by the final ablutions represented by the attainment of glory!” Having said these words, the valiant son of Rohini, looking like the crest of a white cloud, ascended his car and proceeded towards Dwaraka.  The Pancalas with the Vrishnis, as also the Pandavas, O monarch, became rather cheerless after Rama had set out for Dwaravati.  Then Vasudeva, approaching Yudhishthira who was exceedingly melancholy and filled with anxiety, and who hung down his head and knew not what to do in consequence of his deep affliction, said unto him these words: 

“’Vasudeva said, “O Yudhishthira the just, why dost thou sanction this unrighteous act, since thou permittest the head of the insensible and fallen Duryodhana whose kinsmen and friends have all been slain to be thus struck by Bhima with his foot.  Conversant with the ways of morality, why dost thou, O king, witness this act with indifference?”