04.030
Vaiśampāyana said.
Then, O great king, right there were the Pāṇḍavas, those great-souled ones of limitless splendor, who had entered in disguise. (04-30-1)
The time passed as they resided well in the foremost city, carrying out the duties of King Virata. (04-30-2)
Then, O Bhārata, at the end of that thirteenth year, the herd of cattle was forcefully seized in great numbers by Suśarman. (04-30-3)
Then the cowherds, with great speed, approached the city. They saw the king of the fish and, having leaped down from the chariot, the coiled one. (04-30-4)
He was surrounded by brave warriors wearing earrings and armlets, together with virtuous counselors and the Pāṇḍavas, the best of men. (04-30-5)
He, seeing the great king and prosperer of the kingdom seated in the assembly, then, bowing, approached Virata and spoke to him. (04-30-6)
Having completely conquered us along with our kinsmen in battle, the Trigartas are driving away hundreds of thousands of your cows. O king among men, do not let your animals be taken; determine to recover them. (04-30-7)
Upon hearing that, the king assembled the Matsya army, teeming with chariots, elephants, and horses, and crowded with infantry and banners. (04-30-8)
Kings and princes here partook of thin, shining, and variegated delicacies, to be eaten with soup, served in portions. (04-30-9)
But Śatānīka, the beloved brother of Virāṭa, brought the armor made of molten gold with a core of thunderbolt-iron. (04-30-10)
The younger brother of Śatānīka, whose horses were spirited, brought near the firm, auspicious, all-protecting armor. (04-30-11)
The king brought an armor of the fishes that was like one with a hundred suns, a hundred circles, a hundred spots, and a hundred eyes, and was impervious. (04-30-12)
Suryadatta brought from the reservoir of that person a hundred fragrant lotuses, golden-petalled and shining like the sun. (04-30-13)
But the eldest son of Virāṭa, the hero Śaṅkha, brought the white armor with an iron core of Śatākṣimat. (04-30-14)
The great chariot-warriors, resplendent like gods and ready for battle, each donned their own hundreds of body-armors as they prepared to fight. (04-30-15)
The great chariot-warriors yoked the horses, each adorned with golden harnesses, to their large, shining, fully-equipped chariots. (04-30-16)
Then, upon the divine golden chariot, the grandly majestic banner bearing Matsya, shining like the sun and moon, stood tall. (04-30-17)
Then the heroic kṣatriya warriors mounted banners of various forms, adorned with gold, on their respective chariots. (04-30-18)
Then Matsya said, "King Śatānīka, the youngest one, Kaṅka, Ballava, Gopāla, Dāmagranthi and the mighty one should fight; this is my thought, and there is no doubt about it." (04-30-19)
Let chariots adorned with banners be given to these men as well. Let them be supplied with armors—varied, strong, and soft—and let them put them on their bodies. Weapons too should be distributed. (04-30-20)
These men, heroic in form and with arms like the king of serpents, I do not ever think that they would not fight. (04-30-21)
Hearing these words of the king, Śatānīka, his mind full of haste, ordered chariots for the sons of Pṛthā—Sahadeva, the king (Yudhiṣṭhira), Bhīma, and Nakula, O king. (04-30-22)
Then the delighted charioteers, honored due to their loyalty to the king, quickly yoked the chariots as ordered by the king. (04-30-23)
Virāṭ gave them various armour—some strong, some soft—to those faultless in action. Putting these on their bodies, they, destroyers of their enemies, became armed. (4-30-24)
All the energetic ones, skilled in battle and in disguise, together with the foremost among the Kurus, followed Virāṭa from behind. The four valiant brothers, the Pāṇḍavas of true might. (04-30-25)
Terrible, intoxicated elephants, with mouths broken by tusks, streaming like clouds, sixty years old and having good teeth. (04-30-26)
Mounted with trained and battle-skilled elephant riders and others, they followed the king from behind, moving like mountains. (04-30-27)
Eight thousand chariots, one thousand elephants, and sixty thousand horses of the Matsyas, all skilled, obedient, joyful, and loyal followers, marched out. (04-30-28)
O great king, O bull of the Bharatas, that army of Virāṭa appeared splendid as it set forth, desiring to follow the track of the cows. (04-30-29)
The foremost army of Virāṭa, having set out, looked magnificent, filled with warriors bearing sturdy weapons, and crowded with elephants, horses, and chariots. (04-30-30)
