ing
away striking each trooper down after naming him. But Arjuna perceiving
that Jayadratha had run away exhorted his brother to refrain from
slaughtering the remnant of the Saindhava host. And Arjuna said, 'I do
not find on the field of battle Jayadratha through whose fault alone we
have experienced this bitter misfortune! Seek him out first and may
success crown thy effort! What is the good of thy slaughtering these
troopers? Why art thou bent upon this unprofitable business?'

Vaisampayana continued, "Bhimasena, thus exhorted by Arjuna of great
wisdom, turning to Yudhishthira, replied, saying, 'As a great many of the
enemy's warriors have been slain and as they are flying in all
directions, do thou, O king, now return home, taking with thee Draupadi
and the twin brothers and high-souled Dhaumya, and console the princess
after getting back to our asylum! That foolish king of Sindhu I shall not
let alone as long as he lives, even if he find a shelter in the internal
regions or is backed by Indra himself! And Yudhishthira replied, saying,
'O thou of mighty arms remembering (our sister) Dussala and the
celebrated Gandhari, thou shouldst not slay the king of Sindhu even
though he is so wicked!'

Vaisampayana continued, "Hearing these words, Draupadi was greatly
excited. And that highly intelligent lady in her excitement said to her
two husbands, Bhima and Arjuna with indignation mixed with modesty, 'If
you care to do what is agreeable to me, you must slay that mean and
despicable wretch, that sinful, foolish, infamous and contemptible chief
of the Saindhava clan! That foe who forcibly carries away a wife, and he
that wrests a kingdom, should never be forgiven on the battle-field, even
though he should supplicate for mercy!' Thus admonished, those two
valiant warriors went in search of the Saindhava chief. And the king
taking Krishna with him returned home, accompanied by his spiritual
adviser. And on entering the hermitage, he found it was laid over with
seats for the ascetics and crowded with their disciples and graced with
the presence of Markandeya and other Brahmanas. And while those Brahmanas
were gravely bewailing the lot of Draupadi, Yudhishthira endued with
great wisdom joined their company, with his brothers. And beholding the
king thus come back after having defeated the Saindhava and the Sauvira
host and recovered Draupadi, they were all elated with joy! And the king
took his seat in their midst. And the excel