82 Evolution of Life and Form. 



A stainless king was this son of P&ndu, one of the 

 noblest and most blameless figures that ancient 

 literature paints ; but with a strain of weakness in 

 him which in critical times would sometimes show 

 a too great readiness to yield, too little of the 

 Kshattriya's power of standing alone against any 

 force that might be brought to bear against him ; 

 a little germ of weakness was there, that had in it 

 the possibility of a fatal fall. Shri Krishna is 

 there, the great Avat&ra, and Bhima comes rushing 

 up from the battle-field saying that he has slain an 

 elephant, whose name is the same as the name of 

 the son of Drona. If Drona hear that his son Ash- 

 vatthama is dead, he will drop his weapons, he will 

 let go his enemy ; no further will he fight when his 

 beloved is gone. " I told him that Ashvatthama was 

 dead, but he would not believe me ; he sent me to 

 you saying that Yudhishthira is a devotee of truth, 

 he will not tell a lie for the sovereignty of the three 

 worlds. If he says Ashvatthama is dead, I will 

 believe." Terrible is the strain ; mighty the force 

 brought to bear against the man who has a weak- 

 ness in him ; and Shri Krishna, standing by him, 

 watching him steadfastly, advises him to utter that 

 which is not true. God advises this almost blame- 

 less man to tell a lie ? How strange the scene ! 

 Yudhishthira, yielding to Shri Krishna, tells the 



