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 courtesans, 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 Duhsasana, 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 son of Matsya, named Bhuminjaya, he told him everything about the seizure of the royal kine.  And he said, ’the Kauravas are taking away sixty thousand kine.  Rise, therefore, O enhancer of the kingdom’s glory, for bringing back thy cattle.  O prince, if thou art desirous of achieving (the kingdom’s) good set out thyself without loss of time.  Indeed, the king of the Matsyas left thee in the empty city.  The king (thy father) boasteth of thee in court, saying, “My son, equal unto me, is a hero and is the supporter of (the glory of) my race.  My son is a warrior skilled in arrows and weapons and is always possessed of great courage.”—­Oh, let the words of that lord of men be true!  O chief of herd-owners, bring thou back the kine after vanquishing the Kurus, and consume thou their troops with the terrific energy of thy arrows.  Do thou like a leader of