45. MATSYA DEFENDED :

THE fate of Kichaka made Draupadi an
object of fear to the people of Virata.
"This woman, so beautiful that she
captures all hearts, is as dangerous as she
is lovely, for the Gandharvas guard her.
She is a great danger to the people of the
city and the members of the royal
household, for the Gandharvas may stop
at nothing in their jealous anger. It would
be best to send her out of the city."
Reflecting thus, the citizens went to
Sudeshna and prayed to her to expel
Draupadi.



Sudeshna told Draupadi: "You are, no
doubt, a very virtuous lady, but kindly
leave our city. I have had enough of you."
There was only one month more to
complete the stipulated period of living
incognito and Draupadi begged earnestly
to be permitted to stay just another month
by when, she said, her Gandharva
husbands would have realised their
objects and would be ready to take her
away with them.



The Gandharvas would be very grateful to
King Virata and his kingdom. Whether
grateful or not, the Gandharvas could be
deadly if irritated and Sudeshna was too
afraid of Draupadi to refuse her request.
From the beginning of the thirteenth year,
the spies of Duryodhana, under his
express orders, had searched for the
Pandavas in all possible places of hiding.
After several months of futile search, they
reported their failure to Duryodhana and
added that probably the Pandavas had
perished of privations.



Then came the news that the powerful
Kichaka had been killed in single combat
by some Gandharva on account of a
woman.



There were only two persons who could
kill Kichaka, and Bhima was one of them.
And so they suspected that Bhima might
have been the vengeful Gandharva who
had killed Kichaka. Duryodhana also felt
that the lady who was the cause of the
killing might be Draupadi. He expressed
his doubts in the open assembly.
He said: "I suspect that the Pandavas are
in Virata's city. Now, he is one of the
kings who are too stiff-necked to court our
friendship. It would be a good thing to
invade his country and carry away his
cows. If the Pandavas are hiding there,
they will certainly come out to fight with
us to repay Virata's hospitality and we can
easily spot them. If we discover them
there and we can sure before the stipulated
time, they will have to go to the forest
again for another twelve, years. If, on the
other hand, the Pandavas are not there,
there is nothing lost."



King Susarma, the ruler of Trigarta
heartily supported him. "The king of
Matsya is my enemy." he said, "and
Kichaka has given me a lot of trouble.
Kichaka's death must have weakened
Virata considerably. Give me leave to
attack Virata now."



Karna seconded this proposition. They
unanimously came to the decision that
Susarma should attack Matsya from the
south and draw off the army of Virata to
the south for defence. Duryodhana, with
the Kaurava army, would then launch a
surprise attack on Virata from the
northern side, which would be relatively
undefended.



Susarma invaded Matsya from the south
seized the cattle and laid waste the
gardens and fields on the way. The
cowherds ran in great distress to Virata,
who now very much wished that Kichaka
were alive, for he surely would have made
short work of the raiders. When he said so
to Kanka (the assumed name by which
Yudhishthira was known in Virata's court)
the latter said: "O king, be not worried.



Even though I am a hermit, I am an expert
in warfare. I shall put on armor and go in
a chariot and drive away your enemies.
Please instruct that your horse keeper
Dharmagranthi, your chief cook Valala,
and your stable herd Tantripala may also
get into chariots and help us. I have heard
that they are great fighters. Kindly give
orders that the necessary chariots and the
weapons may be given to us."



Delighted, Virata was only too willing to
accept the offer. The chariots were ready.
All the Pandavas excepting Arjuna went
out with the army of Virata to oppose
Susarma and his men.



A fierce fight ensued between the armies
of Virata and Susarma, with much loss of
life on both sides. Susarma attacked
Virata and surrounded his chariot,
compelling him to get down and fight on
foot.



Susarma captured Virata and held him
captive in his chariot. With the capture of
Virata, the army of Matsya lost heart and
began to scatter in all directions, when
Yudhishthira commanded Bhima to attack
Susarma and release Virata and rally the
scattered Matsya forces.



At these words of Yudhishthira, Bhima
was about to uproot a tree, but
Yudhishthira stopped him and said: "No
such tricks, please, and no battle cry or
your identity will be revealed. Fight like
anybody else from the chariot with your
bows and arrows."



Bhima accordingly got into the chariot
attacked the enemy, set Virata free and
captured Susarma. The dispersed forces of
Matsya rallied into new formations
charged and defeated the army of
Susarma.



As soon as the news of Susarma's defeat
reached the city, the people were
extremely jubilant. They decorated the
city and went forth to welcome their
victorious king back home.



When they were thus making preparations
to receive king Virata, the big army of
Duryodhana came down on them from the
north, and began despoiling the cattle
ranches on the outskirts of the city.



The Kaurava army marched in force and
rounded up the countless cows that were
there. The leader of the cowherds ran to
the city and said to the prince Uttara: "O
prince, the Kauravas are marching on,
robbing us of our cows. King Virata has
gone south to fight against the Trigarta.
We are in consternation as there is no one
to protect us. You are the king's son and
we look to you for protection. Pray, come
and recover the cows for the honor of
your family."



When the leader of the cowherds made
this complaint to Uttara in the presence of
the people and especially of the women of
the palace, the prince felt flushed with
valor and proudly said:
"If only I can get someone to be my
charioteer I will recover the cows single handed.
Well, my feats of arms will be
worth seeing and people will know there
is little to choose between Arjuna and
myself."



When Uttara said these words Draupadi
was in the inner apartments and must have
laughed within herself.



She ran to princess Uttara and said: "O
princess, great danger has be fallen the
country. The cowherds have complained
to the young that the Kaurava army is
advancing on our city from the north and
has captured cattle ranches and cows on
the outskirts. The prince is eager to fight
them and is in need of a charioteer.



Should such a small thing as that stand in
the way of victory and glory? I tell you
that Brihannala has been Arjuna's
charioteer. When I was in the service of
the queen of the Pandavas, I heard of this
fact and I also know that Brihannala learnt
archery from Arjuna. Order Brihannala
immediately to go and drive the prince's
chariot."



Arjuna as Brihannala pretended to be
unfamiliar with armor and raised a laugh
at his awkwardness in wearing it.
The women of the palace laughed at his
fears and told him again not to be afraid
for Uttara would look after him.



Arjuna spent some time in such fun but,
when he harnessed the horses, it could be
seen that, at least, he was an expert
charioteer. And when he held the reins,
the horses seemed to love and obey him.



"The prince will be victorious. We shall
despoil the enemy of their embroidered
robes and distribute them to you as the
prize of victory" were the last words of
Brihannala to the women of the palace, as
the chariot rapidly bore the prince
outwards to battle.


Next : -46. PRINCE UTTARA

Continues.....