“Vaisampayana continued, ’And when the king of the Matsyas had addressed them thus, those descendants of the Kurus with Yudhishthira at their head, joining their hands, severally replied unto him saying, ’We are well-pleased with all that thou sayest, O monarch.  We, however, have been much gratified that thou hast today been freed from thy foes.’  Thus answered, that foremost of kings, Virata the lord of the Matsyas, again addressed Yudhishthira, saying, ’Come, we will install thee in sovereignty of the Matsyas.  And we will also bestow on thee things that are rare on earth and are objects of desire, for thou deservest everything at our hands.  O foremost of Brahmanas of the Vaiyaghra order I will bestow on thee gems and kine and gold and rubies and pearls.  I bow unto thee.  It is owing to thee that I once more behold today my sons and kingdom.  Afflicted and threatened as I had been with disaster and danger, it is through thy prowess that I have not succumbed to the foe.’  Then Yudhishthira again addressed the Matsyas, saying, ’Well-pleased are we with the delightful words that thou hast spoken.  Mayst thou be ever happy, always practising humanity towards all creatures.  Let messengers now, at thy command, speedily repair into the city, in order to communicate the glad tidings to our friends, and proclaim thy victory.  Hearing these words of him, king Matsya ordered the messengers, saying,’ ’Do ye repair to the city and proclaim my victory in battle.  And let damsels and courtesons, decked in ornaments, come out of the city with every kind of musical instruments.’  Hearing this command uttered by the king of the Matsyas, the men, laying the mandate on their head, all departed with cheerful hearts.  And having repaired to the city that very night, they proclaimed at the hour of sunrise the victory of the king about the city-gates.’”

SECTION XXXV

“Vaisampayana said, ’When the king of the Matsyas, anxious of recovering the kine, had set out in pursuit of the Trigartas, Duryodhana with his counsellors invaded the dominions of Virata.  And Bhishma and Drona, and Karna, and Kripa acquainted with the best of weapons, Aswatthaman, and Suvala’s son, and Dussasana, O lord of men, and Vivingsati and Vikarna and Chitrasena endued with great energy, and Durmukha and Dussaha,—­these and many other great warriors, coming upon the Matsya dominion speedily drove off the cowherds of king Virata and forcibly took away the kine.  And the Kauravas, surrounding all sides with a multitude of cars, seized sixty thousands of kine.  And loud was the yell of woe set up by the cowherds smitten by those warriors in that terrible conflict.  And the chief of the cowherds, greatly affrighted speedily mounted on a chariot and set out for the city, bewailing in affliction.  And entering the city of the king, he proceeded to the place, and speedily alighting from the chariot, got in for relating (what had happened).  And beholding the proud