To prevent the Pandavas from gaining time to avenge their insult, the
Kauravas induced their father to invite their cousins to court to play a
final game, this time the conditions being that the losing party should go
into exile for thirteen years, spending twelve years in the forest and the
thirteenth in some city. If their disguise was penetrated by their enemies
during the thirteenth year, the exile was to be extended for another
thirteen years.

Though they knew the outcome, the Pandavas accepted the second invitation,
and in consequence again sought the forest, not departing without the most
terrible threats against their cousins.

In the forest of Kamyaka, Yudhi-sthira studied the science of dice that he
might not again be defeated so disastrously, and journeyed pleasantly from
one point of interest to another with Draupadi and his brothers, with the
exception of Arjuna, who had sought the Himalayas to gain favor with the
god Siva, that he might procure from him a terrible weapon for the
destruction of his cousins.

After he had obtained the weapon he was lifted into the heaven of the god
Indra, where he spent five happy years. When he rejoined his wife and
brothers, they were visited by the god Krishna and by the sage Markandeya,
who told them the story of the creation and destruction of the universe,
of the flood, and of the doctrine of Karma, which instructs one that man's
sufferings here below are due to his actions in former and forgotten
existences. He also related to them the beautiful story of how the
Princess Savitri had wedded the Prince Satyavan, knowing that the gods had
decreed that he should die within a year; how on the day set for his death
she had accompanied him to the forest, had there followed Yama, the awful
god of death, entreating him until, for very pity of her sorrow and