With Bhimasena as his ally, Arjuna set out upon his chariot and, through his unmatched valor, single-handedly conquered all the kings of the eastern lands, overcoming their ten thousand chariots in battle. In the same way, Dhananjaya, traveling alone in his chariot, subdued the southern regions and brought back immense wealth to the Kuru kingdom. All this Arjuna accomplished in his fifteenth year, and when the sons of Dhritarashtra beheld these feats, fear took hold of them. Bhimasena, mighty-armed and foremost among the strong, asserted his strength and subdued all the sons of Dhritarashtra by force. Though Bhima’s intentions were blameless, the sons of Dhritarashtra, out of fear for his deeds and with malice in their hearts, found fault with him. Witnessing the Pandavas’ great accomplishments, their superior strength, and their virtues, those of evil mind among the Kauravas grew ever more afraid. Thus, the noble Pandavas, best among men, conquered foreign kingdoms and brought prosperity to their own realm in days gone by. Observing the extraordinary prowess of these mighty archers, King Dhritarashtra’s feelings toward the Pandavas suddenly soured; anxiety overwhelmed him, and he found no rest in sleep. Duryodhana, seeing Bhimasena valued more dearly than life itself and Dhananjaya accomplished in every art, was deeply troubled in his mind. At that time, Karna, son of Vikartana, and Shakuni, son of Subala, began to devise various means to destroy the Pandavas. The Pandavas, for their part, responded as best they could, neither boasting nor acting rashly, but abiding by Vidura’s wise counsel. Meanwhile, the citizens, perceiving the Pandava brothers’ virtues, began to speak among themselves of their many qualities. In the city squares and assemblies, they discussed the possibility of the eldest Pandava attaining the throne. They reasoned: “Dhritarashtra, though wise, is blind and has never been king; how could he now become ruler? Bhishma, son of Shantanu, steadfast in truth and great vows, once renounced the kingdom and would never accept it. Therefore, let us anoint the eldest Pandava, who, though young, conducts himself with the wisdom of elders and is known for truth and compassion. He will honor Bhishma and Dhritarashtra, the knower of dharma, and their sons, with all manner of enjoyments.” Hearing these words spoken by those devoted to Yudhishthira, Duryodhana, whose mind was already troubled, became greatly distressed. Tormented and wicked-hearted, he could not bear what the citizens were saying. Burning with envy, he went to his father, Dhritarashtra. Finding his father alone, Duryodhana paid his respects, and, afflicted by the people’s affection for the Pandavas, spoke: “Father, I have heard the citizens’ ill-omened words. Ignoring you and Bhishma, they wish to make the Pandava their lord. This is also Bhishma’s opinion—he does not desire the kingdom. The people of the city are set to bring us great distress. Pandu, by his own virtues, once gained the kingdom from his father, but you, due to blindness and other circumstances, have not acquired it. If the Pandava receives Pandu’s inheritance, his son will inherit after him, and then his descendants in turn. We, and our sons, will be deprived of the royal lineage and become objects of contempt in the world. Ever consigned to misery, living off others’ scraps—let us not become such, O king. Let us devise a policy accordingly. If you had formerly obtained this kingdom, then we would surely inherit it, even among the remaining people.” Dhritarashtra, hearing his son’s words, pondered for a moment and then replied, “Pandu, ever devoted to righteousness, was greatly pleased with me, O Kaurava, more than with any of our kinsmen. He never concerned himself with arrangements for food or other matters; he, the best among the righteous, would always inform me of such things. His son, too, is always devoted to righteousness, just as Pandu was—virtuous, renowned throughout the world, and well established in the city. How could we possibly remove that bull among men? For this kingdom has truly come to him, especially with his allies. “Pandu had won over the ministers and the army, and their sons and grandsons as well. Those men, so honored by Pandu in his realm, how would they not rise up and slay us and our kin for Yudhishthira’s sake? They would not desire the kingdom at the cost of abandoning righteousness—neither we, the lords of the Kauravas, nor those great souls. Surely, it would be said that we would thus perish from the world. “Bhishma is always neutral, and Drona’s son stands with me; and since the son follows, so too will Drona—of this there is no doubt. Kripa, son of Sharadvat, is with us for the same reason; and the son of Drona will never abandon his maternal uncle. Vidura is our kinsman, but he is secretly on the other side, and he alone is not capable of opposing us for the sake of the Pandavas. “Therefore, let us confidently exile the sons of Pandu along with their mother today to Varanavata; there will be no fault in this.