Pandavas Lament Arjuna's Departure from Kamyaka

Janamejaya asked: "O illustrious one! When my great-grandfather Partha left Kamyaka forest, what did the Pandavas do without Savyasachi? It seems to me that the great archer, the vanquisher of enemy armies, was their refuge, like Vishnu is that of the Adityas. Without him, who is the equal of Indra in valour and has never withdrawn from the field of battle, how did my brave grandfathers spend their time in the forest?" Vaishampayana replied: "O son! When Pandava Savyasachi left Kamyaka forest, the Kouravas were immersed in sorrow and grief. The Pandavas looked like jewels from a string that has been broken, or birds whose wings have been clipped. All of them were unhappy. Without the one whose deeds are undecaying, the forest became like Chaitraratha when Kubera is not there. In his absence, the Pandavas, tigers among men, lived joylessly in Kamyaka. "Those valorous maharathas used pure-tipped arrows to kill many kinds of sacrificial animals for the brahmanas. Those destroyers of enemies, tigers among men, collected forest fare every day, and after having spread it out, offered it to the brahmanas. After Dhananjaya's departure, those bulls among men lived there, unhappy in their minds and anxious about him." Then, in particular, Panchali remembered the husband who was in the middle — the brave one who was absent. She told Yudhishthira: "In the absence of the two-armed Arjuna, the equal of the many-armed Arjuna and the best of the Pandavas, this forest seems cheerless to me. Wherever I look, the earth seems empty. This forest, with its many marvels and blossoming trees, no longer seems attractive in Savyasachi's absence. This Kamyaka is as blue as monsoon clouds and is frequented by elephants in rut. But without Pundarikaksha, it has no charm. The twang of his bow is like the roar of thunder. I remember Savyasachi, and without him, I cannot find any peace of mind." Hearing this, Bhimasena, the destroyer of enemy warriors, told Draupadi: "O beautiful one! O slim-waisted one! The words you speak please the mind and gladden my heart, like a sip of ambrosia. His arms were long and smooth and thick like clubs. They were round and marked from the string of the bow. With swords, weapons and clubs, with golden rings and arm-guards, they were like five-headed serpents. Without that tiger among men, the forest seems to have lost its sun. Depending on that mighty-armed one, the Panchalas and the Kurus do not fear even the powerful gods in battle. All of us found refuge in the arms of that great-souled one. We considered that we had routed our enemies and had obtained the earth. Without the brave Phalguna, I find no mental peace in Kamyaka. As I look upon this earth, it seems to me to be empty everywhere." Nakula said: "He went to the northern directions and defeated immensely powerful ones in battle. Vasava's son obtained hundreds of excellent gandharva horses. They had the colour of partridges and were dappled. They were as fast as the wind. He gave them to his beloved brother at the time of the great rajasuya sacrifice. Without that terrible archer, Bhima's younger brother, without the one who is an equal of the gods, I no longer wish to live in Kamyaka forest." Sahadeva said: "He won riches and women in battle. He defeated maharathas. In earlier times, he brought them all to the king at the time of the great rajasuya sacrifice. He is an immensely radiant one who vanquished all the Yadavas in the field of battle. With Vasudeva's consent, he single-handedly abducted Subhadra. When I see that Jishnu's seat is empty in our house, there can never be any peace in my heart. I think we should no longer live in this forest. Without that brave one, none of us finds this forest to be attractive."