[18] Literature, force of his thighs.

Vaisampayana continued, “It was thus, O Bharata, that a hundred and five of those Kichakas were slain.  And their corpses lay on the ground, making the place look like a great forest overspread with uprooted trees after a hurricane.  Thus fell those hundred and five Kichakas.  And including Virata’s general slain before, the slaughtered Sutas numbered one hundred and six.  And beholding that exceedingly wonderful feat, men and women that assembled together, were filled with astonishment.  And the power of speech, O Bharata, was suspended in every one.”

SECTION XXIV

Vaisampayana said, “And beholding the Sutas slain, the citizens went to the king, and represented unto him what had happened, saying, ’O king, those mighty sons of the Sutas have all been slain by the Gandharvas.  Indeed, they lie scattered on the earth like huge peaks of mountains riven by thunder. Sairindhri also, having been set free, returneth to thy palace in the city.  Alas, O king, if Sairindhri cometh, thy entire kingdom will be endangered. Sairindhri is endued with great beauty; the Gandharvas also are exceedingly powerful.  Men again, without doubt, are naturally sexual.  Devise, therefore, O king, without 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]