"There was also King Nala," Maitreya continued. "He lost his kingdom in a gambling match with his own brother, who then exiled Nala to the forest. Nala's loyal wife, Damayanti, accompanied him. Feeling ashamed, Nala abandoned her in the forest to live out his exile alone. Damayanti spent years searching for Nala but couldn't find him anywhere. Damayanti's father organized a swayamvara for her to choose a new husband, and Nala arrived, serving as charioteer to one of the kings seeking a bride. Damayanti recognized him, and together they won back Nala's kingdom and ruled again as king and queen."

Maitreya then told another story. "King Ashwapati's daughter Savitri chose to marry Satyavan, a prince living in poverty in the forest, supporting his blind father, a king who had lost his kingdom. Even worse: the royal astrologer predicted Satyavan would die in one year. But Savitri loved him, and when Yama took Satyavan to the land of the dead, she followed. 'You cannot follow!' Yama said, but Savitri persisted. Impressed, Yama granted her a wish. 'I want to bear Satyavan's children,' she said. Thus Yama had to restore Satyavan's life, thanks to Savitri."

"I like that story," said Draupadi, smiling.

After visiting the Pandavas in their forest exile, the rishi Maitreya went to Hastinapura. "You must make peace between your sons and your nephews," he said to King Dhritarashtra. "If not, it will lead to the annihilation of your family line."

But Duryodhana just laughed at Maitreya and slapped his thigh as he had done when taunting Draupadi.

"I curse you, Duryodhana!" said Maitreya. "One day Bhima will crush that thigh."

"Take back your curse!" begged Duryodhana, truly alarmed.

"The only solution is to make peace with the Pandavas," Maitreya replied.

But Duryodhana would never make peace with his cousins.

Draupadi was surprised to see Jayadratha, King of Sindhu, approach their forest camp in his chariot; he was the husband of Duryodhana's sister, Duhshala.

"Perhaps he brings a message from Hastinapura," Draupadi thought.

"My husbands are hunting," she explained, "but they will return soon."

"I came to see you!" Jayadratha replied. "Leave this wretched wilderness and come with me. I'll be your new husband."

"How dare you!" Draupadi screamed as Jayadratha grabbed her.

"You're a whore for the taking," Jayadratha shouted at her angrily. "And I'm going to take you!"

He then threw her in his chariot and rode away.

The rishis heard Draupadi screaming, and they ran to find the Pandavas.

Arjuna quickly caught up with Jayadratha and used fire-arrows to incinerate his chariot wheels. Bhima then jumped on Jayadratha and began pummeling him with his mighty fists, while the twins kicked him from left and right.

"Stop!" Yudhishthira shouted. "Don't kill him. He is married to the only sister in our family."

"Then I'll humiliate him for everyone to see," said Bhima, and he pulled out all of Jayadratha's hair, leaving just five tufts sticking out, one for each of the Pandavas to whom Jayadratha owed his life.

A golden lotus blown by the wind landed at Draupadi's feet. "How lovely!" she said.

"I'll bring you more," Bhima said eagerly, racing off to gather more lotuses.

He soon found his path blocked by a monkey's tail.

"Move your tail!" Bhima shouted at the sleeping monkey.

The monkey didn't move.

"I said: MOVE YOUR TAIL."

"I'm old," the monkey replied. "You move it."

But Bhima couldn't move the tail: it was too heavy!

Then the monkey rose up tall as a mountain.

"Lord Hanuman!" Bhima exclaimed, happily saluting his brother, for they were both sons of the wind-god, Vayu.

One day, a python grabbed Bhima. As Bhima struggled, the snake said, "I was King Nahusha. I took Indraloka from Indra. I also took Indra's queen, Shachi. But she tricked me: she said the Saptarishis must carry me to her on a palanquin, and when the rishis walked slowly, I kicked one in the head. He cursed me to live as a python until someone named Yudhishthira freed me."

"Yudhishthira's my brother!" Bhima shouted.

"You're jussssst ssssssaying that..." hissed the python.

"Help!" Bhima yelled.

His brothers came running and, at Yudhishthira's touch, Nahusha shed his snake-body and ascended to heaven.

Yudhishthira apologized for the suffering he had brought upon his family. "I gambled because I wanted to depose Duryodhana so that we could rule the whole kingdom," he confessed. "But I realize anger about this serves no purpose now. I must practice patience, certain that someday we'll regain our kingdom."

Draupadi and the others, however, did not share Yudhishthira's equanimity.

Then Vyasa arrived, and he taught Yudhishthira a mantra that controlled a great weapon. "Teach this mantra to Arjuna," he said, "and send Arjuna out to search for more weapons. You must be prepared for the war that is coming."

Arjuna ascended a sacred mountain and meditated deeply, praying to Shiva.

As he prayed, a boar attacked.

Arjuna emerged from meditation, grabbed his bow, and shot the boar.

To Arjuna's surprise, another arrow struck the boar. "The boar is mine!" shouted a hunter emerging from the trees.

"No!" protested Arjuna. "It's mine!"

They fought, and Arjuna could not overcome this hunter. He appealed to Shiva for help, throwing a garland on the Shiva-statue he had made.

The garland appeared around the hunter's neck!

"You are Shiva!" Arjuna shouted, bowing down.

Shiva was pleased and rewarded Arjuna with the Pashupata weapon.

Indra, king of the gods, took his son Arjuna to heaven, and there Arjuna acquired many weapons. He also learned music and dancing from the gandharvas and apsaras.

The apsara Urvashi fell in love with Arjuna, but Arjuna rebuffed her. "You're like a mother to me," he said, "as you were once married to Pururavas, my ancestor."

"Because you've failed me as a man," Urvashi said angrily, "I curse you to be a eunuch."

"Don't worry," Indra told Arjuna. "Her curse will last only one year, thus keeping you safe in the year of exile you must spend in disguise."