Bowing unto all the elders, and congratulated by everybody,
Partha at last approached Yudhishthira, and addressing him, said, 'Give me
leave, O lord, to observe the vow I took. In beholding thee sitting with
Draupadi, I have violated the rule established by ourselves. I shall
therefore go into the woods, for this is even our understanding.' Then
Yudhishthira, suddenly hearing those painful words, became afflicted with
grief, and said in an agitated voice, 'Why!' A little while after, king
Yudhishthira in grief said unto his brother Dhananjaya of curly hair who
never departed from his vows, these words, 'O sinless one, if I am an
authority worthy of regard, listen to what I say. O hero, full well do I
know the reason why thou hadst entered my chamber and didst what thou
regardest to be an act disagreeable to me. But there is no displeasure in
my mind. The younger brother may, without fault, enter the chamber where
the elder brother sitteth with his wife. It is only the elder brother that
acts against the rules of propriety by entering the room where the younger
brother sitteth with his wife. Therefore, O thou of mighty arms, desist
from thy purpose. Do what I say. Thy virtue hath sustained no diminution.
Thou hast not disregarded me.'
"Arjuna, hearing this, replied, 'I have heard, even from thee, that
quibbling is not permitted in the discharge of duty. I cannot waver from
truth. Truth is my weapon.'
"Vaisampayana continued, 'Obtaining then the king's permission, Arjuna
prepared himself for a forest-life; and he went to the forest to live
there for twelve years.
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