And in consequence of the illustrious Pandavas being
exceedingly virtuous in their practice, the whole race of Kurus, free from
sin, and happy, grew in prosperity.
"After some time, O king, it so happened that certain robbers lifted the
cattle of a Brahmana, and while they were carrying away the booty, the
Brahmana, deprived of his senses by anger, repaired to Khandavaprastha,
and began to reprove the Pandavas in accents of woe. The Brahmana said,
'Ye Pandavas, from this your dominion, my kine are even now being taken
away by force by despicable and wicked wretches! Pursue ye the thieves.
Alas, the sacrificial butter of a peaceful Brahmana is being taken away by
crows! Alas, the wretched jackal invadeth the empty cave of a lion! A king
that taketh the sixth part of the produce of the land without protecting
the subject, hath been called by the wise to be the most sinful person in
the whole world. The wealth of a Brahmana is being taken away by robbers!
Virtue itself is sustaining a diminution! Take me up by the hand, ye
Pandavas for I am plunged in grief!"
"Vaisampayana continued, 'Dhananjaya, the son of Kunti, heard those
accents of the Brahmana weeping in bitter grief. As soon as he heard those
accents, he loudly assured the Brahmana, saying, 'No fear!' But it so
happened that the chamber where the illustrious Pandavas had their weapons
was then occupied by Yudhishthira the just with Krishna. Arjuna, therefore,
was incapable of entering it or, going alone with the Brahmana, though
repeatedly urged (to do either) by the weeping accents of the Brahmana.
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