ing thyself to be overpowered by passion and wrath, losest thy reason?' Hearing this, Pandu replied, 'O deer, kings behave in the matter of slaying animals of thy species exactly as they do in the matter of slaying foes. It behoveth thee not, therefore, to reprove me thus from ignorance? Animals of thy species are slain by open or covert means. This, indeed, is the practice of kings. Then why dost thou reprove me? Formerly, the Rishi Agastya, while engaged in the performance of a grand sacrifice, chased the deer, and devoted every deer of the forest unto the gods in general. Thou hast been slain pursuant to usage sanctioned by such precedent, Wherefore reprovest us then? For his especial sacrifices Agastya performed the homa with fat of the deer.'
"The deer then said, 'O king, men do not let fly their arrows at even their enemies when the latter are unprepared, But there is a time for doing it (viz, after declaration of hostilities). Slaughter at such a time is not censurable.'
"Pandu replied, 'It is well-known that men slay deer by various effective means, without regarding whether the animals are careful or careless. Therefore, O deer, why reprovest thou me?'
"The deer then said, 'O king, I do. not blame thee for thy having killed a deer, or for the injury thou hast done to me! But, instead of acting so cruelly, thou shouldst have waited for the completion of my act of intercourse. What man of wisdom and virtue is there that can kill a deer while engaged in such an act? The time of sexual intercourse is agreeable to every creature and productive of good to all. O king, upon this my mate I was engaged in the gratification of my sexual desire. But that effort of mine hath been rendered futile by thee! O king of the Kurus, born as thou art in the race of the Pandavas ever noted for white (virtuous) deeds, such an act hath scarcely been fit for thee! O Bharata, this act must be regarded as extremely cruel, deserving of universal execration, infamous, and sinful, and certainly leading to hell, Thou art acquainted with the pleasures of sexual intercourse, Thou art acquainted also with the teachings of morality and the dictates of duty. Like unto a celestial as
