THE HARMONY OF VIRTUE

IV. 2.Vyasa: Some Characteristics151“Arise, arise, O Bhimasena, wherefore liest thou like onethat is dead? For nought but dead is he whose wife a sinful handhas touched and lives.”Or the reproach of Krishna to Arjuna for his weak pity whichopens the second Sarga [Adhyaya] of the Bhagavadgita. Or againhear Krishna's description of Bhima's rage and solitary broodingover revenge and his taunting accusations of cowardice:“At other times, O Bhimasena, thou praisest war, thou artall for crushing Dhritarashtra's heartless sons who take delightin death; thou sleepest not at night, O conquering soldier, butwakest lying face downwards, and ever thou utterest dread speechof storm and wrath, breathing fire in the torment of thy ownrage and thy mind is without rest like a smoking fire, yea, thouliest all apart breathing heavily like a weakling borne down (distressed)by his load, so that some who know not, even thinkthee mad. For as an elephant tramples on uprooted trees andbreaks them to fragments, so thou stormest along with labouringbreath hurting earth with thy feet. Thou takest no delight inall these people but cursest them in thy heart, O Bhima, son ofPandu, nor in aught else hast thou any pleasure night or day;but thou sittest in secret like one weeping and sometimes of asudden laughest aloud, yea, thou sittest for long with thy headbetween thy knees and thy eyes closed; and then again thou starestbefore thee frowning and clenching thy teeth, thy every actionis one of wrath. ‘Surely as the father Sun is seen in the Eastwhen luminously he ascendeth and surely as wide with rays hewheeleth down to his release in the West, so sure is this oath Iutter and never shall be broken. With this club I will meet andslay this haughty Duryodhana,’ thus touching thy club thou swearestamong thy brothers. And today thou thinkest of peace, O Warrior!Ah yes, I know the hearts of those that clamour for waralter very strangely when war showeth its face, since fear findethout even thee, O Bhima! Ah yes, son of Pritha, thou seestomens adverse both when thou sleepest and when thou wakest,therefore thou desirest peace. Ah yes, thou feelest no more theman in thyself, but an eunuch and thy heart sinketh with alarm,