“Arjuna said, ’Welcome, blessed be ye.  Go ye away.  Ye have no cause of fear.  I will not take the lives of them that are afflicted.  Ye have my assurance of protection.

“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.’