t delay, such
means that in consequence of wrongs done to _Sairindhri_, thy kingdom
may not meet with destruction.' Hearing those words of theirs, Virata,
that lord of hosts, said unto them, 'Do ye perform the last rites of the
Sutas. Let all the Kichakas be burnt, in one blazing pyre with gems and
fragrant unguents in profusion.' And filled with fear, the king then
addressed his queen Sudeshna, saying, 'When _Sairindhri_ comes back, do
thou tell her these words from me, "Blessed be thou, O fair-faced
_Sairindhri_. Go thou whithersoever thou likest. The king hath been
alarmed, O thou of graceful hips, at the defeat already experienced at
the hands of the Gandharvas. Protected as thou art by the Gandharvas, I
dare not personally say all this to thee. A woman, however, cannot
offend, and it is for this that I tell thee all this through a woman."'"

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