{"collection":"myth-cosmogony","full_text_available":true,"graph_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/api/page/gutenberg_12058/graph","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/page/gutenberg_12058","id":"gutenberg_12058","license":"Public Domain (US)","rights_basis":"gutenberg_metadata_copyright_false","source":"gutenberg","source_url":"https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/12058","summary":null,"tags":["Best Books Ever Listings","Category: Mythology, Legends & Folklore","Epic literature, Sanskrit","Hinduism"],"text":"The Mahabharata of\n\nKrishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa\n\nBOOK 4\n\nVIRATA PARVA\n\nTranslated into English Prose from the Original Sanskrit Text\n\nby\n\nKisari Mohan Ganguli\n\n[1883-1896]\n\n\n\n\n\n\nTHE MAHABHARATA\n\n\nVIRATA PARVA\n\nSECTION I\n\n(_Pandava-Pravesa Parva_)\n\nOM! Having bowed down to Narayana, and Nara, the most exalted of male\nbeings, and also to the goddess Saraswati, must the word _Jaya_ be\nuttered.\n\nJanamejaya said, \"How did my great-grandfathers, afflicted with the fear\nof Duryodhana, pass their days undiscovered in the city of Virata? And,\nO Brahman, how did the highly blessed Draupadi, stricken with woe,\ndevoted to her lords, and ever adoring the Deity[1], spend her days\nunrecognised?\"\n\n    [1] _Brahma Vadini_--Nilakantha explains this as\n    _Krishna-kirtanasila._\n\nVaisampayana said, \"Listen, O lord of men, how thy great grandfathers\npassed the period of unrecognition in the city of Virata. Having in this\nway obtained boons from the god of Justice, that best of virtuous men,\nYudhishthira, returned to the asylum and related unto the Brahmanas all\nthat had happened. And having related everything unto them, Yudhishthira\nrestored to that regenerate Brahmana who had followed him the churning\nstaff and the fire-sticks he had lost. And, O Bharata, the son of the\ngod of Justice, the royal Yudhishthira of high soul then called together\nall his younger brothers and addressed them, saying, 'Exiled from our\nkingdom, we have passed twelve years. The thirteenth year, hard to\nspend, hath now come. Do thou therefore, O Arjuna, the son of Kunti,\nselect some spot where we may pass our days undiscovered by our\nenemies.'\n\n\"Arjuna replied, \"Even by virtue of Dharma's boon, we shall, O lord of\nmen, range about undiscovered by men. Still, for purposes of residence,\nI shall mention some spots that are both delightful and secluded. Do\nthou select some one of them. Surrounding the kingdom of the Kurus, are,\nmany countries beautiful and abounding in corn, such as Panchala, Chedi,\nMatsya, Surasena, Pattachchara, Dasarna, Navarashtra, Malla, Salva,\nYugandhara, Saurashtra, Avanti, and the spacious Kuntirashtra. Which of\nthese, O king, wouldst thou choose, and where, O foremost of monarchs,\nshall we spend this year?'\n\n\"Yudhishthira said 'O thou of mighty arms, it is even so. What that\nadorable Lord of all creatures hath said must become true. Surely, after\nconsulting together, we must select some delightful, auspicious, and\nagreeable region for our abode, where we may live free from fear. The\naged Virata, king of the Matsyas, is virtuous and powerful and\ncharitable, and is liked by all. And he is also attached to the\nPandavas. Even in the city of Virata, O child, we shall, O Bharata,\nspend this year, entering his service. Tell me, ye sons of the Kuru\nrace, in what capacities ye will severally present yourselves before the\nking of the Matsyas!'\n\n\"Arjuna said, 'O god among men, what service wilt thou take in Virata's\nkingdom? O righteous one, in what capacity wilt thou reside in the city\nof Virata? Thou art mild, and charitable, and modest, and virtuous, and\nfirm in promise. What wilt thou, O king, afflicted as thou art with\ncalamity, do? A king is qualified to bear trouble like an ordinary\nperson. How wilt thou overcome this great calamity that has overtaken\nthee?'\n\n\"Yudhishthira replied, 'Ye sons of the Kuru race, ye bulls among men,\nhear what I shall do on appearing before king Virata. Presenting myself\nas a Brahmana, Kanka by name, skilled in dice and fond of play, I shall\nbecome a courtier of that high-souled king. And moving upon chess-boards\nbeautiful pawns made of ivory, of blue and yellow and red and white hue,\nby throws of black and red dice, I shall entertain the king with his\ncourtiers and friends. And while I shall continue to thus delight the\nking, nobody will succeed in discovering me. And should the monarch ask\nme, I shall say, _Formerly I was the bosom friend of Yudhishthira_. I\ntell you that it is thus that I shall pass my days (in the city of\nVirata). What office wilt thou, O Vrikodara, fill in the city of\nVirata?'\"\n\n\nSECTION II\n\n\"Bhima said, 'I intend to present myself before the lord of Virata as a\ncook bearing the name of Vallava. I am skilled in culinary art, and I\nshall prepare curries for the king, and excelling all those skilful\ncooks that had hitherto dressed his food I shall gratify the monarch.\nAnd I shall carry mighty loads of wood. And witnessing that mighty feat,\nthe monarch will be pleased. And, O Bharata, beholding such superhuman\nfeats of mine, the servants of the royal household will honour me as a\nking. And I shall have entire control over all kinds of viands and\ndrinks. And commanded to subdue powerful elephants and mighty bulls, I\nwill do as bidden. And if any combatants will fight with me in the\nlists, then will I vanquish them, and thereby entertain the monarch. But\nI shall not take the life of any of them. I shall only bring them down\nin such way that they may not be killed. And on being asked as regards\nmy antecedent I shall say that--_Formerly I was the wrestler and cook of\nYudhishthira._ Thus shall I, O king, maintain myself.'\n\n\"Yudhishthira said, 'And what office will be performed by that mighty\ndescendant of the Kurus, Dhananjaya, the son of Kunti, that foremost of\nmen possessed of long arms, invincible in fight, and before whom, while\nhe was staying with Krishna, the divine Agni himself desirous of\nconsuming the forest of Khandava had formerly appeared in the guise of a\nBrahmana? What office will be performed by that best of warriors,\nArjuna, who proceeded to that forest and gratified Agni, vanquishing on\na single car and slaying huge _Nagas_ and _Rakshasas_, and who married\nthe sister of Vasuki himself, the king of the _Nagas_? Even as the sun\nis the foremost of all heat-giving bodies, as the Brahmana is the best\nof all bipeds, as the cobra is the foremost of all serpents, as Fire is\nthe first of all things possessed of energy, as the thunderbolt is the\nforemost of all weapons, as the humped bull is the foremost of all\nanimals of the bovine breed, as the ocean is the foremost of all watery\nexpanses, as clouds charged with rain are the foremost of all clouds, as\nAnanta is the first of all _Nagas_, as Airavata is the foremost of all\nelephants, as the son is the foremost of all beloved objects, and\nlastly, as the wife is the best of all friends, so, O Vrikodara, is the\nyouthful Gudakesa, the foremost of all bowmen. And O Bharata, what\noffice will be performed by Vibhatsu, the wielder of _Gandiva_, whose\ncar is drawn by white horses, and who is not inferior to Indra or\nVasudeva Himself? What office will be performed by Arjuna who, dwelling\nfor five years in the abode of the thousand-eyed Deity (Indra) shining\nin celestial lustre, acquired by his own energy the science of\nsuperhuman arms with all celestial weapons, and whom I regard as the\ntenth _Rudra_, the thirteenth _Aditya_, the ninth _Vasu_, and the tenth\n_Graha_, whose arms, symmetrical and long, have the skin hardened by\nconstant strokes of the bowstring and cicatrices which resemble those on\nthe humps of bulls,--that foremost of warriors who is as Himavat among\nmountains, the ocean among expanses of water, Sakra among the celestial,\nHavyavaha (fire) among the Vasus, the tiger among beasts, and Garuda\namong feathery tribes!'\n\n\"Arjuna replied, 'O lord of the Earth, I will declare myself as one of\nthe neuter sex. O monarch, it is, indeed difficult to hide the marks of\nthe bowstring on my arms. I will, however, cover both my cicatrized arms\nwith bangles. Wearing brilliant rings on my ears and conch-bangles on my\nwrists and causing a braid to hang down from my head, I shall, O king,\nappear as one of the third sex, Vrihannala by name. And living as a\nfemale I shall (always) entertain the king and the inmates of the inner\napartments by reciting stories. And, O king, I shall also instruct the\nwomen of Virata's palace in singing and delightful modes of dancing and\nin musical instruments of diverse kinds. And I shall also recite the\nvarious excellent acts of men and thus conceal myself, O son of Kunti,\nby feigning disguise. And, O Bharata should the king enquire, I will say\nthat, _I lived as a waiting maid of Draupadi in Yudhishthira's palace_.\nAnd, O foremost of kings, concealing myself by this means, as fire is\nconcealed by ashes, I shall pass my days agreeably in the palace of\nVirata.'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"Having said this, Arjuna, that best of men and\nforemost of virtuous persons, became silent. Then the king addressed\nanother brother of his.\"[2]\n\n    [2] This speech of Vaisampayana is not included in some texts\n    within the second section. To include it, however, in the third,\n    is evidently a mistake.\n\n\nSECTION III\n\n\"Yudhishthira said, 'Tender, possessed of a graceful presence, and\ndeserving of every luxury as thou art, what office wilt thou, O heroic\nNakula, discharge while living in the dominions of that king? Tell me\nall about it!'\n\n\"Nakula said, 'Under the name of Granthika, I shall become the keeper of\nthe horses of king Virata. I have a thorough knowledge (of this work)\nand am skilful in tending horses. Besides, the task is agreeable to me,\nand I possess great skill in training and treating horses; and horses\nare ever dear to me as they are to thee, O king of the Kurus. At my\nhands even colts and mares become docile; these never become vicious in\nbearing a rider or drawing a car.[3] And those persons in the city of\nVirata that may enquire of me, I shall, O bull of the Bharata race,\nsay,--_Formerly I was employed by Yudhishthira in the charge of his\nhorses_. Thus disguised, O king, I shall spend my days delightfully in\nthe city of Virata. No one will be able to discover me as I will gratify\nthe monarch thus!'[4]\n\n    [3] The sloka commencing with _Adushta_ and ending _ratheshu\n    cha_ does not occur in texts except those in Bengal.\n\n    [4] A difference reading is observable here. The sense, however,\n    is the same.\n\n\"Yudhishthira said, 'How wilt thou, O Sahadeva, bear thyself before that\nking? And what, O child, is that which thou wilt do in order to live in\ndisguise.'\n\n\"Sahadeva replied, 'I will become a keeper of the king of Virata's kine.\nI am skilled in milking kine and taking their history as well as in\ntaming their fierceness. Passing under the name of Tantripala, I shall\nperform my duties deftly. Let thy heart's fever be dispelled. Formerly I\nwas frequently employed to look after thy kine, and, O Lord of earth, I\nhave a particular knowledge of that work. And, O monarch, I am\nwell-acquainted with the nature of kine, as also with their auspicious\nmarks and other matters relating to them. I can also discriminate bulls\nwith auspicious marks, the scent of whose urine may make even the barren\nbeing forth child. Even thus will I live, and I always take delight in\nwork of this kind. Indeed, no one will then be able to recognise me, and\nI will moreover gratify the monarch.'\n\n\"Yudhishthira said, 'This is our beloved wife dearer to us than our\nlives. Verily, she deserveth to be cherished by us like a mother, and\nregarded like an elder sister. Unacquainted as she is with any kind of\nwomanly work, what office will Krishna, the daughter of Drupada,\nperform? Delicate and young, she is a princess of great repute. Devoted\nto her lords, and eminently virtuous, also, how will she live? Since her\nbirth, she hath enjoyed only garlands and perfumes and ornaments and\ncostly robes.'\n\n\"Draupadi replied, 'There is a class of persons called _Sairindhris_,[5]\nwho enter the services of other. Other females, however (that are\nrespectable) do not do so. Of this class there are some. I shall give\nmyself out as a _Sairindhri_, skilled in dressing hair. And, O Bharata,\non being questioned by the king, I shall say that I served as a waiting\nwoman of Draupadi in Yudhishthira's household. I shall thus pass my days\nin disguise. And I shall serve the famous Sudeshna, the wife of the\nking. Surely, obtaining me she will cherish me (duly). Do not grieve so,\nO king.'\n\n    [5] An independent female artisan working in another person's\n    house.--Wilson.\n\n\"Yudhishthira said, 'O Krishna, thou speakest well. But O fair girl,\nthou wert born in a respectable family. Chaste as thou art, and always\nengaged in observing virtuous vows, thou knowest not what is sin. Do\nthou, therefore, conduct thyself in such a way that sinful men of evil\nhearts may not be gladdened by gazing at thee.'\"\n\n\nSECTION IV\n\n\"Yudhishthira said, 'Ye have already said what offices ye will\nrespectively perform. I also, according to the measure of my sense, have\nsaid what office I will perform. Let our priest, accompanied by\ncharioteers and cooks, repair to the abode of Drupada, and there\nmaintain our _Agnihotra_ fires. And let Indrasena and the others, taking\nwith them the empty cars, speedily proceeded to Dwaravati. Even this is\nmy wish. And let all these maid-servants of Draupadi go to the\nPanchalas, with our charioteers and cooks. And let all of them say,--_We\ndo not know where the Pandavas have gone leaving us at the lake of\nDwaitavana_.'\"\n\nVaisampayana said, \"Having thus taken counsel of one another and told\none another the offices they would discharge, the Pandavas sought\nDhaumya's advice. And Dhaumya also gave them advice in the following\nwords, saying, 'Ye sons of Pandu, the arrangements ye have made\nregarding the Brahmanas, your friends, cars, weapons, and the (sacred)\nfires, are excellent. But it behoveth thee, O Yudhishthira, and Arjuna\nspecially, to make provision for the protection of Draupadi. Ye king, ye\nare well-acquainted with the characters of men. Yet whatever may be your\nknowledge, friends may from affection be permitted to repeat what is\nalready known. Even this is subservient to the eternal interests of\nvirtue, pleasure, and profit. I shall, therefore speak to you something.\nMark ye. To dwell with a king is, alas, difficult. I shall tell you, ye\nprinces, how ye may reside in the royal household, avoiding every fault.\nYe Kauravas, honourably or otherwise, ye will have to pass this year in\nthe king's palace, undiscovered by those that know you. Then in the\nfourteenth year, ye will live happy. O son of Pandu, in this world, that\ncherisher and protector of all beings, the king, who is a deity in an\nembodied form, is as a great fire sanctified with all the _mantras_.[6]\nOne should present himself before the king, after having obtained his\npermission at the gate. No one should keep contact with royal secrets.\nNor should one desire a seat which another may covet. He who doth not,\nregarding himself to be a favourite, occupy (the king's) car, or coach,\nor seat, or vehicle, or elephant, is alone worthy of dwelling in a royal\nhousehold. He that sits not upon a seat the occupation of which is\ncalculated raise alarm in the minds of malicious people, is alone worthy\nof dwelling in a royal household. No one should, unasked offer counsel\n(to a king). Paying homage in season unto the king, one should silently\nand respectfully sit beside the king, for kings take umbrage at\nbabblers, and disgrace lying counsellors. A wise person should not\ncontact friendship with the king's wife, nor with the inmates of the\ninner apartments, nor with those that are objects of royal displeasure.\nOne about the king should do even the most unimportant acts and with the\nking's knowledge. Behaving thus with a sovereign, one doth not come by\nharm. Even if an individual attain the highest office, he should, as\nlong as he is not asked or commanded, consider himself as born-blind,\nhaving regard to the king's dignity, for O repressers of foes, the\nrulers of men do not forgive even their sons and grandsons and brothers\nwhen they happen to tamper with their dignity. Kings should be served\nwith regardful care, even as Agni and other gods; and he that is\ndisloyal to his sovereign, is certainly destroyed by him. Renouncing\nanger, and pride, and negligence, it behoveth a man to follow the course\ndirected by the monarch. After carefully deliberating on all things, a\nperson should set forth before the king those topics that are both\nprofitable and pleasant; but should a subject be profitable without\nbeing pleasant, he should still communicate it, despite its\ndisagreeableness. It behoveth a man to be well-disposed towards the king\nin all his interests, and not to indulge in speech that is alike\nunpleasant and profitless. Always thinking--_I am not liked by the\nking_--one should banish negligence, and be intent on bringing about\nwhat is agreeable and advantageous to him. He that swerveth not from his\nplace, he that is not friendly to those that are hostile to the king, he\nthat striveth not to do wrong to the king, is alone worthy to dwell in a\nroyal household. A learned man should sit either on the king's right or\nthe left; he should not sit behind him for that is the place appointed\nfor armed guards, and to sit before him is always interdicted. Let none,\nwhen the king is engaged in doing anything (in respect of his servants)\ncome forward pressing himself zealously before others, for even if the\naggrieved be very poor, such conduct would still be inexcusable.[7] It\nbehoveth no man to reveal to others any lie the king may have told\ninasmuch as the king bears ill will to those that report his falsehoods.\nKings also always disregard persons that regard themselves as learned.\nNo man should be proud thinking--_I am brave, or, I am intelligent_, but\na person obtains the good graces of a king and enjoys the good things of\nlife, by behaving agreeably to the wishes of the king. And, O Bharata,\nobtaining things agreeable, and wealth also which is so hard to acquire,\na person should always do what is profitable as well as pleasant to the\nking. What man that is respected by the wise can even think of doing\nmischief to one whose ire is great impediment and whose favour is\nproductive of mighty fruits? No one should move his lips, arms and\nthighs, before the king. A person should speak and spit before the king\nonly mildly. In the presence of even laughable objects, a man should not\nbreak out into loud laughter, like a maniac; nor should one show\n(unreasonable) gravity by containing himself, to the utmost. One should\nsmile modestly, to show his interest (in what is before him). He that is\never mindful of the king's welfare, and is neither exhilarated by reward\nnor depressed by disgrace, is alone worthy of dwelling in a royal\nhousehold. That learned courtier who always pleaseth the king and his\nson with agreeable speeches, succeedeth in dwelling in a royal household\nas a favourite. The favourite courtier who, having lost the royal favour\nfor just reason, does not speak evil of the king, regains prosperity.\nThe man who serveth the king or liveth in his domains, if sagacious,\nshould speak in praise of the king, both in his presence and absence.\nThe courtier who attempts to obtain his end by employing force on the\nking, cannot keep his place long and incurs also the risk of death. None\nshould, for the purpose of self-interest, open communications with the\nking's enemies.[8] Nor should one distinguish himself above the king in\nmatters requiring ability and talents. He that is always cheerful and\nstrong, brave and truthful and mild, and of subdued senses, and who\nfolloweth his master like his shadow, is alone worthy to dwell in a\nroyal household. He that on being entrusted with a work, cometh forward,\nsaying,--_I will do this_--is alone worthy of living in a royal\nhousehold. He that on being entrusted with a task, either within the\nking's dominion or out of it, never feareth to undertake it, is alone\nfit to reside in a royal household. He that living away from his home,\ndoth no remember his dear ones, and who undergoeth (present) misery in\nexpectation of (future) happiness, is alone worthy of dwelling in a\nroyal household. One should not dress like the king, nor should one\nindulge in laughter in the king's presence nor should one disclose royal\nsecrets. By acting thus one may win royal favour. Commissioned to a\ntask, one should not touch bribes for by such appropriation one becometh\nliable to fetters or death. The robes, ornaments, cars, and other things\nwhich the king may be pleased to bestow should always be used, for by\nthis, one winneth the royal favour. Ye children, controlling your minds,\ndo ye spend this year, ye sons of Pandu, behaving in this way. Regaining\nyour own kingdom, ye may live as ye please.'\n\n    [6] Some of the Bengal text and _Sarvatramaya_ for\n    _Sarvamantramaya_. The former is evidently incorrect.\n\n    [7] This is a very difficult _sloka_. Nilakantha adopts the\n    reading _Sanjayet_. The Bengal editions read _Sanjapet_. If the\n    latter be the correct reading, the meaning then would be,--'Let\n    none talk about what transpires in the presence of the king. For\n    those even that are poor, regard it as a grave fault.' The sense\n    evidently is that the occurrences in respect of a king which one\n    witnesses should not be divulged. Even they that are powerless\n    regard such divulgence of what occurs in respect of them as an\n    insult to them, and, therefore, inexcusable.\n\n    [8] The Bengal editions read _Rajna_ in the instrumental case.\n    Following a manuscript text of a Pandit of my acquaintance I\n    read _Rajnas_ in the genitive.\n\n\"Yudhishthira said, 'We have been well taught by thee. Blessed be thou.\nThere is none that could say so to us, save our mother Kunti and Vidura\nof great wisdom. It behoveth thee to do all that is necessary now for\nour departure, and for enabling us to come safely through this woe, as\nwell as for our victory over the foe.'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"Thus addressed by Yudhishthira, Dhaumya, that\nbest of Brahmanas, performed according to the ordinance the rites\nordained in respect of departure. And lighting up their fires, he\noffered, with _mantras_, oblations on them for the prosperity and\nsuccess of the Pandavas, as for their reconquest of the whole world. And\nwalking round those fires and round the Brahmanas of ascetic wealth, the\nsix set out, placing Yajnaseni in their front. And when those heroes had\ndeparted, Dhaumya, that best of ascetics, taking their sacred fires, set\nout for the Panchalas. And Indrasena, and others already mentioned, went\nto the Yadavas, and looking after the horses and the cars of the\nPandavas passed their time happily and in privacy.\"\n\n\nSECTION V\n\nVaisampayana said, \"Girding their waists with swords, and equipped with\nfinger-protectors made of iguana skins and with various weapons, those\nheroes proceeded in the direction of the river Yamuna. And those bowmen\ndesirous of (speedily) recovering their kingdom, hitherto living in\ninaccessible hills and forest fastnesses, now terminated their\nforest-life and proceeded to the southern bank of that river. And those\nmighty warriors endued with great strength and hitherto leading the\nlives of hunters by killing the deer of the forest, passed through\n_Yakrilloma_ and Surasena, leaving behind, on their right, the country\nof the Panchalas, and on their left, that of the Dasarnas. And those\nbowmen, looking wan and wearing beards and equipped with swords, entered\nMatsya's dominions leaving the forest, giving themselves out as hunters.\nAnd on arriving at that country, Krishna addressed Yudhishthira, saying,\n'We see footpaths here, and various fields. From this it appears that\nVirata's metropolis is still at a distance. Pass we here what part of\nthe night is still left, for great is my fatigue.'\n\n\"Yudhishthira answered, 'O Dhananjaya of Bharata's race, do thou take up\nPanchali and carry her. Just on emerging from this forest, we arrive at\nthe city.'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"Thereupon like the leader of a herd of\nelephants, Arjuna speedily took up Draupadi, and on coming to the\nvicinity of the city, let her down. And on reaching the city, Ruru's son\n(Yudhishthira), addressed Arjuna, saying, 'Where shall we deposit our\nweapons, before entering the city? If, O child, we enter it with our\nweapons about us, we shall thereby surely excite the alarm of the\ncitizens. Further, the tremendous bow, the _Gandiva_, is known to all\nmen, so that people will, without doubt, recognise us soon. And if even\none of us is discovered, we shall, according to promise, have to pass\nanother twelve years in the forest.'\n\n\"Arjuna said, 'Hard by yon cemetery and near that inaccessible peak is a\nmighty _Sami_ tree, throwing-about its gigantic branches and difficult\nto ascend. Nor is there any human being, who, I think, O Pandu's son,\nwill espy us depositing our arms at that place. That tree is in the\nmidst of an out-of-the way forest abounding in beasts and snakes, and is\nin the vicinity of a dreary cemetery. Stowing away our weapons on the\n_Sami_ tree, let us, O Bharata, go to the city, and live there, free\nfrom anxiety!'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"Having O bull of the Bharata race spoken thus\nto king Yudhishthira the just, Arjuna prepared to deposit the weapons\n(on the tree). And that bull among the Kurus, then loosened the string\nof the large and dreadful _Gandiva_, ever producing thundering twang and\nalways destructive of hostile hosts, and with which he had conquered, on\na single car, gods and men and _Nagas_ and swelling provinces. And the\nwarlike Yudhishthira, that represser of foes, unfastened the undecaying\nstring of that bow with which he had defended the field of Kurukshetra.\nAnd the illustrious Bhimasena unstrung that bow by means of which that\nsinless one had vanquished in fight the Panchalas and the lord of\nSindhu, and with which, during his career of conquest, he had,\nsingle-handed, opposed innumerable foes, and hearing whose twang which\nwas like unto the roar of the thunder or the splitting of a mountain,\nenemies always fly (in panic) from the field of battle. And that son of\nPandu of coppery complexion and mild speech who is endued with great\nprowess in the field, and is called Nakula in consequence of his\nunexampled beauty in the family, then unfastened the string of that bow\nwith which he had conquered all the regions of the west. And the heroic\nSahadeva also, possessed of a mild disposition, then untied the string\nof that bow with which he had subjugated the countries of the south. And\nwith their bows, they put together their long and flashing swords, their\nprecious quivers, and their arrows sharp as razors. And Nakula ascended\nthe tree, and deposited on it the bows and the other weapons. And he\ntied them fast on those parts of the tree which he thought would not\nbreak, and where the rain would not penetrate. And the Pandavas hung up\na corpse (on the tree), knowing that people smelling the stench of the\ncorpse would say--_here sure, is a dead body_, and avoid the tree from a\ndistance. And on being asked by the shepherds and cowherds regarding the\ncorpse, those repressers of foes said unto them, 'This is our mother,\naged one hundred and eighty years. We have hung up her dead body, in\naccordance with the custom observed by our forefathers.' And then those\nresisters of foes approached the city. And for purposes of non-discovery\nYudhishthira kept these (five) names for himself and his brothers\nrespectively, viz., Jaya, Jayanta, Vijaya, Jayatsena, and Jayadvala.\nThen they entered the great city, with the view to passing the\nthirteenth year undiscovered in that kingdom, agreeably to the promise\n(to Duryodhana).\"\n\n\nSECTION VI\n\nVaisampayana said, \"And while Yudhishthira was on his way to the\ndelightful city of Virata, he began to praise mentally the Divine Durga,\nthe Supreme Goddess of the Universe, born on the womb of Yasoda, and\nfond of the boons bestowed on her by Narayana, sprung from the race of\ncowherd Nanda, and the giver of prosperity, the enhancer (of the glory)\nof (the worshipper's) family, the terrifier of Kansa, and the destroyer\nof _Asuras_,--and saluted the Goddess--her who ascended the skies when\ndashed (by Kansa) on a stony platform, who is the sister of Vasudeva,\none who is always decked in celestial garlands and attired in celestial\nrobes,--who is armed with scimitar and shield, and always rescues the\nworshipper sunk in sin, like a cow in the mire, who in the hours of\ndistress calls upon that eternal giver of blessings for relieving him of\ntheir burdens. And the king, desirous with his brothers of obtaining a\nsight of the Goddess, invoked her and began to praise her by reciting\nvarious names derived from (approved) hymns. And Yudhishthira said,\n'Salutations to thee, O giver of boons. O thou that art identical with\nKrishna, O maiden, O thou that hast observed the vow of _Brahmacharya_,\nO thou of body bright as the newly-risen Sun, O thou of face beautiful\nas the full moon. Salutations to thee, O thou of four hands and four\nfaces, O thou of fair round hips and deep bosom, O thou that wearest\nbangles made of emeralds and sapphires, O thou that bearest excellent\nbracelets on thy upper arm. Thou shinest, O Goddess, as Padma, the\nconsort of Narayana. O thou that rangest the etherial regions, thy true\nform and thy _Brahmacharya_ are both of the purest kind. Sable as the\nblack clouds, thy face is beautiful as that of _Sankarshana_. Thou\nbearest two large arms long as a couple of poles raised in honour of\nIndra. In thy (six) other arms thou bearest a vessel, a lotus, a bell, a\nnoose, a bow, a large discus, and various other weapons. Thou art the\nonly female in the universe that possessest the attribute of purity.\nThou art decked with a pair of well-made ears graced with excellent\nrings. O Goddess, thou shinest with a face that challengeth the moon in\nbeauty. With an excellent diadem and beautiful braid with robes made of\nthe bodies of snakes, and with also the brilliant girdle round thy hips,\nthou shinest like the Mandara mountain encircled with snakes. Thou\nshinest also with peacock-plumes standing erect on thy head, and thou\nhast sanctified the celestial regions by adopting the vow of perpetual\nmaiden-hood. It is for this, O thou that hast slain the\n_Mahishasura_,[9] that thou art praised and worshipped by the gods for\nthe protection of the three worlds. O thou foremost of all deities,\nextend to me thy grace, show me thy mercy, and be thou the source of\nblessings to me. Thou art _Jaya_ and _Vijaya_, and it is thou that\ngivest victory in battle. Grant me victory, O Goddess, and give me boons\nalso at this hour of distress. Thy eternal abode is on Vindhya--that\nforemost of mountains. O _Kali_, O _Kali_, thou art the great _Kali_,\never fond of wine and meat and animal sacrifice. Capable of going\neverywhere at will, and bestowing boons on thy devotees, thou art ever\nfollowed in thy journeys by Brahma and the other gods. By them that call\nupon thee for the relief of their burdens, and by them also that bow to\nthee at daybreak on Earth, there is nothing that cannot be attained in\nrespect either of offspring or wealth. And because thou rescuest people\nfrom difficulties whether when they are afflicted in the wilderness or\nsinking in the great ocean, it is for this that thou art called\n_Durga_[10] by all. Thou art the sole refuge of men when attacked by\nrobbers or while afflicted in crossing streams and seas or in wilderness\nand forests. Those men that remember thee are never prostrated, O great\nGoddess. Thou art Fame, thou art Prosperity, thou art Steadiness, thou\nart Success; thou art the Wife, thou art men's Offspring, thou art\nKnowledge, and thou art the Intellect. Thou art the two Twilights, the\nNight Sleep, Light--both solar and lunar, Beauty, Forgiveness, Mercy,\nand every other thing. Thou dispellest, worshipped by the devotees their\nfetters, ignorance, loss of children and loss of wealth, disease, death,\nand fear. I, who have been deprived of my kingdom, seek thy protection.\nAnd as I bow to thee with bended head, O Supreme Goddess, grant me\nprotection, O thou of eyes like lotus leaves. And be thou as boon-giving\nTruth unto us that are acting according to Truth. And, O Durga, kind as\nthou art unto all that seek thy protection, and affectionate unto all\nthy devotees, grant me protection!'\"\n\n    [9] _Mahishasura_, the son of Rambhasura. Durga had to fight for\n    many years before she could slay this formidable _Asura_.\n    The story occurs in the _Markandeya Purana_. To this day, Bengal\n    during the great Durga Puja festival in autumn, worships the\n    goddess with great veneration.\n\n    [10] Literally, one that rescues from difficulty.\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"Thus praised by the son of Pandu, the Goddess\nshowed herself unto him. And approaching the king, she addressed him in\nthese words, 'O mighty armed king, listen, O Lord, to these words of\nmine. Having vanquished and slain the ranks of the Kauravas through my\ngrace, victory in battle will soon be thine. Thou shalt again lord it\nover the entire Earth, having made thy dominions destitute of thorns.\nAnd, O king, thou shalt also, with thy brothers, obtain great happiness.\nAnd through my grace, joy and health will be thine. And they also in the\nworld who will recite my attributes and achievements will be freed from\ntheir sins, and gratified. I will bestow upon them kingdom, long life,\nbeauty of person, and offspring. And they, O king, who will invoke me,\nafter thy manner, in exile or in the city, in the midst of battle or of\ndangers from foes, in forests or in inaccessible deserts, in seas or\nmountain fastnesses, there is nothing that they will not obtain in this\nworld. And ye sons of Pandu, he will achieve success in every business\nof his that will listen to, or himself recite with devotion, this\nexcellent hymn. And through my grace neither the Kuru's spies, nor those\nthat dwell in the country of the Matsyas, will succeed in recognising\nyou all as long as ye reside in Virata's city!' And having said these\nwords unto Yudhishthira, that chastiser of foes, and having arranged for\nthe protection of the sons of Pandu, the Goddess disappeared there and\nthen.\"\n\n\nSECTION VII\n\nVaisampayana said, \"Then tying up in his cloth dice made of gold and set\nwith _lapis lazuli_, and holding them below his arm-pit, king\nYudhishthira,--that illustrious lord of men--that high-souled\nperpetuator of the Kuru race, regarded by kings, irrepressible in might,\nand like unto a snake of virulent poison,--that bull among men, endued\nwith strength and beauty and prowess, and possessed of greatness, and\nresembling in form a celestial though now like unto the sun enveloped in\ndense clouds, or fire covered with ashes, first made his appearance when\nthe famous king Virata was seated in his court. And beholding with his\nfollowers that son of Pandu in his court, looking like the moon hid in\nclouds and possessed of a face beautiful as the full moon, king Virata\naddressed his counsellors and the twice-born ones and the charioteers\nand the Vaisyas and others, saying, 'Enquire ye who it is, so like a\nking that looketh on my court for the first time. He cannot be a\nBrahmana. Methinks he is a man of men, and a lord of earth. He hath\nneither slaves, nor cars, nor elephants with him, yet he shineth like\nthe very Indra. The marks on his person indicate him to be one whose\ncoronal locks have undergone the sacred investiture. Even this is my\nbelief. He approacheth me without any hesitation, even as an elephant in\nrut approacheth an assemblage of lotuses!'\n\n\"And as the king was indulging in these thoughts, that bull among men,\nYudhishthira, came before Virata and addressed him, saying, 'O great\nking, know me for a Brahmana who, having lost his all hath come to thee\nfor the means of subsistence. I desire, O sinless one, to live here\nbeside thee acting under thy commands,[11] O lord.' The king then,\nwell-pleased, replied unto him saying, 'Thou art welcome. Do thou then\naccept the appointment thou seekest!' And having appointed the lion\namong kings in the post he had prayed for, king Virata addressed him\nwith a glad heart, saying, 'O child, I ask thee from affection, from the\ndominions of what king dost thou come hither? Tell me also truly what is\nthy name and family, and what thou hast a knowledge of.'\n\n    [11] _Kamachara_ is explained by Nilakantha thus, although in\n    other places it bears a quite different meaning.\n\n\"Yudhishthira said, 'My name is Kanka, and I am a Brahmana belonging to\nthe family known by the name of _Vaiyaghra_. I am skilled in casting\ndice, and formerly I was a friend of Yudhishthira.'\n\n\"Virata replied, 'I will grant thee whatever boon thou mayst desire. Do\nthou rule the Matsyas.--I shall remain in submission to thee. Even\ncunning gamblers are liked by me. Thou, on the other hand, art like a\ngod, and deservest a kingdom.'\n\n\"Yudhishthira said, 'My first prayer, O lord of earth, is that I may not\nbe involved in any dispute (on account of dice) with low people.\nFurther, a person defeated by me (at dice) shall not be permitted to\nretain the wealth (won by me). Let this boon be granted to me through\nthy grace.'\n\n\"Virata replied, 'I shall certainly slay him who may happen to displease\nthee, and should he be one of the twice-born ones, I shall banish him\nfrom my dominions. Let the assembled subjects listen! Kanka is as much\nlord of this realm as I myself. Thou (Kanka) shalt be my friend and\nshalt ride the same vehicles as I. And there shall also be at thy\ndisposal apparel in plenty, and various kinds of viands and drinks. And\nthou shalt look into my affairs, both internal and external. And for\nthee all my doors shall be open. When men out of employ or of strained\ncircumstances will apply to thee, do thou at all hours bring their words\nunto me, and I will surely give them whatever they desire. No fear shall\nbe thine as long as thou residest with me.'\"\n\nVaisampayana said, \"Having thus obtained an interview with Virata's\nking, and received from him boons, that heroic bull among men, began to\nlive happily, highly regarded by all. Nor could any one discover him as\nhe lived there.\"\n\n\nSECTION VIII\n\nVaisampayana said, \"Then another endued with the dreadful strength and\nblazing in beauty, approached king Virata, with the playful gait of the\nlion. And holding in hand a cooking ladle and a spoon, as also an\nunsheathed sword of sable hue and without a spot on the blade, he came\nin the guise of a cook illumining all around him by his splendour like\nthe sun discovering the whole world. And attired in black and possessed\nof the strength of the king of mountains, he approached the king of the\nMatsyas and stood before him. And beholding that king-like person before\nhim, Virata addressed his assembled subjects saying, 'Who is that youth,\nthat bull among men, with shoulders broad like those of a lion, and so\nexceedingly beautiful? That person, never seen before, is like the sun.\nRevolving the matter in my mind, I cannot ascertain who he is, nor can I\nwith even serious thoughts guess the intention of that bull among men\n(in coming here). Beholding him, it seems to me that he is either the\nking of the Gandharvas, or Purandara himself. Do ye ascertain who it is\nthat standeth before my eyes. Let him have quickly what he seeks.' Thus\ncommanded by king Virata, his swift-footed messengers went up to the son\nof Kunti and informed that younger brother of Yudhishthira of everything\nthe king had said. Then the high-souled son of Pandu, approaching\nVirata, addressed him in words that were not unsuited to his object,\nsaying, 'O foremost of kings, I am a cook, Vallava by name. I am skilled\nin dressing dishes. Do thou employ me in the kitchen!'\n\n\"Virata said, 'I do not believe, O Vallava, that cooking is thy office.\nThou resemblest the deity of a thousand eyes; and in grace and beauty\nand prowess, thou shinest among these all as a king!'\n\n\"Bhima replied, 'O king of kings, I am thy cook and servant in the first\nplace. It is not curries only of which I have knowledge, O monarch,\nalthough king Yudhishthira always used in days gone by to taste my\ndishes. O lord of earth, I am also a wrestler. Nor is there one that is\nequal to me in strength. And engaging in fight with lions and elephants,\nI shall, O sinless one, always contribute to thy entertainment.'\n\n\"Virata said, 'I will even grant thee boons. Thou wilt do what thou\nwishest, as thou describest thyself skilled in it. I do not, however,\nthink, that this office is worthy of thee, for thou deservest this\n(entire) earth girt round by the sea. But do as thou likest. Be thou the\nsuperintendent of my kitchen, and thou art placed at the head of those\nwho have been appointed there before by me.'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"Thus appointed in the kitchen, Bhima soon\nbecame the favourite of king Virata. And, O king, he continued to live\nthere unrecognised by the other servants of Virata as also by other\npeople!\"\n\n\nSECTION IX\n\nVaisampayana said, \"Binding her black, soft, fine, long and faultless\ntresses with crisped ends into a knotted braid, Draupadi of black eyes\nand sweet smiles, throwing it upon her right shoulders, concealed it by\nher cloth. And she wore a single piece of a black and dirty though\ncostly cloth. And dressing herself as a _Sairindhri_, she began to\nwander hither and thither in seeming affliction. And beholding her\nwandering, men and women came to her hastily and addressed her, saying,\n'Who are you? And what do you seek?' And she replied, 'I am a king's\n_Sairindhri_. I desire to serve any one that will maintain me.' But\nbeholding her beauty and dress, and hearing also her speech that was so\nsweet, the people could not take her for a maid-servant in search of\nsubsistence. And it came to pass that while looking this way and that\nfrom the terrace, Virata's beloved queen, daughter of the king of\nKekaya, saw Draupadi. And beholding her forlorn and clad in a single\npiece of cloth, the queen addressed her saying, 'O beautiful one, who\nare you, and what do you seek?' Thereupon, Draupadi answered her,\nsaying, 'O foremost of queens, I am _Sairindhri_. I will serve anybody\nthat will maintain me.' Then Sudeshna said, 'What you say (regarding\nyour profession) can never be compatible with so much beauty. (On the\ncontrary) you might well be the mistress of servants both, male and\nfemale. Your heels are not prominent, and your thighs touch each other.\nAnd your intelligence is great, and your navel deep, and your words\nsolemn. And your great toes, and bust and hips, and back and sides, and\ntoe-nails, and palms are all well-developed. And your palms, soles, and\nface are ruddy. And your speech is sweet even as the voice of the swan.\nAnd your hair is beautiful, and your bust shapely, and you are possessed\nof the highest grace. And your hips and bust are plump. And like a\nKashmerean mare you are furnished with every auspicious mark. And your\neye-lashes are (beautiful) bent, and your nether-lip is like the ruddy\nground. And your waist is slender, and your neck bears lines that\nresemble those of the conch. And your veins are scarcely visible.\nIndeed, your countenance is like the full moon, and your eyes resemble\nthe leaves of the autumnal lotus, and your body is fragrant as the lotus\nitself. Verily, in beauty you resemble _Sri_ herself, whose seat is the\nautumnal lotus. Tell me, O beautiful damsel, who thou art. Thou canst\nnever be a maidservant. Art thou a _Yakshi_, a Goddess, a _Gandharvi_,\nor an _Apsara_? Art thou the daughter of a celestial, or art thou a\nfemale _Naga_? Art thou the guardian goddess of some city, a\n_Vidyadhari_, or a _Kinnari_,--or art thou _Rohini_ herself? Or art thou\nAlamvusha, or Misrakesi, Pundarika, or Malini, or the queen of Indra, or\nof Varuna? Or, art thou the spouse of Viswakarma, or of the creative\nLord himself? Of these goddesses who art renowned in the celestial\nregions, who art thou, O graceful one?'\n\n\"Draupadi replied, 'O auspicious lady, I am neither a goddess nor a\n_Gandharvi_, nor a _Yakshi_, nor a _Rakshasi_. I am a maid-servant of\nthe _Sairindhri_ class. I tell thee this truly. I know to dress the\nhair, to pound (fragrant substances) for preparing unguents, and also to\nmake beautiful and variegated garlands, O beauteous lady, of jasmines\nand lotuses and blue lilies and _Champakas_. Formerly I served Krishna's\nfavourite queen Satyabhama, and also Draupadi, the wife of the Pandavas\nand the foremost beauty of the Kuru race. I wander about alone, earning\ngood food and dress; and as long as I get these, I continue to live in\nthe place where they are obtainable. Draupadi herself called me Malini\n(maker of garlands).'\n\n\"Hearing this, Sudeshna said, 'I would keep thee upon my head itself, if\nthe doubt did not cross my mind that the king himself would be attracted\ntowards thee with his whole heart. Attracted by thy beauty, the females\nof the royal household and my maids are looking at thee. What male\nperson then is there that can resist thy attraction? Surely, O thou of\nwell-rounded hips, O damsel of exquisite charms, beholding thy form of\nsuperhuman beauty, king Virata is sure to forsake me, and will turn to\nthee with his whole heart. O thou of faultless limbs, O thou that art\nendued with large eyes casting quick glances, he upon whom thou wilt\nlook with desire is sure to be stricken. O thou of sweet smiles, O thou\nthat possessest a faultless form, he that will behold thee constantly,\nwill surely catch the flame. Even as a person that climbs up a tree for\ncompassing his own destruction, even as the crab conceives for her own\nruin, I may, O thou of sweet smiles, bring destruction upon myself by\nharbouring thee.'\n\n\"Draupadi replied, 'O fair lady, neither Virata nor any other person\nwill be able to have me, for my five youthful husbands, who are\n_Gandharvas_ and sons of a _Gandharva_ king of exceeding power, always\nprotect me. None can do me a wrong. It is the wish of my _Gandharva_\nhusbands that I should serve only such persons as will not give me to\ntouch food already partaken of by another, or tell me to wash their\nfeet. Any man that attempts to have me like any common woman, meeteth\nwith death that very night. No one can succeed in having me, for, O\nbeautiful lady, O thou of sweet smiles, those beloved _Gandharvas_,\npossessed of great energy and mighty strength always protect me\nsecretly.'\n\n\"Sudeshna said, 'O thou that bringest delight to the heart, if it is as\nthou sayest, I will take thee into my household. Thou shalt not have to\ntouch food that hath been partaken of by another, or to wash another's\nfeet.'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"Thus addressed by Virata's wife, O Janamejaya,\nKrishna (Draupadi) ever devoted to her lords, began to live in that\ncity. Nor could anyone ascertain who in reality she was!\"\n\n\nSECTION X\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'Then clad in a cowherd's dress, and speaking the\ndialect of cowherds, Sahadeva came to the cowpen of Virata's city. And\nbeholding that bull among men, who was shining in splendour, the king\nwas struck with amazement. And he directed his men to summon Sahadeva.\nAnd when the latter came, the king addressed him, saying, 'To whom dost\nthou belong? And whence dost thou come? And what work dost thou seek? I\nhave never seen thee before. O bull among men, tell me truly about\nthee.'\n\n\"Having come before the king that afflicter of foes, Sahadeva answered\nin accents deep as the roar of the cloud, 'I am a Vaisya, Arishtanemi by\nname. I was employed as a cowherd in the service of those bulls of the\nKuru race, the sons of Pandu. O foremost of men, I intend now to live\nbeside thee, for I do not know where those lions among kings, the sons\nof Pritha, are. I cannot live without service, and, O king, I do not\nlike to enter into the service of anyone else save thee.'\n\n\"Hearing these words, Virata said, 'Thou must either be a Brahmana or a\nKshatriya. Thou lookest as if thou wert the lord of the entire earth\nsurrounded by the sea. Tell me truly, O thou that mowest down thy foes.\nThe office of a Vaisya is not fit for thee. Tell me from the dominions\nof what king thou comest, and what thou knowest, and in what capacity\nthou wouldst remain with us, and also what pay thou wouldst accept.'\n\n\"Sahadeva answered, 'Yudhishthira, the eldest of the five sons of Pandu,\nhad one division of kine numbering eight hundred and ten thousand, and\nanother, ten thousand, and another, again, twenty thousand, and so on. I\nwas employed in keeping those cattle. People used to call me Tantripala.\nI know the present, the past, and the future of all kine living within\nten _Yojanas_, and whose _tale_ has been taken. My merits were known to\nthat illustrious one, and the Kuru king Yudhishthira was well-pleased\nwith me. I am also acquainted with the means which aid kine in\nmultiplying within a short time, and by which they may enjoy immunity\nfrom disease. Also these arts are known to me. I can also single out\nbulls having auspicious marks for which they are worshipped by men, and\nby smelling whose urine, the barren may conceive.'\n\n\"Virata said, 'I have a hundred thousand kine divided into distinct\nherds. All those together with their keepers, I place in thy charge.\nHenceforth my beasts will be in thy keep.'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"Then, O king, undiscovered by that monarch,\nthat lord of men, Sahadeva, maintained by Virata, began to live happily.\nNor did anyone else (besides his brothers) recognise him.\"\n\n\nSECTION XI\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'Next appeared at the gate of the ramparts another\nperson of enormous size and exquisite beauty decked in the ornaments of\nwomen, and wearing large ear-rings and beautiful conch-bracelets\noverlaid with gold. And that mighty-armed individual with long and\nabundant hair floating about his neck, resembled an elephant in gait.\nAnd shaking the very earth with his tread, he approached Virata and\nstood in his court. And beholding the son of the great Indra, shining\nwith exquisite lustre and having the gait of a mighty elephant,--that\ngrinder of foes having his true form concealed in disguise, entering the\ncouncil-hall and advancing towards the monarch, the king addressed all\nhis courtiers, saying, 'Whence doth this person come? I have never heard\nof him before.' And when the men present spoke of the newcomer as one\nunknown to them, the king wonderingly said, 'Possessed of great\nstrength, thou art like unto a celestial, and young and of darkish hue,\nthou resemblest the leader of a herd of elephants. Wearing\nconch-bracelets overlaid with gold, a braid, and ear-rings, thou shinest\nyet like one amongst those that riding on chariots wander about equipped\nwith mail and bow and arrows and decked with garlands and fine hair. I\nam old and desirous of relinquishing my burden. Be thou like my son, or\nrule thou like myself all the Matsyas. It seemeth to me that such a\nperson as thou can never be of the neuter sex.'\n\n\"Arjuna said, 'I sing, dance, and play on instruments. I am proficient\nin dance and skilled in song. O lord of men, assign me unto (the\nprincess) Uttara. I shall be dancing-master to the royal maiden. As to\nhow I have come by this form, what will it avail thee to hear the\naccount which will only augment my pain? Know me, O king of men, to be\nVrihannala, a son or daughter without father or mother.'\n\n\"Virata said, 'O Vrihannala, I give thee what thou desirest. Instruct my\ndaughter, and those like her, in dancing. To me, however, this office\nseemeth unworthy of thee. Thou deservest (the dominion of) the entire\nearth girt round by the ocean.'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"The king of the Matsyas then tested Vrihannala\nin dancing, music, and other fine arts, and consulting with his various\nministers forthwith caused him to be examined by women. And learning\nthat this impotency was of a permanent nature, he sent him to the\nmaiden's apartments. And there the mighty Arjuna began giving lessons in\nsinging and instrumental music to the daughter of Virata, her friends,\nand her waiting-maids, and soon won their good graces. And in this\nmanner the self-possessed Arjuna lived there in disguise, partaking of\npleasures in their company, and unknown to the people within or without\nthe palace.\"\n\n\nSECTION XII\n\nVaisampayana said, \"After a while, another powerful son of Pandu was\nseen making towards king Virata in haste. And as he advanced, he seemed\nto everyone like solar orb emerged from the clouds. And he began to\nobserve the horses around. And seeing this, the king of the Matsyas said\nto his followers, 'I wonder whence this man, possessed of the effulgence\nof a celestial, cometh. He looks intently at my steeds. Verily, he must\nbe proficient in horse-lore. Let him be ushered into my presence\nquickly. He is a warrior and looks like a god!' And that destroyer of\nfoes then went up to the king and accosted him, saying, 'Victory to\nthee, O king, and blest be ye. As a trainer of horses, I have always\nbeen highly esteemed by kings. I will be a clever keeper of thy horses.'\n\n\"Virata said, 'I will give thee vehicles, wealth, and spacious quarters.\nThou shalt be the manager of my horses. But first tell me whence thou\ncomest, who thou art, and how also thou happenest to come here. Tell us\nalso all the arts thou art master of.' Nakula replied, 'O mower of\nenemies, know that Yudhishthira is the eldest brother of the five sons\nof Pandu. I was formerly employed by him to keep his horses. I am\nacquainted with the temper of steeds, and know perfectly the art of\nbreaking them. I know also how to correct vicious horses, and all the\nmethods of treating their diseases. No animal in my hands becometh weak\nor ill. Not to speak of horses, even mares in my hands will never be\nfound to be vicious. People called me Granthika by name and so did\nYudhishthira, the son of Pandu.'\n\n\"Virata said, 'Whatever horses I have, I consign to thy care even from\ntoday. And all the keepers of my horses and all my charioteers will from\ntoday be subordinate to thee. If this suits thee, say what remuneration\nis desired by thee. But, O thou that resemblest a celestial, the office\nof equerry is not worthy of thee. For thou lookest like a king and I\nesteem thee much. The appearance here hath pleased me as much as if\nYudhishthira himself were here. Oh, how does that blameless son of Pandu\ndwell and divert himself in the forest, now destitute of servants as he\nis.'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"That youth, like unto a chief of the\n_Gandharvas_, was treated thus respectfully by the delighted king\nVirata. And he conducted himself there in such a manner as to make\nhimself dear and agreeable to all in the palace. And no one recognised\nhim while living under Virata's protection. And it was in this manner\nthen the sons of Pandu, the very sight of whom had never been fruitless,\ncontinued to live in the country of the Matsyas. And true to their\npledge those lords of the earth bounded by her belt of seas passed their\ndays of _incognito_ with great composure notwithstanding their poignant\nsufferings.\"\n\n\nSECTION XIII\n\n(_Samayapalana Parva_)\n\nJanamejaya said, \"While living thus disguised in the city of the\nMatsyas, what did those descendants of the Kuru race endued with great\nprowess, do, O regenerate one!\"\n\nVaisampayana said, \"Hear, O king, what those descendants of Kuru did\nwhile they dwelt thus in disguise in the city of the Matsyas,\nworshipping the king thereof. By the grace of the sage Trinavindu and of\nthe high-souled lord of justice, the Pandavas continued to live\nunrecognised by others in the city of Virata. O lord of men,\nYudhishthira, as courtier made himself agreeable to Virata and his sons\nas also to all the Matsyas. An adept in the mysteries of dice, the son\nof Pandu caused them to play at dice according to his pleasure and made\nthem sit together in the dice-hall like a row of birds bound in a\nstring. And that tiger among men, king Yudhishthira the Just, unknown to\nthe monarch, distributed among his brothers, in due proportion, the\nwealth he won from Virata. And Bhimasena on his part, sold to\nYudhishthira for price, meat and viands of various kinds which he\nobtained from the king. And Arjuna distributed among all his brothers\nthe proceeds of worn-out cloths which he earned in the inner apartments\nof the palace. And Sahadeva, too, who was disguised as a cowherd gave\nmilk, curds and clarified butter to his brothers. And Nakula also shared\nwith his brothers the wealth the king gave him, satisfied with his\nmanagement of the horses. And Draupadi, herself in a pitiable condition,\nlooked after all those brothers and behaved in such a way as to remain\nunrecognized. And thus ministering unto one another's wants, those\nmighty warriors lived in the capital of Virata as hidden from view, as\nif they were once more in their mother's womb. And those lords of men,\nthe sons of Pandu, apprehensive of danger from the son of Dhritarashtra,\ncontinued to dwell there in concealment, watching over their wife\nDraupadi. And after three months had passed away, in the fourth, the\ngrand festival in honour of the divine Brahma which was celebrated with\npomp in the country of the Matsyas, came off. And there came athletes\nfrom all quarters by thousands, like hosts of celestials to the abode of\nBrahma or of Siva to witness that festival. And they were endued with\nhuge bodies and great prowess, like the demons called _Kalakhanjas_. And\nelated with their prowess and proud of their strength, they were highly\nhonoured by the king. And their shoulders and waists and necks were like\nthose of lions, and their bodies were very clean, and their hearts were\nquite at ease. And they had many a time won success in the lists in the\npresence of kings. And amongst them there was one who towered above the\nrest and challenged them all to a combat. And there was none that dared\nto approach him as he proudly stalked in the arena. And when all the\nathletes stood sad and dispirited, the king of the Matsyas made him\nfight with his cook. And urged by the king, Bhima made up his mind\nreluctantly, for he could not openly disobey the royal behest. And that\ntiger among men then having worshipped the king, entered the spacious\narena, pacing with the careless steps of a tiger. And the son of Kunti\nthen girded up his loins to the great delight of the spectators. And\nBhima then summoned to the combat that athlete known by the name of\nJimuta who was like unto the Asura Vritra whose prowess was widely\nknown. And both of them were possessed of great courage, and both were\nendued with terrible prowess. And they were like a couple of infuriate\nand huge-bodied elephants, each sixty years old. And those brave tigers\namong men then cheerfully engaged in a wrestling combat, desirous of\nvanquishing each other. And terrible was the encounter that took place\nbetween them, like the clash of the thunderbolt against the stony\nmountain-breast. And both of them were exceedingly powerful and\nextremely delighted at each other's strength. And desirous of\nvanquishing each other, each stood eager to take advantage of his\nadversary's lapse. And both were greatly delighted and both looked like\ninfuriate elephants of prodigious size. And various were the modes of\nattack and defence that they exhibited with their clenched fists.[12]\nAnd each dashed against the other and flung his adversary to a distance.\nAnd each cast the other down and pressed him close to the ground. And\neach got up again and squeezed the other in his arms. And each threw the\nother violently off his place by boxing him on the breast. And each\ncaught the other by the legs and whirling him round threw him down on\nthe ground. And they slapped each other with their palms that struck as\nhard as the thunderbolt. And they also struck each other with their\noutstretched fingers, and stretching them out like spears thrust the\nnails into each other's body. And they gave each other violent kicks.\nAnd they struck knee and head against head, producing the crash of one\nstone against another. And in this manner that furious combat between\nthose warriors raged on without weapons, sustained mainly by the power\nof their arms and their physical and mental energy, to the infinite\ndelight of the concourse of spectators. And all people, O king, took\ndeep interest in that encounter of those powerful wrestlers who fought\nlike Indra and the Asura Vritra. And they cheered both of them with loud\nacclamations of applause. And the broad-chested and long-armed experts\nin wrestling then pulled and pressed and whirled and hurled down each\nother and struck each other with their knees, expressing all the while\ntheir scorn for each other in loud voices. And they began to fight with\ntheir bare arms in this way, which were like spiked maces of iron. And\nat last the powerful and mighty-armed Bhima, the slayer of his foes,\nshouting aloud seized the vociferous athlete by the arms even as the\nlion seizes the elephant, and taking him up from the ground and holding\nhim aloft, began to whirl him round, to the great astonishment of the\nassembled athletes and the people of Matsya. And having whirled him\nround and round a hundred times till he was insensible, the strong-armed\nVrikodara dashed him to death on the ground. And when the brave and\nrenowned Jimuta was thus killed, Virata and his friends were filled with\ngreat delight. And in the exuberance of his joy, the noble-minded king\nrewarded Vallava then and there with the liberality of Kuvera. And\nkilling numerous athletes and many other men possessed of great bodily\nstrength, he pleased the king very much. And when no one could be found\nthere to encounter him in the lists, the king made him fight with tigers\nand lions and elephants. And the king also made him battle with furious\nand powerful lions in the harem for the pleasure of the ladies. And\nArjuna, too, pleased the king and all the ladies of the inner apartments\nby singing and dancing. And Nakula pleased Virata, that best of kings,\nby showing him fleet and well-trained steeds that followed him wherever\nhe went. And the king, gratified with him, rewarded him with ample\npresents. And beholding around Sahadeva a herd of well-trained bullocks,\nVirata that bull among men, bestowed upon him also wealth of diverse\nkinds. And, O king, Draupadi distressed to see all those warriors suffer\npain, sighed incessantly. And it was in this way that those eminent\npersons lived there in disguise, rendering services unto king Virata.\"\n\n    [12] _Krita_--attack; _Pratikrita_--warding it off;\n    _Sankata_--clenched. _Some_ texts read _Sankatakais_. The\n    meaning then would be 'cased in gauntlets.'\n\n\nSECTION XIV\n\n(_Kichaka-badha Parva_)\n\nVaisampayana said, \"Living in such disguise, those mighty warriors, the\nsons of Pritha, passed ten months in Matsya's city. And, O monarch,\nalthough herself deserving to be waited upon by others, the daughter of\nYajnasena, O Janamejaya, passed her days in extreme misery, waiting upon\nSudeshna. And residing thus in Sudeshna's apartments, the princess of\nPanchala pleased that lady as also the other females of the inner\napartments. And it came to pass that as the year was about to expire,\nthe redoubtable Kichaka, the Commander of Virata's forces, chanced to\nbehold the daughter of Drupada. And beholding that lady endued with the\nsplendour of a daughter of the celestials, treading the earth like a\ngoddess, Kichaka, afflicted with the shafts of Kama, desired to possess\nher. And burning with desire's flame, Virata's general came to Sudeshna\n(his sister) and smilingly addressed her in these words, 'This beauteous\nlady had never before been seen by me in king Virata's abode. This\ndamsel maddens me with her beauty, even as a new wine maddens one with\nits fragrance. Tell me, who is this graceful and captivating lady\npossessed of the beauty of a goddess, and whose she is, and whence she\nhath come. Surely, grinding my heart she hath reduced me to subjection.\nIt seems to me that (save her) there is no other medicine for my\nillness. O, this fair hand-maid of thine seemeth to me to be possessed\nof the beauty of a goddess. Surely, one like her is ill suited to serve\nthee. Let her rule over me and whatever is mine. O, let her grace my\nspacious and beautiful palace, decked with various ornaments of gold,\nfull of viands and drinks in profusion, with excellent plates, and\ncontaining every kind of plenty, besides elephants and horses and cars\nin myriads.' And having consulted with Sudeshna thus, Kichaka went to\nprincess Draupadi, and like a jackal in the forest accosting a lioness,\nspoke unto Krishna these words in a winning voice, 'Who and whose art\nthou, O beautiful one? And O thou of beautiful face, whence hast thou\ncome to the city of Virata? Tell me all this, O fair lady. Thy beauty\nand gracefulness are of the very first order and the comeliness of thy\nfeatures is unparalleled. With its loveliness thy face shineth ever like\nthe resplendent moon. O thou of fair eye-brows, thy eyes are beautiful\nand large like lotus-petals. Thy speech also, O thou of beautiful limbs,\nresembles the notes of the _cuckoo_. O thou of fair hips, never before\nin this world have I beheld a woman possessed of beauty like thine, O\nthou of faultless features. Art thou Lakshmi herself having her abode in\nthe midst of lotuses or, art thou, O slender-waisted one, she who is\ncalled _Bhuti_[13]. Or, which amongst these--_Hri, Sri, Kirti_ and\n_Kanti_,--art thou, O thou of beautiful face? Or possessed of beauty\nlike Rati's, art thou, she who sporteth in the embraces of the God of\nlove? O thou that possessest the fairest of eye-brows, thou shinest\nbeautifully even like the lovely light of the moon. Who is there in the\nwhole world that will not succumb to the influence of desire beholding\nthy face? Endued with unrivalled beauty and celestial grace of the most\nattractive kind, that face of thine is even like the full moon, its\ncelestial effulgence resembling his radiant face, its smile resembling\nhis soft-light, and its eye-lashes looking like the spokes on his disc.\nBoth thy bosoms, so beautiful and well-developed and endued with\nunrivalled gracefulness and deep and well-rounded and without any space\nbetween them, are certainly worthy of being decked with garlands of\ngold. Resembling in shape the beautiful buds of the lotus, these thy\nbreasts, O thou of fair eye-brows, are even as the whips of Kama that\nare urging me forward, O thou of sweet smiles. O damsel of slender\nwaist, beholding that waist of thine marked with four wrinkles and\nmeasuring but a span, and slightly stooping forward because of the\nweight of thy breasts, and also looking on those graceful hips of thine\nbroad as the banks of a river, the incurable fever of desire, O\nbeauteous lady, afflicteth me sore. The flaming fire of desire, fierce\nas a forest conflagration, and fanned by the hope my heart cherisheth of\na union with thee is consuming me intensely. O thou of exceeding beauty\nquench thou that flaming fire kindled by Manmatha. Union with thee is a\nrain-charged cloud, and the surrender of thy person is the shower that\nthe cloud may drop. O thou of face resembling the moon, the fierce and\nmaddening shafts of Manmatha whetted and sharpened by the desire of a\nunion with thee, piercing this heart of mine in their impetuous course,\nhave penetrated into its core. O black-eyed lady, those impetuous and\ncruel shafts are maddening me beyond endurance. It behoveth thee to\nrelieve me from this plight by surrendering thyself to me and favouring\nme with thy embraces. Decked in beautiful garlands and robes and adorned\nwith every ornament, sport thou, O sweet damsel, with me to thy fill. O\nthou of the gait of an elephant in rut, deserving as thou art of\nhappiness though deprived of it now, it behoveth thee not to dwell here\nin misery. Let unrivalled weal be thine. Drinking various kinds of\ncharming and delicious and ambrosial wines, and sporting at thy pleasure\nin the enjoyment of diverse objects of delight, do thou, O blessed lady,\nattain auspicious prosperity. This beauty of thine and this prime of thy\nyouth, O sweet lady, are now without their use. For, O beauteous and\nchaste damsel, endued with such loveliness, thou dost not shine, like a\ngraceful garland lying unused and unworn. I will forsake all my old\nwives. Let them, O thou of sweet smiles, become thy slaves. And I also,\nO fair damsel, will stay by thee as thy slave, ever obedient to thee, O\nthou of the most handsome face.' Hearing these words of his, Draupadi\nreplied, 'In desiring me, a female servant of low extraction, employed\nin the despicable office of dressing hair, O _Suta's_ son, thou desirest\none that deserves not that honour. Then, again, I am the wife of others.\nTherefore, good betide thee, this conduct of thine is not proper. Do\nthou remember the precept of morality, viz., that persons should take\ndelight only in their wedded wives. Thou shouldst not, therefore, by any\nmeans bend thy heart to adultery. Surely abstaining from improper acts\nis ever the study of those that are good. Overcome by ignorance sinful\nmen under the influence of desire come by either extreme infamy or\ndreadful calamity.'\"\n\n    [13] _Bhuti, Hri, Sri, Kirti_ and _Kanti_ are respectively the\n    feminine embodiments of Prosperity, Modesty, Beauty, Fame and\n    Loveliness.\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"Thus addressed by the _Sairindhri_, the wicked\nKichaka losing control over his senses and overcome by lust, although\naware of the numerous evils of fornication, evils condemned by everybody\nand sometimes leading to the destruction of life itself,--then spoke\nunto Draupadi, 'It behoveth thee not, O beauteous lady, O thou of\ngraceful features, thus to disregard me who am, O thou of sweet smiles,\nunder the power of Manmatha on thy account. If now, O timid one, thou\ndisregardest me who am under thy influence and who speak to thee so\nfair, thou wilt, O black-eyed damsel, have to repent for it afterwards.\nO thou of graceful eye-brows, the real lord of this entire kingdom, O\nslender-waisted lady, is myself. It is me depending upon whom the people\nof this realm live. In energy and prowess I am unrivalled on earth.\nThere is no other man on earth who rivals me in beauty of person, in\nyouth, in prosperity, and in the possession of excellent objects of\nenjoyment. Why it is, O auspicious lady, that having it in thy power to\nenjoy here every object of desire and every luxury and comfort without\nits equal, thou preferest servitude. Becoming the mistress of this\nkingdom which I shall confer on thee, O thou of fair face, accept me,\nand enjoy, O beauteous one, all excellent objects of desire.' Addressed\nin these accursed words by Kichaka, that chaste daughter of Drupada\nanswered him thus reprovingly, 'Do not, O son of a _Suta_, act so\nfoolishly and do not throw away thy life. Know that I am protected by my\nfive husbands. Thou canst not have me. I have Gandharvas for my\nhusbands. Enraged they will slay thee. Therefore, do thou not bring\ndestruction on thyself. Thou intendest to tread along a path that is\nincapable of being trod by men. Thou, O wicked one, art even like a\nfoolish child that standing on one shore of the ocean intends to cross\nover to the other. Even if thou enterest into the interior of the earth,\nor soarest into the sky, or rushest to the other shore of the ocean,\nstill thou wilt have no escape from the hands of those sky-ranging\noffspring of gods, capable of grinding all foes. Why dost thou today, O\nKichaka, solicit me so persistently even as a sick person wisheth for\nthe night that will put a stop to his existence? Why dost thou desire\nme, even like an infant lying on its mother's lap wishing to catch the\nmoon? For thee that thus solicitest their beloved wife, there is no\nrefuge either on earth or in sky. O Kichaka, hast thou no sense which\nleads thee to seek thy good and by which thy life may be saved?'\"\n\n\nSECTION XV\n\nVaisampayana said, \"Rejected thus by the princess, Kichaka, afflicted\nwith maddening lust and forgetting all sense of propriety, addressed\nSudeshna saying, 'Do thou, Kekaya's daughter, so act that thy\n_Sairindhri_ may come into my arms. Do thou, O Sudeshna, adopt the means\nby which the damsel of the gait of an elephant may accept me; I am dying\nof absorbing desire.'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"Hearing his profuse lamentations, that gentle\nlady, the intelligent queen of Virata, was touched with pity. And having\ntaken counsel with her own self and reflected on Kichaka's purpose and\non the anxiety of Krishna, Sudeshna addressed the _Suta's_ son in these\nwords, 'Do thou, on the occasion of some festival, procure viands and\nwines for me. I shall then send my _Sairindhri_ to thee on the pretence\nof bringing wine. And when she will repair thither do thou in solitude,\nfree from interruption, humour her as thou likest. Thus soothed, she may\nincline her mind to thee.'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"Thus addressed, he went out of his sister's\napartments. And he soon procured wines well-filtered and worthy of a\nking. And employing skilled cooks, he prepared many and various kinds of\nchoice viands and delicious drinks and many and various kinds of meat of\ndifferent degrees of excellence. And when all this had been done, that\ngentle lady Sudeshna, as previously counselled by Kichaka, desired her\n_Sairindhri_ to repair to Kichaka's abode, saying, 'Get up, O\n_Sairindhri_ and repair to Kichaka's abode to bring wine, for, O\nbeauteous lady, I am afflicted with thirst.' Thereupon the _Sairindhri_\nreplied, 'O princess, I shall not be able to repair to Kichaka's\napartments. Thou thyself knowest, O queen, how shameless he is. O thou\nof faultless limbs, O beauteous lady, in thy palace I shall not be able\nto lead a lustful life, becoming faithless to my husbands. Thou\nrememberest, O gentle lady, O beautiful one, the conditions I had set\ndown before entering thy house. O thou of tresses ending in graceful\ncurls, the foolish Kichaka afflicted by the god of desire, will, on\nseeing me, offer me insult. Therefore, I will not go to his quarters.\nThou hast, O princess, many maids under thee. Do thou, good betide thee,\nsend one of them. For, surely, Kichaka will insult me.' Sudeshna said,\n'Sent by me, from my abode, surely he will not harm thee.' And having\nsaid this, she handed over a golden vessel furnished with a cover. And\nfilled with apprehension, and weeping, Draupadi mentally prayed for the\nprotection of the gods, and set out for Kichaka's abode for fetching\nwine. And she said, 'As I do not know another person save my husbands,\nby virtue of that Truth let Kichaka not be able to overpower me although\nI may approach his presence.'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"And that helpless damsel then adored Surya for\na moment. And Surya, having considered all that she urged, commanded a\n_Rakshasa_ to protect her invisibly. And from that time the _Rakshasa_\nbegan to attend upon that blameless lady under any circumstances. And\nbeholding Krishna in his presence like a frightened doe, the _Suta_ rose\nup from his seat, and felt the joy that is felt by a person wishing to\ncross to the other shore, when he obtains a boat.\"\n\n\nSECTION XVI\n\n\"Kichaka said, 'O thou of tresses ending in beautiful curls, thou art\nwelcome. Surely, the night that is gone hath brought me an auspicious\nday, for I have got thee today as the mistress of my house. Do what is\nagreeable to me. Let golden chains, and conchs and bright ear-rings made\nof gold, manufactured in various countries, and beautiful rubies and\ngems, and silken robes and deer-skins, be brought for thee. I have also\nan excellent bed prepared for thee. Come, sitting upon it do thou drink\nwith me the wine prepared from the honey flower.' Hearing these words,\nDraupadi said, 'I have been sent to thee by the princess for taking away\nwine. Do thou speedily bring me wine, for she told me that she is\nexceedingly thirsty.' At this, Kichaka said, 'O gentle lady, others will\ncarry what the princess wants.' And saying this, the _Suta's_ son caught\nhold of Draupadi's right arm. And at this, Draupadi exclaimed, 'As I\nhave never, from intoxication of the senses, been unfaithful to my\nhusbands even at heart, by that Truth, O wretch, I shall behold thee\ndragged and lying powerless on the ground.'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"Seeing that large-eyed lady reproving him in\nthat strain, Kichaka suddenly seized her by the end of her upper garment\nas she attempted to run away. And seized with violence by Kichaka, the\nbeautiful princess, unable to tolerate it, and with frame trembling with\nwrath, and breathing quickly, dashed him to the ground. And dashed to\nthe ground thus, the sinful wretch tumbled down like a tree whose roots\nhad been cut. And having thrown Kichaka down on the ground when the\nlatter had seized her, she, trembling all over rushed to the court,\nwhere king Yudhishthira was, for protection. And while she was running\nwith all her speed, Kichaka (who followed her), seizing her by the hair,\nand bringing her down on the ground, kicked her in the very presence of\nthe king. Thereupon, O Bharata, the _Rakshasa_ that had been appointed\nby Surya to protect Draupadi, gave Kichaka a shove with a force mighty\nas that of the wind. And overpowered by the force of _Rakshasa_, Kichaka\nreeled and fell down senseless on the ground, even like an uprooted\ntree. And both Yudhishthira and Bhimasena who were seated there, beheld\nwith wrathful eyes that outrage on Krishna by Kichaka. And desirous of\ncompassing the destruction of the wicked Kichaka, the illustrious Bhima\ngnashed his teeth in rage. And his forehead was covered with sweat, and\nterrible wrinkles appeared thereon. And a smoky exhalation shot forth\nfrom his eyes, and his eye-lashes stood on end. And that slayer of\nhostile heroes pressed his forehead with his hands. And impelled by\nrage, he was on the point of starting up with speed. Thereat king\nYudhishthira, apprehensive of discovery, squeezed his thumbs and\ncommanded Bhima to forbear. And Bhima who then looked like an infuriate\nelephant eyeing a large tree, was thus forbidden by his elder brother.\nAnd the latter said, 'Lookest thou, O cook, for trees for fuel. If thou\nart in need of faggots, then go out and fell trees.' And the weeping\nDraupadi of fair hips, approaching the entrance of the court, and seeing\nher melancholy lords, desirous yet of keeping up the disguise duty-bound\nby their pledge, with eyes burning in fire, spoke these words unto the\nking of the Matsyas, 'Alas, the son of a _Suta_ hath kicked today the\nproud and beloved wife of those whose foe can never sleep in peace even\nif four kingdoms intervene between him and them. Alas, the son of a\n_Suta_ hath kicked today the proud and beloved wife of those truthful\npersonages, who are devoted to Brahmanas and who always give away\nwithout asking any thing in gift. Alas! the son of a _Suta_ hath kicked\ntoday the proud and beloved wife of those, the sounds of whose\nkettle-drums and the twangs of whose bow-strings are ceaselessly heard.\nAlas, the son of a _Suta_ hath kicked today the proud and beloved wife\nof those who are possessed of abundant energy and might, and who are\nliberal in gifts and proud of their dignity. Alas, the son of a _Suta_\nhath kicked today the proud and beloved wife of those who, if they had\nnot been fettered by the ties of duty, could destroy this entire world.\nWhere, alas, are those mighty warriors today who, though living in\ndisguise, have always granted protection unto those that solicit it? Oh,\nwhy do those heroes today, endued as they are with strength and\npossessed of immeasurable energy, quietly suffer, like eunuchs, their\ndear and chaste wife to be thus insulted by a _Suta's_ son? Oh, where is\nthat wrath of theirs, that prowess, and that energy, when they quietly\nbear their wife to be thus insulted by a wicked wretch? What can I (a\nweak woman) do when Virata, deficient in virtue, coolly suffereth my\ninnocent self to be thus wronged by a wretch? Thou dost not, O king, act\nlike a king towards this Kichaka. Thy behaviour is like that of a\nrobber, and doth not shine in a court. That I should thus be insulted in\nthy very presence, O Matsya, is highly improper. Oh, let all the\ncourtiers here look at this violence of Kichaka. Kichaka is ignorant of\nduty and morality, and Matsya also is equally so. These courtiers also\nthat wait upon such a king are destitute of virtue.'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"With these and other words of the same kind the\nbeautiful Krishna with tearful eyes rebuked the king of the Matsyas. And\nhearing her, Virata said, 'I do not know what your dispute has been out\nof our sight. Not knowing the true cause how can I show my\ndiscrimination?' Then the courtiers, having learnt every thing,\napplauded Krishna, and they all exclaimed, 'Well done!' 'Well done!' and\ncensured Kichaka. And the courtiers said, 'That person who owneth this\nlarge-eyed lady having every limb of hers endued with beauty for his\nwife, possesseth what is of exceeding value and hath no occasion to\nindulge in any grief. Surely, such a damsel of transcendent beauty and\nlimbs perfectly faultless is rare among men. Indeed, it seems to us that\nshe is a goddess.'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"And while the courtiers, having beheld Krishna\n(under such circumstances), were applauding her thus, Yudhishthira's\nforehead, from ire, became covered with sweat. And that bull of the Kuru\nrace then addressed that princess, his beloved spouse, saying, 'Stay not\nhere, O Sairindhri; but retire to the apartments of Sudeshna. The wives\nof heroes bear affliction for the sake of their husbands, and undergoing\ntoil in ministering unto their lords, they at last attain to region\nwhere their husbands may go. Thy Gandharva husbands, effulgent as the\nsun, do not, I imagine, consider this as an occasion for manifesting\ntheir wrath, inasmuch as they do not rush to thy aid. O _Sairindhri_,\nthou art ignorant of the timeliness of things, and it is for this that\nthou weepest as an actress, besides interrupting the play of dice in\nMatsya's court. Retire, O _Sairindhri_; the Gandharvas will do what is\nagreeable to thee. And they will surely display thy woe and take the\nlife of him that hath wronged thee.' Hearing these words the\n_Sairindhri_ replied, 'They of whom I am the wedded wife are, I ween,\nextremely kind. And as the eldest of them all is addicted to dice, they\nare liable to be oppressed by all.'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"And having said this, the fair-hipped Krishna\nwith dishevelled hair and eyes red in anger, ran towards the apartments\nof Sudeshna. And in consequence of having wept long her face looked\nbeautiful like the lunar disc in the firmament, emerged from the clouds.\nAnd beholding her in that condition, Sudeshna asked, 'Who, O beauteous\nlady, hath insulted thee? Why, O amiable damsel, dost thou weep? Who,\ngentle one, hath done thee wrong? Whence is this thy grief?' Thus\naddressed, Draupadi said, 'As I went to bring wine for thee, Kichaka\nstruck me in the court in the very presence of the king, as if in the\nmidst of a solitary wood.' Hearing this, Sudeshna said, 'O thou of\ntresses ending in beautiful curls, as Kichaka, maddened by lust hath\ninsulted thee that art incapable of being possessed by him, I shall\ncause him to be slain if thou wishest it.' Thereupon Draupadi answered,\n'Even others will slay him,--even they whom he hath wronged. I think it\nis clear that he will have to go to the abode of Yama this very day!'\"\n\n\nSECTION XVII\n\nVaisampayana said, \"Thus insulted by the _Suta's_ son, that illustrious\nprincess, the beautiful Krishna, eagerly wishing for the destruction of\nVirata's general, went to her quarters. And Drupada's daughter of dark\nhue and slender waist then performed her ablutions. And washing her body\nand cloths with water Krishna began to ponder weepingly on the means of\ndispelling her grief. And she reflected, saying, 'What am I to do?\nWhither shall I go? How can my purpose be effected?' And while she was\nthinking thus, she remembered Bhima and said to herself, 'There is none\nelse, save Bhima, that can today accomplish the purpose on which my\nheart is set!' And afflicted with great grief, the large-eyed and\nintelligent Krishna possessed of powerful protectors then rose up at\nnight, and leaving her bed speedily proceeded towards the quarters of\nBhimasena, desirous of beholding her lord. And possessed of great\nintelligence, the daughter of Drupada entered her husband's quarters,\nsaying, 'How canst thou sleep while that wretched commander of Virata's\nforces, who is my foe, yet liveth, having perpetrated today _that_ (foul\nact)?'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"Then the chamber where Bhima slept, breathing\nhard like a lion, being filled with the beauty of Drupada's daughter and\nof the high-souled Bhima, blazed forth in splendour. And Krishna of\nsweet smiles, finding Bhimasena in the cooking apartments, approached\nhim with the eagerness of a three-year old cow brought up in the woods,\napproaching a powerful bull, in her first season, or of a she-crane\nliving by the water-side approaching her mate in the pairing season. And\nthe Princess of Panchala then embraced the second son of Pandu, even as\na creeper embraces a huge and mighty _Sala_ on the banks of the Gomati.\nAnd embracing him with her arms, Krishna of faultless features awaked\nhim as a lioness awaketh a sleeping lion in a trackless forest. And\nembracing Bhimasena even as a she-elephant embraceth her mighty mate,\nthe faultless Panchali addressed him in voice sweet as the sound of a\nstringed instrument emitting _Gandhara_ note. And she said, 'Arise,\narise! Why dost thou, O Bhimasena, lie down as one dead? Surely, he that\nis not dead, never suffereth a wicked wretch that hath disgraced his\nwife, to live.' And awakened by the princess, Bhima of mighty arms, then\nrose up, and sat upon his couch overlaid with a rich bed. And he of the\nKuru race then addressed the princess--his beloved wife, saying, 'For\nwhat purpose hast thou come hither in such a hurry? Thy colour is gone\nand thou lookest lean and pale. Tell me everything in detail. I must\nknow the truth. Whether it be pleasurable or painful, agreeable, or\ndisagreeable, tell me all. Having heard everything, I shall apply the\nremedy. I alone, O Krishna, am entitled to thy confidence in all things,\nfor it is I who deliver thee from perils again and again! Tell me\nquickly what is thy wish, and what is the purpose that is in thy view,\nand return thou to thy bed before others awake.'\"\n\n\nSECTION XVIII\n\n\"Draupadi said, 'What grief hath she not who hath Yudhishthira for her\nhusband? Knowing all my griefs, why dost thou ask me? The _Pratikamin_\ndragged me to the court in the midst of an assembly of courtiers,\ncalling me a slave. That grief, O Bharata, consumeth me. What other\nprincess, save Draupadi, would live having suffered such intense misery?\nWho else, save myself, could bear such second insult as the wicked\nSaindhava offered me while residing in the forest? Who else of my\nposition, save myself, could live, having been kicked by Kichaka in the\nvery sight of the wicked king of the Matsyas? Of what value is life, O\nBharata, when thou, O son of Kunti, dost not think me miserable,\nalthough I am afflicted with such woes? That vile and wicked wretch, O\nBharata, known by the name of Kichaka, who is the brother-in-law of king\nVirata and the commander of his forces, every day, O tiger among men,\naddresses me who am residing in the palace as a _Sairindhri_, saying,\n_Do thou become my wife_.--Thus solicited, O slayer of foes, by that\nwretch deserving to be slain, my heart is bursting like a fruit ripened\nin season. Censure thou that elder brother of thine addicted to\nexecrable dice, through whose act alone I have been afflicted with such\nwoe. Who else, save him that is a desperate gambler, would play, giving\nup kingdom and everything including even myself, in order to lead a life\nin the woods? If he had gambled morning and evening for many years\ntogether, staking _nishkas_ by thousand and other kinds of substantial\nwealth, still his silver, and gold, and robes, and vehicles, and teams,\nand goats, and sheep, and multitudes of steeds and mares and mules would\nnot have sustained any diminution. But now deprived of prosperity by the\nrivalry of dice, he sits dumb like a fool, reflecting on his own\nmisdeeds. Alas, he who, while sojourning, was followed by ten thousand\nelephants adorned with golden garlands now supports himself by casting\ndice. That Yudhishthira who at Indraprastha was adored by kings of\nincomparable prowess by hundreds of thousands, that mighty monarch in\nwhose kitchen a hundred thousand maid-servants, plate in hand, used\nevery day to feed numerous guests day and night, that best of liberal\nmen, who gave (every day) a thousand _nishkas_, alas, even he\noverwhelmed with woe in consequence of gambling which is the root of all\nevil, now supporteth himself by casting dice. Bards and encomiasts by\nthousands decked with ear-rings set with brilliant gems, and gifted with\nmelodious voice, used to pay him homage morning and evening. Alas, that\nYudhishthira, who was daily waited upon by a thousand sages of ascetic\nmerit, versed in the _Vedas_ and having every desire gratified, as his\ncourtiers,--that Yudhishthira who maintained eighty-eight thousands of\ndomestic _Snatakas_ with thirty maid-servants assigned unto each, as\nalso ten thousand _yatis_ not accepting anything in gift and with vital\nseed drawn up,--alas, even that mighty king now liveth in such guise.\nThat Yudhishthira who is without malice, who is full of kindness, and\nwho giveth every creature his due, who hath all these excellent\nattributes, alas--even he now liveth in such guise. Possessed of\nfirmness and unbaffled prowess, with heart disposed to give every\ncreature his due, king Yudhishthira, moved by compassion, constantly\nmaintained in his kingdom the blind, the old, the helpless, the\nparentless and all others in his dominions in such distress. Alas, that\nYudhishthira becoming a dependant and a servant of Matsya, a caster of\ndice in his court, now calls himself Kanka. He unto whom while residing\nat Indraprastha, all the rulers of earth used to pay timely\ntribute,--alas, even he now begs for subsistence at another's hands. He\nto whom the kings of the earth were in subjection,--alas, even that king\nhaving lost his liberty, liveth in subjection to others. Having dazzled\nthe entire earth like the sun by his energy, that Yudhishthira, alas, is\nnow a courtier of king Virata. O Pandu's son, that Pandava who was\nrespectfully waited upon in court by kings and sages, behold him now\nwaiting upon another. Alas, beholding Yudhishthira a courtier sitting\nbeside another and breathing adulatory speeches to the other, who can\nhelp being afflicted with grief? And beholding the highly wise and\nvirtuous Yudhishthira, undeserving as he is of serving others, actually\nserving another for sustenance, who can help being afflicted with grief?\nAnd, O hero, that Bharata who was worshipped in court by the entire\nearth, do thou now behold him worshipping another. Why then, O Bharata,\ndost thou not regard me as one afflicted with diverse miseries, like one\nforlorn and immersed in a sea of sorrow?'\"\n\n\nSECTION XIX\n\n\"Draupadi said, 'This O Bharata, that I am going to tell thee is another\ngreat grief of mine. Thou shouldst not blame me, for I tell thee this\nfrom sadness of heart. Who is there whose grief is not enhanced at sight\nof thee, O bull of the Bharata race, engaged in the ignoble office of a\ncook, so entirely beneath thee and calling thyself as one _of Vallava_\ncaste? What can be sadder than this, that people should know thee as\nVirata's cook, Vallava by name, and therefore one that is sunk in\nservitude? Alas, when thy work of the kitchen is over, thou humbly\nsittest beside Virata, calling thyself as Vallava the cook, then\ndespondency seizeth my heart. When the king of kings in joy maketh thee\nfight with elephants, and the women of the inner apartments (of the\npalace) laugh all the while, then I am sorely distressed. When thou\nfightest in the inner apartments with lions, tigers, and buffaloes, the\nprincess Kaikeyi looking on, then I almost swoon away. And when Kaikeyi\nand those maidservants, leaving their seats, come to assist me and find\nthat instead of suffering any injury in limbs mine is only a swoon, the\nprincess speaks unto her women, saying, 'Surely, it is from affection\nand the duty begot of intercourse that this lady of sweet smiles\ngrieveth for the exceedingly powerful cook when he fights with the\nbeasts. Sairindhri is possessed of great beauty and Vallava also is\neminently handsome. The heart of woman is hard to know, and they, I\nfancy, are deserving of each other. It is, therefore, likely that the\nSairindhri invariably weepeth (at such times) on account of her\nconnection with her lover. And then, they both have entered this royal\nfamily at the same time. And speaking such words she always upbraideth\nme. And beholding me wroth at this, she suspects me to be attached to\nthee.' When she speaketh thus, great is the grief that I feel. Indeed,\non beholding thee, O Bhima of terrible prowess, afflicted with such\ncalamity, sunk as I already am in grief on account of Yudhishthira, I do\nnot desire to live. That youth who on a single car had vanquished all\ncelestials and men, is now, alas, the dancing master of king Virata's\ndaughter. That Pritha's son of immeasurable soul, who had gratified Agni\nin the forest of Khandava, is now living in the inner apartments (of a\npalace) like fire hid in a well. Alas, the bull among men, Dhananjaya,\nwho was ever the terror of foes, is now living in a guise that is\ndespaired by all. Alas, he whose mace-like arms have been cicatrized in\nconsequence of the strokes of his bow-string, alas that Dhananjaya is\npassing the days in grief covering his wrists with bracelets of conchs.\nAlas, that Dhananjaya the twang of whose bow-string and the sound of\nwhose leathern fences made every foe tremble, now entertains only\ngladdened women with his songs. Oh, that Dhananjaya whose head was\nformerly decked with a diadem of solar splendour, is now wearing braids\nending in unsightly curls. O Bhima, beholding that terrible bowman,\nArjuna, now wearing braids and in the midst of women, my heart is\nstricken with woe. That high-souled hero who is master of all the\ncelestial weapons, and who is the repository of all the sciences, now\nweareth ear-rings (like one of the fair sex). That youth whom kings of\nincomparable prowess could not overpower in fight, even as the waters of\nthe mighty ocean cannot overleap the continents, is now the\ndancing-master of king Virata's daughters and waits upon them in\ndisguise. O Bhima, that Arjuna the clatter of whose car-wheels caused\nthe entire earth with her mountains and forests, her mobile and immobile\nthings to tremble, and whose birth dispelled all the sorrows of Kunti,\nthat exalted hero, that younger brother of thine, O Bhimasena, now\nmaketh me weep for him. Beholding him coming towards me, decked in\ngolden ear-rings and other ornaments, and wearing on the wrists\nbracelets of conchs, my heart is afflicted with despondency. And\nDhananjaya who hath not a bowman equal unto him on earth in prowess, now\npasseth his days in singing, surrounded by women. Beholding that son of\nPritha who in virtue, heroism and truth, was the most admired in the\nworld, now living in the guise of a woman, my heart is afflicted with\nsorrow. When I behold, the godlike Partha in the music-hall like an\nelephant with rent temples surrounded by she-elephants in the midst of\nfemales, waiting before Virata the king of the Matsyas, then I lose all\nsense of directions. Surely, my mother-in-law doth not know Dhananjaya\nto be afflicted with such extreme distress. Nor doth she know that\ndescendant of the Kuru race, Ajatasatru, addicted to disastrous dice, to\nbe sunk in misery. O Bharata, beholding the youngest of you all,\nSahadeva, superintending the kine, in the guise of a cowherd, I grow\npale. Always thinking of Sahadeva's plight, I cannot, O Bhimasena,\nobtain sleep,--what to speak you of the rest? I do not know, O\nmighty-armed one, what sin Sahadeva may have committed for which that\nhero of unbaffled prowess suffereth such misery. O foremost of the\nBharatas, beholding that beloved brother of thine, that bull among men,\nemployed by Matsya in looking after his kine, I am filled with woe.\nSeeing that hero of proud disposition gratifying Virata, by living at\nthe head of his cowherds, attired in robes dyed in red, I am attacked\nwith fever. My mother-in-law always applauds the heroic Sahadeva as one\npossessed of nobility, excellent behaviour, and rectitude of conduct.\nArdently attached to her sons, the weeping Kunti stood, embracing\nSahadeva while he was about to set out (with us) for the great forest.\nAnd she addressed me saying, \"Sahadeva is bashful and sweet-speeched,\nand virtuous. He is also my favourite child. Therefore, O Yajnaseni,\ntend him in the forest day and night. Delicate and brave, devoted to the\nking, and always worshipping his elder brother, do thou, O Panchali,\nfeed him thyself.\" O Pandava, beholding that foremost of warriors,\nSahadeva, engaged in tending kine, and sleeping at night on calf-skins,\nhow can I bear to live? He again who is crowned with the three\nattributes of beauty, arms, and intelligence, is now the superintendent\nof Virata's steeds. Behold the change brought on by time. Granthika\n(Nakula), at sight of whom hostile hosts fled from the field of battle,\nnow traineth horses in the presence of the king, driving them with the\nspeed. Alas, I now see that handsome youth wait upon the gorgeously\ndecked and excellent Virata, the king of the Matsyas, and display horses\nbefore him. O son of Pritha, afflicted as I am with all these hundred\nkinds of misery on account of Yudhishthira, why dost thou, O chastiser\nof foes, yet deem me happy? Listen now to me, O son of Kunti, as I tell\nthee of other woes far surpassing these. What can be sadder to me than\nmiseries so various as these should emaciate me while ye are alive.'\"\n\n\nSECTION XX\n\n\"Draupadi said, 'Alas, on account of that desperate gambler, I am now\nunder Sudeshna's command, living in the palace in the guise of a\n_Sairindhri_. And, O chastiser of foes, behold the plight of poignant\nwoe which I, a princess, am now in. I am living in expectation of the\nclose of this stated period.[14] The extreme of misery, therefore, is\nmine. Success of purpose, victory, and defeat, as regards mortals, are\ntransitory. It is in this belief that I am living in expectation of the\nreturn of prosperity to my husbands. Prosperity and adversity revolve\nlike a wheel. It is in this belief that I am living in expectation of\nthe return of prosperity to my husbands. That cause which bringeth on\nvictory, may bring defeat as well. I live in this hope. Why dost thou\nnot, O Bhimasena, regard me as one dead? I have heard that persons that\ngive may beg: that they who slay may be slain; and that they who\nover-throw others may themselves be overthrown by foes. Nothing is\ndifficult for Destiny and none can over-ride Destiny. It is for this\nthat I am awaiting the return of favourable fortune. As a tank once\ndried, is filled up once again, so hoping for a change for the better, I\nawait the return of prosperity. When one's business that hath been\nwell-provided for is seen to be frustrated, a truly wise person should\nnever strive for bringing back good fortune. Plunged as I am an sorrow,\nasked or unasked by thee to explain the purpose of these words spoken by\nme, I shall tell thee everything. Queen of the sons of Pandu and\ndaughter of Drupada, who else, save myself, would wish to live, having\nfallen into such a plight? O represser of foes, the misery, therefore,\nthat hath overtaken me, hath really humiliated the entire _Kuru_ race,\nthe Panchalas, and the sons of Pandu. Surrounded by numerous brothers\nand father-in-law and sons, what other woman having such cause for joy,\nsave myself, would be afflicted with such woe? Surely, I must, in my\nchildhood, have committed act highly offensive to _Dhatri_ through whose\ndispleasure, O bull of the Bharata race, I have been visited with such\nconsequences. Mark, O son of Pandu, the pallour that hath come over my\ncomplexion which not even a life in the woods fraught as it was with\nextreme misery, could bring about. Thou, O Pritha's son, knowest what\nhappiness, O Bhima, was formerly mine. Even I, who was such have now\nsunk into servitude. Sorely distressed, I can find no rest. That the\nmighty-armed and terrible bowman, Dhananjaya the son of Pritha, should\nnow live like a fire that hath been put out, maketh me think of all this\nas attributable to Destiny. Surely, O son of Pritha, it is impossible\nfor men to understand the destinies of creatures (in this world). I,\ntherefore, think this downfall of yours as something that could not be\naverted by forethought. Alas, she who hath you all, that resemble Indra\nhimself to attend to her comforts--even she, so chaste and exalted, hath\nnow to attend to the comforts of others, that are to her far inferior in\nrank. Behold, O Pandava, my plight. It is what I do not deserve. You are\nalive, yet behold this inversion of order that time hath brought. She\nwho had the whole Earth to the verge of the sea under her control, is\nnow under the control of Sudeshna and living in fear of her. She who had\ndependants to walk both before and behind her, alas, now herself walketh\nbefore and behind Sudeshna. This, O Kaunteya, is another grief of mine\nthat is intolerable. O, listen to it. She who had never, save for Kunti,\npounded unguents even for her own use, now, good betide thee, poundeth\nsandal (for others). O Kaunteya, behold these hands of mine which were\nnot so before.' Saying this she showed him her hands marked with corns.\nAnd she continued, 'she who had never feared Kunti herself nor thee and\nthy brothers, now standeth in fear before Virata as a slave, anxious of\nwhat that king of kings may say unto her regarding the proper\npreparation of the unguents, for Matsya liketh not sandal pounded by\nothers.'\"\n\n    [14] What Draupadi means is that instead of passing her days in\n    joy and happiness, instead of being able to wish time to be\n    stationary with her, she is obliged in consequence of her\n    misery, to wish time to pass off quickly.\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"Relating her woes thus, O Bharata, unto\nBhimasena, Krishna began to weep silently, casting her eyes on Bhima.\nAnd then, with words choked in tears, and sighing repeatedly, she\naddressed Bhima in these words, powerfully stirring his heart, 'Signal,\nO Bhima, must have been my offence of old unto the gods, for,\nunfortunate as I am. I am yet alive, when, O Pandava, I should die.'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"Then that slayer of hostile heroes, Vrikodara,\ncovering his face with those delicate hands of his wife marked with\ncorns, began to weep. And that mighty son of Kunti, holding the hands of\nDraupadi in his, shed copious tears. And afflicted with great woe, he\nspoke these words.\"\n\n\nSECTION XXI\n\n\"Bhima said, 'Fie on the might of my arms and fie on the _Gandiva_ of\nPhalguna, inasmuch as thy hands, red before, now become covered with\ncorns. I would have caused a carnage in Virata's court but for the fact\nthat Kunti's son eyed me (by way of forbidding it), or like a mighty\nelephant, I would, without ado, have crushed the head of Kichaka\nintoxicated with the pride of sovereignty. When, O Krishna, I beheld\nthee kicked by Kichaka, I conceived at that instant a wholesale\nslaughter of the Matsyas. Yudhishthira, however, forbade me by a glance,\nand, O beauteous lady, understanding his intention I have kept quiet.\nThat we have been deprived of our kingdom, that I have not yet slain the\nKurus, that I have not yet taken the heads of Suyodhana and Karna, and\nSuvala's son Sakuni, and the wicked Duhsasana, these acts and omissions,\nO lady, are consuming every limb of mine. The thought of those abides in\nmy heart like a javelin implanted in it. O thou of graceful hips, do not\nsacrifice virtue, and, O noble-hearted lady, subdue thy wrath. If king\nYudhishthira hear from thee such rebukes, he will surely put an end to\nhis life. If also Dhananjaya and the twins hear thee speak thus, even\nthey will renounce life. And if these, O slender-waisted maiden, give up\nlife, I also shall not be able to bear my own. In olden days Sarjati's\ndaughter, the beautiful Sukanya, followed into the forest Chyavana of\nBhrigu's race, whose mind was under complete control, and over whom,\nwhile engaged in ascetic meditation, the ants had built a hill. Thou\nmayst have heard that Indrasena also who in beauty was like unto\n_Narayani_ herself, followed her husband aged a thousand years. Thou\nmayst have heard that Janaka's daughter Sita, the princess of Videha,\nfollowed her lord while living in dense woods. And that lady of graceful\nhips, Rama's beloved wife, afflicted with calamities and persecuted by\nthe Rakshasas, at length regained the company of Rama. Lopamudra also, O\ntimid one, endued with youth and beauty, followed Agastya, renouncing\nall the objects of enjoyment unattainable by men. And the intelligent\nand faultless Savitri also followed the heroic Satyavan, the son of\nDyumatsena, alone into the world of Yama. Even like these chaste and\nbeautiful ladies that I have named, thou, O blessed girl, bloomest with\nevery virtue. Do thou spend a short while more that is measured by even\na half month. And when the thirteenth year is complete, thou wilt\n(again) become the Queen regnant of a king.' Hearing these words,\nDraupadi said, 'Unable, O Bhima, to bear my griefs, it is from grief\nalone that I have shed these tears. I do not censure Yudhishthira. Nor\nis there any use in dwelling on the past. O Bhima of mighty strength,\ncome quickly forward to the work of the hour. O Bhima, Kaikeyi, jealous\nof my beauty, always pains me by her endeavours to prevent the king from\ntaking a fancy to me. And understanding this disposition of hers, the\nwicked-souled Kichaka of immoral ways constantly solicits me himself.\nAngry with him for this, but then suppressing my wrath I answer that\nwretch deprived of sense by lust, saying, \"O Kichaka, protect thyself. I\nam the beloved queen and wife of five Gandharvas. Those heroes in wrath\nwill slay thee that art so rash.\" Thus addressed, Kichaka of wicked soul\nreplied unto me, saying, \"I have not the least fear of the Gandharvas, O\nSairindhri of sweet smiles. I will slay hundred thousand Gandharvas,\nencountering them in battle. Therefore, O timid one, do thou consent.\"\nHearing all this, I again addressed the lust-afflicted Suta, saying,\n\"Thou art no match for those illustrious Gandharvas. Of respectable\npercentage and good disposition, I ever adhere to virtue and never wish\nfor the death of any one. It is for this that thou I vest, O Kichaka!\"\nAt this, that wight of wicked soul burst out into a loud laughter. And\nit came to pass that Kaikeyi previously urged by Kichaka, and moved by\naffection for her brother, and desirous of doing him a good turn,\ndespatched me to him, saying \"Do thou, O Sairindhri, fetch wine from\nKichaka's quarters!\" On beholding me the Suta's son at first addressed\nme in sweet words, and when that failed, he became exceedingly enraged,\nand intended to use violence. Understanding the purpose of the wicked\nKichaka, I speedily rushed towards the place where the king was. Felling\nme on the ground the wretch then kicked me in the very presence of the\nking himself and before the eyes of Kanka and many others, including\ncharioteers, and royal favourites, and elephant-riders, and citizens. I\nrebuked the king and Kanka again and again. The king, however, neither\nprevented Kichaka, nor inflicted any chastisement on him. The principal\nally of king Virata in war, the cruel Kichaka reft of virtue is loved by\nboth the king and the queen. O exalted one, brave, proud, sinful,\nadulterous, and engrossed in all objects of enjoyment, he earneth\nimmense wealth (from the king), and robs the possessions of others even\nif they cry in distress. And he never walketh in the path of virtue, nor\ndoth he any virtuous act. Of wicked soul, and vicious disposition,\nhaughty and villainous, and always afflicted by the shafts of Kama,\nthough repulsed repeatedly, if he sees me again, he will outrage me. I\nshall then surely renounce my life. Although striving to acquire virtue\n(on my death) your highly meritorious acts will come to naught. Ye that\nare now obeying your pledge, ye will lose your wife. By protecting one's\nwife one's offspring are protected, and by protecting one's offspring,\none's own self is protected. And it is because one begets one's own self\nin one's wife that the wife is called _Jaya_[15] by the wise. The\nhusband also should be protected by the wife, thinking,--_How else will\nhe take his birth in my womb_?--I have heard it from Brahmanas\nexpounding the duties of the several orders that a Kshatriya hath no\nother duty than subduing enemies. Alas, Kichaka kicked me in the very\npresence of Yudhishthira the Just, and also of thyself, O Bhimasena of\nmighty strength. It was thou, O Bhima, that didst deliver me from the\nterrible Jatasura. It was thou also that with thy brothers didst\nvanquish Jayadratha. Do thou now slay this wretch also who hath insulted\nme. Presuming upon his being a favourite of the king, Kichaka, O\nBharata, hath enhanced my woe. Do thou, therefore, smash this lustful\nwight even like an earthen pot dashed upon a stone. If, O Bharata,\ntomorrow's sun sheds his rays upon him who is the source of many griefs\nof mine, I shall, surely, mixing poison (with some drink), drink it\nup,--for I never shall yield to Kichaka. Far better it were, O Bhima,\nthat I should die before thee.'\"\n\n    [15] _Jayate asyas_--i.e., she from whom one is born.\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"Having said this, Krishna, hiding her face in\nBhima's breast began to weep. And Bhima, embracing her, consoled her to\nthe best of his power. And having abundantly consoled that\nslender-waisted daughter of Drupada by means of words fraught with grave\nreason and sense, he wiped with his hands her face flooded with tears.\nAnd thinking of Kichaka and licking with his tongue the corners of his\nmouth, Bhima, filled with wrath thus spake to that distressed lady.\"\n\n\nSECTION XXII\n\n\"Bhima said, 'I will, O timid one, do even as thou sayest. I will\npresently slay Kichaka with all his friends. O Yajnaseni of sweet\nsmiles, tomorrow evening, renouncing sorrow and grief, manage to have a\nmeeting with Kichaka. The dancing-hall that the king of the Matsya hath\ncaused to be erected is used by the girls for dancing during the day.\nThey repair, however, to their homes at night. There in that hall, is an\nexcellent and well-placed wooden bed-stead. Even there I will make him\nsee the spirits of his deceased grandsires. But, O beautiful one, when\nthou holdest converse with him, thou must manage it so that others may\nnot espy thee.'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"Having thus conversed with others, and shed\ntears in grief, they waited for the dawn of that night with painful\nimpatience. And when the night had passed away, Kichaka, rising in the\nmorning, went to the palace, and accosted Draupadi saying, 'Throwing\nthee down in the court I kicked thee in the presence of the king.\nAttacked by mighty self, thou couldst not obtain protection. This Virata\nis in name only the king of the Matsyas. Commanding the forces of this\nrealm it is I, who am the real lord of the Matsyas. Do thou, O timid\none, accept me cheerfully. I shall become thy slave. And, O thou of\ngraceful hips, I will immediately give thee a hundred _nishkas_, and\nengage a hundred male and a hundred female servants (to tend thee), and\nwill also bestow on thee cars yoked with she-mules. O timid lady, let\nour union take place.' Draupadi replied, 'O Kichaka, know even this is\nmy condition. Neither thy friends nor thy brothers should know thy union\nwith me. I am a terror of detection by those illustrious Gandharvas.\nPromise me this, and I yield to thee.' Hearing this Kichaka said, 'I\nwill, O thou of graceful hips, do even as thou sayest. Afflicted by the\ngod of love, I will, O beauteous damsel, alone repair to thy abode for\nunion with thee, O thou of thighs round and tapering like the trunks of\nthe plantain,--so that those Gandharvas, effulgent as the sun, may not\ncome to know of this act of thine.' Draupadi said, 'Do thou, when it is\ndark, go to the dancing-hall erected by the king of the Matsyas where\nthe girls dance during the day, repairing to their respective homes at\nnight. The Gandharvas do not know that place. We shall then without\ndoubt, escape all censure.'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"Reflecting on the subject of her conversation\nwith Kichaka, that half a day seemed to Krishna as long as a whole\nmonth. And the stupid Kichaka also, not knowing that it was Death that\nhad assumed the form of a _Sairindhri_, returning home experienced the\ngreatest delight. And deprived of sense by lust, Kichaka became speedily\nengaged in embellishing his person with unguents and garlands and\nornaments. And while he was doing all this, thinking of that damsel of\nlarge eyes, the day seemed to him to be without an end. And the beauty\nof Kichaka, who was about to forsake his beauty for ever, seemed to\nheighten, like the wick of a burning lamp about to expire. And reposing\nthe fullest confidence in Draupadi, Kichaka, deprived of his senses by\nlust and absorbed in the contemplation of expected meeting, did not even\nperceive that the day had departed. Meanwhile, the beautiful Draupadi\napproaching her husband Bhima of the Kuru race, stood before him in the\nkitchen. And that lady with tresses ending in beautiful curls then spake\nunto him, saying, 'O chastiser of foes, even as thou hadst directed, I\nhave given Kichaka to understand that our meeting will take place in the\ndancing-hall. Alone will he come at night to the empty hall. Slay him\nthere, O thou of mighty arms. Do thou, O son of Kunti, repair to that\ndancing-hall, and take the life, O Pandava, of Kichaka, that son of a\n_Suta_ intoxicated with vanity. From vanity alone, that son of a _Suta_\nslights the Gandharvas. O best of smiters, lift him up from the earth\neven as Krishna had lifted up the _Naga_ (Kaliya) from the Yamuna. O\nPandava, afflicted as I am with grief, wipe thou my tears, and blessed\nbe thou, protect thy own honour and that of thy race.'\n\n\"Bhima said, 'Welcome, O beauteous lady. Except the glad tidings thou\nbringest me, I need, O thou of exceeding beauty, no other aid whatever.\nThe delight that I feel, O thou of great beauty, on hearing from thee\nabout my coming encounter with Kichaka, is equal to what I felt in\nslaying Hidimva. I swear unto thee by Truth, by my brothers, and by\nmorality, that I will slay Kichaka even as the lord of the celestials\nslew Vritra. Whether secretly or openly, I will crush Kichaka, and if\nthe Matsyas fight for him, then I will slay them too. And slaying\nDuryodhana afterwards, I shall win back the earth. Let Yudhishthira, the\nson of Kunti, continue to pay homage unto the king of Matsya.' Hearing\nthese words of Bhima, Draupadi said, 'In order that, O lord, thou mayst\nnot have to renounce the truth already pledged to me, do thou, O hero,\nslay Kichaka in secret.' Bhima assuring her said, 'Even today I shall\nslay Kichaka together with his friends unknown to others during the\ndarkness of the night. I shall, O faultless lady, crush, even as an\nelephant crusheth a _vela_ fruit,[16] the head of the wicked Kichaka who\nwisheth for what is unattainable by him!'\"\n\n    [16] Some texts read, _Vilwam nagaviodhara--i.e.,_ 'As an\n    elephant lifts up a vela fruit.'\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"Repairing first to the place of assignation at\nnight, Bhima sat down, disguising himself. And he waited there in\nexpectation of Kichaka, like a lion lying in wait for a deer. And\nKichaka, having embellished his person as he chose, came to the\ndancing-hall at the appointed time in the hope of meeting Panchali. And\nthinking of the assignation, he entered the chamber. And having entered\nthat hall enveloped in deep gloom, that wretch of wicked soul came upon\nBhima of incomparable prowess, who had come a little before and who was\nwaiting in a corner. And as an insect approacheth towards a flaming\nfire, or a puny animal towards a lion, Kichaka approached Bhima, lying\ndown in a bed and burning in anger at the thought of the insult offered\nto Krishna, as if he were the Suta's Death. And having approached Bhima,\nKichaka possessed by lust, and his heart and soul filled with ecstacy\nsmilingly said, 'O thou of pencilled eye-brows, to thee I have already\ngiven many and various kinds of wealth from the stores earned by me, as\nwell as hundred maids and many fine robes, and also a mansion with an\ninner apartment adorned with beauteous and lovely and youthful maid\nservants and embellished by every kind of sports and amusements. And\nhaving set all those apart for thee, I have speedily come hither. And\nall on a sudden, women have begun to praise me, saying, _There is not in\nthis world any other person like unto thee in beauty and dress_!'\nHearing this, Bhima said, 'It is well that thou art handsome, and it is\nwell thou praisest thyself. I think, however, that thou hadst never\nbefore this such pleasurable touch! Thou hast an acute touch, and\nknowest the ways of gallantry. Skilled in the art of love-making, thou\nart a favourite with women. There is none like thee in this world!'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"Saying this, that son of Kunti, the\nmighty-armed Bhima of terrible prowess, suddenly rose up, and laughingly\nsaid, 'Thy sister, O wretch, shall today behold thee dragged by me to\nthe ground, like a mighty elephant, huge as a mountain, dragged to the\nground by a lion. Thyself slain _Sairindhri_ will live in peace, and we,\nher husbands, will also live in peace.' Saying this, the mighty Bhima\nseized Kichaka by the hairs of his head, which were adorned with\ngarlands. And thus seized with force by the hair, that foremost of\nmighty persons, Kichaka, quickly freed his hair and grasped the arms of\nBhima. And then between those lions among men, fired with wrath, between\nthat chief of the Kichaka clan, and that best of men, there ensued a\nhand-to-hand encounter, like that between two powerful elephants for a\nfemale elephant in the season of spring, or like that which happened in\ndays of yore between those lions among monkeys, the brothers Vali and\nSugriva. And both equally infuriate and both eager for victory, both\nthose combatants raised their arms resembling snakes furnished with five\nhoods, and attacked each other with their nails and teeth, wrought up to\nfrenzy of wrath. Impetuously assailed by the powerful Kichaka in that\nencounter, the resolute Bhima did not waver a single step. And locked in\neach other's embraces and dragging each other, they fought on like two\nmighty bulls. And having nails and teeth for their weapons, the\nencounter between them was fierce and terrible like that of two furious\ntigers. And felling each other in fury, they encountered each other like\na couple of elephants with rent temples. And the mighty Bhima then\nseized Kichaka, and Kichaka, that foremost of strong persons threw Bhima\ndown with violence. And as those mighty combatants fought on, the crash\nof their arms produced a loud noise that resembled the clatter of\nsplitting bamboos. Then Vrikodara throwing Kichaka down by main force\nwithin the room, began to toss him about furiously even as a hurricane\ntosseth a tree. And attacked thus in battle by the powerful Bhima,\nKichaka grew weak and began to tremble. For all that, however, he tugged\nat the Pandava to the best of his power. And attacking Bhima, and making\nhim wave a little, the mighty Kichaka struck him with his knees and\nbrought him down to the ground. And overthrown by the powerful Kichaka,\nBhima quickly rose up like Yama himself with mace in hand. And thus that\npowerful _Suta_ and the Pandava, intoxicated with strength and\nchallenging each other, grappled with each other at midnight in that\nsolitary place. And as they roared at each other in wrath, that\nexcellent and strong edifice began to shake every moment. And slapped on\nthe chest by the mighty Bhima, Kichaka fired with wrath moved not a\nsingle pace. And bearing for a moment only that onslaught incapable of\nbeing born on earth, the _Suta_, overpowered by Bhima's might, became\nenfeebled. And seeing him waning weak, Bhima endued with great strength\nforcibly drew Kichaka towards his breast, and began to press hard. And\nbreathing hard again and again in wrath, that best of victors,\nVrikodara, forcibly seized Kichaka by the hair. And having seized\nKichaka, the mighty Bhima began to roar like a hungry tiger that hath\nkilled a large animal. And finding him exceedingly exhausted, Vrikodara\nbound him fast with his arms, as one binds a beast with a cord. And then\nBhima began for a long while, to whirl the senseless Kichaka, who began\nto roar frightfully like a broken trumpet.[17] And in order to pacify\nKrishna's wrath Vrikodara grasped Kichaka's throat with his arms and\nbegan to squeeze it. And assailing with his knees the waist of that\nworst of the Kichakas, all the limbs of whose body had been broken into\nfragments and whose eye-lids were closed, Vrikodara slew him, as one\nwould slay a beast. And beholding Kichaka entirely motionless, the son\nof Pandu began to roll him about on the ground. And Bhima then said,\n'Slaying this wretch who intended to violate our wife,--this thorn in\nthe side of _Sairindhri_, I am freed from the debt I owed to my\nbrothers, and have attained perfect peace.' And having said this, that\nforemost of men, with eyes red in wrath, relinquished his hold of\nKichaka, whose dress and ornaments had been thrown off his person, whose\neyes were rolling, and whose body was yet trembling. And that foremost\nof mighty persons, squeezing his own hands, and biting his lips in rage,\nagain attacked his adversary and thrust his arms and legs and neck and\nhead into his body like the wielder of the _Pinaka_ reducing into\nshapeless mass the deer, which form sacrifice had assumed in order to\nescape his ire. And having crushed all his limbs, and reduced him into a\nball of flesh, the mighty Bhimasena showed him unto Krishna. And endued\nwith mighty energy that hero then addressed Draupadi, that foremost of\nall women, saying, 'Come princess of Panchala, and see what hath become\nof that lustful wretch!' And saying this, Bhima of terrible prowess\nbegan to press with his feet the body of that wicked wight. And lighting\na torch then and showing Draupadi the body of Kichaka, that hero\naddressed her, saying, 'O thou of tresses ending in beautiful curls,\nthose that solicit thee, endued as thou art with an excellent\ndisposition and every virtue, will be slain by me even as this Kichaka\nhath been, O timid one.' And having accomplished that difficult task so\nhighly agreeable to Krishna--having indeed slain Kichaka and thereby\npacified his wrath, Bhima bade farewell to Krishna, the daughter of\nDrupada, and quickly went back to the kitchen. And Draupadi also, that\nbest of women, having caused Kichaka to be slain had her grief removed\nand experienced the greatest delight. And addressing the keepers of the\ndancing-hall, she said, 'Come ye and behold Kichaka who had violated\nafter other people's wives lieth down here, slain by my Gandharva\nhusbands.' And hearing these words the guards of the dancing hall soon\ncame by thousands to that spot, torches in hand. And repairing to that\nroom, they beheld the lifeless Kichaka thrown on the ground, drenched\nwith blood. And beholding him without arms and legs, they were filled\nwith grief. And as they gazed at Kichaka, they were struck with\namazement. And seeing that superhuman act, viz., the overthrow of\nKichaka, they said, 'Where is his neck, and where are his legs?' And\nbeholding him in this plight they all concluded that he had been killed\nby a Gandharva.\"\n\n    [17] _Weri_ means both a kettle-drum and a trumpet. The latter\n    however conveys a better meaning here.\n\n\nSECTION XXII\n\nVaisampayana said, \"Then all the relatives of Kichaka, arriving at that\nplace, beheld him there and began to wail aloud, surrounding him on all\nsides. And beholding Kichaka with every limb mangled, and lying like a\ntortoise dragged to dry ground from the water, all of them were overcome\nwith exceeding fright, and the bristles of their bodies stood on end.\nAnd seeing him crushed all over by Bhima, like a Danava by Indra, they\nproceeded to take him outside, for performing his funeral obsequies. And\nthen those persons of the _Suta_ clan thus assembled together espied\nKrishna of faultless limbs hard by, who stood reclining on a pillar. And\nall the Kichakas assembled there, exclaimed, 'Let this unchaste woman be\nslain for whom Kichaka hath himself lost his life. Or, without slaying\nher here, let us cremate her with him that had lusted after her,--for it\nbehoveth us to accomplish in every way what is agreeable to that\ndeceased son of _Suta_.' And then they addressed Virata, saying, 'It is\nfor her sake that Kichaka hath lost his life. Let him, therefore, be\ncremated along with her. It behoveth thee to grant this permission.'\nThus addressed by them, king Virata, O monarch, knowing fully well the\nprowess of the _Suta_ gave his assent to _Sairindhri_ being burnt along\nwith the _Suta's_ son. And at this, the Kichakas approaching the\nfrightened and stupefied Krishna of lotus-like eyes, seized her with\nviolence. And binding that damsel of slender waist and placing her upon\nthe bier, they set out with great energy towards the cemetery. And, O\nking, while thus forcibly carried towards the cemetery by those sons of\nthe _Suta_ tribe, the blameless and chaste Krishna living under the\nprotections of her lords, then wailed aloud for the help of her\nhusbands, saying, 'Oh, let Jaya, and Jayanta, and Vijaya and Jayatsena,\nand Jayadvala listen to my words. The _Sutas_ are taking me away. Let\nthose illustrious Gandharvas endued with speed of hand, the clatter of\nwhose cars is loud and the twang of whose bowstrings in the midst of the\nmighty conflict are heard like the roar of thunder, listen to my\nwords,--the _Sutas_ are taking me away!'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"Hearing those sorrowful words and lamentations\nof Krishna, Bhima, without a moment's reflection started up from his bed\nand said, 'I have heard, O _Sairindhri_ the words thou hast spoken. Thou\nhast, therefore, O timid lady, no more fear at the hands of the\n_Sutas._'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"Having said this, the mighty-armed Bhima\ndesirous of slaying the Kichakas, began to swell his body. And carefully\nchanging his attire, he went out of the palace by a wrong egress. And\nclimbing over a wall by the aid of a tree, he proceeded towards the\ncemetery whither the Kichakas had gone. And having leapt over the wall,\nand gone out of the excellent city, Bhima impetuously rushed to where\nthe _Sutas_ were. And, O monarch, proceeding towards the funeral pyre he\nbeheld a large tree, tall as palmyra-palm, with gigantic shoulders and\nwithered top. And that slayer of foes grasping with his arms that tree\nmeasuring ten _Vyamas_, uprooted it, even like an elephant, and placed\nit upon his shoulders. And taking up that tree with trunk and branches\nand measuring ten _Vyamas_, that mighty hero rushed towards the _Sutas_,\nlike Yama himself, mace in hand. And by the impetus of his rush[18]\nbanians and peepals and _Kinsukas_ falling down on the earth lay in\nclusters. And beholding that Gandharva approach them like a lion in\nfury, all the _Sutas_ trembling with fear and greatly distressed, became\npanic-struck. And they addressed each other, saying, 'Lo, the powerful\nGandharva cometh hither, filled with rage, and with an upraised tree in\nhand. Let _Sairindhri_, therefore, from whom this danger of ours hath\narisen, be set free.' And beholding the tree that had been uprooted by\nBhimasena, they set Draupadi free and ran breathlessly towards the city.\nAnd seeing them run away, Bhima, that mighty son of the Wind-god,\ndespatched, O foremost of kings, by means of that tree, a hundred and\nfive of them unto the abode of Yama, like the wielder of the thunderbolt\nslaying the Danavas. And setting Draupadi free from her bonds, he then,\nO king, comforted her. And that mighty-armed and irrepressible\nVrikodara, the son of Pandu, then addressed the distressed princess of\nPanchala with face bathed in tears, saying, 'Thus, O timid one, are they\nslain that wrong thee without cause. Return, O Krishna, to the city.\nThou hast no longer any fear; I myself will go to the Virata's kitchen\nby another route.'\"\n\n    [18] Literature, force of his thighs.\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"It was thus, O Bharata, that a hundred and five\nof those Kichakas were slain. And their corpses lay on the ground,\nmaking the place look like a great forest overspread with uprooted trees\nafter a hurricane. Thus fell those hundred and five Kichakas. And\nincluding Virata's general slain before, the slaughtered Sutas numbered\none hundred and six. And beholding that exceedingly wonderful feat, men\nand women that assembled together, were filled with astonishment. And\nthe power of speech, O Bharata, was suspended in every one.\"\n\n\nSECTION XXIV\n\nVaisampayana said, \"And beholding the Sutas slain, the citizens went to\nthe king, and represented unto him what had happened, saying, 'O king,\nthose mighty sons of the Sutas have all been slain by the Gandharvas.\nIndeed, they lie scattered on the earth like huge peaks of mountains\nriven by thunder. _Sairindhri_ also, having been set free, returneth to\nthy palace in the city. Alas, O king, if _Sairindhri_ cometh, thy entire\nkingdom will be endangered. _Sairindhri_ is endued with great beauty;\nthe Gandharvas also are exceedingly powerful. Men again, without doubt,\nare naturally sexual. Devise, therefore, O king, without delay, such\nmeans that in consequence of wrongs done to _Sairindhri_, thy kingdom\nmay not meet with destruction.' Hearing those words of theirs, Virata,\nthat lord of hosts, said unto them, 'Do ye perform the last rites of the\nSutas. Let all the Kichakas be burnt, in one blazing pyre with gems and\nfragrant unguents in profusion.' And filled with fear, the king then\naddressed his queen Sudeshna, saying, 'When _Sairindhri_ comes back, do\nthou tell her these words from me, \"Blessed be thou, O fair-faced\n_Sairindhri_. Go thou whithersoever thou likest. The king hath been\nalarmed, O thou of graceful hips, at the defeat already experienced at\nthe hands of the Gandharvas. Protected as thou art by the Gandharvas, I\ndare not personally say all this to thee. A woman, however, cannot\noffend, and it is for this that I tell thee all this through a woman.\"'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"Thus delivered by Bhimasena after the slaughter\nof the Sutas, the intelligent and youthful Krishna relieved from all her\nfears, washed her limbs and clothes in water, and proceeded towards the\ncity, like a doe frightened by a tiger. And beholding her, the citizens,\nO king, afflicted with the fear of the Gandharvas fled in all\ndirections. And some of them went so far as to shut their eyes. And\nthen, O king, at the gate of the kitchen, the princess of Panchala saw\nBhimasena staying, like an infuriate elephant of gigantic proportions.\nAnd looking upon him with wonder-expanded eyes, Draupadi, by means of\nwords intelligible to them alone, said, 'I bow unto that prince of the\nGandharvas, who hath rescued me.' At these words of her, Bhima said,\n'Hearing these words of hers in obedience to whom those persons were\nhitherto living in the city, they will henceforth range here, regarding\nthemselves as freed from the debt.'\"[19]\n\n    [19] What Bhima says is this.--The Gandharvas, your husbands,\n    are always obedient to thee! If they have been able to do thee a\n    service, they have only repaid a debt.\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"Then she beheld the mighty-armed Dhananjaya, in\nthe dancing-hall instructing king Virata's daughters in dancing. And\nissuing with Arjuna from the dancing-hall, all those damsels came to\nKrishna who had arrived there, and who had been persecuted so sorely,\nall innocent though she was. And they said, 'By good luck also it is, O\n_Sairindhri_, that thou hast been delivered from thy dangers. By good\nluck it is that thou hast returned safe. And by good luck also it is\nthat those Sutas have been slain that had wronged thee, innocent though\nthou art.' Hearing this, Vrihannala said, 'How hast thou, O\n_Sairindhri_, been delivered? And how have those sinful wretches been\nslain? I wish to learn all this from thee exactly as it occurred.'\n_Sairindhri_ replied, 'O blessed Vrihannala, always passing thy days\nhappily in the apartments of the girls, what concern hast thou with\n_Sairindhri's_ fate to say? Thou hast no grief to bear that _Sairindhri_\nhath to bear! It is for this, that thou askest me thus, distressed as I\nam in ridicule.' Thereat Vrihannala said, 'O blessed one, Vrihannala\nalso hath unparalleled sorrows of her own. She hath become as low as a\nbrute. Thou dost not, O girl, understand this. I have lived with thee,\nand thou too hast lived with us. When, therefore, thou art afflicted\nwith misery, who is it that will not, O thou of beautiful hips, feel it?\nBut no one can completely read another's heart. Therefore it is, O\namiable one, that thou knowest not my heart!'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"Then Draupadi, accompanied by those girls\nentered the royal abode, desirous of appearing before Sudeshna. And when\nshe came before the queen, Virata's wife addressed her at the command of\nthe king, saying, 'Do thou, O _Sairindhri_, speedily go whithersoever\nthou likest. The king, good betide thee, hath been filled with fear at\nthis discomfiture at the hands of the Gandharvas. Thou art, O thou of\ngraceful eye-brows, young and unparalleled on earth in beauty. Thou art,\nbesides, an object of desire with men. The Gandharvas again, are\nexceedingly wrathful.' Thereat _Sairindhri_ said, 'O beauteous lady, let\nthe king suffer me to live here for only thirteen days more. Without\ndoubt, the Gandharvas also will be highly obliged at this. They will\nthen convey me hence and do what would be agreeable to Virata. Without\ndoubt, the king, by doing this, with his friends, will reap great\nbenefit.'\"\n\n\nSECTION XXV\n\nVaisampayana said, \"At the slaughter of Kichaka and brothers, people, O\nking, thinking of this terrible feat, were filled with surprise. And in\nthe city and the provinces it was generally bruited about that for\nbravery the king's Vallava and Kichaka were both mighty warriors. The\nwicked Kichaka, however, had been an oppressor of men and a dishonourer\nof other people's wives. And it was for this that wicked of sinful soul\nhad been slain by the Gandharvas. And it was thus, O king, that people\nbegan to speak, from province to province of the invincible Kichaka,\nthat slayer of hostile ranks.\n\n\"Meanwhile, the spies employed by Dhritarashtra's son, having searched\nvarious villages and towns and kingdoms and done all that they had been\ncommanded to do and completed their examination, in the manner directed,\nof the countries indicated in their orders, returned to Nagarupa,\ngratified with at least one thing that they had learnt.[20] And seeing\nDhritarashtra's son king Duryodhana of the Kuru race seated in his court\nwith Drona and Karna and Kripa, with the high-souled Bhishma, his own\nbrothers, and those great warriors--the Trigartas, they addressed him,\nsaying, 'O lord of men, great hath been the care always bestowed by us\nin the search after the sons of Pandu in that mighty forest. Searched\nhave we through the solitary wilderness abounding with deer and other\nanimals and overgrown with trees and creepers of diverse kind. Searched\nhave we also in arbours of matted woods and plants and creepers of every\nspecies, but we have failed in discovering that track by which Pritha's\nson of irrepressible energy may have gone. Searched have we in these and\nother places for their foot-prints. Searched have we closely, O king, on\nmountain tops and in inaccessible fastnesses, in various kingdoms and\nprovinces teeming with people, in encampments and cities. No trace have\nyet been found of the sons of Pandu. Good betide thee, O bull among men,\nit seems that they have perished without leaving a mark behind. O\nforemost of warriors, although we followed in the track of those\nwarriors, yet, O best of men, we soon lost their footprints and do not\nknow their present residence. O lord of men, for some time we followed\nin the wake of their charioteers. And making our inquiries duly, we\ntruly ascertained what we desired to know. O slayer of foes, the\ncharioteers reached Dwaravati without the sons of Pritha among them. O\nking, neither the sons of Pandu, nor the chaste Krishna, are in that\ncity of Yadavas. O bull of the Bharata race, we have not been able to\ndiscover either their track or their present abode. Salutations to thee,\nthey are gone for good. We are acquainted with the disposition of the\nsons of Pandu and know something of the feats achieved by them. It\nbehoveth thee, therefore, O lord of men, to give us instructions, O\nmonarch, as to what we should next do in the search after the sons of\nPandu. O hero, listen also to these agreeable words of ours, promising\ngreat good to thee. King Matsya's commander, Kichaka of wicked soul, by\nwhom the Trigartas, O monarch, were repeatedly vanquished and slain with\nmighty force, now lieth low on the ground with all his brothers, slain,\nO monarch, by invisible Gandharvas during the hours of darkness, O thou\nof unfading glory. Having heard this delightful news about the\ndiscomfiture of our enemies, we have been exceedingly gratified, O\nKauravya. Do thou now ordain what should next be done.'\"\n\n    [20] _Krita-krita_--Nilakantha explains this to mean 'imagining\n    themselves to have achieved success in their mission' for having\n    learnt of Kichaka's death, they could readily guess the presence\n    of the Pandavas there. This is too far-fetched and does not at\n    all agree with the spirit of their report to Duryodhana below.\n    And then the same word occurs in the very last line of the\n    Section. I take it that in both places the word has been used in\n    the same sense.\n\n\nSECTION XXVI\n\n(_Go-harana Parva_)\n\nVaisampayana said, \"Having listened to these words of his spies, king\nDuryodhana reflected inwardly for some time and then addressed his\ncourtiers, saying, 'It is difficult to ascertain the course of events\ndefinitely. Discern ye all, therefore, whither the sons of Pandu have\ngone, of this thirteenth year which they are to pass undiscovered by us\nall, the greater part hath already expired. What remains is by much the\nsmaller. If, indeed, the sons of Pandu can pass undiscovered what\nremains of this year, devoted to the vow of truth as they are, they will\nthen have fulfilled their pledge. They will then return like mighty\nelephants with temporal juice trickling down, or like snakes of virulent\npoison. Filled with wrath, they will, without doubt, be inflicters of\nterrible chastisement on the Kurus. It behoveth ye, therefore, to make\nsuch efforts without loss of time as may induce the sons of Pandu,\nacquainted as they are with the proprieties of time, and staying as they\nnow are in painful disguise, to re-enter the woods suppressing their\nrage. Indeed, adopt ye such means as may remove all causes of quarrel\nand anxiety from the kingdom, making it tranquil and foeless and\nincapable of sustaining a diminution of territory.' Hearing these words\nof Duryodhana, Karna said, 'Let other spies, abler and more cunning, and\ncapable of accomplishing their object, quickly go hence, O Bharata. Let\nthem, well-disguised, wander through swelling kingdoms and populous\nprovinces, prying into assemblies of the learned and delightful retreats\nof provinces. In the inner apartments of palaces, in shrines and holy\nspots, in mines and diverse other regions, the sons of Pandu should be\nsearched after with well-directed eagerness. Let the sons of Pandu who\nare living in disguise be searched after by well-skilled spies in large\nnumbers, devoted to their work, themselves well-disguised, and all\nwell-acquainted with the objects of their search. Let the search be made\non the banks of rivers, in holy regions, in villages and towns, in\nretreats of ascetics, in delightful mountains and mountain-caves.' When\nKarna ceased, Duryodhana's second brother Duhsasana, wedded to a sinful\ndisposition, then addressed his eldest brother and said, 'O monarch, O\nlord of men, let those spies only in whom we have confidence, receiving\ntheir rewards in advance, once more go after the search. This and what\nelse hath been said by Karna have our fullest approval. Let all the\nspies engage themselves in the search according to the directions\nalready given. Let these and others engage in the search from province\nto province according to approved rules. It is my belief, however, that\nthe track the Pandavas have followed or their present abode or\noccupation will not be discovered. Perhaps, they are closely concealed;\nperhaps, they have gone to the other side of the ocean. Or, perhaps,\nproud as they are of their strength and courage, they have been devoured\nby wild beasts; or perhaps, having been overtaken by some unusual\ndanger, they have perished for eternity. Therefore, O prince of the Kuru\nrace, dispelling all anxieties from thy heart, achieve what thou wilt,\nalways acting according to thy energy.'\"\n\n\nSECTION XXVII\n\nVaisampayana said, \"Endued with mighty energy and possessed of great\ndiscernment, Drona then said, 'Persons like the sons of Pandu never\nperish nor undergo discomfiture. Brave and skilled in every science,\nintelligent and with senses under control, virtuous and grateful and\nobedient to the virtuous Yudhishthira, ever following in the wake of\ntheir eldest brother who is conversant with the conclusions of policy\nand virtue and profit, who is attached to them as a father, and who\nstrictly adhereth to virtue and is firm in truth,--persons like them\nthat are thus devoted to their illustrious and royal brother, who gifted\nwith great intelligence, never injureth any body and who in his turn\nhimself obeyeth his younger brothers, never perish in this way. Why,\nthen, should not (Yudhishthira) the son of Pritha possessing a knowledge\nof policy, be able to restore the prosperity of his brothers who are so\nobedient and devoted and high-souled? It is for this that they are\ncarefully waiting for the arrival of their opportunity. Men such as\nthese never perish. This is what I see by my intellect. Do, therefore,\nquickly and without loss of time, what should now be done, after proper\nreflection. And let also the abode which the sons of Pandu with souls\nunder control as regards every purpose of life, are to occupy, be now\nsettled. Heroic and sinless and possessed of ascetic merit, the Pandavas\nare difficult to be discovered (within the period of non-discovery).\nIntelligent and possessed of every virtue, devoted to truth and versed\nin the principles of policy, endued with purity and holiness, and the\nembodiment of immeasurable energy, the son of Pritha is capable of\nconsuming (his foes) by a glance alone of his eyes. Knowing all this, do\nwhat is proper. Let us, therefore, once more search after them, sending\nBrahmanas and _Charanas_, ascetics crowned with success, and others of\nthis kind who may have a knowledge of those heroes!'\"\n\n\nSECTION XXVIII\n\nVaisampayana said, \"Then that grandsire of the Bharatas, Bhishma the son\nof Santanu, conversant with the _Vedas_, acquainted with the\nproprieties of time and place, and possessing a knowledge of every duty\nof morality, after the conclusion of Drona's speech, applauded the words\nof the preceptor and spake unto the Bharatas for their benefit these\nwords consistent with virtue, expressive of his attachment to the\nvirtuous Yudhishthira, rarely spoken by men that are dishonest, and\nalways meeting with the approbation of the honest. And the words that\nBhishma spake were thoroughly impartial and worshipped by the wise. And\nthe grandsire of the Kurus said, 'The words that the regenerate Drona\nacquainted with the truth of every affair hath uttered, are approved by\nme. I have no hesitation in saying so. Endued with every auspicious\nmark, observant of virtuous vows, possessed of Vedic lore, devoted to\nreligious observances, conversant with various sciences, obedient to the\ncounsels of the aged, adhering to the vow of truth, acquainted with the\nproprieties of time, observant of the pledge they have given (in respect\nof their exile), pure in their behaviour, ever adhering to the duties of\nthe Kshatriya order, always obedient to Kesava, high-souled, possessed\nof great strength, and ever-bearing the burthens of the wise, those\nheroic ones can never wither under misfortune. Aided by their own\nenergy, sons of Pandu who are now leading a life of concealment in\nobedience to virtue, will surely never perish. It is even this that my\nmind surmiseth. Therefore, O Bharata, I am for employing the aid of\nhonest counsel in our behaviour towards the sons of Pandu. It would not\nbe the policy of any wise man to cause them to be discovered now by\nmeans of spies,[21] what we should do unto the sons of Pandu, I shall\nsay, reflecting with the aid of the intellect. Know that I shall say\nnothing from ill will to thee. People like me should never give such\ncounsels to him that is dishonest, for only counsels (like those I would\ngive) should be offered unto them that are honest. Counsels, however,\nthat are evil, should under no circumstances be offered. He, O child,\nthat is devoted to truth and obedient to the aged, he, indeed, that is\nwise, while speaking in the midst of an assembly, should under all\ncircumstances speak the truth, if the acquisition of virtue be an object\nwith him. I should, therefore, say that I think differently from all\nthose people here, in respect of the abode of Yudhishthira the just in\nthis the thirteenth year of his exile. The ruler, O child, of the city\nor the province where king Yudhishthira resides cannot have any\nmisfortune. Charitable and liberal and humble and modest must the people\nbe of the country where king Yudhishthira resides. Agreeable in speech,\nwith passions under control, observant of truth, cheerful, healthy, pure\nin conduct, and skilful in work must the people be of the country where\nking Yudhishthira resides. The people of the place, where Yudhishthira\nis, cannot be envious or malicious, or vain, or proud, but must all\nadhere to their respective duties. Indeed, in the place where\nYudhishthira resides, Vedic hymns will be chanted all around, sacrifices\nwill be performed, the last full libations will always be poured,[22]\nand gifts to Brahmanas will always be in profusion. There the clouds,\nwithout doubt, pour abundant rain, and furnished with good harvest the\ncountry will ever be without fear. There the paddy will not be without\ngrain, fruits will not be bereft of juice, floral garlands will not be\nwithout fragrance, and the conversation of men will always be full of\nagreeable words. There where king Yudhishthira resides, the breezes will\nbe delicious, the meetings of men will always be friendly, and cause of\nfear there will be none. There kine will be plentiful, without any of\nthem being lean-fleshed or weak, and milk and curds and butter will all\nbe savoury and nutritious. There where king Yudhishthira resides, every\nkind of corn will be full of nutrition and every edible full of flavour.\nThere where king Yudhishthira resides, the objects of all the senses,\nviz.,--taste, touch, smell, and hearing, will be endued with excellent\nattributes. There where king Yudhishthira resides, the sights and scenes\nwill be gladdening. And the regenerate ones of that place will be\nvirtuous and steady in observing their respective duties. Indeed, in the\ncountry where the sons of Pandu may have taken up their abode during\nthis thirteenth year of their exile, the people will be contented and\ncheerful, pure in conduct and without misery of any kind. Devoted to\ngods and guests and the worship of these with their whole soul, they\nwill be fond of giving away, and filled with great energy, they will all\nbe observant of eternal virtue. There where king Yudhishthira resides,\nthe people, eschewing all that is evil, will be desirous of achieving\nonly what is good. Always observant of sacrifices and pure vows, and\nhating untruth in speech, the people of the place where king\nYudhishthira may reside will always be desirous of obtaining what is\ngood, auspicious and beneficial. There where Yudhishthira resides, the\npeople will certainly be desirous of achieving what is good, and their\nhearts will always incline towards virtue, and their vows being\nagreeable they themselves are ever-engaged in the acquisition of\nreligious merit. O child, that son of Pritha in whom are intelligence\nand charity, the highest tranquillity and undoubted forgiveness, modesty\nand prosperity, and fame and great energy and a love for all creatures,\nis incapable of being found out (now that he hath concealed himself)\neven by Brahmanas, let alone ordinary persons. The wise Yudhishthira is\nliving in close disguise in regions whose characteristics I have\ndescribed. Regarding his excellent mode of life, I dare not say anything\nmore. Reflecting well upon all this, do without loss of time what thou\nmayst think to be beneficial, O prince of the Kuru race, if indeed, thou\nhast any faith in me.'\"\n\n    [21] This is a very difficult sloka. I am not sure that I have\n    understood it alright. Both Nilakantha and Arjuna Misra are\n    silent. Instead of depending, however, on my own intelligence, I\n    have consulted several friends who have read the _Mahabharata_\n    thoroughly. The grammatical structure is easy. The only\n    difficulty consists in the second half of the sloka. The\n    meaning, however, I have given is consistent with the tenor of\n    Bhishma's advice.\n\n    [22] Indicating the unobstructed completion of the sacrifice.\n\n\nSECTION XXIX\n\nVaisampayana said, \"Then Saradwata's son, Kripa said, 'What the aged\nBhishma hath said concerning the Pandavas is reasonable, suited to the\noccasion, consistent with virtue and profit, agreeable to the ear,\nfraught with sound reason, and worthy of him. Listen also to what I\nwould say on this subject. It behoveth thee to ascertain the track they\nhave followed and their abode also by means of spies,[23] and to adopt\nthat policy which may bring about thy welfare. O child, he that is\nsolicitous of his welfare should not disregard even an ordinary foe.\nWhat shall I say, then, O child, of the Pandavas who are thorough\nmasters of all weapons in battle. When, therefore, the time cometh for\nthe reappearance of the high-souled Pandavas, who, having entered the\nforest,[24] are now passing their days in close disguise, thou shouldst\nascertain thy strength both in thy own kingdom and in those of other\nkings. Without doubt, the return of the Pandavas is at hand. When their\npromised term of exile is over, the illustrious and mighty sons of\nPritha, endued with immeasurable prowess, will come hither bursting with\nenergy. Do thou, therefore, in order to conclude an advantageous treaty\nwith them, have recourse to sound policy and address thyself to increase\nthy forces and improve thy treasury. O child, ascertaining all these,\nreckon thou thy own strength in respect of all thy allies weak and\nstrong.[25] Ascertaining the efficiency, and weakness, and indifference\nof thy forces, as also who amongst them are well-affected and who are\ndisaffected, we should either fight the foe or make treaty with him.\nHaving recourse to the arts of conciliation, disunion, chastisement,\nbribery, presents and fair behaviour, attack thy foes and subdue the\nweak by might, and win over thy allies and troops and by soft speeches.\nWhen thou hast (by these means) strengthened thy army and filled thy\ntreasury, entire success will be thine. When thou hast done all this,\nthou wilt be able to fight with powerful enemies that may present\nthemselves, let alone the sons of Pandu deficient in troops and animals\nof their own. By adopting all these expedients according to the customs\nof thy order, thou wilt, O foremost of men, attain enduring happiness in\ndue time!'\"\n\n    [23] The word _tirtha_ here means, as Nilakantha rightly\n    explains spies and not holy spots.\n\n    [24] _Satram_ is explained by Nilakantha to mean here 'false\n    disguise.' I think, however, such an interpretation to be\n    far-fetched. It evidently means 'forest',--the use of\n    'pravisteshu' in connection with it almost settles the point.\n\n    [25] This sloka is not correctly printed in any of the texts\n    that I have seen. The reading that I adopt is that the second\n    word is the participle of the root _budh_ and not the\n    instrumental of _budhi_; the last word again of the second line\n    is a compound of _valavatsu_ and _avaleshu_ instead of (as\n    printed in many books) _valavatswavaleshu_. Any other reading\n    would certainly be incorrect. I have not consulted the Bombay\n    text.\n\n\nSECTION XXX\n\nVaisampayana said, \"Discomfited before, O monarch, many a time and oft\nby Matsya's _Suta_ Kichaka aided by the Matsyas and the Salyas, the\nmighty king of the Trigartas, Susarman, who owned innumerable cars,\nregarding the opportunity to be a favourable one, then spoke the\nfollowing words without losing a moment. And, O monarch, forcibly\nvanquished along with his relatives by the mighty Kichaka, king\nSusarman, eyeing Karna in askance, spoke these words unto Duryodhana,\n'My kingdom hath many a time been forcibly invaded by the king of the\nMatsyas. The mighty Kichaka was that king's generalissimo. Crooked and\nwrathful and of wicked soul, of prowess famed over all the world, sinful\nin deeds and highly cruel, that wretch, however, hath been slain by the\nGandharvas. Kichaka being dead, king Virata, shorn of pride and his\nrefuge gone, will, I imagine, lose all courage. I think we ought now to\ninvade that kingdom, if it pleases thee, O sinless one, as also the\nillustrious Karna and all the Kauravas. The accident that hath happened\nis, I imagine, a favourable one for us. Let us, therefore, repair to\nVirata's kingdom abounding in corn. We will appropriate his gems and\nother wealth of diverse kinds, and let us go to share with each other as\nregards his villages and kingdom. Or, invading his city by force, let us\ncarry off by thousands his excellent kine of various species. Uniting, O\nking, the forces of the Kauravas and the Trigartas, let us lift his\ncattle in droves. Or, uniting our forces well, we will check his power\nby forcing him to sue for peace. Or, destroying his entire host, we will\nbring Matsya under subjection. Having brought him under subjection by\njust means, we will live in our kingdom happily, while thy power also\nwill, without doubt, be enhanced.' Hearing these words of Susarman,\nKarna addressed the king, saying, 'Susarman hath spoken well; the\nopportunity is favourable and promises to be profitable to us.\nTherefore, if it pleases thee, O sinless one, let us, drawing up our\nforces in battle array and marshalling them in divisions, speedily set\nout. Or, let the expedition be managed as Saradwata's son Kripa, the\npreceptor Drona, and the wise and aged grandsire of the Kurus may think.\nConsulting with each other, let us, O lord of earth, speedily set out to\nattain our end. What business have we with the sons of Pandu, destitute\nas they are of wealth, might, and prowess? They have either disappeared\nfor good or have gone to the abode of _Yama_. We will, O king, repair\nwithout anxiety to Virata's city, and plunder his cattle and other\nwealth of diverse kinds.'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"Accepting these words of Karna, the son of\nSurya, king Duryodhana speedily commanded his brother Duhsasana, born\nimmediately after him and always obedient to his wishes, saying,\n'Consulting with the elders, array without delay, our forces. We will\nwith all the Kauravas go to the appointed place. Let also the mighty\nwarrior, king Susarman, accompanied by a sufficient force with vehicles\nand animals, set out with the Trigartas for the dominions of Matsyas.\nAnd let Susarman proceed first, carefully concealing his intention.\nFollowing in their wake, we will set out the day after in close array,\nfor the prosperous dominions of king Matsya. Let the Trigartas, however,\nsuddenly repair to the city of Virata, and coming upon the cowherds,\nseize that immense wealth (of kine). We also marching in two divisions,\nwill seize thousands of excellent kine furnished with auspicious\nmarks.'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"Then, O Lord of earth, those warriors, the\nTrigartas, accompanied by their infantry of terrible prowess, marched\ntowards the south-eastern direction, intending to wage hostilities with\nVirata from the desire of seizing his kine. And Susarman set out on the\nseventh day of the dark fortnight for seizing the kine. And then, O\nking, on the eighth day following of the dark fortnight, the Kauravas\nalso accompanied by all their troops, began to seize the kine by\nthousands.\"\n\n\nSECTION XXXI\n\nVaisampayana said, \"O mighty king, entering into king Virata's service,\nand dwelling in disguise in his excellent city, the high-souled Pandavas\nof immeasurable prowess, completed the promised period of non-discovery.\nAnd after Kichaka had been slain, that slayer of hostile heroes, the\nmighty king Virata began to rest his hopes on the sons of Kunti. And it\nwas on the expiry of the thirteenth year of their exile, O Bharata, that\nSusarman seized Virata's cattle by thousands. And when the cattle had\nbeen seized, the herdsman of Virata came with great speed to the city,\nand saw his sovereign, the king of Matsyas, seated on the throne in the\nmidst of wise councillors, and those bulls among men, the sons of Pandu,\nand surrounded by brave warriors decked with ear-rings and bracelets.\nAnd appearing before that enhancer of his dominion--King Virata seated\nin court--the herdsman bowed down unto him, and addressed him, saying,\n'O foremost of kings, defeating and humiliating us in battle along with\nour friends the Trigartas are seizing thy cattle by hundreds and by\nthousands. Do thou, therefore, speedily rescue them. Oh, see that they\nare not lost to thee.' Hearing these words, the king arrayed for battle\nthe Matsya force abounding in cars and elephants and horses and infantry\nand standards. And kings and princes speedily put on, each in its proper\nplace,[26] their shining and beautiful armour worthy of being worn by\nheroes. And Virata's beloved brother, Satanika, put on a coat of mail\nmade of adamantine steel, adorned with burnished gold. And Madiraksha,\nnext in birth to Satanika, put on a strong coat of mail plated with\ngold[27] and capable of resisting every weapon. And the coat of mail\nthat the king himself of the Matsyas put on was invulnerable and decked\nwith a hundred suns, a hundred circles, a hundred spots, and a hundred\neyes. And the coat of mail that Suryadatta[28] put on was bright as the\nsun, plated with gold, and broad as a hundred lotuses of the fragrant\n(_Kahlara_) species. And the coat of mail that Virata's eldest son, the\nheroic Sanksha, put on was impenetrable and made of burnished steel, and\ndecked with a hundred eyes of gold. And it was thus that those god-like\nand mighty warriors by hundreds, furnished with weapons, and eager for\nbattle, each donned his corselet. And then they yoked unto their\nexcellent cars of white-hue steeds equipped in mail. And then was\nhoisted--Matsya's glorious standard on his excellent car decked with\ngold and resembling the sun or the moon in its effulgence. And other\nKshatriya warriors also raised on their respective cars gold-decked\nstandards of various shapes and devices. And king Matsya then addressed\nhis brother Satanika born immediately after him, saying, 'Kanka and\nVallava and Tantripala and Damagranthi of great energy will, as it\nappears to me fight, without doubt. Give thou unto them cars furnished\nwith banners and let them case their persons in beautiful coats of mail\nthat should be both invulnerable and easy to wear. And let them also\nhave weapons. Bearing such martial forms and possessed of arms\nresembling the trunk of mighty elephants, I can never persuade myself\nthat they cannot fight.' Hearing these words of the king, Satanika, O\nmonarch, immediately ordered cars for those sons of Pritha, viz., the\nroyal Yudhishthira, and Bhima, and Nakula, and Sahadeva, and commanded\nby the king, the charioteers, with cheerful hearts and keeping loyalty\nin view, very soon got cars ready (for the Pandavas). And those\nrepressers of foes then donned those beautiful coats of mail,\ninvulnerable and easy to wear, that Virata had ordered for those heroes\nof spotless fame. And mounted on cars yoked with good steeds, those\nsmiters of hostile ranks, those foremost of men, the sons of Pritha, set\nout with cheerful hearts. Indeed, those mighty warriors skilled in\nfight, those bulls of the Kuru race and sons of Pandu, those four heroic\nbrothers possessed of prowess incapable of being baffled, mounting on\ncars decked with gold, together set out, following Virata's wake. And\ninfuriate elephants of terrible mien, full sixty years of age, with\nshapely tusks and rent temples and juice trickling down and looking (on\nthat account) like cloud pouring rain and mounted by trained warriors\nskilled in fight, followed the king like unto moving hills. And the\nprincipal warriors of Matsya who cheerfully followed the king had eight\nthousand cars, a thousand elephants and sixty thousand horses. And, O\nbull among the Bharatas, that force of Virata, O king, as it marched\nforth marking the footprints of the cattle looked exceedingly beautiful.\nAnd on its march that foremost of armies owned by Virata, crowded with\nsoldiers armed with strong weapons, and abounding in elephants, horses\nand cars, looked really splendid.\"\n\n    [26] _Bhagasas_ lit., each in its proper place. It may also\n    mean, 'according to their respective division.'\n\n    [27] _Kalyana-patalam_ is explained by Nilakantha to mean\n    _suvarna pattachchaditam_.\n\n    [28] One of the generals of Virata.\n\n\nSECTION XXXII\n\nVaisampayana said, \"Marching out of the city, those heroic smiters the\nMatsyas, arrayed in order of battle, overtook the Trigartas when the sun\nhad passed the meridian. And both excited to fury and both desirous of\nhaving the king, the mighty Trigartas and the Matsyas, irrepressible in\nbattle, sent up loud roars. And then the terrible and infuriate\nelephants ridden over by the skilful combatants of both sides were urged\non with spiked clubs and hooks. And the encounter, O king, that took\nplace when the sun was low in the horizon, between the infantry and\ncavalry and chariots and elephants of both parties, was like unto that\nof old between the gods and the _Asuras_, terrible and fierce and\nsufficient for making one's hair stand on end and calculated to increase\nthe population of Yama's kingdom. And as the combatants rushed against\none another, smiting and slashing, thick clouds of dust began to rise,\nso that nothing could be discovered. And covered with the dust raised by\nthe contending armies, birds began to drop down on the earth. And the\nsun himself disappeared behind the thick cloud of arrows shot, and the\nfirmament looked bright as if with myriads of the fireflies. And\nshifting their bows, the staves of which were decked with gold, from one\nhand to another, those heroes began to strike each other down,\ndischarging their arrows right and left. And cars encountered cars, and\nfoot-soldiers fought with foot-soldiers, and horse-men with horsemen,\nand elephants with mighty elephants. And they furiously encountered one\nanother with swords and axes, bearded darts and javelins, and iron\nclubs. And although, O king, those mighty-armed warriors furiously\nassailed one another in that conflict, yet neither party succeeded in\nprevailing over the other. And severed heads, some with beautiful noses,\nsome with upper lips deeply gashed, some decked with ear-rings, and some\ndivided with wounds about the well-trimmed hair were seen rolling on the\nground covered with dust. And soon the field of battle was overspread\nwith the limbs of Kshatriya warriors, cut off by means of arrows and\nlying like trunks of _Sala_ trees. And scattered over with heads decked\nin ear-rings, and sandal-besmeared arms looking like the bodies of\nsnakes, the field of battle became exceedingly beautiful. And as cars\nencountered cars, and horsemen encountered horsemen, and foot-soldiers\nfought with foot-soldiers, and elephants met with elephants, the\nfrightful dust soon became drenched with torrents of blood. And some\namongst the combatants began to swoon away, and the warriors began to\nfight reckless of consideration of humanity, friendship and\nrelationship. And both their course and sight obstructed by the arrowy\nshower, vultures began to alight on the ground. But although those\nstrong-armed combatants furiously fought with one another, yet the\nheroes of neither party succeeded in routing their antagonists. And\nSatanika having slain a full hundred of the enemy and Visalaksha full\nfour hundred, both those mighty warriors penetrated into the heart of\nthe great Trigarta host. And having entered into the thick of the\nTrigarta host, those famous and mighty heroes began to deprive their\nantagonists of their senses by causing a closer conflict to set in--a\nconflict, in which the combatants seized one another by the hair and\ntore one another with their nails.[29] And eyeing the point where the\ncars of the Trigartas had been mustered in strong numbers, those heroes\nat last directed their attack towards it. And that foremost of\ncar-warriors, king Virata also, with Suryadatta in his van and\nMadiraksha in his rear, having destroyed in that conflict five hundred\ncars, eight hundred horses, and five warriors on great cars, displayed\nvarious skilful manoeuvres on his car on that field of battle. And at\nlast the king came upon the ruler of the Trigartas mounted on a golden\nchariot. And those high-souled and powerful warriors, desirous of\nfighting, rushed roaring against each like two bulls in a cow-pen. Then\nthat bull among men, irrepressible in battle, Susarman, the king of the\nTrigartas, challenged Matsya to a single combat on car. Then those\nwarriors excited to fury rushed against each other on their cars and\nbegan to shower their arrows upon each other like clouds pouring\ntorrents of rain.[30] And enraged with each other, those fierce\nwarriors, both skilled in weapons, both wielding swords and darts and\nmaces, then moved about (on the field of battle) assailing each other\nwith whetted arrows. Then king Virata pierced Susarman with ten shafts\nand each of his four horses also with five shafts. And Susarman also,\nirresistible in battle and conversant with fatal weapons, pierced king\nof Matsya with fifty whetted shafts. And then, O mighty monarch, in\nconsequence of the dust on the field of battle, the soldiers of both\nSusarman and Matsya's king could not distinguish one another.\"\n\n    [29] Some differences of reading are noticeable here, for\n    _Yasaswinau_ some texts read _Manaswinau_, and for\n    Vahusamravdhau-Vahusanrambhat; and for Nakha-naki--Ratha-rathi.\n\n    [30] Some texts read Ghanabiva for Ghanarva. The latter is\n    unquestionably better in form.\n\n\nSECTION XXXIII\n\nVaisampayana said, \"Then, O Bharata, when the world was enveloped in\ndust and the gloom of night, the warriors of both sides, without\nbreaking the order of battle, desisted for a while.[31] And then,\ndispelling the darkness the moon arose illumining the night and\ngladdening the hearts of the Kshatriya warriors. And when everything\nbecame visible, the battle once more began. And it raged on so furiously\nthat the combatants could not distinguish one another. And then\nTrigarta's lord, Susarman with his younger brother, and accompanied by\nall his cars, rushed towards the king of Matsya. And descending from\ntheir cars, those bulls among Kshatriyas, the (royal) brothers, mace in\nhand, rushed furiously towards the cars of the foe. And the hostile\nhosts fiercely assailed each other with maces and swords and scimitars,\nbattle-axes and bearded darts with keen edges and points of excellent\ntemper. And king Susarman, the lord of the Trigartas having by his\nenergy oppressed and defeated the whole army of the Matsyas, impetuously\nrushed towards Virata himself endued with great energy. And the two\nbrothers having severally slain Virata's two steeds and his charioteer,\nas also those soldiers that protected his rear, took him captive alive,\nwhen deprived of his car. Then afflicting him sorely, like a lustful man\nafflicting a defenceless damsel, Susarman placed Virata on his own car,\nand speedily rushed out of the field. And when the powerful Virata,\ndeprived of his car, was taken captive, the Matsyas, harrassed solely by\nthe Trigartas, began to flee in fear in all directions. And beholding\nthem panic-stricken, Kunti's son, Yudhishthira, addressed that subduer\nof foes, the mighty-armed Bhima, saying, 'The king of the Matsyas hath\nbeen taken by the Trigartas. Do thou, O mighty-armed one, rescue him, so\nthat he may not fall under the power of the enemy. As we have lived\nhappily in Virata's city, having every desire of ours gratified, it\nbehoveth thee, O Bhimasena, to discharge that debt (by liberating the\nking).' Thereat Bhimasena replied, 'I will liberate him, O king, at thy\ncommand. Mark the feat I achieve (today) in battling with the foe,\nrelying solely on the might of my arms. Do thou, O king, stay aside,\nalong with our brothers and witness my prowess today. Uprooting this\nmighty tree of huge trunk looking like a mace, I will rout the enemy.'\"\n\n    [31] The word in the original is Muhurta equal to 48 minutes.\n    Nilakantha points out very ingeniously that the night being the\n    seventh of the dark fortnight, the moon would not rise till\n    after 14 Dandas from the hour of sunset, a Danda being equal to\n    24 minutes. A Muhurta, therefore implies not 48 minutes exactly,\n    but some time.\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"Beholding Bhima casting his eyes on that tree\nlike a mad elephant, the heroic king Yudhishthira the just spake unto\nhis brother, saying, 'Do not, O Bhima, commit such a rash act. Let the\ntree stand there. Thou must not achieve such feats in a super-human\nmanner by means of that tree, for if thou dost, the people, O Bharata,\nwill recognise thee and say, _This is Bhima_. Take thou, therefore, some\nhuman weapon such as a bow (and arrows), or a dart, or a sword, or a\nbattle-axe. And taking therefore, O Bhima, some weapon that is human,\nliberate thou the king without giving anybody the means of knowing thee\ntruly. The twins endued with great strength will defend thy wheels.\nFighting together, O child, liberate the king of the Matsyas!'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"Thus addressed, the mighty Bhimasena endued\nwith great speed, quickly took up an excellent bow and impetuously shot\nfrom it a shower of arrows, thick as the downpour of a rain-charged\ncloud. And Bhima then rushed furiously towards Susarman of terrible\ndeeds, and assuring Virata with the words--_O good king!_[32] said unto\nthe lord of the Trigartas,--_Stay! Stay!_ Seeing Bhima like unto Yama\nhimself in his rear, saying, _Stay! Stay! Do thou witness this mighty\nfeat,--this combat that is at hand!_--the bull among warriors, Susarman,\nseriously considered (the situation), and taking up his bow turned back,\nalong with his brothers. Within the twinkling of an eye, Bhima destroyed\nthose cars that sought to oppose him. And soon again hundreds of\nthousands of cars and elephants and horses and horsemen and brave and\nfierce bowmen were overthrown by Bhima in the very sight of Virata. And\nthe hostile infantry also began to be slaughtered by the illustrious\nBhima, mace in hand. And beholding that terrible onslaught, Susarman,\nirrepressible in fight, thought within himself, 'My brother seems to\nhave already succumbed in the midst of his mighty host. Is my army going\nto be annihilated?' And drawing his bow-string to his ear Susarman then\nturned back and began to shoot keen-edged shafts incessantly. And seeing\nthe Pandavas return to the charge on their car, the Matsya warriors of\nmighty host, urging on their steeds, shot excellent weapons for grinding\nthe Trigarta soldiers. And Virata's son also, exceedingly exasperated\nbegan to perform prodigious fears of valour. And Kunti's son\nYudhishthira slew a thousand (of the foe), and Bhima showed the abode of\nYama unto seven thousand. And Nakula sent seven hundred (to their last\naccount) by means of his shafts. And powerful Sahadeva also, commanded\nby Yudhishthira, slew three hundred brave warriors. And having slain\nsuch numbers, that fierce and mighty warrior, Yudhishthira, with weapons\nupraised, rushed against Susarman. And rushing impetuously at Susarman,\nthat foremost of car-warriors, king Yudhishthira, assailed him with\nvollies of shafts. And Susarman also, in great rage, quickly pierced\nYudhishthira with nine arrows, and each of his four steeds with four\narrows. Then, O king, Kunti's son Bhima of quick movements, approaching\nSusarman crushed his steeds. And having slain also those soldiers that\nprotected his rear, he dragged from the car his antagonist's charioteer\nto the ground. And seeing the king of Trigarta's car without a driver,\nthe defender of his car-wheels, the famous and brave Madiraksha speedily\ncame to his aid. And thereat, leaping down from Susarman's car, and\nsecuring the latter's mace the powerful Virata ran in pursuit of him.\nAnd though old, he moved on the field, mace in hand, even like a lusty\nyouth. And beholding Susarman flee Bhima addressed him, saying, 'Desist,\nO Prince! This flight of thine is not proper! With this prowess of\nthine, how couldst thou wish to carry off the cattle by force? How also,\nforsaking thy follower, dost thou droop so amidst foes?' Thus addressed\nby Pritha's son, the mighty Susarman, that lord of countless cars saying\nunto Bhima, _Stay! Stay!_--suddenly turned round and rushed at him. Then\nBhima, the son of Pandu, leaping down from his car, as he alone could\ndo,[33] rushed forward with great coolness, desirous of taking\nSusarman's life. And desirous of seizing Trigarta's king advancing\ntowards him, the mighty Bhimasena rushed impetuously towards him, even\nlike a lion rushing at a small deer. And advancing impetuously, the\nmighty-armed Bhima seized Susarman by the hair, and lifting him up in\nwrath, dashed him down on the ground. And as he lay crying in agony, the\nmighty-armed Bhima kicked him at the head, and placing his knee on his\nbreast dealt him severe blows. And sorely afflicted with that kicking,\nthe king of Trigartas became senseless. And when the king of the\nTrigartas deprived of his car, had been seized thus, the whole Trigarta\narmy stricken with panic, broke and fled in all directions, and the\nmighty sons of Pandu, endued with modesty and observant of vows and\nrelying on the might of their own arms, after having vanquished\nSusarman, and rescued the kine as well as other kinds of wealth and\nhaving thus dispelled Virata's anxiety, stood together before that\nmonarch. And Bhimasena then said, 'This wretch given to wicked deeds\ndoth not deserve to escape me with life. But what can I do? The king is\nso lenient!' And then taking Susarman by the neck as he was lying on the\nground insensible and covered with dust, and binding him fast, Pritha's\nson Vrikodara placed him on his car, and went to where Yudhishthira was\nstaying in the midst of the field. And Bhima then showed Susarman unto\nthe monarch. And beholding Susarman in that plight, that tiger among men\nking Yudhishthira smilingly addressed Bhima--that ornament of\nbattle,--saying, 'Let this worst of men be set free.' Thus addressed,\nBhima spoke unto the mighty Susarman, saying, 'If, O wretch, thou\nwishest to live, listen to those words of mine. Thou must say in every\ncourt and assembly of men,--_I am a slave._ On this condition only I\nwill grant thee thy life. Verily, this is the law about the vanquished.'\nThereupon his elder brother affectionately addressed Bhima, saying, 'If\nthou regardest us as an authority, liberate this wicked wight. He hath\nalready become king Virata's slave.' And turning then to Susarman, he\nsaid, 'Thou art freed. Go thou a free man, and never act again in this\nway.'\"\n\n    [32] Some Vikshyainam, Nilakantha explains Sama as a word spoken\n    by Bhima for assuring the captive Virata, and Vikshya as\n    'assuring' or 'consoling by a glance.' Perhaps this is right.\n\n    [33] The adjective Bhima-sankasas as explained by Nilakantha is\n    in this sense, quoting the celebrated simile of Valmiki.\n\n\nSECTION XXXIV\n\nVaisampayana said, \"Thus addressed by Yudhishthira Susarman was\noverwhelmed with shame and hung down his head. And liberated (from\nslavery), he went to king Virata, and having saluted the monarch, took\nhis departure. And the Pandavas also relying on the might of their own\narms, and endued with modesty and observant of vows, having slain their\nenemies and liberated Susarman, passed that night happily on the field\nof battle. And Virata gratified those mighty warriors, the sons of\nKunti, possessed of super-human prowess with wealth and honour. And\nVirata said, 'All these gems of mine are now as much mine as yours. Do\nye according to your pleasure live here happily. And ye smiter of foes\nin battle, I will bestow on you damsels decked with ornaments, wealth in\nplenty, and other things that ye may like. Delivered from perils today\nby your prowess, I am now crowned with victory. Do ye all become the\nlords of the Matsyas.'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"And when the king of the Matsyas had addressed\nthem thus, those descendants of the Kurus with Yudhishthira at their\nhead, joining their hands, severally replied unto him saying, 'We are\nwell-pleased with all that thou sayest, O monarch. We, however, have\nbeen much gratified that thou hast today been freed from thy foes.' Thus\nanswered, that foremost of kings, Virata the lord of the Matsyas, again\naddressed Yudhishthira, saying, 'Come, we will install thee in\nsovereignty of the Matsyas. And we will also bestow on thee things that\nare rare on earth and are objects of desire, for thou deservest\neverything at our hands. O foremost of Brahmanas of the _Vaiyaghra_\norder I will bestow on thee gems and kine and gold and rubies and\npearls. I bow unto thee. It is owing to thee that I once more behold\ntoday my sons and kingdom. Afflicted and threatened as I had been with\ndisaster and danger, it is through thy prowess that I have not succumbed\nto the foe.' Then Yudhishthira again addressed the Matsyas, saying,\n'Well-pleased are we with the delightful words that thou hast spoken.\nMayst thou be ever happy, always practising humanity towards all\ncreatures. Let messengers now, at thy command, speedily repair into the\ncity, in order to communicate the glad tidings to our friends, and\nproclaim thy victory.' Hearing these words of him, king Matsya ordered\nthe messengers, saying, 'Do ye repair to the city and proclaim my\nvictory in battle. And let damsels and courtesans, decked in ornaments,\ncome out of the city with every kind of musical instruments.' Hearing\nthis command uttered by the king of the Matsyas, the men, laying the\nmandate on their head, all departed with cheerful hearts. And having\nrepaired to the city that very night, they proclaimed at the hour of\nsunrise the victory of the king about the city-gates.\"\n\n\nSECTION XXXV\n\nVaisampayana said, \"When the king of the Matsyas, anxious of recovering\nthe kine, had set out in pursuit of the Trigartas, Duryodhana with his\ncounsellors invaded the dominions of Virata. And Bhishma and Drona, and\nKarna, and Kripa acquainted with the best of weapons, Aswatthaman, and\nSuvala's son, and Duhsasana, O lord of men, and Vivingsati and Vikarna\nand Chitrasena endued with great energy, and Durmukha and\nDussaha,--these and many other great warriors, coming upon the Matsya\ndominion speedily drove off the cowherds of king Virata and forcibly\ntook away the kine. And the Kauravas, surrounding all sides with a\nmultitude of cars, seized sixty thousands of kine. And loud was the yell\nof woe set up by the cowherds smitten by those warriors in that terrible\nconflict. And the chief of the cowherds, greatly affrighted speedily\nmounted on a chariot and set out for the city, bewailing in affliction.\nAnd entering the city of the king, he proceeded to the place, and\nspeedily alighting from the chariot, got in for relating (what had\nhappened). And beholding the proud son of Matsya, named Bhuminjaya, he\ntold him everything about the seizure of the royal kine. And he said,\n'the Kauravas are taking away sixty thousand kine. Rise, therefore, O\nenhancer of the kingdom's glory, for bringing back thy cattle. O prince,\nif thou art desirous of achieving (the kingdom's) good set out thyself\nwithout loss of time. Indeed, the king of the Matsyas left thee in the\nempty city. The king (thy father) boasteth of thee in court, saying, \"My\nson, equal unto me, is a hero and is the supporter of (the glory of) my\nrace. My son is a warrior skilled in arrows and weapons and is always\npossessed of great courage.\"--Oh, let the words of that lord of men be\ntrue! O chief of herd-owners, bring thou back the kine after vanquishing\nthe Kurus, and consume thou their troops with the terrific energy of thy\narrows. Do thou like a leader of elephants rushing at a herd, pierce the\nranks of the foe with straight arrows of golden wings, discharged from\nthy bow. Thy bow is even like a _Vina_. Its two ends represent the ivory\npillows; its string, the main chord; its staff, the finger-board; and\nthe arrows shot from it musical notes. Do thou strike in the midst of\nthe foe that _Vina_ of musical sound.[34] Let thy steeds, O lord, of\nsilvery hue, be yoked unto thy car, and let thy standard be hoisted,\nbearing the emblem of the golden lion. Let thy keen-edged arrows endued\nwith wings of gold, shot by thy strong arms, obstruct the path of those\nkings and eclipse the very sun. Vanquishing all the Kurus in battle like\nunto the wielder of the thunderbolt defeating the _Asuras_, return thou\nagain to the city having achieved great renown. Son of Matsya's king,\nthou art the sole refuge of this kingdom, as that foremost of virtuous\nwarriors, Arjuna is of the sons of Pandu. Even like Arjuna of his\nbrothers, thou art, without doubt, the refuge of those dwelling within\nthese dominions. Indeed, we, the subject of this realm, have our\nprotector in thee.'\"\n\n    [34] To understand the comparison would require in the reader a\n    knowledge of the mechanism of the Indian Vina. Briefly, the Vina\n    consists of a bamboo of about two cubits attached to two gourds\n    towards its ends. Along the bamboo which serves the purpose of a\n    finger-board, is the main chord and several thinner wires. All\n    these pass over a number of frets, two and a half heptachords,\n    representing the total compass of the instrument. The wires rest\n    towards their ends on two pieces of ivory called Upadhanas in\n    Sanskrit or Swaris in Urdu.\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"Thus addressed by the cowherd in the presence\nof the females, in words breathing courage, the prince indulging in\nself-commendation within the female apartments, spoke these words.\"\n\n\nSECTION XXXVI\n\n\"Uttara said, 'Firm as I am in the use of the bow, I would set out this\nvery day in the track of the kine if only some one skilled in the\nmanagement of horses becomes my charioteer. I do not, however, know the\nman who may be my charioteer. Look ye, therefore, without delay, for a\ncharioteer for me that am prepared for starting. My own charioteer was\nslain in the great battle that was fought from day to day for a whole\nmonth or at least for eight and twenty nights. As soon as I get another\nperson conversant with the management of the steeds, I will immediately\nset out, hoisting high my own standard. Penetrating into the midst of\nthe hostile army abounding with elephants and horses and chariots, I\nwill bring back the kine, having vanquished the Kurus who are feeble in\nstrength and weak in weapons. Like a second wielder of the thunderbolt\nterrifying the Danavas, I will bring back the kine this very moment,\naffrighting in battle Duryodhana and Bhishma and Karna and Kripa and\nDrona with his son, and other mighty bowmen assembled for fight. Finding\nnone (to oppose), the Kurus are taking away the kine. What can I do when\nI am not there? The assembled Kurus shall witness my prowess today. And\nthey shall say unto one another, \"Is it Arjuna himself who is opposing\nus?'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"Having heard these words spoken by the prince,\nArjuna fully acquainted with the import of everything, after a little\nwhile cheerfully spake in private unto his dear wife of faultless\nbeauty, Krishna, the princess of Panchala, Drupada's daughter of slender\nmake, sprung from the (sacrificial) fire and endued with the virtues of\ntruthfulness and honesty and ever attentive to the good of her husbands.\nAnd the hero said, 'Do thou, O beauteous one, at my request say unto\nUttara without delay, \"This Vrihannala was formerly the accomplished\nresolute charioteer of Pandu's son (Arjuna). Tried in many a great\nbattle, even he will be thy charioteer.\"'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"Hearing these words uttered by the prince over\nand over again in the midst of the women, Panchali could not quietly\nbear those allusions to Vibhatsu. And bashfully stepping out from among\nthe women, the poor princess of Panchala gently spake unto him these\nwords, 'The handsome youth, looking like a mighty elephant and known by\nthe name of Vrihannala, was formerly the charioteer of Arjuna. A\ndisciple of that illustrious warrior, and inferior to none in use of the\nbow, he was known to me while I was living with the Pandavas. It was by\nhim that the reins were held of Arjuna's excellent steeds when Agni\nconsumed the forest of Khandava. It was with him as charioteer that\nPartha conquered all creatures at Khandava-prastha. In fact, there is no\ncharioteer equal unto him.'\n\n\"Uttara said, 'Thou knowest, O _Sairindhri_, this youth. Thou knowest,\nwhat this one of the neuter sex may or may not be. I cannot, however, O\nblessed one, myself request Vrihannala to hold the reins of my horses.'\n\n\"Draupadi said, 'Vrihannala, O hero, will without doubt, obey the words\nof thy younger sister[35]--that damsel of graceful hips. If he consents\nto be thy charioteer, thou wilt, without doubt, return, having\nvanquished the Kurus and rescued thy kine.'\n\n    [35] Some read _kaniasi_ for _vaviasi_. Both words are the same,\n    and mean the same thing.\n\n\"Thus addressed by the _Sairindhri_, Uttara spake unto his sister, 'Go\nthyself, O thou of faultless beauty, and bring Vrihannala hither.' And\ndespatched by her brother, she hastily repaired to the dancing-hall\nwhere that strong-armed son of Pandu was staying in disguise.\"\n\n\nSECTION XXXVII\n\nVaisampayana said, \"Thus despatched by her elder brother, the far-famed\ndaughter of king Matsya, adorned with a golden necklace, ever obedient\nto her brother and possessed of a waist slender as that of the wasp,[36]\nendued with the splendour of Lakshmi herself,[37] decked with the plumes\nof the peacock of slender make and graceful limbs, her hips encircled by\na zone of pearls, her eye-lashes slightly curved, and her form endued\nwith every grace, hastily repaired to the dancing-hall like a flash of\nlightning rushing towards a mass of dark clouds.[38] And the faultless\nand auspicious daughter of Virata, of fine teeth and slender-waist, of\nthighs close unto each other and each like the trunk of an elephant, her\nperson embellished with an excellent garland, sought the son of Pritha\nlike a she-elephant seeking her mate. And like unto a precious gem or\nthe very embodiment of prosperity of Indra, of exceeding beauty and\nlarge eyes, that charming and adored and celebrated damsel saluted\nArjuna. And saluted by her, Partha asked that maiden of close thighs and\ngolden complexion, saying 'What brings thee hither, a damsel decked in a\nnecklace of gold? Why art thou in such a hurry, O gazelle-eyed maiden?\nWhy is thy face, O beauteous lady, so cheerless? Tell me all this\nwithout delay!'\"\n\n    [36] _Vedi-Vilagnamadhya_--Vedi in this connection means a wasp\n    and not, as explained by Mallinatha in his commentary of the\n    _Kumarasambhava_, a sacrificial platform. I would remark in\n    passing that many of the most poetic and striking adjectives in\n    both the Raghu and the _Kumarasambhava_ of Kalidasa are borrowed\n    unblushingly from the _Ramayana_ and the _Mahabharata_.\n\n    [37] _Padma patrabha-nibha_ may also mean 'of the splendour of\n    the gem called Marakata.' Nilakantha, however, shows that this\n    would militate against the adjective _Kankojwalatwacham_ below.\n\n    [38] The princess being of the complexion of burnished gold and\n    Arjuna dark as a mass of clouds, the comparison is exceedingly\n    appropriate. The Vaishnava poets of Bengal never tire of this\n    simile in speaking of Radha and Krishna in the groves of\n    Vrindavana.\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"Beholding, O king, his friend, the princess of\nlarge-eyes (in that plight), her friend (Arjuna) cheerfully enquired of\nher (in these words) the cause of her arrival there and then. And having\napproached that bull among men, the princess, standing in the midst of\nher female attendants, the displaying proper modesty[39], addressed him,\nsaying, 'The kine of this realm, O Vrihannala, are being driven away by\nthe Kurus, and it is to conquer them that my brother will set out bow in\nhand. Not long ago his own charioteer was slain in battle, and there is\nnone equal unto the one slain that can act as my brother's charioteer.\nAnd unto him striving to obtain a charioteer, _Sairindhri_, O\nVrihannala, hath spoken about thy skill in the management of steeds.\nThou wert formerly the favourite charioteer of Arjuna, and it was with\nthee that that bull among the sons of Pandu had alone subjugated the\nwhole earth. Do thou, therefore, O Vrihannala, act as the charioteer of\nmy brother. (By this time) our kine have surely been driven away by the\nKurus to a great distance. Requested by me if thou dost not act up to my\nwords, I who am asking this service of thee out of affection, will give\nup my life!' Thus addressed by this friend of graceful hips, that\noppressor of foes, endued with immeasurable prowess, went into the\nprince's presence. And like unto a she-elephant running after her young\none, the princess possessed of large eyes followed that hero advancing\nwith hasty steps like unto an elephant with rent temples. And beholding\nhim from a distance, the prince himself said, 'With thee as his\ncharioteer, Dhananjaya the son of Kunti had gratified _Agni_ at the\nKhandava forest and subjugated the whole world! The _Sairindhri_ hath\nspoken of thee to me. She knoweth the Pandavas. Do thou, therefore, O\nVrihannala, hold, as thou didst, the reins of my steeds, desirous as I\nam of righting with the Kurus and rescuing my bovine wealth. Thou wert\nformerly the beloved charioteer of Arjuna and it was with thee that that\nbull among the sons of Pandu had alone subjugated the whole earth!' Thus\naddressed, Vrihannala replied unto the prince, saying, 'What ability\nhave I to act as a charioteer in the field of battle? If it is song or\ndance or musical instruments or such other things, I can entertain thee\ntherewith, but where is my skill for becoming a charioteer?'\n\n    [39] The words in the original is _pranayam_, lit., love.\n    Nilakantha, however, explains it as meaning modesty, humility. I\n    think, Nilakantha is right. The relations between Arjuna and the\n    princess were like those between father and daughter.\n\n\"Uttara said, 'O Vrihannala, be thou a singer or a dancer, hold thou\n(for the present), without loss of time, the reins of my excellent\nsteeds, mounting upon my car!'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"Although that oppressor of foes, the son of\nPandu, was acquainted with everything, yet in the presence of Uttara, he\nbegan to make many mistakes for the sake of fun. And when he sought to\nput the coat of mail on his body by raising it upwards, the large-eyed\nmaidens, beholding it, burst out into a loud laughter. And seeing him\nquite ignorant of putting on armour, Uttara himself equipped Vrihannala\nwith a costly coat of mail. And casing his own person in an excellent\narmour of solar effulgence, and hoisting his standard bearing the figure\nof a lion, the prince caused Vrihannala to become his charioteer. And\nwith Vrihannala to hold his reins, the hero set out, taking with him\nmany costly bows and a large number of beautiful arrows. And his friend,\nUttara and her maidens then said unto Vrihannala, 'Do thou, O\nVrihannala, bring for our dolls (when thou comest back) various kinds of\ngood and fine cloths after vanquishing the Kurus assembled for battle of\nwhom Bhishma and Drona are foremost!' Thus addressed, Partha the son of\nPandu, in a voice deep as the roar of the clouds, smilingly said unto\nthat bevy of fair maidens. 'If thus Uttara can vanquish those mighty\nwarriors in battle, I will certainly bring excellent and beautiful\ncloths.'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"Having said these words, the heroic Arjuna\nurged the steeds towards the Kuru army over which floated innumerable\nflags. Just, however, as they were starting, elderly dames and maidens,\nand Brahmanas of rigid vows, beholding Uttara seated on his excellent\ncar with Vrihannala as charioteer and under that great banner hoisted on\nhigh, walked round the car to bless the hero. And the women said, 'Let\nthe victory that Arjuna treading like a bull had achieved of old on the\noccasion of burning the forest of Khandava, be thine, O Vrihannala, when\nthou encounterest the Kurus today with prince Uttara.'\"\n\n\nSECTION XXXVIII\n\nVaisampayana said, \"Having issued forth from the city, the dauntless son\nof Virata addressed his charioteer, saying, 'Proceed whither the Kurus\nare. Defeating the assembled Kurus who have come hither from desire of\nvictory, and quickly rescuing my kine from them, I will return to the\ncapital.' At these words of the prince, the son of Pandu urged those\nexcellent steeds. And endued with the speed of the wind and decked with\nnecklaces of gold, those steeds, urged by that lion among men, seemed to\nfly through the air. And they had not proceeded far when those smiters\nof foes, Dhananjaya and the son of Matsya, sighted the army of the\npowerful Kurus. And proceeding towards the cemetery, they came upon the\nKurus and beheld their army arrayed in order of battle.[40] And that\nlarge army of theirs looked like the vast sea or a forest of innumerable\ntrees moving through the sky. And then was seen, O best among the Kurus,\nthe dust raised by that moving army which reached the sky and obstructed\nthe sight of all creatures. And beholding that mighty host abounding in\nelephants, horses and chariots, and protected by Karna and Duryodhana\nand Kripa and Santanu's son, and that intelligent and great bowman\nDrona, with his son (Aswatthaman), the son of Virata, agitated with fear\nand the bristles on his body standing on their ends, thus spake unto\nPartha, 'I dare not fight with the Kurus. See, the bristles on my body\nhave stood on their ends. I am incapable of battling with this countless\nhost of the Kurus, abounding in the heroic warriors, that are extremely\nfierce and difficult of being vanquished even by the celestials. I do\nnot venture to penetrate into the army of the Bharatas consisting of\nterrible bowmen and abounding in horses and elephants and cars and\nfootsoldiers and banners. My mind is too much perturbed by the very\nsight of the foe on the field of battle on which stand Drona and\nBhishma, and Kripa, and Karna, and Vivingsati, and Aswatthaman and\nVikarna, and Saumadatti, and Vahlika, and the heroic king Duryodhana\nalso--that foremost of car-warriors, and many other splendid bowmen, all\nskilled in battle. My hairs have stood on their ends, and I am fainting\nwith fear at the very sight of these smiters, the Kurus arrayed in order\nof battle.'\"\n\n    [40] This sloka is not correctly printed in any of the texts\n    that I have seen. The Burdwan Pandits read _tat-samim_. This I\n    think, is correct, but then _asasada_ in the singular when the\n    other verbs are all dual seems to be correct. The poet must have\n    used some other verb in the dual for _asasada_.\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"And the low-minded and foolish Uttara out of\nfolly alone, began to bewail (his fate) in the presence of the\nhigh-spirited (Arjuna) disguised (as his charioteer) in these words, 'My\nfather hath gone out to meet the Trigartas taking with him his whole\narmy, leaving me in the empty city. There are no troops to assist me.\nAlone and a mere boy who has not undergone much exercise in arms, I am\nunable to encounter these innumerable warriors and all skilled in\nweapons. Do thou, therefore, O Vrihannala, cease to advance!'\n\n\"Vrihannala said, 'Why dost thou look so pale through fear and enhance\nthe joy of thy foes? As yet thou hast done nothing on the field of\nbattle with the enemy. It was thou that hadst ordered me, saying, _Take\nme towards the Kauravas_. I will, therefore, take thee, thither where\nthose innumerable flags are. I will certainly take thee, O mighty-armed\none, into the midst of the hostile Kurus, prepared to fight as they are\nfor the kine like hawks for meat. I would do this, even if I regarded\nthem to have come hither for battling for a much higher stake such as\nthe sovereignty of the earth. Having, at the time of setting out, talked\nbefore both men and women so highly of thy manliness, why wouldst thou\ndesist from the fight? If thou shouldst return home without recapturing\nthe kine, brave men and even women, when they meet together, will laugh\nat thee (in derision). As regards myself, I cannot return to the city\nwithout having rescued the kine, applauded as I have been so highly by\nthe _Sairindhri_ in respect of my skill in driving cars. It is for those\npraises by the _Sairindhri_ and for those words of thine also (that I\nhave come). Why should I not, therefore, give battle to the Kurus? (As\nregards thyself), be thou still.'\n\n\"Uttara said, 'Let the Kurus rob the Matsyas of all their wealth. Let\nmen and women, O Vrihannala, laugh at me. Let my kine perish, let the\ncity be a desert. Let me stand exposed before my father. Still there is\nno need of battle.'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"Saying this, that much affrighted prince decked\nin ear-ring jumped down from his car, and throwing down his bow and\narrows began to flee, sacrificing honour and pride. Vrihannala, however,\nexclaimed, 'This is not the practice of the brave, this flight of a\nKshatriya from the field of battle. Even death in battle is better than\nflight from fear.' Having said this, Dhananjaya, the son of Kunti,\ncoming down from that excellent car ran after that prince thus running\naway, his own long braid and pure red garments fluttering in the air.\nAnd some soldiers, not knowing that it was Arjuna who was thus running\nwith his braid fluttering in the air, burst out into laughter at the\nsight. And beholding him thus running, the Kurus began to argue, 'Who is\nthis person, thus disguised like fire concealed in ashes? He is partly a\nman and partly a woman. Although bearing a neuter form, he yet\nresembleth Arjuna. His are the same head and neck, and his the same arms\nlike unto a couple of maces. And this one's gait also is like unto his.\nHe can be none else than Dhananjaya. As _Indra_ is among the celestials,\nso Dhananjaya is among men. Who else in this world than Dhananjaya,\nwould alone come against us? Virata left a single son of his in the\nempty city. He hath come out from childishness and not from true\nheroism. It is Uttara who must have come out of the city, having,\nwithout doubt, made as a charioteer Arjuna, the son of Pritha, now\nliving in disguise. It seems that he is now flying away in panic at\nsight of our army. And without doubt Dhananjaya runneth after him to\nbring him back.'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"Beholding the disguised son of Pandu, the\nKauravas, O Bharata, began to indulge in these surmises, but they could\nnot come to any definite conclusion. Meanwhile, Dhananjaya, hastily\npursuing the retreating Uttara, seized him by the hair within a hundred\nsteps. And seized by Arjuna, the son of Virata began to lament most\nwoefully like one in great affliction, and said, 'Listen, O good\nVrihannala, O thou of handsome waist. Turn thou quickly the course of\nthe car. He that liveth meeteth with prosperity. I will give thee a\nhundred coins of pure gold and eight _lapis lazuli_ of great brightness\nset with gold, and one chariot furnished with a golden flag-staff and\ndrawn by excellent steeds, and also ten elephants of infuriate prowess.\nDo thou, O Vrihannala, set me free.'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"Thus addressed, that tiger among men laughingly\ndragged Uttara who was almost deprived of his senses and who was\nuttering these words of lamentation towards the car. And the son of\nPritha then addressed the affrighted prince who had nearly lost his\nsenses, saying, 'If, O chastiser of foes, thou dost not venture to fight\nwith enemy, come thou and hold the reins of the steeds as I fight with\nthe foe. Protected by the might of my arms, penetrate thou yon\nformidable and invincible array of cars guarded by heroic and mighty\nwarriors. Fear not, O chastiser of foes, thou art a _Kshatriya_ and the\nforemost of royal princes. Why dost thou, O tiger among men, succumb in\nthe midst of the foe? I shall surely fight with the Kurus and recover\nthe kine, penetrating into this formidable and inaccessible array of\ncars. Be thou my charioteer, O best of men, I will fight with the\nKurus.' Thus speaking unto Uttara, the son of Virata, Vibhatsu,\nheretofore unconquered in battle, for a while comforted him. And then\nthe son of Pritha, that foremost of smiters, raised on the car that\nfainting and reluctant prince stricken with fear!\"\n\n\nSECTION XXXIX\n\nVaisampayana said, \"Beholding that bull among men seated on the car in\nthe habit of a person of the third sex, driving toward the _Sami_ tree,\nhaving taken (the flying) Uttara up, all the great car-warriors of the\nKurus with Bhishma and Drona at their head, became affrighted at heart,\nsuspecting the comer to be Dhananjaya. And seeing them so dispirited and\nmarking also the many wonderful portents, that foremost of all wielders\nof arms, the preceptor Drona, son of Bharadwaja, said, 'Violent and hot\nare the winds that below, showering gravels in profusion. The sky also\nis overcast with a gloom of ashy hue. The clouds present the strange\nsight of being dry and waterless. Our weapons also of various kinds are\ncoming out of their cases. The jackals are yelling hideously affrighted\nat the conflagrations on all sides.[41] The horses too are shedding\ntears, and our banners are trembling though moved by none. Such being\nthe inauspicious indications seen, a great danger is at hand. Stay ye\nwith vigilance. Protect ye your own selves and array the troops in order\nof battle. Stand ye, expecting a terrible slaughter, and guard ye well\nthe kine. This mighty bowman, this foremost of all wielders of weapons,\nthis hero that hath come in the habit of a person of the third sex, is\nthe son of Pritha. There is no doubt of this.' Then addressing Bhishma,\nthe preceptor continued, 'O offspring of the Ganges, apparelled as a\nwoman, this is _Kiriti_ called after a tree, the son of the enemy of the\nmountains, and having on his banner the sign of devastator of the\ngardens of Lanka's lord. Vanquishing us he will surely take away the\nkine today![42] This chastiser of foes is the valiant son of Pritha\nsurnamed _Savyasachin_. He doth not desist from conflict even with the\ngods and demons combined. Put to great hardship in the forest he cometh\nin wrath. Taught by even Indra himself, he is like unto Indra in battle.\nTherefore, ye Kauravas, I do not see any hero who can withstand him. It\nis said that the lord _Mahadeva_ himself, disguised in the attire of a\nhunter, was gratified by this son of Pritha in battle on the mountains\nof Himavat.' Hearing these words, Karna said, 'You always censure us by\nspeaking on the virtues of _Phalguna_. Arjuna, however, is not equal to\neven a full sixteenth part of myself or Duryodhana!' And Duryodhana\nsaid, 'If this be Partha, O Radheya, then my purpose hath already been\nfulfilled, for then, O king, if traced out, the Pandavas shall have to\nwander for twelve years again. Or, if this one be any other person in a\neunuch's garb, I will soon prostrate him on the earth with keen-edged\narrows.'\"\n\n    [41] Some texts read _Diptasya_ for _Diptayam_.\n\n    [42] This sloka does not occur in every text. This is a typical\n    illustration of the round about way, frequently adopted by\n    Sanskrit writers, of expressing a simple truth. The excuse in\n    the present instance consists in Drona's unwillingness to\n    identify the solitary hero with Arjuna, in the midst of all his\n    hearers. Nadiji is an exclamation referring to Bhishma, the son\n    of the river Ganga. _Lankesa-vanari-ketu_ is simply\n    'ape-bannered,' or as rendered in the text, having the\n    devastator of the gardens of Lanka's lord for the sign of his\n    banner. Nagahvaya is 'named after tree' for Arjuna is the name\n    of an Indian tree. Nagri-sunu is 'Indra's son',--Indra being the\n    foe of mountain, for formerly it was he who cut off the wings of\n    all mountains and compelled them to be stationary. He failed\n    only in the case of Mainaka, the son of Himavat.\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"The son of Dhritarashtra, O chastiser of foes,\nhaving said this, Bhishma and Drona and Kripa and Drona's son all\napplauded his manliness!\"\n\n\nSECTION XL\n\nVaisampayana said, \"Having reached that _Sami_ tree, and having\nascertained Virata's son to be exceedingly delicate and inexperienced in\nbattle, Partha addressed him, saying, 'Enjoined by me, O Uttara, quickly\ntake down (from this tree) some bows that are there. For these bows of\nthine are unable to bear my strength, my heavy weight when I shall grind\ndown horses and elephants, and the stretch of my arms when I seek to\nvanquish the foe. Therefore, O Bhuminjaya, climb thou up this tree of\nthick foliage, for in this tree are tied the bows and arrows and banners\nand excellent coats of mail of the heroic sons of Pandu, viz.,\nYudhishthira and Bhima and Vibhatsu and the twins. There also is that\nbow of great energy, the _Gandiva_ of Arjuna, which singly is equal to\nmany thousands of other bows and which is capable of extending the\nlimits of a kingdom. Large like a palmyra tree, able to bear the\ngreatest stress, the largest of all weapons, capable of obstructing the\nfoe, handsome, and smooth, and broad, without a knot, and adorned with\ngold, it is stiff and beautiful in make and beareth the heaviest weight.\nAnd the other bows also that are there, of Yudhishthira and Bhima and\nVibhatsu and the twins, are equally mighty and tough.'\"\n\n\nSECTION XLI\n\n\"Uttara said, 'It hath been heard by us that a corpse is tied in this\ntree. How can I, therefore, being a prince by birth, touch it with my\nhands? Born in the _Kshatriya_ order, and the son of a great king, and\nalways observant of _mantras_ and vows, it is not becoming of me to\ntouch it. Why shouldst thou, O Vrihannala, make me a polluted and\nunclean bearer of corpses, by compelling me to come in contact with a\ncorpse?'\n\n\"Vrihannala said, 'Thou shalt, O king of kings, remain clean and\nunpolluted. Do not fear, there are only bows in this tree and not\ncorpses. Heir to the king of the Matsyas, and born in a noble family,\nwhy should I, O prince, make thee do such a reproachable deed?'\"\n\nVaisampayana said, \"Thus addressed by Partha, Virata's son, decked in\near-rings, alighted from the car, and climbed up that _Sami_ tree\nreluctantly. And staying on the car, Dhananjaya, that slayer of enemies,\nsaid unto him, 'Speedily bring thou down those bows from the top of the\ntree.' And cutting off their wrappings first and then the ropes with\nwhich they were tied, the prince beheld the _Gandiva_ there along with\nfour other bows. And as they were untied, the splendour of those bows\nradiant as the sun, began to shine with great effulgence like unto that\nof the planets about the time of their rising. And beholding the forms\nof those bows, so like unto sighing snakes, he become afflicted with\nfear and in a moment the bristles of his body stood on their ends. And\ntouching those large bows of great splendour, Virata's son, O king, thus\nspake unto Arjuna!\"\n\n\nSECTION XLII\n\n\"Uttara said, 'To what warrior of fame doth this excellent bow belong,\non which are a hundred golden bosses and which hath such radiant ends?\nWhose is this excellent bow of good sides and easy hold, on the staff of\nwhich shine golden elephants of such brightness? Whose is this excellent\nbow, adorned with three scores of _Indragopakas_[43] of pure gold,\nplaced on the back of the staff at proper intervals? Whose is this\nexcellent bow, furnished with three golden suns of great effulgence,\nblazing forth with such brilliancy? Whose is this beautiful bow which is\nvariegated with gold and gems, and on which are golden insects set with\nbeautiful stones? Whose are these arrows furnished with wing around,\nnumbering a thousand, having golden heads, and cased in golden quivers?\nWho owneth these large shafts, so thick, furnished with vulturine wings\nwhetted on stone, yellowish in hue, sharp-pointed, well-tempered, and\nentirely made of iron? Whose is this sable quiver,[44] bearing five\nimages of tigers, which holdeth shafts intermined with boar-eared arrows\naltogether numbering ten? Whose are these seven hundred arrows, long and\nthick, capable of drinking (the enemy's) blood, and looking like the\ncrescent-shaped moon?[45] Whose are these gold-crested arrows whetted on\nstones, the lower halves of which are well-furnished with wings of the\nhue of parrots' feather and the upper halves, of well-tempered\nsteels?[46] Whose is this excellent sword irresistible, and terrible to\nadversaries, with the mark of a toad on it, and pointed like a toad's\nhead?[47] Cased in variegated sheath of tiger-skin, whose is this large\nsword of excellent blade and variegated with gold and furnished with\ntinkling bells? Whose is this handsome scimitar of polished blade and\ngolden hilt? Manufactured in the country of the _Nishadas_,\nirresistible, incapable of being broken, whose is this sword of polished\nblade in a scabbard of cow-skin? Whose is this beautiful and long sword,\nsable in hue as the sky, mounted with gold, well-tempered, and cased in\na sheath of goat-skin? Who owneth this heavy, well-tempered, and broad\nsword, just longer than the breadth of thirty fingers, polished by\nconstant clash with other's weapons and kept in a case of gold, bright\nas fire? Whose is this beautiful scimitar of sable blade covered with\ngolden bosses, capable of cutting through the bodies of adversaries,\nwhose touch is as fatal as that of a venomous snake which is\nirresistible and exciteth the terror of foes? Asked by me, O Vrihannala,\ndo thou answer me truly. Great is my wonder at the sight of all these\nexcellent objects.'\"\n\n    [43] Indian insects of a particular kind.\n\n    [44] Most editions read _chapas_ which is evidently wrong. The\n    correct reading is _avapas_, meaning quiver. The Burdwan Pandits\n    give this latter reading.\n\n    [45] Some read _chandrargha-darsanas_. The correct reading is\n    _chandrardha-darsanas_.\n\n    [46] Most editions read _hema-punkha_ and _silasita_ in the\n    instrumental plural; the correct reading is their nominative\n    plural forms.\n\n    [47] _Sayaka_ means here, as explained by Nilakantha, a sword,\n    and not a shaft.\n\n\nSECTION XLIII\n\n\"Vrihannala said, 'That about which thou hath first enquired is Arjuna's\nbow, of world-wide fame, called _Gandiva_, capable of devastating\nhostile hosts. Embellished with gold, this _Gandiva_, the highest and\nlargest of all weapons belonged to Arjuna. Alone equal unto a hundred\nthousand weapons, and always capable of extending the confines of\nkingdoms, it is with this that Partha vanquisheth in battle both men and\ncelestials. Worshipped ever by the gods, the _Danavas_ and the\n_Gandharvas_ and variegated with excellent colours, this large and\nsmooth bow is without a knot or stain anywhere. Shiva held it first for\na thousand years. Afterwards Prajapati held it for five hundred and\nthree years. After that Sakra, for five and eighty years. And then Soma\nheld it for five hundred years. And after that _Varuna_ held it for a\nhundred years. And finally Partha, surnamed _Swetavahana,_[48] hath held\nit for five and sixty years.[49] Endued with great energy and of high\ncelestial origin, this is the best of all bows. Adored among gods and\nmen, it hath a handsome form. Partha obtained this beautiful bow from\nVaruna. This other bow of handsome sides and golden handle is Bhima's\nwith which that son of Pritha, that chastiser of foes, had conquered the\nwhole of the eastern regions. This other excellent bow of beautiful\nshape, adorned with images of _Indragopakas_, belongeth, O Virata's son,\nto king Yudhishthira. This other weapon with golden suns of blazing\nsplendour shedding a dazzling effulgence around, belongeth to Nakula.\nAnd this bow adorned with golden images of insects and set also with\ngems and stones, belongeth to that son of Madri who is called Sahadeva.\nThese winged arrows, thousand in number, sharp as razors and destructive\nas the poison of snakes, belong, O Virata's son, to Arjuna. When\nshooting them in battle against foes, these swift arrows blaze forth\nmore brilliantly and become inexhaustible. And these long and thick\nshafts resembling the lunar crescent in shape, keen-edged and capable of\nthinning the enemy's ranks, belong to Bhima. And this quiver bearing\nfive images of tigers, full of yellowish shafts whetted on stone and\nfurnished with golden wings belong to Nakula. This is the quiver of the\nintelligent son of Madri, with which he had conquered in battle the\nwhole of the western regions. And these arrows, all effulgent as the\nsun, painted all over with various colours, and capable of destroying\nenemies by thousands are those of Sahadeva. And these short and\nwell-tempered and thick shafts, furnished with long feathers and golden\nheads, and consisting of three knots, belong to king Yudhishthira. And\nthis sword with blade long and carved with the image of a toad and head\nshaped as a toad's mouth, strong and irresistible belongeth to Arjuna.\nCased in a sheath of tiger-skin, of long blade, handsome and\nirresistible, and terrible to adversaries, this sword belongeth to\nBhimasena. Of excellent blade and cased in a well-painted sheath, and\nfurnished with a golden hilt, this handsome sword belongeth to the wise\nKaurava--Yudhishthira the just. And this sword of strong blade,\nirresistible and intended for various excellent modes of fight and cased\nin a sheath of goat-skin, belongeth to Nakula. And this huge scimitar,\ncased in a sheath of cow-skin, strong and irresistible belongeth to\nSahadeva.'\"\n\n    [48] From the colour of his steeds.\n\n    [49] Nilakantha spends much learning and ingenuity in making out\n    that sixty-five years in this connection means thirty-two years\n    of ordinary human computation.\n\n\nSECTION XLIV\n\n\"Uttara said, 'Indeed, these weapons adorned with gold, belonging to the\nlight-handed and high-souled Partha, look exceedingly beautiful. But\nwhere are that Arjuna, the son of Pritha, and Yudhishthira of the Kuru\nrace, and Nakula, and Sahadeva, and Bhimasena, the sons of Pandu? Having\nlost their kingdom at dice, the high-souled Pandavas, capable of\ndestroying all foes, are no longer heard of. Where also is Draupadi, the\nprincess of _Panchala_, famed as the gem among women, who followed the\nsons of Pandu after their defeat at dice to the forest?'\n\n\"Arjuna said, 'I am Arjuna, called also Partha. Thy father's courtier is\nYudhishthira and thy father's cook Vallava is Bhimasena, the groom of\nhorses is Nakula, and Sahadeva is in the cow-pen. And know thou that the\n_Sairindhri_ is Draupadi, for whose sake the Kichakas have been slain.'\n\n\"Uttara said, 'I would believe all this if thou canst enumerate the ten\nnames of Partha, previously heard by me!'\n\n\"Arjuna said, 'I will, O son of Virata, tell thee my ten names. Listen\nthou and compare them with what thou hadst heard before. Listen to them\nwith close attention and concentrated mind. They are _Arjuna, Phalguna,\nJishnu, Kiritin, Swetavahana, Vibhatsu, Vijaya, Krishna, Savyasachin_\nand _Dhananjaya_.'\n\n\"Uttara said, 'Tell me truly why art thou called Vijaya, and why\nSwetavahana. Why art thou named Krishna and why Arjuna and Phalguna and\nJishnu and Kiritin and Vibhatsu, and for what art thou Dhananjaya and\nSavyasachin? I have heard before about the origin of the several names\nof that hero, and can put faith in thy words if thou canst tell me all\nabout them.'\n\n\"Arjuna said, 'They called me Dhananjaya because I lived in the midst of\nwealth, having subjugated all the countries and taking away their\ntreasures. They called me Vijaya because when I go out to battle with\ninvincible kings, I never return (from the field) without vanquishing\nthem. I am called Swetavahana because when battling with the foe, white\nhorses decked in golden armour are always yoked unto my car. They call\nme Phalguna because I was born on the breast of the Himavat on a day\nwhen the constellation _Uttara Phalguna_ was on the ascendent. I am\nnamed Kiritin from a diadem, resplendent like the sun, having been\nplaced of old on my head by Indra during my encounter with the powerful\n_Danavas_. I am known as Vibhatsu among gods and men, for my never\nhaving committed a detestable deed on the battle-field. And since both\nof my hands are capable of drawing the _Gandiva_, I am known as\nSavyasachin among gods and men. They call me Arjuna because my\ncomplexion is very rare within the four boundaries of the earth and\nbecause also my acts are always stainless. I am known among human beings\nand celestials by the name of Jishnu, because I am unapproachable and\nincapable of being kept down, and a tamer of adversaries and son of the\nslayer of Paka. And Krishna, my tenth appellation, was given to me by my\nfather out of affection towards his black-skinned boy of great purity.'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"The son of Virata then, approaching nearer\nsaluted Partha and said, 'My name is Bhuminjaya, and I am also called\nUttara. It is by good luck, O Partha, that I behold thee. Thou art\nwelcome, O Dhananjaya. O thou with red eyes, and arms that are mighty\nand each like unto the trunk of an elephant, it behoveth thee to pardon\nwhat I said unto thee from ignorance. And as wonderful and difficult\nhave been the feats achieved by thee before, my fears have been\ndispelled, and indeed the love I bear to thee is great.'\"\n\n\nSECTION XLV\n\n\"Uttara said, 'O hero, mounting on this large car with myself as driver,\nwhich division of the (hostile) army wouldst thou penetrate? Commanded\nby thee, I would drive thee thither.'\n\n\"Arjuna said, 'I am pleased with thee, O tiger among men. Thou hast no\ncause of fear. I will rout all thy foes in battle, O great warrior, And,\nO thou of mighty arms, be at thy ease. Accomplishing great and terrible\nfeats in the melee, I will fight with thy foes. Tie quickly all those\nquivers to my car, and take (from among those) a sword of polished blade\nand adorned with gold.'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"Hearing these words of Arjuna, Uttara cast off\nall inactivity. And he speedily alighted from the tree, bringing with\nhim Arjuna's weapons. Then Arjuna addressed him, saying, 'Yes, I will\nfight with the Kurus and recover thy kine. Protected by me, the top of\nthis car will be to thee as a citadel. The passages and alleys and other\ndivisions of this car will be the streets and edifices of that fortified\ncity. These my arms will be its ramparts and gateways. This treble pole\nand my quiver will constitute defensive works inaccessible to the foe.\nThis my banner--single and grand--will it not alone be equal unto those\nof thy city? This my bow-string will constitute the catapults and\ncannons for vomiting forth missiles on the besieging host. My excited\nwrath will make that fortress formidable, and the clatter of my\ncar-wheels--will it not resemble the kettle-drums of thy capital? Ridden\nby myself wielding the _Gandiva_, this car will be incapable of being\nvanquished by the hostile host, O son of Virata, let thy fear be\ndispelled.'\n\n\"Uttara said, 'I am no longer afraid of these. I know thy steadiness in\nbattle, which is even like unto that of Kesava or Indra himself. But\nreflecting on this, I am continually bewildered. Foolish as I am, I am\nincapable of arriving at certain conclusion. By what distressful\ncircumstances could _a person of such handsome limbs and auspicious\nsigns become deprived of manhood_! Indeed, thou seemest to me to be\nMahadeva, or Indra, or the chief of the Gandharvas, dwelling in the\nguise only of one of the third sex.'\n\n\"Arjuna said, 'I tell thee truly that I am only observing this vow for a\nwhole year agreeable to the behest of my elder brother. O thou of mighty\narms, I am not truly one of the neuter sex, but I have adopted this vow\nof eunuchism from subservience to another's will and from desire of\nreligious merit. O prince, know me now to have completed my vow.'\n\n\"Uttara said, 'Thou hast conferred a great favour on me today, for I now\nfind that my suspicion was not altogether unfounded. Indeed, such a\nperson as thou, O best of men, cannot be of the neuter sex. I have now\nan ally in battle. I can now fight with the celestials themselves. My\nfears have been dispelled. What shall I do? Command me now. Trained in\ndriving cars by a learned preceptor I will, O bull among men, hold the\nreins of thy horses that are capable of breaking the ranks of hostile\ncars. Know me, O bull among men, to be as competent a charioteer as\nDaruka of Vasudeva, or Matali of Sakra. The horse that is yoked unto the\nright-hand pole (of thy car) and whose hoofs as they light on the ground\nare scarcely visible when running, is like unto _Sugriva_ of Krishna.\nThis other handsome horse, the foremost of his race, that is yoked unto\nthe left pole, is, I regard, equal in speed to _Meghapushpa_. This\n(third) beautiful horse, clad in golden mail, yoked unto the rear-pole\non the left, is, I regard, _Sivya_ equal in speed to but superior in\nstrength. And this (fourth) horse, yoked to the rear-pole on the right,\nis regarded as superior to _Valahaka_ in speed and strength. This car is\nworthy of bearing on the field of battle a bowman like thee, and thou\nalso art worthy of fighting on this car. This is what I think!'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"Then Arjuna, endued with great energy, took off\nthe bracelets from his arms and wore on his hands a pair of beautiful\ngloves embroidered with gold. And he then tied his black and curling\nlocks with a piece of white cloth. And seated on that excellent car with\nface turned to the east, the mighty-armed hero, purifying his body and\nconcentrating his soul, recalled to his mind all his weapons. And all\nthe weapons came, and addressing the royal son of Partha, said, 'We are\nhere, O illustrious one. We are thy servants, O son of Indra.' And\nbowing unto them, Partha received them unto his hands and replied unto\nthem, saying, 'Dwell ye all in my memory.' And obtaining all his\nweapons, the hero looked cheerful. And quickly stringing his bow, the\n_Gandiva_, he twanged it. And the twang of that bow was as loud as the\ncollision of two mighty bulls. And dreadful was the sound that filled\nthe earth, and violent was the wind that blew on all sides. And thick\nwas the shower of fallen meteors[50] and all sides were enveloped in\ngloom. And the birds began to totter in the skies and large trees began\nto shake.[51] And loud as the burst of the thunder, the Kurus knew from\nthat sound that it was Arjuna that drew with his hands the string of his\nbest of bows from his car. And Uttara said, 'Thou, O best of Pandavas,\nart alone. These mighty car-warriors are many. How wilt thou vanquish in\nbattle all these that are skilled in every kind of weapon? Thou, O son\nof Kunti, art without a follower, while the Kauravas have many. It is\nfor this, O thou of mighty arms, that I stay beside thee, stricken with\nfear.' Bursting out into loud laughter, Partha said unto him, 'Be not\nafraid, O hero, what friendly follower had I while fighting with the\nmighty _Gandharvas_ on the occasion of the _Ghoshayatra_? Who was my\nally while engaged in the terrific conflict at _Khandava_ against so\nmany celestials and _Danavas_? Who was my ally when I fought, on behalf\nof the lord of the celestials against the mighty _Nivatakavachas_ and\nthe _Paulomas_! And who was my ally, O child, while I encountered in\nbattle innumerable kings at the _Swayamvara_ to the princess of\nPanchala? Trained in arms by the preceptor Drona, by Sakra, and\nVaisravana, and Yama, and Varuna, and Agni, and Kripa, and Krishna of\nMadhu's race, and by the wielder of the _Pinaka_ (Siva), why shall I not\nfight with these? Drive thou my car speedily, and let thy heart's fever\nbe dispelled.'\"\n\n    [50] Some texts read,--'One large meteor fell.'\n\n    [51] In some editions read,--_Bharata dwijam_, and _Maha-hardam_\n    for _maha-drumam_. The meaning would then be,--'The banners (of\n    the hostile army) began to tremble in the sky, and large lakes\n    were agitated.'\n\n\nSECTION XLVI\n\nVaisampayana said, \"Making Uttara his charioteer, and circumambulating\nthe _Sami_ tree, the son of Pandu set out taking all his weapons with\nhim. And that mighty car-warrior set out with Uttara as the driver of\nhis car, having taken down that banner with the lion's figure and\ndeposited it at the foot of the _Sami_ tree. And he hoisted on that car\nhis own golden banner bearing the figure of an ape with a lion's tail,\nwhich was a celestial illusion contrived by Viswakarman himself. For, as\nsoon, indeed, as he had thought of that gift of Agni, than the latter,\nknowing his wish, ordered those superhuman creatures (that usually sat\nthere) to take their place in that banner. And furnished with a\nbeautiful flag of handsome make, with quivers attached to it, and\nadorned with gold, that excellent flag-staff of celestial beauty then\nquickly fell from the firmament on his car.[52] And beholding that\nbanner arrived on his car, the hero circumambulated it (respectively).\nAnd then the ape-bannered Vibhatsu, the son of Kunti, called also\nSwetavahana, with fingers cased in leathern fences of the _Iguana_ skin,\nand taking up his bow and arrows set out in a northernly direction. And\nthat grinder of foes, possessed of great strength, then forcibly blew\nhis large conch-shell, of thundering sound, capable of making the\nbristles of foes to stand on their ends. And at the sound of that conch,\nthose steeds endued with swiftness dropped down on the ground on their\nknees. And Uttara also, greatly affrighted, sat down on the car. And\nthereupon the son of Kunti took the reins himself and raising the\nsteeds, placed them in their proper positions. And embracing Uttara, he\nencouraged him also, saying, 'Fear not, O foremost of princes, thou art,\nO chastiser of foes, a _Kshatriya_ by birth. Why, O tiger among men,\ndost thou become so dispirited in the midst of foes? Thou must have\nheard before the blare of many conchs and the note of many trumpets, and\nthe roar also of many elephants in the midst of ranks arrayed for\nbattled. Why art thou, therefore, so dispirited and agitated and\nterrified by the blare of this conch, as if thou wert an ordinary\nperson?'\n\n    [52] Some texts read _Maharatham_ (incorrectly) for\n    _hiranmayan_. Indeed, _Maharatham_ would give no meaning in this\n    connection. The incomplete edition of the Roy Press under the\n    auspices of the Principal of the Calcutta Sanskrit College\n    abounds with such incorrect readings and misprints.\n\n\"Uttara said, 'Heard have I the blare of many a conch and many a trumpet\nand the roar of many an elephant stationed in the battle-array, but\nnever have I heard before the blare of such conch. Nor have I ever seen\na banner like this. Never before have I heard also the twang of a bow\nsuch as this. Truly, sir, with the blare of this conch, the twang of\nthis bow, the superhuman cries of the creatures stationed on this\nbanner, and the battle of this car, my mind is greatly bewildered. My\nperception of the directions also is confused, and my heart is painfully\nafflicted. The whole firmament seemeth to me to have been covered by\nthis banner, and everything seemeth to be hidden from my view! My ears\nalso have been deafened by the twang of the _Gandiva_!'[53]\n\n    [53] The Roy Press edition adds here a line which looks very\n    much like an interpolation.\n\n\"Arjuna said, 'Firmly stand thou on the car, pressing thy feet on it,\nand tightly catch hold of the bridles, for I will blow the conch\nagain.'\"\n\nVaisampayana said, \"Arjuna then blew his conch again, that conch which\nfilled foes with grief and enhanced the joy of friends. And the sound\nwas so loud that it seemed to split hills and mountains, and pierce\nmountain-caves and the cardinal points. And Uttara once again sat down\non the car, clinging to it in fear. And with the blare of the conch and\nthe rattle of the car-wheels, and the twang of the Gandiva, the earth\nitself seemed to tremble. And beholding Uttara's fight, Dhananjaya began\nto comfort him again.'\n\n\"Meanwhile, Drona said, 'From the rattle of the car, and from the manner\nin which the clouds have enveloped the sky and the earth itself\ntrembles, this warrior can be none else than _Savyasachin_. Our weapons\ndo not shine, our steeds are dispirited, and our fires, though fed with\nfuel, do not blare up. All this is ominous. All our animals are setting\nup a frightful howl, gazing towards the sun. The crows are perching on\nour banners. All this is ominous. Yon vultures and kites on our right\nportend a great danger. That jackal also, running through our ranks,\nwaileth dismally. Lo, it hath escaped unstruck. All this portends a\nheavy calamity. The bristles also of ye all are on their ends. Surely,\nthis forebodes a great destruction of Kshatriyas in battle. Things\nendued with light are all pale; beasts and birds look fierce; and there\nare to be witnessed many terrific portents indicative of the destruction\nof Kshatriyas. And these omens forebode great havoc among ourselves. O\nking, thy ranks seem to be confounded by these blazing meteors, and thy\nanimals look dispirited and seem to be weeping. Vultures and kites are\nwheeling all around thy troops. Thou shalt have to repent upon beholding\nthy army afflicted by Partha's arrows. Indeed, our ranks seem to have\nbeen already vanquished, for none is eager to go to fight. All our\nwarriors are of pale face, and almost deprived of their senses. Sending\nthe kine ahead we should stand here, ready to strike, with all our\nwarriors arrayed in order of battle.'\"\n\n\nSECTION XLVII\n\nVaisampayana said, \"King Duryodhana then, on the field of battle said\nunto Bhishma, and unto Drona--that tiger among warriors, and unto\nKripa--that mighty car-warrior, these words, 'Both myself and Karna had\nsaid this unto the preceptors.[54] I refer to the subject again, for I\nam not satisfied with having said it once. Even this was the pledge of\nthe sons of Pandu that if defeated (at dice) they would reside to our\nknowledge in countries and woods for twelve years, and one more year\nunknown to us. That thirteenth year, instead of being over, is yet\nrunning. Vibhatsu, therefore, who is still to live undiscovered hath\nappeared before us. And if Vibhatsu hath come before the term of exile\nis at end, the Pandavas shall have to pass another twelve years in the\nwoods. Whether it is due to forgetfulness (on their part) induced by\ndesire of dominion, or whether it is a mistake of ours, it behoveth\nBhishma to calculate the shortness or excess (of the promised period).\nWhen an object of desire may or may not be attained, a doubt necessarily\nattaches to one of the alternatives, and what is decided in one way\noften ends differently.[55] Even moralists are puzzled in judging of\ntheir own acts.[56] As regards ourselves, we have come hither to fight\nwith the Matsyas and to seize their kine stationed towards the north.\nIf, meanwhile, it is Arjuna that hath come, what fault can attach to us?\nWe have come hither to fight against the Matsyas on behalf of the\nTrigartas; and as numerous were the acts represented unto us of the\noppressions committed by the Matsyas, it was for this that we promised\naid to the Trigartas who were overcome with fear. And it was agreed\nbetween us that they should first seize, on the afternoon of the seventh\nlunar day, the enormous wealth of kine that the Matsyas have, and that\nwe should, at sunrise of the eighteen day of the moon, seize these kine\nwhen the king of the Matsyas would be pursuing those first seized. It\nmay be that the Trigartas are now bringing away the kine, or being\ndefeated, are coming towards us for negotiating with the king of the\nMatsyas. Or, it may be, that having driven the Trigartas off, the king\nof the Matsyas, at the head of this people and his whole army of fierce\nwarriors, appeareth on the scene and advanceth to make night-attacks\nupon us. It may be that some one leader among them, endued with mighty\nenergy, is advancing for vanquishing us, or, it may be that the king\nhimself of the Matsyas is come. But be it the king of the Matsyas or\nVibhatsu, we must all fight him. Even this hath been our pledge. Why are\nall these of foremost car-warriors,--Bhishma and Drona and Kripa and\nVikarna and Drona's son,--now sitting on their cars, panic-stricken? At\npresent there is nothing better than fighting. Therefore, make up your\nminds. If, for the cattle we have seized, an encounter takes place with\nthe divine wielder himself of the thunderbolt or even with Yama, who is\nthere that will be liable to reach Hastinapura? Pierced by the shafts\n(of the foe), how will the foot-soldiers, in flying through the deep\nforest with their backs on the field, escape with life, when escape for\nthe cavalry is doubtful?' Hearing these words of Duryodhana, Karna said,\n'Disregarding the preceptor, make all arrangements. He knoweth well the\nintentions of the Pandavas and striketh terror in our hearts. I see that\nhis affection for Arjuna is very great. Seeing him only coming, he\nchanteth his praises. Make ye such arrangements that our troops may not\nbreak. Everything is in confusion for Drona's having only heard the\nneigh of (Arjuna's) steeds. Make ye such arrangements that these troops,\ncome to a distant land in this hot season and in the midst of this\nmighty forest, may not fall into confusion and be subjugated by the foe.\nThe Pandavas are always the special favourites of the preceptor. The\nselfish Pandavas have stationed Drona amongst us. Indeed, he betrayeth\nhimself by his speech. Who would ever extol a person upon hearing the\nneigh only of his steeds? Horses always neigh, whether walking or\nstanding, the winds blow at all times; and Indra also always showereth\nrain. The roar of the clouds may frequently be heard. What hath Partha\nto do with these, and why is he to be praised for these? All this (on\nDrona's part), therefore, is due only to either the desire of doing good\nto Arjuna or to his wrath and hatred towards us. Preceptors are wise,\nand sinless, and very kind to all creatures. They, however, should never\nbe consulted at times of peril. It is in luxurious palaces, and\nassemblies and pleasure-gardens, that learned men, capable of making\nspeeches, seem to be in their place. Performing many wonderful things,\nin the assembly, it is there that learned men find their place, or even\nthere where sacrificial utensils and their proper placing and washing\nare needed. In a knowledge of the lapses of others, in studying the\ncharacters of men, in the science of horses and elephants and cars, in\ntreating the diseases of asses and camels and goats and sheeps and kine,\nin planning buildings and gateways, and in pointing out the defects of\nfood and drink, the learned are truly in their own sphere. Disregarding\nlearned men that extol the heroism of the foe, make ye such arrangements\nthat the foe may be destroyed. Placing the kine securely, array the\ntroops in order of battle. Place guards in proper places so that we may\nfight the foe.'\"\n\n    [54] The true reading is _Acharya_ in the dual number, meaning\n    Drona and Kripa. Some texts read the word in the singular form.\n    Nilakantha notices both these reading, but prefers the dual to\n    the singular.\n\n    [55] The meaning is rather doubtful. Duryodhana seems to say\n    that 'the hostile appearance of Arjuna has been an act of\n    imprudence on his part. The Pandavas, after the expiry of the\n    thirteenth year, would claim their kingdom. I, Duryodhana, may\n    or may not accede to their demand. When, therefore, it was not\n    certain that Arjuna would be refused by me, his hostile\n    appearance is unwise. He has come sure of victory, but he may\n    yet be defeated.'\n\n    [56] The sense seems to be that when moralists even are puzzled\n    in judging of the propriety or otherwise of their acts, it can\n    easily be imagined that the Pandavas, however virtuous, have, in\n    the matter of this their appearance, acted wrongly, for, after\n    all, the thirteenth year may not have really been over as\n    believed by them. Or, it may mean, that as regards our presence\n    here, we have not acted imprudently when even moralists cannot\n    always arrive at right conclusion. It seems that for this\n    Duryodhana proceeds to justify that presence in the following\n    sentences.\n\n\nSECTION XLVIII\n\n\"Karna said, 'I behold all these blessed ones, looking as if alarmed and\npanic-struck and unresolved and unwilling to fight. If he that is come\nis the king of the Matsyas or Vibhatsu, even I will resist him as the\nbanks resist the swelling sea. Shot from my bow these straight and\nflying arrows, like gliding snakes, are all sure of aim. Discharged by\nmy light hands, these keen-edged arrows furnished with golden wings\nshall cover Partha all over, like locusts shrouding a tree. Strongly\npressed by these winged arrows, the bow-string will cause these my\nleathern fences to produce sounds that will be heard to resemble those\nof a couple of kettle-drums. Having been engaged in ascetic austerities\nfor the (last) eight and five years, Vibhatsu will strike me but mildly\nin this conflict, and the son of Kunti having become a Brahmana endued\nwith good qualities, hath thus become a fit person to quietly receive\nshafts by thousands shot by me. This mighty bowman is indeed, celebrated\nover the three worlds. I, too, am, by no means, inferior to Arjuna, that\nforemost of human beings. With golden arrows furnished with vulturine\nwings shot on all sides, let the firmament seem today to swarm with\nfire-flies. Slaying Arjuna in battle, I will discharge today that debt,\ndifficult of repayments, but promised of old by me unto Dhritarashtra's\nson. When man is there, even amongst all the gods and the _Asuras_, that\nwill endure to stand in the teeth of the straight arrows shot from my\nbow? Let my flying arrows, winged and depressed at the middle, present\nthe spectacle of the coursing of the fire-flies through the welkin. Hard\nthough he be as Indra's thunderbolt and possessed of the energy of the\nchief of the celestials, I will surely grind Partha, even as one\nafflicts an elephant by means of burning brands. A heroic and mighty\ncar-warrior as he is, and the foremost of all wielders of weapons I\nshall seize the unresisting Partha, even like Garuda seizing a snake.\nIrresistible like fire, and fed by the fuel of swords, darts, and\narrows, the blazing Pandava-fire that consumeth foes, will be\nextinguished even by myself who am like unto a mighty cloud incessantly\ndropping an arrowy shower,--the multitude of cars (I will lead)\nconstituting its thunder, and the speed of my horses, the wind in\nadvance. Discharged from my bow, my arrows like venomous snakes will\npierce Partha's body, like serpent penetrating through an ant-hill.\nPierced with well-tempered and straight shafts endued with golden wings\nand great energy, behold ye today the son of Kunti decked like a hill\ncovered with _Karnikara_ flowers. Having obtained weapons from that best\nof ascetics--the son of Jamadagni, I would, relying on their energy,\nfight with even the celestials. Struck with my javelin, the ape\nstationed on his banner-top shall fall down today on the ground,\nuttering terrible cries. The firmament will today be filled with the\ncries of the (super-human) creatures stationed in the flagstaff of the\nfoe, and afflicted by me, they will fly away in all directions. I shall\ntoday pluck up by the roots the long-existing dart in Duryodhana's heart\nby throwing Arjuna down from his car. The Kauravas will today behold\nPartha with his car broken, his horses killed, his valour gone, and\nhimself sighing like a snake. Let the Kauravas, following their own will\ngo away taking this wealth of kine, or, if they wish, let them stay on\ntheir cars and witness my combat.'\"\n\n\nSECTION XLIX\n\n\"Kripa said, 'O Radheya, thy crooked heart always inclineth to war. Thou\nknowest not the true nature of things; nor dost thou take into account\ntheir after-consequences. There are various kinds of expedients\ninferrable from the scriptures. Of these, a battle hath been regarded by\nthose acquainted with the past, as the most sinful. It is only when time\nand place are favourable that military operations can lead to success.\nIn the present instance, however, the time being unfavourable, no good\nresults will be deprived. A display of prowess in proper time and place\nbecometh beneficial. It is by the favourableness or otherwise (of time\nand place) that the opportuneness of an act is determined. Learned men\ncan never act according to the ideas of a car-maker. Considering all\nthis, an encounter with Partha is not advisible for us. Alone he saved\nthe Kurus (from the _Gandharvas_), and alone he satiated Agni. Alone he\nled the life of a _Brahmacharin_ for five years (on the breast of\nHimavat). Taking up Subhadra on his car, alone he challenged Krishna to\nsingle combat. Alone he fought with Rudra who stood before him as a\nforester. It was in this very forest that Partha rescued Krishna while\nshe was being taken away (by Jayadratha). It is he alone that hath, for\nfive years, studied the science of weapons under Indra. Alone\nvanquishing all foes he hath spread the fame of the Kurus. Alone that\nchastiser of foes vanquished in battle Chitrasena, the king of the\n_Gandharvas_ and in a moment his invincible troops also. Alone he\noverthrew in battle the fierce _Nivatakavachas_ and the _Kalakhanchas_,\nthat were both incapable of being slain by the gods themselves. What,\nhowever, O Karna, hath been achieved by thee single-handed like any of\nthe sons of Pandu, each of whom had alone subjugated many lords of\nearth? Even Indra himself is unfit to encounter Partha in battle. He,\ntherefore, that desireth to fight with Arjuna should take a sedative. As\nto thyself, thou desirest to take out the fangs of an angry snake of\nvirulent poison by stretching forth thy right hand and extending thy\nforefinger. Or, wandering alone in the forest thou desirest to ride an\ninfuriate elephant and go to a boar without a hook in hand. Or, rubbed\nover with clarified butter and dressed in silken robes, thou desirest to\npass through the midst of a blazing fire fed with fat and tallow and\nclarified butter. Who is there that would, binding his own hands and\nfeet and tying a huge stone unto his neck, cross the ocean swimming with\nhis bare arms? What manliness is there in such an act? O Karna, he is a\nfool that would, without skill in weapons and without strength, desire\nto fight with Partha who is so mighty and skilled in weapons.\nDishonestly deceived by us and liberated from thirteen years' exile,\nwill not the illustrious hero annihilate us? Having ignorantly come to a\nplace where Partha lay concealed like fire hidden in a well, we have,\nindeed, exposed to a great danger. But irresistible though he be in\nbattle, we should fight against him. Let, therefore, our troops, clad in\nmail, stand here arrayed in ranks and ready to strike. Let Drona and\nDuryodhana and Bhishma and thyself and Drona's son and ourselves, all\nfight with the son of Pritha. Do not, O Karna, act so rashly as to fight\nalone. If we six car-warriors be united, we can then be a match for and\nfight with that son of Pritha who is resolved to fight and who is as\nfierce as the wielder of the thunderbolt. Aided by our troops arrayed in\nranks, ourselves--great bowmen--standing carefully will fight with\nArjuna even as the _Danavas_ encounter Vasava in battle.'\"\n\n\nSECTION L\n\n\"Aswatthaman said, 'The kine, O Karna, have not yet been won, nor have\nthey yet crossed the boundary (of their owner's dominions), nor have\nthey yet reached Hastinapura. Why dost thou, therefore, boast of\nthyself? Having won numerous battles, and acquired enormous wealth, and\nvanquished hostile hosts, men of true heroism speak not a word of their\nprowess. Fire burneth mutely and mutely doth the sun shine. Mutely also\ndoth the Earth bear creatures, both mobile and immobile. The\nSelf-existent hath sanctioned such offices for the four orders that\nhaving recourse to them each may acquire wealth without being\ncensurable. A Brahmana, having studied the _Vedas_, should perform\nsacrifices himself, and officiate at the sacrifices of others. And a\nKshatriya, depending upon the bow, should perform sacrifices himself but\nshould never officiate at the sacrifices of others. And a Vaisya, having\nearned wealth, should cause the rites enjoined in the _Vedas_ to be\nperformed for himself. A Sudra should always wait upon and serve the\nother three orders. As regards those that live by practising the\nprofession of flowers and vendors of meat, they may earn wealth by\nexpedients fraught with deceit and fraud. Always acting according to the\ndictates of the scriptures, the exalted sons of Pandu acquired the\nsovereignty of the whole earth, and they always act respectfully towards\ntheir superiors, even if the latter prove hostile to them. What\nKshatriya is there that expressed delight at having obtained a kingdom\nby means of dice, like this wicked and shameless son of Dhritarashtra?\nHaving acquired wealth in this way by deceit and fraud like a vendor of\nmeat, who that is wise boast of it? In what single combat didst thou\nvanquish Dhananjaya, or Nakula, or Sahadeva, although thou hast robbed\nthem of their wealth? In what battle didst thou defeat Yudhishthira, or\nBhima that foremost of strong men? In what battle was Indraprastha\nconquered by thee? What thou hast done, however, O thou of wicked deeds,\nis to drag that princess to court while she was ill and had but one\nraiment on? Thou hast cut the mighty root, delicate as the sandal, of\nthe Pandava tree. Actuated by desire of wealth, when thou madest the\nPandavas act as slaves, rememberest thou what Vidura said! We see that\nmen and others, even insects and ants, show forgiveness according to\ntheir power of endurance. The son of Pandu, however, is incapable of\nforgiving the sufferings of Draupadi. Surely, Dhananjaya cometh here for\nthe destruction of the sons of Dhritarashtra. It is true, affecting\ngreat wisdom, thou art for making speeches but will not Vibhatsu, that\nslayer of foes, exterminate us all! If it be gods, or _Gandharvas_ or\n_Asuras_, or _Rakshasas_, will Dhananjaya the son of Kunti, desist to\nfight from panic? Inflamed with wrath upon whomsoever he will fall, even\nhim he will overthrow like a tree under the weight of Garuda! Superior\nto thee in prowess, in bowmanship equal unto the lord himself of the\ncelestials, and in battle equal unto Vasudeva himself, who is there that\nwould not praise Partha? Counteracting celestial weapons with celestial,\nand human weapons with human, what man is a match for Arjuna? Those\nacquainted with the scriptures declare that a disciple is no way\ninferior to a son, and it is for this that the son of Pandu is a\nfavourite of Drona. Employ thou the means now which thou hadst adopted\nin the match at dice,--the same means, viz., by which thou hadst\nsubjugated Indraprastha, and the same means by which thou hadst dragged\nKrishna to the assembly! This thy wise uncle, fully conversant with the\nduties of the _Kshatriya_ order--this deceitful gambler Sakuni, the\nprince of Gandhara, let _him_ fight now! The _Gandiva_, however, doth\nnot cast dice such as the _Krita_ or the _Dwapara_, but it shooteth upon\nfoes blazing and keen-edged shafts by myriads. The fierce arrows shot\nfrom the _Gandiva_, endued with great energy and furnished with\nvulturine wings, car, pierce even mountains. The destroyer of all, named\nYama, and Vayu, and the horse-faced Agni, leave some remnant behind, but\nDhananjaya inflamed with wrath never doth so. As thou hadst, aided by\nthy uncle, played at dice in the assembly so do fight in this battle\nprotected by Suvala's son. Let the preceptor, if he chooses fight; I\nshall not, however, fight with Dhananjaya. We are to fight with the king\nof the Matsyas, if indeed, he cometh in the track of the kine.'\"\n\n\nSECTION LI\n\n\"Bhishma said, 'Drona's son observeth well, and Kripa too observeth\nrightly. As for Karna, it is only out of regard for the duties of the\nKshatriya order that he desireth to fight. No man of wisdom can blame\nthe preceptor. I, however, am of opinion that fight we must, considering\nboth the time and the place. Why should not that man be bewildered who\nhath five adversaries effulgent as five suns, who are heroic combatants\nand who have just emerged from adversity? Even those conversant with\nmorality are bewildered in respect of their own interests. It is for\nthis, O king, that I tell thee this, whether my words be acceptable to\nyou or not. What Karna said unto thee was only for raising our\n(drooping) courage. As regards thyself, O preceptor's son, forgive\neverything. The business at hand is very grave. When the son of Kunti\nhath come, this is not the time for quarrel. Everything should now be\nforgiven by thyself and the preceptor Kripa. Like light in the sun, the\nmastery of all weapons doth reside in you. As beauty is never separated\nfrom _Chandramas_, so are the _Vedas_ and the _Brahma_ weapon both\nestablished in you. It is often seen that the four _Vedas_ dwell in one\nobject and _Kshatriya_ attributes in another. We have never heard of\nthese two dwelling together in any other person than the preceptor of\nthe Bharata race and his son. Even this is what I think. In the\n_Vedantas_, in the _Puranas_, and in old histories, who save Jamadagni,\nO king, would be Drona's superior? A combination of the _Brahma_ weapon\nwith the _Vedas_,--this is never to be seen anywhere else. O preceptor's\nson, do thou forgive. This is not the time for disunion. Let all of us,\nuniting, fight with Indra's son who hath come. Of all the calamities\nthat may befall an army that have been enumerated by men of wisdom, the\nworst is disunion among the leaders.' Aswatthaman said, 'O bull among\nmen, these thy just observations, need not be uttered in our presence;\nthe preceptor, however, filled with wrath, had spoken of Arjuna's\nvirtues. The virtues of even an enemy should be admitted, while the\nfaults of even one's preceptor may be pointed out; therefore one should,\nto the best of his power, declare the merits of a son or a disciple.'\n\n\"Duryodhana said, 'Let the preceptor grant his forgiveness and let peace\nbe restored. If the preceptor be at one with us, whatever should be done\n(in view of the present emergency) would seem to have been already\ndone.'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"Then, O Bharata, Duryodhana assisted by Karna\nand Kripa, and the high-souled Bhishma pacified Drona.\n\n\"Drona said, 'Appeased I have already been at the words first spoken by\nBhishma, the son of Santanu. Let such arrangements be made that Partha\nmay not be able to approach Duryodhana in battle. And let such\narrangements be made that king Duryodhana may not be captured by the\nfoe, in consequence either of his rashness or want of judgment. Arjuna\nhath not, to be sure, revealed himself before the expiry of the term of\nexile. Nor will he pardon this act (of ours) today, having only\nrecovered the kine. Let such arrangements, therefore, be made that he\nmay not succeed in attacking Dhritarashtra's son and defeating our\ntroops. Like myself (who am doubtful of the completion of period of\nexile) Duryodhana also had said so before. Bearing it in mind, it\nbehoveth the son of Ganga to say what is true.'\"\n\n\nSECTION LII\n\n\"Bhishma said, 'The wheel of time revolves with its divisions, viz.,\nwith _Kalas_ and _Kasthas_ and _Muhurtas_ and days and fortnights and\nmonths and constellations and planets and seasons and years. In\nconsequence of their fractional excesses and the deviations of also of\nthe heavenly bodies, there is an increase of two months in every five\nyears. It seems to me that calculating this wise, there would be an\nexcess of five months and twelve nights in thirteen years. Everything,\ntherefore, that the sons of Pandu had promised, hath been exactly\nfulfilled by them. Knowing this to be certain, Vibhatsu hath made his\nappearance. All of them are high-souled and fully conversant with the\nmeanings of the scriptures. How would they deviate from virtue that have\nYudhishthira for their guide? The sons of Kunti do not yield to\ntemptation. They have achieved a difficult feat. If they had coveted the\npossession of their kingdom by unfair means, then those descendants of\nthe Kuru race would have sought to display their prowess at the time of\nthe match at dice. Bound in bonds of virtue, they did not deviate from\nthe duties of the Kshatriya order. He that will regard them to have\nbehaved falsely will surely meet with defeat. The sons of Pritha would\nprefer death to falsehood. When the time, however, comes, those bulls\namong men--the Pandavas--endued with energy like that of Sakra, would\nnot give up what is theirs even if it is defended by the wielder himself\nof the thunderbolt. We shall have to oppose in battle the foremost of\nall wielders of weapons. Therefore, let such advantageous arrangements\nas have the sanction of the good and the honest be now made without loss\nof time so that our possessions may not be appropriated by the foe. O\nking of kings, O Kaurava, I have never seen a battle in which one of the\nparties could say,--_we are sure to win_. When a battle occurs, there\nmust be victory or defeat, prosperity or adversity. Without doubt, a\nparty to a battle must have either of the two. Therefore, O king of\nkings, whether a battle be now proper or not consistent with virtue or\nnot, make thy arrangements soon, for Dhananjaya is at hand.'\n\n\"Duryodhana said, 'I will not, O grandsire, give back the Pandavas their\nkingdom. Let every preparation, therefore, for battle be made without\ndelay.'\n\n\"Bhishma said, 'Listen to what I regard as proper, if it pleases thee. I\nshould always say what is for thy good, O Kaurava. Proceed thou towards\nthe capital, without loss of time, taking with thee a fourth part of the\narmy. And let another fourth march, escorting the kine. With half the\ntroops we will fight the Pandava. Myself and Drona, and Karna and\nAswatthaman and Kripa will resolutely withstand Vibhatsu, or the king of\nthe Matsyas, or Indra himself, if he approaches. Indeed, we will\nwithstand any of these like the bank withstanding the surging sea.'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"These words spoken by the high-souled Bhishma\nwere acceptable to them, and the king of the Kauravas acted accordingly\nwithout delay. And having sent away the king and then the kine, Bhishma\nbegan to array the soldiers in order of battle. And addressing the\npreceptor, he said, 'O preceptor, stand thou in the centre, and let\nAswatthaman stand on the left, and let the wise Kripa, son of Saradwata,\ndefend the right wing, and let Karna of the _Suta_ caste, clad in mail,\nstand in the van. I will stand in the rear of the whole army, protecting\nit from that point.'\"\n\n\nSECTION LIII\n\nVaisampayana said, \"After the Kauravas, O Bharata, had taken their stand\nin this order, Arjuna, filling the air with the rattle and din of his\ncar, advanced quickly towards them. And the Kurus beheld his banner-top\nand heard the rattle and din of his car as also the twang of the\n_Gandiva_ stretched repeatedly by him. And noting all this, and seeing\nthat great car-warrior--the wielder of the _Gandiva_--come, Drona spoke\nthus, 'That is the banner-top of Partha which shineth at a distance, and\nthis is the noise of his car, and that is the ape that roareth\nfrightfully. Indeed, the ape striketh terror in the troops. And there\nstationed on that excellent car, the foremost of car-warriors draweth\nthat best of bows, the _Gandiva_, whose twang is as loud as the thunder.\nBehold, these two shafts coming together fall at my feet, and two others\npass off barely touching my ears. Completing the period of exile and\nhaving achieved many wonderful feats, Partha saluteth me and whispereth\nin my ears. Endued with wisdom and beloved of his relatives, this\nDhananjaya, the son of Pandu, is, indeed, beheld by us after a long\ntime, blazing with beauty and grace. Possessed of car and arrows,\nfurnished with handsome fences and quiver and conch and banner and coat\nof mail, decked with diadem and scimitar and bow, the son of Pritha\nshineth like the blazing (_Homa_) fire surrounded with sacrificial\nladles and fed with sacrificial butter.'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"Beholding the Kurus ready for battle, Arjuna\naddressing Matsya's son in words suitable to the occasion, said, 'O\ncharioteer, restrain thou the steeds at such a point whence my arrows\nmay reach the enemy. Meanwhile, let me see, where, in the midst of this\narmy, is that vile wretch of the Kuru race. Disregarding all these, and\nsingling out that vainest of princes I will fall upon his head, for upon\nthe defeat of that wretch the others will regard themselves as defeated.\nThere standeth Drona, and thereafter him his son. And there are those\ngreat bowmen--Bhishma and Kripa and Karna. I do not see, however, the\nking there. I suspect that anxious to save his life, he retreateth by\nthe southern road, taking away with him the kine. Leaving this array of\ncar-warriors, proceed to the spot where Suyodhana is. There will I\nfight, O son of Virata, for there the battle will not be fruitless,\nDefeating him I will come back, taking away the kine.'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"Thus addressed, the son of Virata restrained\nthe steeds with an effort and turned them by a pull at the bridle from\nthe spot where those bulls of the Kuru race were, and urged them on\ntowards the place where Duryodhana was. And as Arjuna went away leaving\nthat thick array of cars, Kripa, guessing his intention, addressed his\nown comrades, saying, 'This Vibhatsu desireth not to take up his stand\nat a spot remote from the king. Let us quickly fall upon the flanks of\nthe advancing hero. When inflamed with wrath, none else, unassisted, can\nencounter him in battle save the deity of a thousand eyes, or Krishna\nthe son of Devaki. Of what use to us would the kine be or this vast\nwealth also, if Duryodhana were to sink, like a boat, in the ocean of\n_Partha_?' Meanwhile, Vibhatsu, having proceeded towards that division\nof the army, announced himself speedily by name, and covered the troops\nwith his arrows thick as locusts. And covered with those countless\nshafts shot by Partha, the hostile warriors could not see anything, the\nearth itself and the sky becoming overwhelmed therewith. And the\nsoldiers who had been ready for the fight were so confounded that none\ncould even the flee from the field. And beholding the light-handedness\nof Partha they all applauded it mentally. And Arjuna then blew his conch\nwhich always made the bristles of the foe stand erect. And twanging his\nbest of bows, he urged the creatures on his flagstaff to roar more\nfrightfully. And at the blare of his conch and the rattle of his\ncar-wheels, and the twang of the _Gandiva_, and the roar of the\nsuperhuman creatures stationed on his flagstaff, the earth itself began\nto tremble. And shaking their upraised tails and lowing together, the\nkine turned back, proceeding along the southern road.'\"\n\n\nSECTION LIV\n\nVaisampayana said, \"Having disorganised the hostile host by force and\nhaving recovered the kine, that foremost of bowmen, desirous of fighting\nagain, proceeded towards Duryodhana. And beholding the kine running wild\ntowards the city of the Matsyas, the foremost warriors of the Kurus\nregarded Kiritin to have already achieved success. And all of a sudden\nthey fell upon Arjuna who was advancing towards Duryodhana. And\nbeholding their countless divisions firmly arrayed in order of battle\nwith countless banners waving over them, that slayer of foes, addressing\nthe son of the king of the Matsyas, said, 'Urge on, to the best of their\nspeed by this road, these white steeds decked with golden bridles.\nStrive thou well, for I would approach this crowd of Kuru lions. Like an\nelephant desiring an encounter with another, the _Suta's_ son of wicked\nsoul eagerly desireth a battle with me. Take me, O prince, to him who\nhath grown so proud under the patronage of Duryodhana.' Thus addressed,\nthe son of Virata by means of those large steeds endued with the speed\nof the wind and furnished with golden armour, broke that array of cars\nand took the Pandava into the midst of the battle-field. And seeing this\nthose mighty car-warriors, Chitrasena and Sangramajit and Satrusaha and\nJaya, desirous of aiding Karna, rushed with arrows and long shafts,\ntowards the advancing hero of Bharata's race. Then that foremost of men,\ninflamed with wrath, began to consume by means of fiery arrows shot from\nhis bow, that array of cars belonging to those bulls among the Kurus,\nlike a tremendous conflagration consuming a forest. Then, when the\nbattle began to rage furiously, the Kuru hero, Vikarna, mounted on his\ncar, approached that foremost of car-warriors, Partha, the younger\nbrother of Bhima,--showering upon him terrible shafts thick and long.\nThen cutting Vikarna's bow furnished with a tough string and horns\noverlaid with gold, Arjuna cut off his flagstaff. And Vikarna, beholding\nhis flagstaff cut off, speedily took to flight. And after Vikarna's\nflight, Satruntapa, unable to repress his ire, began to afflict Partha,\nthat obstructer of foes and achiever of super-human feats, by means of a\nperfect shower of arrows. And drowned, as it were, in the midst of the\nKuru-array, Arjuna, pierced by that mighty car-warrior,--king\nSatruntapa--pierced the latter in return with five and then slew his\ncar-driver with ten shafts, and pierced by that bull of the Bharata race\nwith an arrow capable of cleaving the thickest coat of mail, Satruntapa\nfell dead on the field of battle, like a tree from a mountain-top torn\nup by the wind. And those brave bulls among men, mangled in battle by\nthat braver bull among men, began to waver and tremble like mighty\nforests shaken by the violence of the wind that blows at the time of the\nuniversal dissolution. And struck in battle by Partha, the son of\nVasava, those well-dressed heroes among men--those givers of wealth\nendued with the energy of Vasava--defeated and deprived of life, began\nto measure their lengths on the ground, like full-grown Himalayan\nelephants clad in mails of black steel decked with gold. And like unto a\nraging fire consuming a forest at the close of summer, that foremost of\nmen, wielding the _Gandiva_, ranged the field in all directions, slaying\nhis foes in battle thus. And as the wind rangeth at will, scattering\nmasses of clouds and fallen leaves in the season of spring, so did that\nforemost of car-warriors--Kiritin--ranged in that battle, scattering all\nhis foes before him. And soon slaying the red steeds yoked unto the car\nof Sangramajit, the brother of Vikartana's son, that hero decked in\ndiadem and endued with great vigour then cut off his antagonist's head\nby a crescent-shaped arrow. And when his brother was slain, Vikartana's\nson of the _Suta_ caste, mustering all his prowess, rushed at Arjuna,\nlike a huge elephant with out-stretched tusks, or like a tiger at a\nmighty bull. And the son of Vikarna quickly pierced the son of Pandu\nwith twelve shafts and all his steeds also in every part of their bodies\nand Virata's son too in his hand. And rushing impetuously against\nVikarna's son who was suddenly advancing against him, Kiritin attacked\nhim fiercely like Garuda of variegated plumage swooping down upon a\nsnake. And both of them were foremost of bowmen, and both were endued\nwith great strength, and both were capable of slaying foes. And seeing\nthat an encounter was imminent between them, the Kauravas, anxious to\nwitness it, stood aloof as lookers on. And beholding the offender Karna,\nthe son of Pandu, excited to fury, and glad also at having him, soon\nmade him, his horses, his car, and car-driver invisible by means of a\nfrightful shower of countless arrows. And the warriors of the Bharatas\nheaded by Bhishma, with their horses, elephants, and cars, pierced by\nKiritin and rendered invisible by means of his shafts, their ranks also\nscattered and broken, began to wail aloud in grief. The illustrious and\nheroic Karna, however counteracting with numberless arrows of his own\nthose shafts by Arjuna's hand, soon burst forth in view with bow and\narrows like a blazing fire. And then there arose the sound of loud\nclapping of hands, with the blare of conchs and trumpets and\nkettle-drums made by the Kurus while they applauded Vikartana's son who\nfilled the atmosphere with the sound of his bow-string flapping against\nhis fence. And beholding Kiritin filling the air with the twang of\n_Gandiva_, and the upraised tail of the monkey that constituted his flag\nand that terrible creature yelling furiously from the top of his\nflagstaff, Karna sent forth a loud roar. And afflicting by means of his\nshafts, Vikartana's son along with his steeds, car and car-driver,\nKiritin impetuously poured an arrowy shower on him, casting his eyes on\nthe grandsire and Drona and Kripa. And Vikartana's son also poured upon\nPartha a heavy shower of arrows like a rain-charged cloud. And the\ndiadem-decked Arjuna also covered Karna with a thick down-pour of\nkeen-edged shafts. And the two heroes stationed on their cars, creating\nclouds of keen-edged arrows in a combat carried on by means of countless\nshafts and weapons, appeared to the spectators like the sun and the moon\ncovered by clouds, and the light-handed Karna, unable to bear the sight\nof the foe, pierced the four horses of the diadem-decked hero with\nwhetted arrows, and then struck his car-driver with three shafts, and\nhis flagstaff also with three. Thus struck, that grinder of all\nadversaries in battle, that bull of the Kuru race, Jishnu wielding the\n_Gandiva_, like a lion awaked from slumber, furiously attacked Karna by\nmeans of straight-going arrows. And afflicted by the arrowy shower (of\nKarna), that illustrious achiever of super-human deeds soon displayed a\nthick shower of arrows in return. And he covered Karna's car with\ncountless shafts like the sun covering the different worlds with rays.\nAnd like a lion attacked by an elephant, Arjuna, taking some keen\ncrescent-shaped arrows from out of his quiver and drawing his bow to his\near, pierced the _Suta's_ son on every part of his body. And that\ngrinder of foes pierced Karna's arms and thighs and head and forehead\nand neck and other principal parts of his body with whetted shafts\nendued with the impetuosity of the thunderbolt and shot from the\n_Gandiva_ in battle. And mangled and afflicted by the arrows shot by\nPartha the son of Pandu, Vikartana's son, quitted the van of battle, and\nquickly took to flight, like one elephant vanquished by another.'\"\n\n\nSECTION LV\n\nVaisampayana said, \"After the son of Radha had fled from the field,\nother warriors headed by Duryodhana, one after another, fell upon the\nson of Pandu with their respective divisions. And like the shore\nwithstanding the fury of the surging sea, that warrior withstood the\nrage of that countless host rushing towards him, arrayed in order of\nbattle and showering clouds of arrows. And that foremost of\ncar-warriors, Kunti's son Vibhatsu of white steeds, rushed towards the\nfoe, discharging celestial weapons all the while. Partha soon covered\nall the points of the horizon with countless arrows shot from the\n_Gandiva_, like the sun covering the whole earth with his rays. And\namongst those that fought on cars and horses and elephants, and amongst\nthe mail-clad foot-soldiers, there was none that had on his body a space\nof even two finger's breadth unwounded with sharp arrows. And for his\ndexterity in applying celestial weapons, and for the training of the\nsteeds and the skill of Uttara, and for the coursing of his weapons, and\nhis prowess and light-handedness, people began to regard Arjuna as the\nfire that blazeth forth during the time of the universal dissolution for\nconsuming all created things. And none amongst the foe could cast his\neyes on Arjuna who shone like a blazing fire of great effulgence. And\nmangled by the arrows of Arjuna, the hostile ranks looked like\nnewly-risen clouds on the breast of a hill reflecting the solar rays, or\nlike groves of _Asoka_ trees resplendent with clusters of flowers.\nIndeed, afflicted by the arrows of Partha, the soldiers looked like\nthese, or like a beautiful garland whose flowers gradually wither and\ndrop away: And the all-pervading wind bore on its wings in the sky the\ntorn flags and umbrellas of the hostile host. And affrighted at the\nhavoc amongst their own ranks, the steeds fled in all directions, freed\nfrom their yokes by means of Partha's arrows and dragging after them\nbroken portions of cars and elephants, struck on their ears and ribs and\ntusks and nether lips and other delicate parts of the body, began to\ndrop down on the battle-field. And the earth, bestrewn in a short time\nwith the corpses of elephants belonging to the Kauravas, looked like the\nsky overcast with masses of black clouds. And as that fire of blazing\nflames at the end of the _yuga_ consumeth all perishable things of the\nworld, both mobile and immobile, so did Partha, O king, consumeth all\nfoes in battle. And by the energy of his weapons and the twang of his\nbow, and the preter-natural yells of the creatures stationed on his\nflagstaff, and the terrible roar of the monkey, and by the blast of his\nconch, that mighty grinder of foes, Vibhatsu, struck terror into the\nhearts of all the troops of Duryodhana. And the strength of every\nhostile warrior seemed, as it were, to be levelled to the dust at the\nvery sight of Arjuna. And unwilling to commit the daring act of sin of\nslaying them that were defenceless, Arjuna suddenly fell back and\nattacked the army from behind by means of clouds of keen-edged arrows\nproceeding towards their aims like hawks let off by fowlers. And he soon\ncovered the entire welkin with clusters of blood-drinking arrows. And as\nthe (infinite) rays of the powerful sun, entering a small vessel, are\ncontracted within it for want of space, so the countless shafts of\nArjuna could not find space for their expansion even within the vast\nwelkin. Foes were able to behold Arjuna's car, when near, only once, for\nimmediately after, they were with their horses, sent to the other world.\nAnd as his arrows unobstructed by the bodies of foes always passed\nthrough them, so his car, unimpeded by hostile ranks, always passed\nthrough the latter. And, indeed, he began to toss about and agitate the\nhostile troops with great violence like the thousand-headed Vasuki\nsporting in the great ocean. And as Kiritin incessantly shot his shafts,\nthe noise of the bow-string, transcending every sound, was so loud that\nthe like of it had never been heard before by created beings. And the\nelephants crowding the field, their bodies pierced with (blazing) arrows\nwith small intervals between looked like black clouds coruscated with\nsolar rays. And ranging in all directions and shooting (arrows) right\nand left, Arjuna's bow was always to be seen drawn to a perfect circle.\nAnd the arrows of the wielder of the _Gandiva_ never fell upon anything\nexcept the aim, even as the eye never dwelleth on anything that is not\nbeautiful. And as the track of a herd of elephants marching through the\nforest is made of itself, so was the track was made of itself for the\ncar of Kiritin. And struck and mangled by Partha, the hostile warriors\nthought that,--_Verily, Indra himself, desirous of Partha's victory,\naccompanied by all the immortals is slaying us_! And they also regarded\nVijaya, who was making a terrible slaughter around, to be none else than\nDeath himself who having assumed the form of Arjuna, was slaying all\ncreatures. And the troops of the Kurus, struck by Partha, were so\nmangled and shattered that the scene looked like the achievement of\nPartha himself and could be compared with nothing else save what was\nobservable in Partha's combats. And he severed the heads of foes, even\nas reapers cut off the tops of deciduous herbs. And the Kurus all lost\ntheir energy owing to the terror begot of Arjuna. And tossed and mangled\nby the Arjuna-gale, the forest of Arjuna's foes reddened the earth with\npurple secretions. And the dust mixed with blood, uplifted by the wind,\nmade the very rays of the sun redder still. And soon the sun-decked sky\nbecame so red that it looked very much like the evening. Indeed, the sun\nceaseth to shed his rays as soon as he sets, but the son of Pandu ceased\nnot to shoot his shafts. And that hero of inconceivable energy\noverwhelmed, by means of all celestial weapons, all the great bowmen of\nthe enemy, although they were possessed of great prowess. And Arjuna\nthen shot three and seventy arrows of sharp points at Drona, and ten at\nDussaha and eight at Drona's son, and twelve at Duhsasana, and three at\nKripa, the son of Saradwat. And that slayer of foes pierced Bhishma, the\nson of Santanu, with arrows, and king Duryodhana with a hundred. And,\nlastly, he pierced Karna in the ear with a bearded shaft. And when that\ngreat bowmen Karna, skilled in all weapons, was thus pierced, and his\nhorses and car and car-driver were all destroyed, the troops that\nsupported him began to break. And beholding those soldiers break and\ngive way the son of Virata desirous of knowing Partha's purpose,\naddressed him on the field of battle, and said, 'O Partha, standing on\nthis beautiful car, with myself as charioteer, towards which division\nshall I go? For, commanded by thee, I would soon take thee thither.'\n\n\"Arjuna replied, 'O Uttara, yonder auspicious warrior whom thou seest\ncased in coat of tiger-skin and stationed on his car furnished with a\nblue-flag and drawn by red steeds, is Kripa. There is to be seen the van\nof Kripa's division. Take me thither. I shall show that great bowman my\nswift-handedness in archery. And that warrior whose flag beareth the\ndevice of an elegant water-pot worked in gold, is the preceptor\nDrona--that foremost of all wielders of weapons. He is always an object\nof regard with me, as also with all bearers of arms. Do thou, therefore,\ncircumambulate that great hero cheerfully. Let us bend our heads there,\nfor that is the eternal virtue. If Drona strikes my body first, then I\nshall strike him, for then he will not be able to resent it. There,\nclose to Drona, that warrior whose flag beareth the device of a bow, is\nthe preceptor's son, the great car-warrior Aswatthaman, who is always an\nobject of regard with me as also with every bearer of arms. Do thou,\ntherefore, stop again and again, while thou comest by his car. There,\nthat warrior who stayeth on his car, cased in golden mail and surrounded\nby a third part of the army consisting of the most efficient troops, and\nwhose flag beareth the device of an elephant in a ground of gold, is the\nillustrious king Duryodhana, the son of Dhritarashtra. O hero, take\nbefore him this thy car that is capable of grinding hostile cars. This\nking is difficult of being vanquished in battle and is capable of\ngrinding all foes. He is regarded as the first of all Drona's disciples\nin lightness of hand. I shall, in battle, show him my superior swiftness\nin archery. There, that warrior whose flag beareth the device of a stout\nchord for binding elephants, is Karna, the son of Vikartana, already\nknown to thee. When thou comest before that wicked son of Radha, be thou\nvery careful, for he always challengeth me to an encounter. And that\nwarrior whose flag is blue and beareth the device of five stars with a\nsun (in the centre), and who endued with great energy stayeth on his car\nholding a huge bow in hand and wearing excellent fences, and over whose\nhead is an umbrella of pure white, who standeth at the head of a\nmultitudinous array of cars with various flags and banners like the sun\nin advance of masses of black clouds, and whose mail of gold looks\nbright as the sun or the moon, and who with his helmet of gold striketh\nterror into my heart, is Bhishma, the son of Santanu and the grandsire\nof us all. Entertained with regal splendour by Duryodhana, he is very\npartial and well-affected towards that prince. Let him be approached\nlast of all, for he may, even now, be an obstacle to me. While fighting\nwith me, do thou carefully guide the steeds.' Thus addressed by him,\nVirata's son, O king, guided Savyasachin's car with great alacrity\ntowards the spot where Kripa stood anxious to fight.\"\n\n\nSECTION LVI\n\nVaisampayana said, \"And the ranks of those fierce bowmen, the Kurus,\nlooked like masses of clouds in the rainy season drifting before a\ngentle wind. And close (to those ranks of foot-soldiers) stood the\nenemy's horses ridden by terrible warriors. And there were also\nelephants of terrible mien, looking resplendent in beautiful armour,\nridden by skilled combatants and urged on with iron crows and hooks.\nAnd, O king, mounted on a beautiful car, Sakra came there accompanied by\nthe celestials,--the _Viswas_ and _Maruts_. And crowded with gods,\n_Yakshas, Gandharvas_ and _Nagas_, the firmament looked as resplendent\nas it does when bespangled with the planetary constellation in a\ncloudless night. And the celestials came there, each on his own car,\ndesirous of beholding the efficacy of their weapons in human warfare,\nand for witnessing also the fierce and mighty combat that would take\nplace when Bhishma and Arjuna would meet. And embellished with gems of\nevery kind and capable of going everywhere at the will of the rider, the\nheavenly car of the lord of the celestials, whose roof was upheld by a\nhundred thousand pillars of gold with (a central) one made entirely of\njewels and gems, was conspicuous in the clear sky. And there appeared on\nthe scene three and thirty gods with Vasava (at their head)--and (many)\n_Gandharvas_ and _Rakshasas_ and _Nagas_ and _Pitris_, together with the\ngreat _Rishis_. And seated on the car of the lord of the celestials,\nappeared the effulgent persons of kings, Vasumanas and Valakshas and\nSupratarddana, and Ashtaka and Sivi and Yayati and Nahusha and Gaya and\nManu and Puru and Raghu and Bhanu and Krisaswa and Sagara and Nala. And\nthere shone in a splendid array, each in its proper place the cars of\nAgni and Isa and Soma and Varuna and Prajapati and Dhatri and Vidhatri\nand Kuvera and Yama, and Alamvusha and Ugrasena and others, and of the\n_Gandharva_ Tumburu. And all the celestials and the _Siddhas_, and all\nthe foremost of sages came there to behold that encounter between Arjuna\nand the Kurus. And the sacred fragrance of celestial garlands filled the\nair like that of blossoming woods at the advent of spring. And the red\nand reddish umbrellas and robes and garlands and _chamaras_ of the gods,\nas they were stationed there, looked exceedingly beautiful. And the dust\nof the earth soon disappeared and (celestial) effulgence lit up\neverything. And redolent of divine perfumes, the breeze began to soothe\nthe combatants. And the firmament seemed ablaze and exceedingly\nbeautiful, decked with already arrived and arriving cars of handsome and\nvarious make, all illumined with diverse sorts of jewels, and brought\nthither by the foremost of the celestials. And surrounded by the\ncelestials, and wearing a garland of lotuses and lilies the powerful\nwielder of the thunderbolt looked exceedingly beautiful on his car. And\nthe slayer of Vala, although he steadfastly gazed at his son on the\nfield of battle, was not satiated with such gazing.\"\n\n\nSECTION LVII\n\nVaisampayana said, \"Beholding the army of the Kurus arrayed in order of\nbattle, that descendant of the Kuru race, Partha, addressing Virata's\nson, said, 'Do thou proceed to the spot where Kripa, the son of\nSaradwat, is going by the southern side of that car whose flag is seen\nto bear the device of a golden altar.'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"Hearing these words of Dhananjaya, the son of\nVirata urged, without a moment's delay, those steeds of silvery hue\ndecked in golden armour. And making them adopt, one after another, every\nkind of the swifter paces, he urged those fiery steeds resembling the\nmoon in colour. And versed in horse-lore, Uttara, having approached the\nKuru host, turned back those steeds endued with the speed of the wind.\nAnd skilled in guiding vehicles, the prince of Matsya, sometimes\nwheeling about, and sometimes proceeding in circular mazes, and\nsometimes turning to the left, began to be wilder than the Kurus. And\nwheeling round, the intrepid and mighty son of Virata at last approached\nthe car of Kripa, and stood confronting him. Then announcing his own\nname, Arjuna powerfully blew that best of conchs called _Devadatta_, of\nloud blare. And blown on the field of battle by the mighty Jishnu, the\nblare of that conch was heard like the splitting of a mountain. And\nseeing that the conch did not break into a hundred fragments when blown\nby Arjuna, the Kurus with all their warriors began to applaud it highly.\nAnd having reached the very heavens, that sound coming back was heard\neven like the crash of the thunderbolt hurled by Maghavat on the\nmountain breast. Thereupon that heroic and intrepid and mighty\ncar-warrior, Saradwat's son Kripa, endued with strength and prowess,\nwaxing wroth at Arjuna, and unable to bear that sound and eager for\nfight, took up his own sea-begotten conch and blew it vehemently. And\nfilling the three worlds with that sound, that foremost of car-warriors\ntook up a large bow and twanged the bow-string powerfully. And those\nmighty car-warriors, equal unto two suns, standing opposed to each\nother, shone like two masses of autumnal clouds. Then Saradwat's son\nquickly pierced Partha, that slayer of hostile heroes, with ten swift\nand whetted arrows capable of entering into the very vitals. And\nPritha's son also, on his part, drawing that foremost of weapons, the\n_Gandiva_, celebrated over the world, shot innumerable iron-arrows, all\ncapable of penetrating into the very core of the body. Thereupon Kripa,\nby means of whetted shafts, cut into hundreds and thousands of\nfragments, those blood-drinking arrows of Partha before they could come\nup. Then that mighty car-warrior, Partha also, in wrath displaying\nvarious manoeuvres, covered all sides with a shower of arrows. And\ncovering the entire welkin with his shafts, that mighty warrior of\nimmeasurable soul, the son of Pritha, enveloped Kripa with hundreds of\nshafts. And sorely afflicted by those whetted arrows resembling flames\nof fire, Kripa waxed wroth and quickly afflicting the high-souled Partha\nof immeasurable prowess with ten thousand shafts, set up on the field of\nbattle a loud roar. Then the heroic Arjuna quickly pierced the four\nsteeds of his adversary with four fatal arrows shot from the _Gandiva_,\nsharp and straight, and furnished with golden wings. And pierced by\nmeans of those whetted arrows resembling flames of fire those steeds\nsuddenly reared themselves, and in consequence Kripa reeled off his\nplace. And seeing Gautama thrown off his place, the slayer of hostile\nheroes, the descendant of the Kuru race, out of regard for his\nopponent's dignity, ceased to discharge his shafts at him. Then\nregaining his proper place, Gautama quickly pierced Savyasachin with ten\narrows furnished with feathers of the _Kanka_ bird. Then with a\ncrescent-shaped arrow of keen edge, Partha cut off Kripa's bow and\nleathern fences. And soon Partha cut off Kripa's coat of mail also by\nmeans of arrows capable of penetrating the very vitals, but he did not\nwound his person. And divested of his coat of mail, his body resembled\nthat of a serpent which hath in season cast off its slough. And as soon\nas his bow had been cut off by Partha, Gautama took up another and\nstringed it in a trice. And strange to say, that bow of him was also cut\noff by Kunti's son, by means of straight shafts. And in this way that\nslayer of hostile heroes, the son of Pandu, cut off other bows as soon\nas they were taken up, one after another, by Saradwat's son. And when\nall his bows were thus cut off, that mighty hero hurled, from his car,\nat Pandu's son, a javelin like unto the blazing thunderbolt. Thereupon,\nas the gold-decked javelin came whizzing through the air with the flash\nof a meteor, Arjuna cut it off by means of ten arrows. And beholding his\ndart thus cut off by the intelligent Arjuna, Kripa quickly took up\nanother bow and almost simultaneously shot a number of crescent-shaped\narrows. Partha, however, quickly cut them into fragments by means of ten\nkeen-edged shafts, and endued with great energy, the son of Pritha then,\ninflamed with wrath on the field of battle, discharged three and ten\narrows whetted on stone and resembling flames of fire. And with one of\nthese he cut off the yoke of his adversary's car, and with four pierced\nhis four steeds, and with the sixth he severed the head of his\nantagonist's car-driver from off his body. And with three that mighty\ncar-warrior pierced, in that encounter, the triple bamboo-pole of\nKripa's car and with two, its wheels. And with the twelfth arrow he cut\noff Kripa's flagstaff. And with the thirteenth Phalguna, who was like\nIndra himself as if smiling in derision, pierced Kripa in the breast.\nThen with his bow cut off, his car broken, his steeds slain, his\ncar-driver killed, Kripa leapt down and taking up a mace quickly hurled\nit at Arjuna. But that heavy and polished mace hurled by Kripa was sent\nback along its course, struck by means of Arjuna's arrows. And then the\nwarriors (of Kripa's division), desirous of rescuing the wrathful son of\nSaradwat encountered Partha from all sides and covered him with their\narrows. Then the son of Virata, turning the steed to the left began to\nperform circuitous evolution called _Yamaka_ and thus withstood all\nthose warriors. And those illustrious bulls among men, taking Kripa with\nthem who had been deprived of his car, led him away from the vicinity of\nDhananjaya, the son of Kunti.\"\n\n\nSECTION LVIII\n\nVaisampayana said, \"After Kripa had thus been taken away, the invincible\nDrona of red steeds, taking up his bow to which he had already stringed\nan arrow, rushed towards Arjuna of white steeds. And beholding at no\ngreat distance from him the preceptor advancing on his golden car,\nArjuna that foremost of victorious warriors, addressing Uttara, said,\n'Blessed be thou, O friend, carry me before that warrior on whose high\nbanner-top is seen a golden altar resembling a long flame of fire and\ndecked with numerous flags placed around, and whose car is drawn by\nsteeds that are red and large, exceedingly handsome and highly-trained,\nof face pleasant and of quiet mien, and like unto corals in colour and\nwith faces of coppery hue, for that warrior is Drona with whom I desire\nto fight. Of long arms and endued with mighty energy possessed of\nstrength and beauty of person, celebrated over all the worlds for his\nprowess, resembling Usanas himself in intelligence and Vrihaspati in\nknowledge of morality, he is conversant with the four _Vedas_ and\ndevoted to the practice of _Brahmacharya_ virtues. O friend, the use of\nthe celestial weapons together with the mysteries of their withdrawal\nand the entire science of weapons, always reside in him. Forgiveness,\nself-control, truth, abstention from injury, rectitude of\nconduct,--these and countless other virtues always dwell in that\nregenerate one. I desire to fight with that highly-blessed one on the\nfield. Therefore, take me before the preceptor and carry me thither, O\nUttara.'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"Thus addressed by Arjuna, Virata's son urged\nhis steeds decked with gold towards the car of Bharadwaja's son. And\nDrona also rushed towards the impetuously advancing Partha, the son of\nPandu,--that foremost of car-warriors,--like an infuriate elephant\nrushing towards an infuriate compeer. And the son of Bharadwaja then\nblew his conch whose blare resembled that of a hundred trumpets. And at\nthat sound the whole army become agitated like the sea in a tempest. And\nbeholding those excellent steeds red in hue mingling in battle with\nArjuna's steeds of swan-like whiteness endued with the speed of the\nmind, all the spectators were filled with wonder. And seeing on the\nfield of battle those car-warriors--the preceptor Drona and his disciple\nPartha--both endued with prowess, both invincible, both well-trained,\nboth possessed of great energy and great strength, engaged with each\nother, that mighty host of the Bharatas began to tremble frequently. And\nthat mighty car-warrior Partha, possessed of great prowess and filled\nwith joy upon reaching Drona's car on his own, saluted the preceptor.\nAnd that slayer of hostile heroes, the mighty armed son of Kunti, then\naddressed Drona in an humble and sweet tone, saying, 'Having completed\nour exile in the woods, we are now desirous of avenging our wrongs. Even\ninvincible in battle, it doth not behove thee to be angry with us. O\nsinless one, I will not strike thee unless thou strikest me first. Even\nthis is my intention. It behoveth thee to act as thou choosest.' Thus\naddressed Drona discharged at him more than twenty arrows. But the\nlight-handed Partha cut them off before they could reach him. And at\nthis, the mighty Drona, displaying his lightness of hand in the use of\nweapons, covered Partha's car with a thousand arrows. And desirous of\nangering, Partha, that hero of immeasurable soul, then covered his\nsteeds of silvery whiteness with arrows whetted on stone and winged with\nthe feathers of the _Kanka_ bird. And when the battle between Drona and\nKiritin thus commenced, both of them discharging in the encounter arrows\nof blazing splendour, both well-known for their achievements, both equal\nto the wind itself in speed, both conversant with celestial weapons, and\nboth endued with mighty energy, began shooting clouds of arrows to\nbewilder the royal Kshatriyas. And all the warriors that were assembled\nthere were filled with wonder at sight of all this. And they all admired\nDrona who quickly shot clouds of arrows exclaiming,--_Well done! Well\ndone_! Indeed, _who else save Phalguna, is worthy of fighting with Drona\nin battle? Surely the duties of a Kshatriya are stern, for Arjuna\nfighteth with even his own preceptor_!--And it was thus that they who\nstood on the field of battle said unto one another. And inflamed with\nfire, those mighty-armed heroes standing before other, and each\nincapable of overcoming the other, covered each other with arrowy\nshowers. And Bharadwaja's son, waxing wroth, drew his large and\nunconquerable bow plated on the back with gold, and pierced Phalguna\nwith his arrows. And discharging at Arjuna's car innumerable whetted\narrows possessed of solar effulgence, he entirely shrouded the light of\nthe sun. And that great car-warrior of mighty arms, violently pierced\nPritha's son with keen-edged shafts even as the clouds shower upon a\nmountain. Then taking up that foremost of bows, the _Gandiva_,\ndestructive of foes and capable of withstanding the greatest strain, the\nimpetuous son of Pandu cheerfully discharged countless shafts of various\nkinds adorned with gold, and that powerful warrior also baffled in a\nmoment Drona's arrowy shower by means of those shafts shot from his own\nbow. And at this the spectators wondered greatly. And the handsome\nDhananjaya, the son of Pritha, ranging on his car, displayed his weapons\non all sides at the same time. And the entire welkin covered with his\narrows, became one wide expanse of shade. And at this Drona become\ninvisible like the sun enveloped in mist. And shrouded by those\nexcellent arrows on all sides, Drona looked like a mountain on fire. And\nbeholding his own car completely enveloped by the arrows of Pritha's\nson, Drona that ornament of battle, bent his terrible and foremost of\nbows whose noise was as loud as that of the clouds. And drawing that\nfirst of weapons, which was like unto a circle of fire, he discharged a\ncloud of keen-edged shafts. And then there were heard on the field loud\nsounds like the splitting of bamboos set on fire. And that warrior of\nimmeasurable soul, shooting from his bow arrows furnished with golden\nwings, covered all sides, shrouding the very light of the sun. And those\narrows with knots well-peeled off, and furnished with golden wings,\nlooked like flocks of birds in the sky. And the arrows discharged by\nDrona from his bow, touching one another at the wings, appeared like one\nendless line in the sky. And those heroes, thus discharging their arrows\ndecked with gold, seemed to cover the sky with showers of meteors. And\nfurnished with feathers of the _Kanka_ bird, those arrows looked like\nrows of cranes ranging in the autumnal sky. And the fierce and terrible\nencounter that took place between the illustrious Drona and Arjuna\nresembled that between Virata and Vasava of old. And discharging arrows\nat each other from bows drawn at their fullest stretch, they resembled\ntwo elephants assailing each other with their tusks. And those wrathful\nwarriors--those ornaments of battle--fighting strictly according to\nestablished usage, displayed in that conflict various celestial weapons\nin due order. Then that foremost of victorious men, Arjuna, by means of\nhis keen shafts resisted the whetted arrows shot by that best of\npreceptors. And displaying before the spectators various weapons, that\nhero of terrible prowess covered the sky with various kinds of arrows.\nAnd beholding that tiger among men, Arjuna, endued with fierce energy\nand intent upon striking him, that foremost of warriors and best of\npreceptors (from affection) began to fight with him playfully by means\nof smooth and straight arrows. And Bharadwaja's son fought on with\nPhalguna, resisting with his own the celestial weapons shot by the\nformer. And the fight that took place between those enraged lions among\nmen, incapable of bearing each other, was like unto encounter between\nthe gods and the _Danavas_. And the son of Pandu repeatedly baffled with\nhis own, the _Aindra_, the _Vayavya_, and the _Agneya_ weapons that were\nshot by Drona. And discharging keen shafts, those mighty bowmen, by\ntheir arrowy showers completely covered the sky and made a wide expanse\nof shade. And then the arrows shot by Arjuna, falling on the bodies of\nhostile warriors, produced the crash of thunderbolt. O king, elephants,\ncars, and horses, bathed in blood, looked like _Kinsuka_ trees crowned\nwith flowers. And in that encounter between Drona and Arjuna, beholding\nthe field covered with arms decked with bangles, and gorgeously-attired\ncar-warriors, and coats of mail variegated with gold, and with banners\nlying scattered all about, and with warriors slain by means of Partha's\narrows, the Kuru host became panic-stricken. And shaking their bows\ncapable of bearing much strain, those combatants began to shroud and\nweaken each other with their shafts. And, O bull of the Bharata race,\nthe encounter that took place between Drona and Kunti's son was dreadful\nin the extreme and resembled that between Vali and Vasava. And staking\ntheir very lives, they began to pierce each other straight arrows shot\nfrom their fully-stretched bow-strings. And a voice was heard in the sky\napplauding Drona, and saying, 'Difficult is the feat performed by Drona,\ninasmuch as he fighteth with Arjuna,--that grinder of foes, that warrior\nendued with mighty energy, of firm grasp, and invincible in\nbattle,--that conqueror of both celestials and _Daityas_, that foremost\nof all car-warriors.' And beholding Partha's infallibility, training,\nfleetness of hand, and the range also of Arjuna's, arrows, Drona became\namazed. And, O bull of the Bharata race, lifting up his excellent bow,\nthe _Gandiva_, the unforbearing Partha drew it now with one hand and now\nwith another shot an arrowy shower. And beholding that shower resembling\na flight of locusts, the spectators wondering applauded him exclaiming,\n'Excellent! Excellent!' And so ceaselessly did he shoot his arrows that\nthe very air was unable to penetrate the thick array. And the spectators\ncould not perceive any interval between the taking up of the arrows and\nletting them off. And in that fierce encounter characterised by\nlightness of hand in the discharge of weapons, Partha began to shoot his\narrows more quickly than before. And then all at once hundreds and\nthousands of straight arrows fell upon Drona's car. And, O bull of the\nBharata race, beholding Drona completely covered by the wielder of the\n_Gandiva_ with his arrows, the Kuru army set up exclamation of '_Oh'!_\nand '_Alas'!_ And Maghavat, together with those _Gandharvas_ and\n_Apsaras_ that have come there, applauded the fleetness of Partha's\nhand. And that mighty car-warrior, the preceptor's son, then resisted\nthe Pandva with a mighty array of cars. And although enraged with\nArjuna, yet Aswatthaman mentally admired that feat of the high-souled\nson of Pritha. And waxing wroth, he rushed towards Partha, and\ndischarged at him an arrowy shower like a heavy down-pour by the cloud.\nAnd turning his steeds towards Drona's son, Partha gave Drona an\nopportunity to leave the field. And thereupon the latter, wounded in\nthat terrible encounter, and his mail and banner gone sped away by the\naid of swift horses.\"\n\n\nSECTION LIX\n\nVaisampayana said, \"Then, O mighty king, Drona's son rushed to an\nencounter with Arjuna in battle. And beholding his rush to the conflict\nlike a hurricane, showering shafts like a rain charged cloud Pritha's\nson received him with a cloud of arrows. And terrible was the encounter\nbetween them, like that between the gods and the _Danavas_. And they\nshot arrows at each other like Virata and Vasava. And the welkin being\nenveloped on all sides with arrows, the sun was completely hidden, and\nthe air itself was hushed. And, O conqueror of hostile cities, as they\nassailed and struck each other, loud sounds arose as of bamboos on fire.\nAnd, O king, Aswatthaman's horses being sorely afflicted by Arjuna, they\nbecame bewildered and could not ascertain which way to go. And as\nPritha's son ranged on the field, the powerful son of Drona finding an\nopportunity, cut off the string of the _Gandiva_ with an arrow furnished\nwith a horse-shoe head. And beholding that extraordinary feat of his,\nthe celestials applauded him highly. And exclaiming--'Well done!'--'Well\ndone!' Drona and Bhishma, and Karna, and the mighty warrior Kripa, all\napplauded that feat of his greatly. And the son of Drona, drawing his\nexcellent bow, pierced with his shafts, furnished with the feathers of\nthe _Kanka_ bird, the breast of Partha, that bull among warriors.\nThereupon, with a loud laughter, the mighty-armed son of Pritha attached\na strong and fresh string to _Gandiva_. And moistening his bow-string\nwith the sweat that stood on his forehead resembling the crescent moon,\nPritha's son advanced towards his adversary, even as an infuriated\nleader of a herd of elephants rusheth at another elephant. And the\nencounter that took place between those two matchless heroes on the\nfield of battle was exceedingly fierce and made the bristles of the\nspectators stand on their ends. And as those heroes endued with mighty\nenergy fought on, the two mighty elephants, the Kurus beheld them with\nwonder. And those brave bulls among men assailed each other with arrows\nof snaky forms and resembling blazing fires. And as the couple of\nquivers belonging to the Pandava was inexhaustible, that hero was able\nto remain on the field immovable as a mountain. And as Aswatthaman's\narrows, in consequence of his ceaseless discharge in that conflict, were\nquickly exhausted, it was for this that Arjuna prevailed over his\nadversary. Then Karna, drawing his large bow with great force twanged\nthe bow-string. And thereupon arose loud exclamation of '_Oh!_' and\n'_Alas!_' And Pritha's son, casting his eyes towards the spot where that\nbow was twanged, beheld before him the son of Radha. And at that sight\nhis wrath was greatly excited. And inflamed with ire and desirous of\nslaying Karna, that bull of the Kuru race stared at him with rolling\neyes. And, O king, beholding Partha turn away from Aswatthaman's side,\nthe Kuru warriors discharged thousands of arrows on Arjuna. And the\nmighty-armed Dhananjaya, that conqueror of foes, leaving Drona's son,\nall on a sudden rushed towards Karna. And rushing towards Karna, with\neyes reddened in anger the son of Kunti, desirous of a single combat\nwith him, said these words.\"\n\n\nSECTION LX\n\n\"Arjuna said, 'The time, O Karna, hath now come for making good thy\nloquacious boast in the midst of the assembly, viz., that there is none\nequal to thee in fight. Today, O Karna, contending with me in terrible\nconflict, thou shalt know thy own strength, and shalt no longer\ndisregard others. Abandoning good breeding, thou hadst uttered many\nharsh words, but this that thou endeavourest to do, is, I think,\nexceedingly difficult. Do thou now, O Radha's son, contending with me in\nthe sight of the Kurus, make good what thou hadst said before in\ndisregard of myself. Thou who hadst witnessed Panchala's princess\noutraged by villains in the midst of the court, do thou now reap the\nfruit of that act of thine. Fettered by the bonds of morality before, I\ndesisted from vengeance then. Behold now, O son of Radha, the fruit of\nthat wrath in conflict at hand. O wicked wight, we have suffered much\nmisery in that forest for full twelve years. Reap thou today the fruits\nof our concentrated vengeance. Come, O Karna, cope with me in battle.\nLet these thy Kaurava warriors witness the conflict.' Hearing these\nwords, Karna replied, 'Do thou, O Partha, accomplish in deed what thou\nsayst in words. The world knows that thy words verily exceed thy deed.\nThat thou hadst foreborne formerly was owing to thy inability to do\nanything. If we witness thy prowess even now, we may acknowledge its\ntruth. If thy past forbearance was due to thy having been bound by the\nbonds of morality, truly thou art equally bound now although thou\nregardest thyself free. Having as thou sayst, passed thy exile in the\nwoods in strict accordance with thy pledge and being therefore weakened\nby practising an ascetic course of life, how canst thou desire a combat\nwith me now! O Pritha's son, if Sakra himself fight on thy side, still I\nwould feel no anxiety in putting forth my prowess. Thy wish, O son of\nKunti, is about to be gratified. Do thou fight with me now, and behold\nmy strength.' Hearing this, Arjuna said, 'Even now, O Radha's son, thou\nhadst fled from battle with me, and it is for this that thou livest\nalthough thy younger brother hath been slain. What other person, save\nthee, having beheld his younger brother slain in battle would himself\nfly from the field, and boast as thou dost, amid good and true men?'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"Having said these words unto Karna, the\ninvincible Vibhatsu rushed at him and charged a volley of shafts capable\nof penetrating through a coat of mail. But that mighty car-warrior,\nKarna, received with great alacrity that discharge with an arrowy shower\nof his own, heavy as the downpour of the clouds. And that fierce volley\nof arrows covered all sides and severally pierced the steeds and arms\nand leathern fences of the combatants. And incapable of putting up with\nthat assault, Arjuna cut off the strings of Karna's quiver by means of a\nstraight and sharp arrow. Thereupon, taking out from his quiver another\narrow, Karna pierced the Pandava in the hand at which the latter's hold\nof the bow was loosened. And then the mighty-armed Partha cut off\nKarna's bow into fragments. And Karna replied by hurling a dart at his\nadversary, but Arjuna cut it off by means of his arrows. And then the\nwarriors that followed the son of Radha rushed in crowds at Arjuna, but\nPartha sent them all to the abode of Yama by means of arrows shot from\nthe _Gandiva_. And Vibhatsu slew the steeds of Karna by means of sharp\nand tough arrows shot from the bow-string drawn to the ear, and deprived\nof life they dropped down on the ground. And taking another sharp and\nblazing arrow endued with great energy, the mighty son of Kunti pierced\nthe breast of Karna. And that arrow, cleaving through his mail,\npenetrated into his body. And at this, Karna's vision was obscured and\nhis senses left him. And regaining consciousness, he felt a great pain,\nand leaving the combat fled in a northernly direction. And at this, the\nmighty car-warrior Arjuna and Uttara, both began to address him\ncontumely.\"\n\n\nSECTION LXI\n\nVaisampayana said, \"Having defeated Vikartana's son, Arjuna said unto\nthe son of Virata, 'Take me towards that division where yonder device of\na golden palmyra is seen. There our grandfather, Santanu's son, like\nunto a celestial, waiteth, desirous of an encounter with me.' Thereupon,\nbeholding that mighty host thronged with cars and horses and elephants,\nUttara, sorely pierced with arrows, said, 'O hero, I am no longer able\nto guide thy excellent steeds. My spirits droop and my mind is\nexceedingly bewildered. All the directions seem to be whirling before my\neyes in consequence of the energy of the celestial weapons used by thee\nand the Kurus. I have been deprived of my senses by the stench of fat\nand blood and flesh. Beholding all this, from terror my mind is, as it\nwere, cleft in twain. Never before had I beheld such a muster of horses\nin battle. And at the flapping of fences, and the blare of conchs, the\nleonine roars made by the warriors and the shrieks of elephants, and the\ntwang of the _Gandiva_ resembling the thunder, I have, O hero, been so\nstupefied that I have been deprived of both hearing and memory. And, O\nhero, beholding thee incessantly drawing to a circle, in course of the\nconflict, the _Gandiva_ which resembleth a circle of fire, my sight\nfaileth me and my heart is rent asunder. And seeing thy fierce form in\nbattle, like that of the wielder of the _Pinaka_ while inflamed with\nwrath, and looking also at the terrible arrows shot by thee, I am filled\nwith fear. I fail to see when thou takest up thy excellent arrows, when\nthou fixest them on the bow-string, and when thou lettest them off. And\nthough all this is done before my eyes, yet, deprived of my senses, I do\nnot see it. My spirits are drooping and earth itself seems to be\nswimming before me. I have no strength to hold the whip and the reins.'\nHearing these words, Arjuna said, 'Do thou not fear. Assure thyself.\nThou also hast, on the field of battle performed, O bull among men,\nwonderful feats. Blessed be thou, thou art a prince and born in the\nillustrious line of Matsyas. It behoveth thee not to feel dispirited in\nchastising thy foes. Therefore, O prince, stationed on my car, muster\nall thy fortitude and hold the reins of my steeds, O slayer of foes,\nwhen I once more become engaged in battle.'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"Having said this unto Virata's son, that best\nof men and foremost of car-warriors, the mighty-armed Arjuna, again\naddressed the son of Virata, saying. 'Take me without delay to the van\nof Bhishma's division. I will cut off his very bow-string in the battle.\nThou shalt behold today the celestial weapons of blazing beauty, shot by\nme, look like flashes of lightning disporting amid the clouds in the\nsky. The Kauravas shall behold the gold decked back of my _Gandiva_\ntoday, and assembled together the foe shall dispute, saying,--_By which\nhand of his, the right or the left, doth he shoot_? And I shall cause a\ndreadful river (of death) to flow today towards the other world with\nblood for its waters and cars for its eddies, and elephants for its\ncrocodiles. I shall today, with my straight arrows, extirpate the _Kuru_\nforest having hands and feet and heads and backs and arms for the\nbranches of its trees. Alone, bow in hand, vanquishing the Kuru host, a\nhundred paths shall open before me like those of a forest in\nconflagration. Struck by me thou shalt today behold the Kuru army moving\nround and round like a wheel (unable to fly off the field). I shall show\nthee today my excellent training in arrows and weapons. Stay thou on my\ncar firmly, whether the ground be smooth or uneven. I can pierce with my\nwinged arrows even the mountain of _Sumeru_ that stands touching the\nvery heavens. I slew of old, at Indra's command, hundreds and thousands\nof _Paulomas_ and _Kalakhanjas_ in battle. I have obtained my firmness\nof grasp from Indra, and my lightness of hand from _Brahman_, and I have\nlearnt various modes of fierce attack and defence amid crowds of foes\nfrom _Prajapati_. I vanquished, on the other side of the great ocean,\nsixty thousands of car-warriors--all fierce archers--residing in\n_Hiranyapura_. Behold, now I defeat the multitudinous host of the Kurus\nlike a tempest scattering a heap of cotton. With my fiery arrows I shall\ntoday set the _Kuru_-forest to fire, having banners for its trees, the\nfoot-soldiers for its shrubs, and the car-warriors for its beasts of\nprey. Like unto the wielder of the thunderbolt overthrowing the Danavas,\nalone I shall, with my straight arrows, bring down from the chambers of\ntheir cars the mighty warrior of the Kuru army stationed therein and\nstruggling in the conflict to the best of their power. I have obtained\nfrom _Rudra_ the _Raudra_, from _Varuna_ the _Varuna_, from _Agni_ the\n_Agneya_, from the god of Wind the _Vayava_, and from Sakra the\nthunderbolt and other weapons. I shall certainly exterminate the fierce\n_Dhartarashtra-forest_ though protected by many leonine warriors.\nTherefore, O Virata's son, let thy fears be dispelled.'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"Thus assured by Savyasachin, the son of Virata\npenetrated into that fierce array of cars protected by Bhishma. The son\nof Ganga, however, of fierce deeds, cheerfully withstood the\nmighty-armed hero advancing from desire of vanquishing the heroes in\nbattle. Jishnu, then, confronting Bhishma, cut off his standard clean\noff at the roots by shooting a gold-decked arrow pierced by which it\nfell to the ground. And at this, four mighty warriors, Duhsasana and\nVikarna and Dussaha and Vivingsati, skilled in weapons and endued with\ngreat energy, and all decked with handsome garlands and ornaments,\nrushed towards that terrible bowman. And advancing towards\nVibhatsu--that fierce archer, these all encompassed him around. Then the\nheroic Duhsasana pierced the son of Virata with a crescent-shaped arrow\nand he pierced Arjuna with another arrow in the breast. And Jishnu,\nconfronting Duhsasana, cut off by means of a sharp-edged arrow furnished\nwith vulturine wings his adversary's bow plaited with gold, and then\npierced his person in the breast by means of five arrows. And afflicted\nby the arrows of Partha, Duhsasana fled, leaving the combat. Then\nVikarna, the son of Dhritarashtra, pierced Arjuna--that slayer of\nhostile heroes, by means of sharp and straight arrows furnished with\nvulturine wings. But the son of Kunti within a moment hit him also in\nthe forehead with straight shafts. And pierced by Arjuna, he fell down\nfrom his car. And at this, Dussaha, supported by Vivingsati, covered\nArjuna with a cloud of sharp arrows, impelled by the desire of rescuing\nhis brother. Dhananjaya, however, without the least anxiety, pierced\nboth of them almost at the same instant by means of couple of keen-edged\narrows and then slew the steeds of both. And there upon, both those sons\nof Dhritarashtra, deprived of their steeds and their bodies mangled were\ntaken away by the warrior behind them who had rushed forward with other\ncars. Then the unvanquished Vibhatsu, the mighty son of Kunti, decked\nwith diadem and sure of aim, simultaneously attacked all sides with his\narrows.\"\n\n\nSECTION LXII\n\nVaisampayana said, \"Then, O thou of the Bharata race, all the great\ncar-warriors of the Kurus, united together, began to assail Arjuna to\nthe best of their might from all sides. But that hero of immeasurable\nsoul completely covered all those mighty car-warriors with clouds of\narrows, even as the mist covereth the mountains. And the roars of huge\nelephants and conchs, mingling together, produced a loud up roar. And\npenetrating through the bodies of elephants and horses as also through\nsteel coats of mail, the arrows shot by Partha fell by thousands. And\nshooting shafts with the utmost celerity, the son of Pandu seemed in\nthat contest to resemble the blazing sun of an autumnal midday. And\nafflicted with fear, the car-warriors began to leap down from their cars\nand the horse-soldiers from horse-back, while the foot-soldiers began to\nfly in all directions. And loud was the clatter made by Arjuna's shafts\nas they cleft the coats of mail belonging to mighty warriors, made of\nsteel, silver, and copper. And the field was soon covered with the\ncorpses of warriors mounted on elephants and horses, all mangled by the\nshafts of Partha of great impetuosity like unto sighing snakes. And then\nit seemed as if Dhananjaya, bow in hand, was dancing on the field of\nbattle. And sorely affrighted at the twang of the _Gandiva_ resembling\nthe noise of the thunder, many were the combatants that fled from that\nterrible conflict. And the field of battle was bestrewn with severed\nheads decked with turbans, ear-rings and necklaces of gold, and the\nearth looked beautiful by being scattered all over with human trunks\nmangled by shafts, and arms having bows in their grasp and hands decked\nwith ornaments. And, O bull of the Bharata race, in consequence of heads\ncut off by whetted shafts ceaselessly falling on the ground, it seemed\nas if a shower of stones fell from the sky. And that Partha of\nformidable prowess, displaying his fierceness, now ranged the field of\nbattle, pouring the terrible fire of his wrath upon the sons of\nDhritarashtra. And beholding the fierce prowess of Arjuna who thus\nscorched the hostile host, the Kuru warriors, in the very presence of\nDuryodhana, became dispirited and ceased to fight. And, O Bharata,\nhaving struck terror into that host and routed those mighty\ncar-warriors, that fore-most of victors, ranged on the field. And the\nson of Pandu then created on the field of battle a dreadful river of\nblood, with waving billows, like unto the river of death that is created\nby Time at the end of the _Yuga_, having the dishevelled hair of the\ndead and the dying for its floating moss and straw, with bows and arrows\nfor its boats, fierce in the extreme and having flesh and animal juices\nfor its mire. And coats of mail and turbans floated thick on its\nsurface. And elephants constituted its alligators and the cars its\nrafts. And marrow and fat and blood constituted its currents. And it was\ncalculated to strike terror into the hearts of the spectators. And\ndreadful to behold, and fearful in the extreme, and resounding with the\nyells of ferocious beasts, keen edged weapons constituted its\ncrocodiles. And _Rakshasas_ and other cannibals haunted it from one end\nto the other. And strings of pearls constituted its ripples, and various\nexcellent ornaments, its bubbles. And having swarms of arrows for its\nfierce eddies and steeds for its tortoises, it was incapable of being\ncrossed. And the mighty car warrior constituted its large island, and it\nresounded with the blare of conchs and the sound of drums. And the river\nof blood that Partha created was incapable of being crossed. Indeed, so\nswift-handed was Arjuna that the spectators could not perceive any\ninterval between his taking up an arrow, and fixing it on the\nbow-string, and letting it off by a stretch of the _Gandiva_.\"\n\n\nSECTION LXIII\n\nVaisampayana said, \"Then while a great havoc was being made among the\nKurus, Santanu's son, Bhishma, and grandsire of the Bharatas rushed at\nArjuna, taking up an excellent bow adorned with gold, and many arrows\nalso of keen points and capable of piercing into the very vitals of the\nfoe and afflicting him sorely. And in consequence of a white umbrella\nbeing held over his head, that tiger among men looked beautiful like\nunto a hill at sunrise. And the son of Ganga, blowing his conch cheered\nthe sons of Dhritarashtra, and wheeling along his right came upon\nVibhatsu and impeded his course. And that slayer of hostile heroes, the\nson of Kunti, beholding him approach, received him with a glad heart,\nlike a hill receiving a rain-charged cloud. And Bhishma, endued with\ngreat energy, pierced Partha's flag-staff with eight arrows. The arrows\nreaching the flag-staff of Pandu's son, struck the blazing ape and those\ncreatures also stationed in the banner-top. And then the son of Pandu,\nwith a mighty javelin of sharp edge cut of Bhishma's umbrella which\ninstantly fell on the ground. And then the light-handed son of Kunti\nstruck his adversary's flag-staff also with many shafts, and then his\nsteeds and then the couple of drivers that protected Bhishma's flanks.\nAnd unable to bear this, Bhishma though cognisant of the Pandava's\nmight, covered Dhananjaya with a powerful celestial weapon. And the son\nof Pandu, of immeasurable soul, hurling in return a celestial weapon at\nBhishma, received that from Bhishma like a hill receiving a deep mass of\nclouds. And the encounter that took place between Partha and Bhishma,\nwas fierce and the Kaurava warriors with their troops stood as lookers\non. And in the conflict between Bhishma and the son of Pandu, shafts\nstriking against shafts shone in the air like fireflies in the season of\nrains. And, O king, in consequence of Partha's shooting arrows with both\nhis right and left hands, the bent _Gandiva_ seemed like a continuous\ncircle of fire. And the son of Kunti then covered Bhishma with hundreds\nof sharp and keen-edged arrows, like a cloud covering the\nmountain-breast with its heavy downpour. And Bhishma baffled with his\nown arrows that arrowy shower, like the bank resisting the swelling sea,\nand covered the son of Pandu in return. And those warriors, cut into a\nthousand pieces in battle, fell fast in the vicinity of Phalguna's car.\nAnd then there was a downpour, from the car of Pandu's son, of arrows\nfurnished with golden wing, and raining through the sky like a flight of\nlocusts. And Bhishma again repelled that arrowy shower with hundreds of\nwhetted shafts shot by him. And then the Kauravas exclaimed.--\n'Excellent! Excellent!--Indeed, Bhishma hath performed an exceedingly\ndifficult feat inasmuch as he hath fought with Arjuna. Dhananjaya is\nmighty and youthful, and dexterous and swift of hand. Who else, save\nBhishma, the son of Santanu, or Krishna, the son of Devaki, or the\nmighty son of Bharadwaja, the foremost of preceptors, is able to bear\nthe impetus of Partha in battle?' And repelling weapons with weapons,\nthose two bulls of the Bharata race, both endued with great might,\nfought on playfully and infatuated the eyes of all created beings. And\nthose illustrious warriors ranged on the field of battle, using the\ncelestials weapons obtained from _Prajapati_ and _Indra_, and _Agni_ and\nthe fierce _Rudra_, and _Kuvera_, and _Varuna_, and _Yama_, and _Vayu_.\nAnd all beings were greatly surprised, upon beholding those warriors\nengaged in combat. And they all exclaimed,--_Bravo Partha of long arms!\nBravo Bhishma! Indeed, this application of celestial weapons that is\nbeing witnessed in the combat between Bhishma and Partha_ is rare among\nhuman beings.\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"Thus raged that conflict with weapons between\nthose warriors conversant with all weapons. And when that conflict of\ncelestial weapons ceased, then commenced a conflict with arrows. And\nJishnu approaching his opponent, cut off with an arrow sharp like a\nrazor the gold-decked bow of Bhishma. Within the twinkling of the eye,\nhowever, Bhishma, that mighty-armed and great car-warrior, took up\nanother bow and stringed it. And inflamed with wrath, he showered upon\nDhananjaya a cloud of arrows. And Arjuna, too, endued with great energy,\nrained upon Bhishma innumerable sharp-pointed and keen-edged arrows. And\nBhishma also shot clouds of arrows upon Pandu's son. And conversant with\ncelestial weapons and engaged in shooting and each other, arrows of keen\npoints, no distinction, O king, could then be perceived between those\nillustrious warriors. And that mighty car-warrior, Kunti's son, covered\nwith a diadem, and the heroic son of Santanu, obscured the ten\ndirections with their arrows. And the Pandava covered Bhishma, and\nBhishma also covered the Pandava, with clouds of shafts. And, O king,\nwonderful was this combat that took place in this world of men. And the\nheroic warriors that protected Bhishma's car, slain by the son of Pandu,\nfell prostrate, O monarch, beside the car of Kunti's son. And the\nfeathery arrows of Swetavahana, shot from the _Gandiva_, fell in all\ndirections as if with the object of making a wholesale slaughter of the\nfoe. And issuing forth from his car those blazing arrows furnished with\ngolden wings looked like rows of swans in the sky. And all the\ncelestials with Indra, stationed in the firmament, gazed with wonder\nupon another celestial weapon hurled with great force by that wonderful\narcher Arjuna. And beholding that wonderful weapon of great beauty, the\nmighty _Gandiva_, Chitrasena, highly pleased, addressed the lord of\ncelestials, saying, 'Behold these arrows shot by Partha coursing through\nthe sky in one continuous line. Wonderful is the dexterity of Jishnu in\nevolving this celestial weapon! Human beings are incapable of shooting\nsuch a weapon, for it does not exist among men. How wonderful again is\nthis concourse of mighty weapons existing from days of old! No interval\ncan be perceived between his taking up the arrows, fixing them on the\nbow-string, and letting them off by stretching the _Gandiva_. The\nsoldiers are incapable of even looking at the son of Pandu, who is like\nunto the midday sun blazing in the sky. So also none ventures to look at\nBhishma, the son of Ganga. Both are famous for their achievements, and\nboth are of fierce prowess. Both are equal in feats of heroism, and both\nare difficult of being vanquished in battle.'\n\n\"Thus addressed by the _Gandharva_ about that combat between Partha and\nBhishma, the lord of the celestials, O Bharata, paid proper respect unto\nboth by a shower of celestial flowers. Meanwhile, Bhishma, the son of\nSantanu, assailed Arjuna on the left side, while that drawer of the bow\nwith either hands was on the point of piercing him. And at this,\nVibhatsu, laughing aloud, cut off with an arrow of keen edge and\nfurnished with vulturine wings, the bow of Bhishma, that hero of solar\neffulgence. And then Dhananjaya, the son of Kunti, pierced Bhishma in\nthe breast with ten shafts although the latter was contending with all\nhis prowess. And sorely afflicted with pain Ganga's son of mighty arms\nand irresistible in battle, stood for a long time leaning on the pole of\nhis car. And beholding him deprived of consciousness the driver of his\ncar-steeds, calling to mind the instructions about protecting the\nwarriors when in a swoon, led him away for safety.\"\n\n\nSECTION LXIV\n\nVaisampayana said, \"After Bhishma had fled, leaving the van of battle,\nthe illustrious son of Dhritarashtra hoisting high flag approached\nArjuna, bow in hand and setting up a loud roar. And with a spear-headed\nshaft shot from his bow stretched to the ear, he pierced on the forehead\nof that terrible bowman of fierce prowess, Dhananjaya, ranging amidst the\nfoes. And pierced with that keen shaft of golden point on the forehead,\nthat hero of famous deeds looked resplendent, O king, like unto a\nbeautiful hill with a single peak. And cut by that arrow, the warm\nlife-blood gushed out profusely from the wound. And the blood trickling\ndown his body shone beautifully like a wreath of golden flowers. And\nstruck by Duryodhana with the shaft, the swift-handed Arjuna of\nunfailing strength, swelling with rage, pierced the king in return,\ntaking up arrows that were endued with the energy of snakes of virulent\npoison. And Duryodhana of formidable energy attacked Partha, and Partha\nalso, that foremost of heroes, attacked Duryodhana. And it was that\nthose foremost of men, both born in the race of Ajamida, struck each\nother alike in the combat. And then (seated) on an infuriate elephant\nhuge as a mountain and supported by four cars, Vikarna rushed against\nJishnu, the son of Kunti. And beholding that huge elephant, advancing\nwith speed, Dhananjaya struck him on the head between the temples with\nan iron arrow of great impetus shot from the bow-string stretched to the\near. And like the thunderbolt hurled by Indra splitting a mountain, that\narrow furnished with vulturine wings, shot by Partha, penetrated, up to\nthe very feathers, into the body of that elephant huge as hill. And\nsorely afflicted by the shaft, that lord of the elephant species began\nto tremble, and deprived of strength fell down on the ground in intense\nanguish, like the peak of mountain riven by thunder. And that best of\nelephants falling down on the earth, Vikarna suddenly alighting in great\nterror, ran back full eight hundred paces and ascended on the car of\nVivingsati. And having slain with that thunder-like arrow that elephant\nhuge as a mighty hill and looking like a mass of clouds, the son of\nPritha smote Duryodhana in the breast with another arrow of the same\nkind. And both the elephant and the king having thus been wounded, and\nVikarna having broken and fled along with the supporters of the king's\ncar, the other warriors, smitten with the arrows shot from the\n_Gandiva_, fled from the field in panic. And beholding the elephant\nslain by Partha, and all the other warriors running away, Duryodhana,\nthe foremost of the Kurus, turning away his car precipitately fled in\nthat direction where Partha was not. And when Duryodhana was fast\nrunning away in alarm, pierced by that arrow and vomitting forth blood,\nKiritin, still eager for battle and capable of enduring every enemy,\nthus censured him from wrath, 'Sacrificing thy great fame and glory, why\ndost thou fly away, turning thy back? Why are not those trumpets sounded\nnow, as they were when thou hadst set out from thy kingdom? Lo, I am an\nobedient servant of Yudhishthira, myself being the third son of Pritha,\nstanding here for battle. Turn back, show me thy face, O son of\nDhritarashtra, and bear in thy mind the behaviour of kings. The name\n_Duryodhana_ bestowed on thee before is hereby rendered meaningless.\nWhen thou runnest away, leaving the battle, where is thy persistence in\nbattle? Neither do I behold thy body-guards, O Duryodhana, before nor\nbehind. O foremost of men, fly thou away and save thy life which is dear\nfrom the hands of Pandu's son.'\"\n\n\nSECTION LXV\n\nVaisampayana said, \"Thus summoned to battle by the illustrious hero,\nDhritarashtra's son turned back stung by those censures, like an\ninfuriate and mighty elephant pricked by a hook. And stung by those\nreproaches and unable to bear them, that mighty and brave car-warrior\nendued with great swiftness, turned back on his car, like a snake that\nis trampled under foot. And beholding Duryodhana turn back with his\nwounds, Karna, that hero among men, decked with a golden necklace,\nstopped the king on the way and soothing him, himself proceeded along\nthe north of Duryodhana's car to meet Partha in battle. And the\nmighty-armed Bhishma also, the son of Santanu, turning back his steeds\ndecked with gold, enormous in size, and of tawny hue, rushed bow in\nhand, for protecting Duryodhana from Partha's hand. And Drona and Kripa\nand Vivingsati and Duhsasana and others also, quickly turning back,\nrushed forward with speed with drawn bows and arrows fixed on the\nbow-strings, for protecting Duryodhana. And beholding those divisions\nadvance towards him like the swelling surges of the ocean, Dhananjaya,\nthe son of Pritha, quickly rushed at them like a crane rushing at a\ndescending cloud. And with celestial weapons in their hands, they\ncompletely surrounded the son of Pritha and rained on him from all sides\na perfect shower of shafts, like clouds showering on the mountain breast\na heavy downpour of rain. And warding off with weapons, all the weapons\nof those bulls among the Kurus, the wielder of the _Gandiva_ who was\ncapable of enduring all foes, evolved another irresistible weapon\nobtained from Indra, called _Sanmohana_. And entirely covering the\ncardinal and other directions with sharp and keen-edged arrows furnished\nwith beautiful feathers, that mighty hero stupefied their senses with\nthe twang of the _Gandiva_. And once more, taking up with both his hands\nthat large conch of loud blare, Partha, that slayer of foes, blew it\nwith force and filled the cardinal and other points, the whole earth,\nand sky, with that noise. And those foremost of the Kuru heroes were all\ndeprived of their senses by the sound of that conch blown by Partha. And\nall of them stood still, their bows, from which they were never\nseparated, dropping down from their hands. And when the Kuru army became\ninsensible, Partha calling to mind the words of Uttara, addressed the\nson of the Matsya king, saying, 'O best of men, go thou among the Kurus,\nso long as they remain insensible, and bring away the white garments of\nDrona and Kripa, and the yellow and handsome ones of Karna, as also the\nblue ones of the king and Drona's son. Methinks, Bhishma is not\nstupefied, for he knoweth how to counteract this weapon of mine. So,\npass thou on, keeping his steeds to thy left; for those that are\nsensible should thus be avoided.' Hearing these words, the illustrious\nson of Matsya, giving up the reins of the steeds, jumped down from the\ncar and taking off the garments of the warriors, came back to his place.\nAnd the son of Virata then urged the four handsome steeds with flanks\nadorned with golden armours. And those white steeds, urged on, took\nArjuna away from the midst of battle-field and beyond the array of the\ninfantry bearing standards in their hands. And, Bhishma, beholding that\nbest of men thus going away, struck him with arrows. And Partha, too,\nhaving slain Bhishma's steeds, pierced him with ten shafts. And\nabandoning Bhishma on the field of battle, having first slain his\ncar-driver, Arjuna with a good-looking bow in hand came out of that\nmultitude of cars, like the sun emerging from the clouds. And\nDhritarashtra's son, that foremost of heroes among the Kurus, recovering\nhis senses, saw the son of Pritha standing like the lord of the\ncelestials, alone on the battle-field. And he said in hurry (unto\nBhishma), 'How hath this one escape from thee? Do thou afflict him in\nsuch a way that he may not escape.' And at this, Santanu's son, smiling,\nsaid unto him, 'Where had been this sense of thine, and where had been\nthy prowess too, when thou hadst been in a state of unconsciousness\nrenouncing thy arrows and handsome bow? Vibhatsu is not addicted to the\ncommission of atrocious deeds; nor is his soul inclined to sin. He\nrenounceth not his principles even for the sake of the three worlds. It\nis for this only that all of us have not been slain in this battle. O\nthou foremost of Kuru heroes, go back to the city of the Kurus, and let\nPartha also go away, having conquered the kine. Do thou never foolishly\nthrow away thy own good. Indeed, that which leadeth to one's welfare\nought to be accomplished.'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"Having listened to the words of the grandsire\nthat tended to his own welfare, the wrathful king Duryodhana no longer\neager for battle, drew a deep sigh and became silent. And reflecting\nthat the advice of Bhishma was beneficial and seeing that the Pandavas\ngaining in strength, the other warriors also, desirous of protecting\nDuryodhana, resolved to return. And beholding those foremost of Kuru\nheroes departing for their city, Dhananjaya, the son of Pritha, with a\ncheerful heart followed them for a while, desirous of addressing and\nworshipping them. And having worshipped the aged grandsire--the son of\nSantanu, as also the preceptor Drona, and having saluted with beautiful\narrows Drona's son and Kripa and other venerable ones among the Kurus,\nthe son of Pritha broke into fragments Duryodhana's crown decked with\nprecious gems, with another arrow. And having saluted all the venerable\nand brave warriors thus, he filled the three worlds with the twang of\nthe _Gandiva_. And suddenly blowing his conch called _Devadatta_, the\nhero pierced the hearts of all his foes. And having humbled the hostile,\nhe looked resplendent on his car decked with a handsome flag. And\nbeholding the Kurus depart, Kiritin cheerfully said unto Matsya's son,\n'Turn back thy steeds; thy kine have been recovered; the foe is going\naway and do thou also return to thy city with a cheerful heart.' And the\ncelestials also, having witnessed that most wonderful encounter between\nPhalguna and the Kurus, were highly delighted, and went to their\nrespective abodes, reflecting upon Partha's feats.\"\n\n\nSECTION LXVI\n\nVaisampayana said, \"Having vanquished the Kurus in battle, that one with\neyes like those of a bull brought back that profuse cattle wealth of\nVirata. And while the Dhritarashtra, after their rout, were going away,\na large number of Kuru-soldiers issuing out of the deep forest appeared\nwith slow steps before Partha, their hearts afflicted with fear. And\nthey stood before him with joined palms and with hair dishevelled. And\nfatigued with hunger and thirst, arrived in a foreign land, insensible\nwith terror, and confused in mind, they all bowed down unto the son of\nPritha and said,--_We are thy slaves_.'\n\n\"Arjuna said, 'Welcome, blessed be ye. Go ye away. Ye have no cause of\nfear. I will not take the lives of them that are afflicted. Ye have my\nassurance of protection.'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"Hearing these words of assurance, the assembled\nwarriors greeted him with benedictions in praise of his achievements and\nfame and wishing him long life. And the Kauravas were unable to confront\nArjuna while after routing the foe he proceeded towards the city of\nVirata, like an elephant with rent temples. And having routed the whole\narmy of the Kuru like a violent wind scattering the clouds, that slayer\nof foes, Partha, regardfully addressing the prince of Matsya, said, 'It\nis known to thee alone, O child, that the sons of Pritha are all living\nwith thy father. Do not eulogise them upon entering the city, for then\nthe king of the Matsyas may hide himself in fear. On the other hand,\nentering the city, do thou proclaim in the presence of thy father that\nthe deed is thy own, saying,--_By me hath the army of the Kurus been\nvanquished and by me have the kine been recovered from the foe!_'\n\n\"Uttara said, 'The feat thou hast achieved is beyond my power. I do not\npossess the ability to achieve it. I shall not, however, O Savyasachin,\ndiscover thee to my father, as long as thou wilt not tell me to do it.'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"Having vanquished the hostile army and wrested\nthe whole of the cattle wealth from the Kurus, Jishnu returned again to\nthe cemetery and having approached the same _Sami_ tree stood there with\nbody mangled by the arrows of the enemy. Then that terrible monkey\nblazing like fire ascended into the sky with those other creatures in\nthe flag-staff. And the illusion created (by Viswakarma) melted away and\nUttara's own banner bearing the device of a lion was set up on the car\nagain. And having replaced the arrows and quivers of those foremost of\nthe Kuru princes, and also that other weapon the _(Gandiva)_ which\nenhances the fierceness of a battle, the illustrious prince of Matsya\nset out for the city with a glad heart, having Kiritin as his\ncharioteer. And having achieved an exceedingly mighty feat and slain the\nfoe, Partha also, that slayer of foes, binding his hair into a braid as\nbefore, took the reins from Uttara's hands. And that illustrious hero\nentered the city of Virata, with a cheerful heart rehabilitating himself\nas Vrihannala, the car-driver of Uttara.'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"When all the Kauravas utterly routed and\nvanquished, set out in a dejected mood for Hastinapura, Phalguna, on his\nway back, addressed Uttara, saying, 'O prince, O hero of mighty arms,\nseeing the kine escorted in advance of us by the cowherds, we shall\nenter Virata's metropolis in the afternoon, having tended the steeds\nwith drink and a bath. Let the cowherds, despatched by thee, speedily\nrepair to the city with the good news and proclaim thy victory.'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"Agreeable to Arjuna's words, Uttara speedily\nordered the messengers, saying, 'Go ye and proclaim the king's victory.\nThe foe hath been routed, and the kine have been recovered.' And the\nMatsya and the Bharata princes having thus consulted together\nre-approached the same _Sami_ tree. And gratified with the victory they\nhad won, and arrived at the foot of the _Sami_ tree, they wore on their\npersons and took up on their car the ornaments and robes they had left\nthere. And having vanquished the whole hostile army and recovered the\nwhole of the wealth from the Kurus, the heroic son of Virata returned to\nthe city with Vrihannala as his car-driver.\"\n\n\nSECTION LXVII\n\nVaisampayana said, \"Having speedily recovered his wealth Virata owning a\nlarge army entered his city with a cheerful heart, accompanied by the\nfour Pandavas. And having vanquished the _Trigartas_ in battle and\nrecovered all the kine, that mighty monarch, along with the sons of\nPritha, looked resplendent and blazed forth in beauty. And as the brave\nking, that enhancer of the joys of friends, was seated on his throne,\nall his subjects headed by the Brahmanas stood before him. And\nworshipped by them, the king of the Matsyas, at the head of his army,\nsaluted the Brahmanas and his subjects in return and dismissed them\ncheerfully. And Virata, the king of the Matsyas owning a large army,\nenquired after Uttara, saying, 'Where hath Uttara gone?' And the women\nand the maidens of the palace and the other females living in the inner\napartments joyfully said unto him, 'Our kine having been seized by the\nKurus, Bhuminjaya incensed at this and from excess of bravery hath\nissued forth alone with only Vrihannala as his second, for vanquishing\nthe six mighty car-warriors, Bhishma the son of Santanu, and Kripa, and\nKarna, and Duryodhana, and Drona, and Drona's son who have all come with\nthe Kuru army.'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"Then king Virata, hearing that his brave son\nhad gone forth with only one car and with Vrihannala as his car-driver,\nbecame filled with grief, and addressing his chief counsellors, said,\n'Without doubt, the Kauravas and other lords of earth, learning the\ndefeat of the Trigartas, will never keep their ground. Therefore, let\nthose of my warriors that have not been wounded by the _Trigartas_ go\nout, accompanied by a mighty force, for the protection of Uttara.' And\nsaying this, the king speedily despatched, for the sake of his son,\nhorses and elephants and cars and a large number of foot-soldiers,\nequipped and decked with various kinds of weapons and ornaments. And it\nwas thus that Virata, the king of the Matsyas, owning a large army,\nquickly ordered out a large division consisting of four kinds of troops.\nAnd having done this, he said, 'Learn ye, without loss of time whether\nthe prince liveth still or not! I myself think that he who hath got a\nperson of the neuter sex for his car-driver is not alive.'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"Then king Yudhishthira the just, smilingly said\nunto the afflicted king Virata, 'If, O monarch, Vrihannala hath been his\ncharioteer, the foe will never be able to take away thy kine today.\nProtected by that charioteer, thy son will be able to vanquish in battle\nall the lords of earth allied with the Kurus, indeed, even the gods and\nthe _Asuras_ and the _Siddhas_ and the _Yakshas_ together.'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"Meanwhile, the swift-footed messengers\ndespatched by Uttara, having reached Virata's city, gave tidings of the\nvictory. And the minister-in-chief then informed the king of everything,\nviz., the great victory that had been won, the defeat of the Kurus, and\nthe expected arrival of Uttara. And he said, 'All the kine have been\nbrought back, the Kurus have been defeated, and Uttara, that slayer of\nfoes, is well with his car-driver.' Then Yudhishthira said, 'By good\nluck it is that the kine have been recovered and the Kurus routed. I do\nnot, however, regard it strange that thy son should have vanquished the\nKurus, for his victory is assured that hath Vrihannala for his\ncharioteer.'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"Hearing of the victory of his son possessed of\nimmeasurable might, king Virata became so glad that the bristles of his\nbody stood erect. And having made presents of raiments unto the\nmessengers, he ordered his ministers, saying, 'Let the highways be\ndecorated with flags, and let all the gods and goddesses be worshipped\nwith flowery offerings. And let princes and brave warriors, and\nmusicians and harlots decked in ornaments, march out to receive my son.\nAnd let the bellman, speedily riding an intoxicated elephant, proclaim\nmy victory at places where four roads meet. And let Uttara, too, in\ngorgeous attire and surrounded by virgins and chanters of eulogies, go\nforth to receive my son.'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"Having listened to these words of the king, all\nthe citizens with auspicious things in hand, and many amongst them with\ncymbals and trumpets and conchs, and beautiful women attired in gorgeous\nrobes, and reciters of auspicious and sacred hymns, accompanied by\nencomiasts and minstrels, and drummers and other kinds of musicians\nissued forth from the city of the mighty Virata to welcome Uttara of\nimmeasurable prowess. And having despatched troops and maidens and\ncourtesans decked in ornaments, the wise king of the Matsyas cheerfully\nsaid these words, '_O Sairindhri_, fetch the dice. And, O Kanka, let the\nplay commence.' The son of Pandu replied, saying, 'We have heard it said\nthat one whose heart is filled with joy should not play with a cunning\ngambler. I do not therefore, dare gamble with thee that are so\ntransported with joy. I am ever desirous of doing what is for thy good.\nLet the play, however, commence if it pleases thee.'\n\n\"Virata said, 'My female slaves and kine, my gold and whatsoever other\nwealth I have, nothing of all this shall thou be able to protect today\neven if I do not gamble.' Kanka said in reply, 'O monarch, O bestower of\nhonours, what business hast thou with gamble which is attended with\nnumerous evils? Gambling is fraught with many evils; it should,\ntherefore, be shunned. Thou mayst have seen or at least heard of\nYudhishthira, the son of Pandu. He lost his extensive and prosperous\nkingdom and his god-like brothers at dice. For this, I am averse to\ngambling. But if thou likest, O king, I will play.'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"While the play was going on, Matsya said unto\nthe son of Pandu, 'Lo, the Kauravas that are so formidable have been\nvanquished in battle by my son.' Upon this, the illustrious king\nYudhishthira said, 'Why should not he conquer that hath Vrihannala for\nhis charioteer?'\n\n\"Thus addressed, King Matsya became angry and said unto Pandu's son,\n'Thou wretch of a Brahmana, dost thou compare one of the neuter sex with\nmy son! Hast thou no knowledge of what is proper and what improper for\none to say? Without doubt, thou disregardest me. Why should not my son\nvanquish all those with Bhishma and Drona as their leaders? O Brahmana,\nfor friendship only I pardon thee this thy offence. Thou must not,\nhowever, say so again if thou wishest to live.'\n\n\"Yudhishthira said, 'There where Bhishma and Drona and Drona's son and\nthe son of Vikartana and Kripa and king Duryodhana and other royal and\nmighty car-warriors are assembled or there where Indra himself is\nsurrounded by the Maruts, what other person than Vrihannala can fight,\nencountering them all! None hath been, none will be, his equal in\nstrength of arms! Indeed, it is Vrihannala only whose heart is filled\nwith joy at sight of a terrible conflict. It is he who had vanquished\nthe celestials and the _Asuras_ and human beings fighting together. With\nsuch a one for his ally, why should not thy son conquer the foe?' Virata\nsaid, 'Repeatedly forbidden by me, thou dost not yet restrain thy\ntongue. If there is none to punish, no one would practise virtue.'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"Saying this, the king inflamed with anger\nforcibly struck Yudhishthira in the face with a dice, and reproached him\nangrily, saying, 'Let it not occur again!' And having been violently\nstruck, blood began to flow from his nose. But the son of Pritha held it\nin his hands before it fell on the ground. And the virtuous Yudhishthira\nthen glanced at Draupadi who was standing by his side. Ever obedient to\nthe wishes of her lord, the faultless Draupadi, understanding his\nmeaning, and bringing a golden vessel filled with water, received the\nblood that flowed from his nose. Meanwhile, Uttara, entertained with\nsweet perfumes of diverse kinds and decked with floral chaplets, slowly\nentered the city, received with respect by the citizens, the women, and\nthe people of the provinces. And approaching the gate of the palace he\nsent the news of his arrival to his father. And the porter then,\napproaching the king, said, 'Thy son Uttara, waiteth at the gate with\nVrihannala as his companion.' And the Matsya king, with a cheerful\nheart, said unto him, 'Do thou usher both, as I am very anxious to see\nthem.' Then Yudhishthira, the king of the Kurus, gently whispered unto\nthe ears of the warder, 'Let Uttara enter alone; Vrihannala must not\ncome in. Such is the vow of that hero of mighty arms that whoever\ncauseth a wound on my person or sheddeth my blood except in battle,\nshall not live. Inflamed with rage he will never bear patiently to see\nme bleeding, but will slay Virata even now with his counsellors and\ntroops and steeds.'\"\n\n\nSECTION LXVIII\n\nVaisampayana said, \"Then Bhuminjaya, the eldest son of the king,\nentered, and having worshipped the feet of his father approached Kanka.\nAnd he beheld Kanka covered with blood, and seated on the ground at one\nend of the court, and waited upon by the _Sairindhri_. And seeing this,\nUttara asked his father in a hurry, saying, 'By whom, O king, hath this\none been struck? By whom hath this sinful act been perpetrated?'\n\n\"Virata said, 'This crooked Brahmana hath been struck by me. He\ndeserveth even more than this. When I was praising thee, he praised that\nperson of the third sex.'\n\n\"Uttara said, 'Thou hast, O king, committed an improper act. Do thou\nspeedily propitiate him so that the virulent poison of a Brahmana's\ncurse may not consume thee to thy roots!'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"Having heard the words of his son, Virata, that\nenhancer of the limits of his kingdom, began to soothe Kunti's son, who\nwas like unto a fire hid in ashes, for obtaining his forgiveness. And\nunto the king desirous of obtaining his pardon the Pandava replied, 'O\nking, I have long ago forgiven it. Anger I have none. Had this blood\nfrom my nostrils fallen on the ground, then, without doubt, thou, O\nmonarch, wouldst have been destroyed with thy kingdom. I do not,\nhowever, blame thee, O king, for having struck an innocent person. For,\nO king, they that are powerful generally act with unreasoning\nseverity.'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"When the bleeding had stopped, Vrihannala\nentered (the council-room) and having saluted both Virata and Kanka,\nstood silent. And the king, having appeased the chief of the Kurus,\nbegan to praise, in Savyasachin's hearing, Uttara who had returned from\nthe battle. And the king said, 'O enhancer of the joys of Kekaya's\nprincess, in thee have I truly a son! I never had nor shall have, a son\nthat is equal to thee! How, indeed, couldst thou, O child, encounter\nthat Karna who leaveth not a single mark unhit amongst even a thousand\nthat he may aim at all at once? How couldst thou, O child, encounter\nthat Bhishma who hath no equal in the whole world of men? How also\ncouldst thou, O child, encounter Drona, that foremost of all wielders of\nweapons, that preceptor of the Vrishnis and Kauravas, twice-born one who\nmay be regarded as the preceptor of all the Kshatriyas? How couldst thou\nmeet in battle the celebrated Aswatthaman? How couldst thou, O child,\nencounter that Duryodhana, the prince who is capable of piercing even a\nmountain with his mighty arrows? My foes have all been thrashed. A\ndelicious breeze seems to blow around me. And since thou hast recovered\nin battle the whole of my wealth that had been seized by the Kurus, it\nseems that all those mighty warriors were struck with panic. Without\ndoubt, thou, O bull amongst men, has routed the foe and snatched away\nfrom them my wealth of kine, like his prey from a tiger.'\"\n\n\nSECTION LXIX\n\n\"Uttara said, 'The kine have not been recovered by me, nor have the foe\nbeen vanquished by me. All that hath been accomplished by the son of a\ndeity. Capable of striking like a thunderbolt, that youth of celestial\norigin, beholding me running away in fear, stopped me and himself\nmounted on my car. It was by him that the kine have been recovered and\nthe Kauravas vanquished. The deed, O father, is that hero's and not\nmine. It was he that repulsed with arrows Kripa and Drona and Drona's\nson of powerful energy, and the _Suta's_ son and Bhishma. That mighty\nhero then spoke unto the affrighted prince Duryodhana who was running\naway like the leader of a head of elephants, these words, \"O prince of\nthe Kuru race, I do not see that thou art safe by any means even at\nHastinapura. Protect thy life by putting forth thy might. Thou shalt not\nescape me by flight. Therefore, make up thy mind for fight. If\nvictorious, the sovereignty of the earth will be thine, or if slain,\nheaven itself will be thine.\"\n\n\"'Thus addressed, king Duryodhana--that tiger among men surrounded by\nhis counsellors,--sighing on his car like a snake turned back, showered\narrows endued with the speed and force of thunderbolts. Beholding all\nthis, venerable sire, my thighs began to quake. Then that celestial\nyouth pierced with arrows the Kuru army consisting of leonine warriors.\nAnd having pierced and afflicted that crowd of cars, that youth, stout\nas the lion, laughed at them and robbed them of their clothes and\nattires. Indeed, the six great car-warriors of the Kurus were vanquished\nby that hero alone, even like herds of animals ranging in the forest by\na single tiger in rage.'\n\n\"Virata said, 'Where is that mighty-armed and famous youth of celestial\norigin, that hero who recovered in battle my wealth that had been seized\nby the Kurus? I am anxious to behold and worship that mighty warrior of\ncelestial origin who hath saved thee and my kine also.'\n\n\"Uttara replied, 'The mighty son of a deity disappeared there and then.\nI think, however, that he will show himself either tomorrow or the day\nafter.'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"Virata, that owner of a large army, remained\nignorant of the son of Pandu who was thus described unto him by Uttara,\nand who was living in the palace in disguise. And permitted by the\nhigh-souled Virata, Partha presented with his own hands the garments he\nhad brought, unto Virata's daughter. And the beautiful Uttara, obtaining\nthose new and costly clothes of diverse kinds, became highly glad, along\nwith the son of the Matsya king.\"\n\n\nSECTION LXX\n\nVaisampayana said, \"Then, on the third day, attired in white robes after\na bath, and decked in ornaments of all kinds, those great car-warriors,\nthe five Pandava brothers, having accomplished their vow, and with\nYudhishthira at their head, looked resplendent as they entered the\npalace-gate like five intoxicated elephants. And having entered the\ncouncil-hall of Virata, they took their seats on the thrones reserved\nfor kings, and shone brilliantly like fires on the sacrificial altar.\nAnd after Pandavas had taken their seats, Virata, that lord of earth,\ncame there for holding his council and discharging other royal offices.\nAnd beholding the illustrious Pandavas blazing like fires, the king\nreflected for a moment. And then, filled with wrath, the Matsya king\nspoke unto Kanka seated there like a celestial and looking like the lord\nof celestials surrounded by the Martus. And he said, 'A player at dice\nthou wert employed by me as a courtier! How couldst thou occupy the\nroyal seat thus attired in handsome robes and ornaments?'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"Hearing these words of Virata, O king, and\ndesirous of jesting with him, Arjuna smilingly said in reply, 'This\nperson, O king, deserveth to occupy the same seat with Indra himself.\nDevoted to the Brahmanas, acquainted with the _Vedas_, indifferent to\nluxury and carnal enjoyments, habitually performing sacrifices, steady\nin vows, this one, indeed, is the very embodiment of virtue. The\nforemost of all Persons endued with energy and superior to every body on\nearth in intelligence, devoted to asceticism, he is conversant with\nvarious weapons. No other person among the mobile and immobile creatures\nof the three worlds possesseth or will ever possess such knowledge of\nweapons. And there is none even amongst the gods, or _Asuras_, or men,\nor _Rakshasas_, or _Gandharvas_, or _Yaksha_ chiefs, or _Kinnaras_--or\nmighty _Uragas_, who is like him. Endued with great foresight and\nenergy, beloved by the citizens and inhabitants of the provinces, he is\nthe mightiest of car-warriors amongst the sons of Pandu. A performer of\nsacrifices, devoted to morality, and of subdued passions, like unto a\ngreat _Rishi_, this royal sage is celebrated over all the worlds.\nPossessed of great strength and great intelligence, able and truthful,\nhe hath all his senses under complete control. Equal unto Indra in\nwealth and Kuvera in hoarding, he is the protector of the worlds like\nunto _Manu_ himself of mighty prowess. Endued with great might, he is\neven such. Kind unto all creatures he is no other than the bull of the\nKuru race, king Yudhishthira the just. The achievements of this king\nresemble the sun himself of blazing effulgence. And his fame hath\ntravelled in all directions like the rays of that luminary. And like the\nrays following the risen sun of blazing effulgence, ten thousand swift\nelephants followed him, O king, when he dwelt among the Kurus. And, O\nking, thirty thousand cars decked in gold and drawn by the best steeds,\nalso used to follow him then. And full eight hundred bards adorned with\near-rings set with shining gems, and accompanied by minstrels, recited\nhis praises in those days, like the _Rishis_ adorning Indra. And, O\nking, the Kauravas and other lords of earth always waited upon him like\nslaves, as the celestials upon Kuvera. This eminent king, resembling the\nbright-rayed sun, made all lords of earth pay tribute unto him like\npersons of the agricultural class. And eighty-eight thousands of\nhigh-souled _Snatakas_ depended for their subsistence upon this king\npractising excellent vows. This illustrious lord protected the aged and\nthe helpless, the maimed and the blind, as his sons, and he ruled over\nhis subjects virtuously. Steady in morality and self-control, capable of\nrestraining his anger, bountiful, devoted to the Brahmanas, and\ntruthful, this one is the son of Pandu. The prosperity and prowess of\nthis one afflict king Suyodhana with his followers including Karna and\nSuvala's son. And, O lord of men, the virtues of this one are incapable\nof being enumerated. This son of Pandu is devoted to morality and always\nabstains from injury. Possessed of such attributes, doth not this bull\namong kings, this son of Pandu, deserve, O monarch, to occupy a royal\nseat?'\"\n\n\nSECTION LXXI\n\n\"Virata said, 'If this one, indeed, be the Kuru king Yudhishthira the son\nof Kunti, which amongst these is his brother Arjuna, and which, the\nmighty Bhima. Which of these is Nakula, and which Sahadeva and where is\nthe celebrated Draupadi? After their defeat at dice, the sons of Pritha\nhave not been heard of by any one.'\n\n\"Arjuna said, 'Even this one, O king, who is called Vallava and is thy\ncook, is that Bhima of mighty arms and terrible prowess and furious\nimpetus. It was he who slew the furious _Rakshasas_ on the mountains of\n_Gandhamadana_, and procured for Krishna celestial flowers of great\nfragrance. Even he is that _Gandharva_, who slew the Kichaka of wicked\nsoul and it was he who killed tigers and bears and boars in the inner\napartment of thy palace. He who had been the keeper of thy horse is that\nslayer of foes called Nakula, and this one is Sahadeva, the keeper of\nthy kine. Both these sons of Madri are great car-warriors, possessed of\ngreat fame and beauty of person. These two bulls of the Bharata race,\nattired in handsome robes and decked in excellent ornaments, are a match\nfor a thousand great car-warriors. And even this lady of eyes like\nlotus-petals and slender waist and sweet smiles is Drupada's daughter,\nthy wife's _Sairindhri_, for whose sake, O king, the Kichakas were\nslain. I am, O king, Arjuna who, it is evident, thou hast heard, is that\nson of Pritha, who is Bhima's junior and the senior of the twins! We\nhave, O king, happily passed in thy abode the period of non-discovery,\nlike infants in the womb!'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"After Arjuna had pointed out those heroes--the\nfive Pandavas, the son of Virata then spoke of Arjuna's prowess. And\nUttara once again identified the sons of Pritha. And the prince said,\n'That one whose complexion is bright like that of pure gold, who is\nstout like a full-grown lion, whose nose is so prominent, whose eyes are\nlarge and expansive, and whose face is broad and of coppery hue, is the\nking of the Kurus. And behold, that one whose tread is like that of an\ninfuriate elephant, whose complexion is like that of heated gold, whose\nshoulders are broad and expanded, and whose arms are long and thick, is\nVrikodara. And he who stands by his side, that youth of darkish hue, who\nis like unto a leader of a herd of elephants, whose shoulders are broad\nlike those of a lion, whose tread is like that of a mighty elephant, and\nwhose eyes are large and expansive like lotus-leaves, is Arjuna that\nforemost of bowmen. All lo, close to the king, are those foremost of\nmen, the twins, like unto Vishnu and Indra, and who have no equals, in\nthe world of men, in beauty, might, and behaviour. And close by them,\nbehold, standeth Krishna, beautiful as gold, like unto the very\nembodiment of light, possessing the complexion of the blue lotus, like\nunto a celestial damsel, and resembling the living embodiment of\n_Lakshmi_ herself.'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"Then Virata's son began to describe the prowess\nof Arjuna, saying, 'Even this one is he that slew the foe, like unto a\nlion devastating a flock of deer. Even he ranged through crowds of\nhostile cars, slaying their best of car-warriors. By him was slain a\nhuge, infuriate elephant by means of a single arrow. Pierced by him,\nthat huge beast having its flanks adorned with an armour of gold, fell\ndown piercing the earth with his tusks. By him have the kine been\nrecovered and the Kauravas vanquished in battle. My ears have been\ndeafened by the blare of his conch. It was by this hero of fierce deeds\nthat Bhishma and Drona, along with Duryodhana, were vanquished. That\nachievement is his and not mine.'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"Hearing these words of his, the mighty king of\nthe Matsyas, considering himself guilty of having offended Yudhishthira,\nsaid unto Uttara in reply, 'I think the time hath come for me to\npropitiate the sons of Pandu. And, if thou likest, I shall bestow my\ndaughter Uttara upon Arjuna.'\n\n\"Uttara said, 'Worthy of our adorations and worship and respect, the\ntime hath come for worshipping the illustrious sons of Pandu who deserve\nto be worshipped by us.'\n\n\"Virata said, 'When brought under the foe's subjection in battle, it was\nBhimasena that rescued me. My kine also have been recovered by Arjuna.\nIt is through the might of their arms that we have obtained victory in\nbattle. Such being the case, all of us, with our counsellors, shall\npropitiate Yudhishthira the son of Kunti. Blessed be thou, with all thy\nbrothers, O bull among the sons of Pandu. If, O king, we have ever said\nor done anything in ignorance to offend thee, it behoveth thee to\nforgive us. The son of Pandu is virtuous.'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"Then the high-souled Virata, delighted greatly,\napproached king Yudhishthira and made an alliance with him, and offered\nhim his whole kingdom together with the sceptre and treasury and\nmetropolis. And addressing all the Pandavas, and especially Dhananjaya,\nthe mighty king of the Matsyas repeatedly said, 'By good luck it is that\nI see you.' And having again and again embraced Yudhishthira and Bhima\nand the sons of Madri, and smelt their heads, Virata, that owner of a\nlarge army, was not satiated with gazing at them. And being highly\npleased, he said unto king Yudhishthira, 'By good luck it is that I see\nyou safe from woods. By good luck it is that ye have accomplished with\ndifficulty the period of exile, undiscovered by those wicked wights. I\nmake over my entire kingdom to the sons of Pritha, and what else I have.\nLet the sons of Pandu accept these without the slightest hesitation. And\nlet Dhananjaya, called also Savyasachin, accept the hand of Uttara:\nfor that best of men is fit to be her lord.' Thus addressed, king\nYudhishthira the just cast a look upon Dhananjaya, the son of Pritha.\nAnd looked at by his brother, Arjuna said unto the Matsya king, 'O\nmonarch, I accept thy daughter as my daughter-in-law. And alliance of\nthis kind between the Matsya and the Bharatas is, indeed, desirable.'\"\n\n\nSECTION LXXII\n\n\"Virata said, 'Why, O best among the Pandavas, dost thou not wish to\naccept as wife this my daughter that I bestow upon thee?'\n\n\"Arjuna said, 'Residing in thy inner apartments, I had occasion always\nto behold thy daughter, and she too, alone or in company trusted me as\nher father. Well-versed in singing and dancing, I was liked and regarded\nby her, and, indeed, thy daughter always regardeth me as her protector.\nO king, I lived for one whole year with her though she had attained the\nage of puberty. Under these circumstances, thyself or other men may not\nwithout reason, entertain suspicions against her or me. Therefore, O\nking, myself who am pure, and have my senses under control, beg to thee,\nO monarch, thy daughter as my daughter-in-law. Thus do I attest her\npurity. There is no difference between a daughter-in-law and a daughter,\nas also between a son and son's own-self. By adopting this course,\ntherefore, her purity will be proved. I am afraid of slanderous and\nfalse accusations. I accept, therefore, O king, thy daughter Uttara as\nmy daughter-in-law. Surpassing all in knowledge of weapons, resembling a\ncelestial youth in beauty, my son, the mighty-armed Abhimanyu is the\nfavourite nephew of Vasudeva, the wielder of the discus. He, O king, is\nfit to be thy son-in-law and the husband of thy daughter.'\n\n\"Virata said, 'It behoveth the best of the Kurus, Dhananjaya, the son of\nKunti, who is so virtuous and wise, to say this. O son of Pritha, do\nthou carry out what thou thinkest should be done after this. He that\nhath Arjuna for the father of his son-in-law, hath all his desires\ngratified.'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"The monarch having said this, Yudhishthira, the\nson of Kunti, gave his assent to what was thus agreed upon between the\nMatsya king and Arjuna. And, O Bharata, the son of Kunti sent\ninvitations to Vasudeva and to all his friends and relatives, and Virata\nalso did the same. And then, after the expiry of the thirteenth year,\nthe five Pandavas took up their abode in one of Virata's towns called\n_Upaplavya_, and Vibhatsu, the son of Pandu, brought over Abhimanyu and\nJanardana, and also many people of the Dasarha race from the Anarta\ncountry. And the king of Kasi, and also Saivya, being very friendly to\nYudhishthira, arrived there, each accompanied by an _Akshauhini_ of\ntroops. And the mighty Drupada, also with the heroic sons of Draupadi\nand the unvanquished Sikhandin, and that foremost of wielder of weapons,\nthe invincible Dhrishtadyumna came there with another _Akshauhini_ of\ntroops. And all the kings that came were not only lords of _Akshauhini_,\nbut performers of sacrifices with gifts in profusion to Brahmanas,\nconversant with the _Vedas_ endued with heroism, and ready to die in\nbattle. And beholding them arrived, that foremost of virtuous men, the\nking of the Matsyas, adored them duly, and entertained their troops and\nservants and carriers of burdens. And he was highly pleased to bestow\nhis daughter upon Abhimanyu. And after the kings had come there from\ndifferent parts of the country, there came Vasudeva decked in floral\ngarlands, and Halayudha, and Kritavarman, the son of Hridika, and\nYuyudhana, the son of Satyaki, and Anadhristi and Akrura, and Samva and\nNisatha. And these repressers of foes came there bringing with them\nAbhimanyu and his mother. And Indrasena and others, having lived at\nDwaraka for one whole year, came there, bringing with them the well\nadorned cars of the Pandavas. And there came also ten thousand elephants\nand ten thousand cars, and hundred millions of horses and hundred\nbillions of foot-soldiers, and innumerable Vrishni and Andhaka and Bhoja\nwarriors of great energy, in the train of that tiger among the Vrishnis,\nVasudeva of great effulgence. And Krishna gave unto each of the\nillustrious sons of Pandu numerous female slaves, and gems and robes.\nAnd then the nuptial festival set in between the families of the Matsya\nking and the Pandavas. And then conchs and cymbals and horns and drums\nand other musical instruments appointed by the Pandavas, began to play\nin the palace of Virata. And deer of various kinds and clean animals by\nhundreds were slain. And wines of various kinds and intoxicating juices\nof trees were profusely collected. And mimes and bards and encomiasts,\nversed in singing and legendary lore, waited upon the kings, and chanted\ntheir praises and genealogies. And the matrons of the Matsyas of\nsymmetrical bodies and limbs, and wearing ear-rings of pearls and gems,\nheaded by Sudeshna, came to the place where the marriage knot was to be\ntied. And amongst those beautiful females of fair complexion and\nexcellent ornaments, Krishna was the foremost in beauty and fame and\nsplendour. And they all came there, leading forth the princess Uttara\ndecked in every ornament and resembling the daughter of the great Indra\nhimself. And then Dhananjaya, the son of Kunti, accepted Virata's\ndaughter of faultless limbs on behalf of his son by Subhadra. And that\ngreat king, Yudhishthira, the son of Kunti, who stood there like Indra,\nalso accepted her as his daughter-in-law. And having accepted her, the\nson of Pritha, with Janardana before him, caused the nuptial ceremonies\nto be performed of the illustrious son of Subhadra. And Virata then gave\nhim (as dowry) seven thousand steeds endued with the speed of the wind\nand two hundred elephants of the best kind and much wealth also. And\nhaving duly poured libations of clarified butter on the blazing fire,\nand paid homage unto the twice-born ones, Virata offered to the Pandavas\nhis kingdom, army, treasury, and his own self. And after the marriage\nhad taken place, Yudhishthira, the son of Dharma, gave away unto the\nBrahmanas all the wealth that had been brought by Krishna of unfading\nglory. And he also gave away thousands of kine, and diverse kinds of\nrobes, and various excellent ornaments, and vehicles, and beds,\ndelicious viands of various kinds, and cardinal drinks of diverse\nspecies. And the king also made gifts of land unto the Brahmanas with\ndue rites, and also cattle by thousands. And he also gave away thousands\nof steeds and much gold and much wealth of other kinds, unto persons of\nall ages. And, O bull of the Bharata race, the city of the Matsya king,\nthronged with men cheerful and well-fed, shone brightly like a great\nfestival.\"\n\n_The end of Virata Parva._","title":"The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa Translated into English Prose: Virata Parva","tradition":"myth-cosmogony","translated_text":null,"word_count":62936}