The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa Translated into English Prose: Virata Parva
Religion
The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa Translated into English Prose: Virata Parva
Epic literature, Sanskrit
Vaisampayana continued, "Thus delivered by Bhimasena after the slaughter
of the Sutas, the intelligent and youthful Krishna relieved from all her
fears, washed her limbs and clothes in water, and proceeded towards the
city, like a doe frightened by a tiger. And beholding her, the citizens,
O king, afflicted with the fear of the Gandharvas fled in all
directions. And some of them went so far as to shut their eyes. And
then, O king, at the gate of the kitchen, the princess of Panchala saw
Bhimasena staying, like an infuriate elephant of gigantic proportions.
And looking upon him with wonder-expanded eyes, Draupadi, by means of
words intelligible to them alone, said, 'I bow unto that prince of the
Gandharvas, who hath rescued me.' At these words of her, Bhima said,
'Hearing these words of hers in obedience to whom those persons were
hitherto living in the city, they will henceforth range here, regarding
themselves as freed from the debt.'"[19]
[19] What Bhima says is this.--The Gandharvas, your husbands,
are always obedient to thee! If they have been able to do thee a
service, they have only repaid a debt.
Vaisampayana continued, "Then she beheld the mighty-armed Dhananjaya, in
the dancing-hall instructing king Virata's daughters in dancing. And
issuing with Arjuna from the dancing-hall, all those damsels came to
Krishna who had arrived there, and who had been persecuted so sorely,
all innocent though she was. And they said, 'By good luck also it is, O
_Sairindhri_, that thou hast been delivered from thy dangers. By good
luck it is that thou hast returned safe. And by good luck also it is
that those Sutas have been slain that had wronged thee, innocent though
thou art.' Hearing this, Vrihannala said, 'How hast thou, O
_Sairindhri_, been delivered? And how have those sinful wretches been
slain? I wish to learn all this from thee exactly as it occurred.'
_Sairindhri_ replied, 'O blessed Vrihannala, always passing thy days
happily in the apartments of the girls, what concern hast thou with
_Sairindhri's_ fate to say? Thou hast no grief to bear that _Sairindhri_
hath to bear! It is for this, that thou askest me thus, distressed as I
am in ridicule.' Thereat Vrihannala said, 'O blessed one, Vrihannala
also hath unparalleled sorrows of her own. She hath become as low as a
brute. Thou dost not, O girl, understand this. I have lived with thee,
and thou too hast lived with us. When, therefore, thou art afflicted
with misery, who is it that will not, O thou of beautiful hips, feel it?
But no one can completely read another's heart. Therefore it is, O
amiable one, that thou knowest not my heart!'"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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