[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 by good luck also it is that those Sutas have been slain that had wronged thee, innocent though thou art.’  Hearing this, Vrihannala said, ’How hast thou, O Sairindhri, been delivered?  And how have those sinful wretches been slain?  I wish to learn all this from thee exactly as it occurred.’ Sairindhri replied, ’O blessed Vrihannala, always passing thy days happily in the apartments of the girls, what concern hast thou with Sairindhri’s fate to say?  Thou hast no grief to bear that Sairindhri hath to bear!  It is for this, that thou askest me thus, distressed as I am in ridicule.’  Thereat Vrihannala said, ’O blessed one, Vrihannala also hath unparalleled sorrows of her own.  She hath become as low as a brute.  Thou dost not, O girl, understand this.  I have lived with thee, and thou too hast lived with us.  When, therefore, thou art afflicted with misery, who is it that will not, O thou of beautiful hips, feel it?  But no one can completely read another’s heart.  Therefore it is, O amiable one, that thou knowest not my heart!’”

Vaisampayana continued, “Then Draupadi, accompanied by those girls entered the royal abode, desirous of appearing before Sudeshna.  And when she came before the queen, Virata’s wife addressed her at the command of the king, saying, ’Do thou, O Sairindhri, speedily go whithersoever thou likest.  The king, good betide thee, hath been filled with fear at this discomfiture at the hands of the Gandharvas.  Thou art, O thou of graceful eye-brows, young and unparalleled on earth in beauty.  Thou art, besides, an object of desire with men.  The Gandharvas again, are exceedingly wrathful.’  Thereat Sairindhri said, ’O beauteous lady, let the king suffer me to live here for only thirteen days more.  Without doubt, the Gandharvas also will be highly obliged at this.  They will then convey me hence and do what would be agreeable to Virata.  Without doubt, the king, by doing this, with his friends, will reap great benefit.’”

SECTION XXV

Vaisampayana said, “At the slaughter of Kichaka and brothers, people, O king, thinking of this terrible feat, were filled with surprise.  And in the city and the provinces it was generally bruited about that for bravery the king’s Vallava and Kichaka were both mighty warriors.  The wicked Kichaka, however, had been an oppressor of men and a dishonourer of other people’s wives.  And it was for this that wicked of sinful soul had been slain by the Gandharvas.  And it was thus, O king, that people began to speak, from province to province of the invincible Kichaka, that slayer of hostile ranks.