Section LXVIII

"Vaisampayana said, 'Then Bhuminjaya, the eldest son of the king, entered, and having worshipped the feet of his father approached Kanka. And he beheld Kanka covered with blood, and seated on the ground at one end of the court, and waited upon by the Sairindhri.

And seeing this, Uttara asked his father in a hurry, saying,

'By whom, O king, has this one been struck? By whom has this sinful act been perpetrated?'

"Virata said,

'This crooked Brahmana has been struck by me. He deserves even more than this. When I was praising you, he praised that person of the third sex.'

"Uttara said,

'You have, O king, committed an improper act. Do you speedily propitiate him so that the virulent poison of a Brahmana’s curse may not consume you to your roots!'

"Vaisampayana continued, 'Having heard the words of his son, Virata, that enhancer of the limits of his kingdom, began to soothe Kunti’s son, who was like unto a fire hid in ashes, for obtaining his forgiveness.

And unto the king desirous of obtaining his pardon the Pandava replied,

'O king, I have long ago forgiven it. Anger I have none. Had this blood from my nostrils fallen on the ground, then, without doubt, you, O monarch, wouldst have been destroyed with your kingdom. I do not, however, blame you, O king, for having struck an innocent person. For, O king, they that are powerful generally act with unreasoning severity.'

"Vaisampayana continued, 'When the bleeding had stopped, Vrihannala entered (the council-room) and having saluted both Virata and Kanka, stood silent. And the king, having appeased the chief of the Kurus, began to praise, in Savyasachin’s hearing, Uttara who had returned from the battle.

And the king said,

'O enhancer of the joys of Kekaya’s princess, in you have I truly a son! I never had nor shall have, a son that is equal to you!

How, indeed, couldst you, O Child, encounter that Karna who leaves not a single mark unhit amongst even a thousand that he may aim at all at once?

How couldst you, O child, encounter that Bhishma who has no equal in the whole world of men?

How also couldst you, O child, encounter Drona, that foremost of all wielders of weapons, that preceptor of the Vrishnis and Kauravas, twice-born one who may be regarded as the preceptor of all the Kshatriyas?

How couldst you meet in battle the celebrated Asvatthaman?

How couldst you, O child, encounter that Duryodhana, the prince who is capable of piercing even a mountain with his mighty arrows?

My foes have all been thrashed. A delicious breeze seems to blow around me. And since you have recovered in battle the whole of my wealth that had been seized by the Kurus, it seems that all those mighty warriors were struck with panic. Without doubt, you, O bull amongst men, has routed the foe and snatched away from them my wealth of kine, like his prey from a tiger.'"