who, if they had not been fettered by the ties of duty, could destroy this entire world.  Where, alas, are those mighty warriors today who, though living in disguise, have always granted protection unto those that solicit it?  Oh, why do those heroes today, endued as they are with strength and possessed of immeasurable energy, quietly suffer, like eunuchs, their dear and chaste wife to be thus insulted by a Suta’s son?  Oh, where is that wrath of theirs, that prowess, and that energy, when they quietly bear their wife to be thus insulted by a wicked wretch?  What can I (a weak woman) do when Virata, deficient in virtue, coolly suffereth my innocent self to be thus wronged by a wretch?  Thou dost not, O king, act like a king towards this Kichaka.  Thy behaviour is like that of a robber, and doth not shine in a court.  That I should thus be insulted in thy very presence, O Matsya, is highly improper.  Oh, let all the courtiers here look at this violence of Kichaka.  Kichaka is ignorant of duty and morality, and Matsya also is equally so.  These courtiers also that wait upon such a king are destitute of virtue.’

“Vaisampayana continued, ’With these and other words of the same kind the beautiful Krishna with tearful eyes rebuked the king of the Matsyas.  And hearing her, Virata said, ’I do not know what your dispute has been out of our sight.  Not knowing the true cause how can I show my discrimination?’ Then the courtiers, having learnt every thing, applauded Krishna, and they all exclaimed, ‘Well done!’ ‘Well done!’ and censured Kichaka.  And the courtiers said, ’That person who owneth this large-eyed lady having every limb of hers endued with beauty for his wife, possesseth what is of exceeding value and hath no occasion to indulge in any grief.  Surely, such a damsel of transcendent beauty and limbs perfectly faultless is rare among men.  Indeed, it seems to us that she is a goddess.’

“Vaisampayana continued, ’And while the courtiers, having beheld Krishna (under such circumstances), were applauding her thus, Yudhishthira’s forehead, from ire, became covered with sweat.  And that bull of the Kuru race then addressed that princess, his beloved spouse, saying, ’Stay not here, O Sairindhri; but retire to the apartments of Sudeshna.  The wives of heroes bear affliction for the sake of their husbands, and undergoing toil in ministering unto their lords, they at last attain to region where their husbands may go.  Thy Gandharva husbands, effulgent as the sun, do not, I imagine, consider this as an occasion for manifesting their wrath, inasmuch as they do not rush to thy aid.  O Sairindhri, thou art ignorant of the timeliness of things, and it is for this that thou weepest as an actress, besides interrupting the play of dice in Matsya’s court.  Retire, O Sairindhri; the Gandharvas will do what is agreeable to thee.  And they will surely display thy woe and take the life of him that hath wronged thee.’  Hearing these words the Sairindhri replied, ’They of whom I am the wedded wife are, I ween, extremely kind.  And as the eldest of them all is addicted to dice, they are liable to be oppressed by all.’