DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.638#0331
250 INDIAN MYTH AND LEGEND
For twelve long years the Pandavas lived in the woods
with their wife Draupadi, and Dhaumya, the Brahman.
Whatever food they obtained, they set apart a portion for
the holy men and ate the rest. They visited holy shrines;
they bathed in sacred waters; they performed their de-
votions. Ofttimes they held converse with Brahmans and
sages, who instructed them in pious works and blessed
them, and also promised them that their lost kingdom
would be restored in the fullness of time.
They wandered in sunshine and in shade; they dwelt
in pleasant places, amidst abundant fruits and surrounded
by flowers. They suffered also from tempests and heavy
rains, when their path would be torn by streams, and
Draupadi would swoon, and all the brethren would be
faint and weary and in despair. Then Bhima would carry
them all on his back and under his arms.
The gods appeared unto the brethren during their
exile. Dharma, god of wisdom and holiness, addressed
Yudhishthira his son many questions, which he answered
piously and well. Hanuman, son of Vayu, the wind god,
was made manifest before Bhima. It chanced that the
strong Pandava, who was also Vayu's son, was hastening
on his way and went swift as the wind; the earth shook
under him and trees fell down, and he killed at one touch
of his foot tigers and lions and even great elephants that
sought to obstruct his path.1 Hanuman shrank to the size
of an ape, but his tail spread out in such great proportions
across Bhima's path, that he was compelled to stay his
course and stand still. He spake to Bhima then and told
the tale of Rama and Sita. Then he grew suddenly as
lofty as Vindhya mountain and transported his brother, the
1 Like the Celtic giant Caoilte, who went swifter than the March wind, and the
Teutonic storm-giant Ecke, who gave chase to Dietrich in his character as Tnuno
(Thor).—See Teutonic Myth and Legend, Chapter xxxviii.
For twelve long years the Pandavas lived in the woods
with their wife Draupadi, and Dhaumya, the Brahman.
Whatever food they obtained, they set apart a portion for
the holy men and ate the rest. They visited holy shrines;
they bathed in sacred waters; they performed their de-
votions. Ofttimes they held converse with Brahmans and
sages, who instructed them in pious works and blessed
them, and also promised them that their lost kingdom
would be restored in the fullness of time.
They wandered in sunshine and in shade; they dwelt
in pleasant places, amidst abundant fruits and surrounded
by flowers. They suffered also from tempests and heavy
rains, when their path would be torn by streams, and
Draupadi would swoon, and all the brethren would be
faint and weary and in despair. Then Bhima would carry
them all on his back and under his arms.
The gods appeared unto the brethren during their
exile. Dharma, god of wisdom and holiness, addressed
Yudhishthira his son many questions, which he answered
piously and well. Hanuman, son of Vayu, the wind god,
was made manifest before Bhima. It chanced that the
strong Pandava, who was also Vayu's son, was hastening
on his way and went swift as the wind; the earth shook
under him and trees fell down, and he killed at one touch
of his foot tigers and lions and even great elephants that
sought to obstruct his path.1 Hanuman shrank to the size
of an ape, but his tail spread out in such great proportions
across Bhima's path, that he was compelled to stay his
course and stand still. He spake to Bhima then and told
the tale of Rama and Sita. Then he grew suddenly as
lofty as Vindhya mountain and transported his brother, the
1 Like the Celtic giant Caoilte, who went swifter than the March wind, and the
Teutonic storm-giant Ecke, who gave chase to Dietrich in his character as Tnuno
(Thor).—See Teutonic Myth and Legend, Chapter xxxviii.