The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa, Volume 2: Books 4, 5, 6 and 7
General
The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa, Volume 2: Books 4, 5, 6 and 7
Epic literature, Sanskrit
Vaisampayana continued, “Hearing these words of assurance, the assembled
warriors greeted him with benedictions in praise of his achievements and
fame and wishing him long life. And the Kauravas were unable to confront
Arjuna while after routing the foe he proceeded towards the city of
Virata, like an elephant with rent temples. And having routed the whole
army of the Kuru like a violent wind scattering the clouds, that slayer
of foes, Partha, regardfully addressing the prince of Matsya, said, ‘It
is known to thee alone, O child, that the sons of Pritha are all living
with thy father. Do not eulogise them upon entering the city, for then
the king of the Matsyas may hide himself in fear. On the other hand,
entering the city, do thou proclaim in the presence of thy father that
the deed is thy own, saying,--“By me hath the army of the Kurus been
vanquished and by me have the kine been recovered from the foe!”’
“Uttara said, ‘The feat thou hast achieved is beyond my power. I do not
possess the ability to achieve it. I shall not, however, O Savyasachin,
discover thee to my father, as long as thou wilt not tell me to do it.’”
Vaisampayana continued, “Having vanquished the hostile army and wrested
the whole of the cattle wealth from the Kurus, Jishnu returned again to
the cemetery and having approached the same Sami tree stood there with
body mangled by the arrows of the enemy. Then that terrible monkey
blazing like fire ascended into the sky with those other creatures in the
flag-staff. And the illusion created (by Viswakarma) melted away and
Uttara’s own banner bearing the device of a lion was set up on the car
again. And having replaced the arrows and quivers of those foremost of
the Kuru princes, and also that other weapon the (Gandiva) which enhances
the fierceness of a battle, the illustrious prince of Matsya set out for
the city with a glad heart, having Kiritin as his charioteer. And having
achieved an exceedingly mighty feat and slain the foe, Partha also, that
slayer of foes, binding his hair into a braid as before, took the reins
from Uttara’s hands. And that illustrious hero entered the city of
Virata, with a cheerful heart rehabilitating himself as Vrihannala, the
car-driver of Uttara.”
Vaisampayana continued, “When all the Kauravas utterly routed and
vanquished, set out in a dejected mood for Hastinapura, Falguna, on his
way back, addressed Uttara, saying, ‘O prince, O hero of mighty arms,
seeing the kine escorted in advance of us by the cowherds, we shall enter
Virata’s metropolis in the afternoon, having tended the steeds with drink
and a bath. Let the cowherds, despatched by thee, speedily repair to the
city with the good news and proclaim thy victory.’”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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