and the duty begot of intercourse that this lady of sweet smiles
grieveth for the exceedingly powerful cook when he fights with the
beasts. Sairindhri is possessed of great beauty and Vallava also is
eminently handsome. The heart of woman is hard to know, and they, I
fancy, are deserving of each other. It is, therefore, likely that the
Sairindhri invariably weepeth (at such times) on account of her
connection with her lover. And then, they both have entered this royal
family at the same time. And speaking such words she always upbraideth
me. And beholding me wroth at this, she suspects me to be attached to
thee.' When she speaketh thus, great is the grief that I feel. Indeed,
on beholding thee, O Bhima of terrible prowess, afflicted with such
calamity, sunk as I already am in grief on account of Yudhishthira, I do
not desire to live. That youth who on a single car had vanquished all
celestials and men, is now, alas, the dancing master of king Virata's
daughter. That Pritha's son of immeasurable soul, who had gratified Agni
in the forest of Khandava, is now living in the inner apartments (of a
palace) like fire hid in a well. Alas, the bull among men, Dhananjaya,
who was ever the terror of foes, is now living in a guise that is
despaired by all. Alas, he whose mace-like arms have been cicatrized in
consequence of the strokes of his bow-string, alas that Dhananjaya is
passing the days in grief covering his wrists with bracelets of conchs.
Alas, that Dhananjaya the twang of whose bow-string and the sound of
whose leathern fences made every foe tremble, now entertains only
gladdened women with his songs. Oh, that Dhananjaya whose head was
formerly decked with a diadem of solar splendour, is now wearing braids
ending in unsightly curls. O Bhima, beholding that terrible bowman,
Arjuna, now wearing braids and in the midst of women, my heart is
stricken with woe. That high-souled hero who is master of all the
celestial weapons, and who is the repository of all the sciences, now
weareth ear-rings (like one of the fair sex). That youth whom kings of