Chapter 70

“Vaisampayana said, ‘Then, on the third day, attired in white robes aftera bath, and decked in ornaments of all kinds, those great car-warriors,the five Pandava brothers, having accomplished their row, and withYudhishthira at their head, looked resplendent as they entered thepalace-gate like five intoxicated elephants. And having entered thecouncil-hall of Virata, they took their seats on the thrones reserved forkings, and shone brilliantly like fires on the sacrificial altar. Andafter Pandavas had taken their seats, Virata, that lord of earth, camethere for holding his council and discharging other royal offices. Andbeholding the illustrious Pandavas blazing like fires, the king reflectedfor a moment. And them, filled with wrath, the Matsya king spoke untoKanka seated there like a celestial and looking like the lord ofcelestials surrounded by the Maruts. And he said, ‘A player at dice thouwert employed by me as a courtier! How couldst thou occupy the royal seatthus attired in handsome robes and ornaments?”

“Vaisampayana continued, ‘Hearing these words of Virata, O king, anddesirous of jesting with him, Arjuna smilingly said in reply, ‘Thisperson, O king, deserveth to occupy the same seat with Indra himself.Devoted to the Brahmanas, acquainted with the Vedas, indifferent toluxury and carnal enjoyments, habitually performing sacrifices, steady invows, this one, indeed, is the very embodiment of virtue, The foremost ofall Persons endued with energy and superior to every body on earth inintelligence, devoted to asceticism, he is conversant with variousweapons. No other person among the mobile and immobile creatures of thethree worlds possesseth or will ever possess such knowledge of weapons.And there is none even amongst the gods, or Asuras, or men, or Rakshasas,or Gandharvas, or Yaksha chiefs, or Kinnaras–or mighty Uragas, who islike him. Endued with great foresight and energy, beloved by the citizensand inhabitants of the provinces, he is the mightiest of car-warriorsamongst the sons of Pandu. A performer of sacrifices, devoted tomorality, and of subdued passions, like unto a great Rishi, this royalsage is celebrated over all the worlds. Possessed of great strength andgreat intelligence, able and truthful, he hath all his senses undercomplete control. Equal unto Indra in wealth and Kuvera in hoarding, heis the protector of the worlds like unto Manu himself of mighty prowess.Endued with great might, he is even such. Kind unto all creatures he isno other than the bull of the Kuru race, king Yudhishthira the just. Theachievements of this king resemble the sun himself of blazing effulgence.And his fame hath travelled in all directions like the rays of thatluminary. And like the rays following the risen sun of blazingeffulgence, ten thousand swift elephants followed him, O king, when hedwelt among the Kurus. And, O king, thirty thousand cars decked in goldand drawn by the best steeds, also used to follow him then. And fulleight hundred bards adorned with ear-rings set with shining gems, andaccompanied by minstrels, recited his praises in those days, like theRishis adorning Indra. And, O king, the Kauravas and other lords of earthalways waited upon him like slaves, as the celestials upon Kuvera. Thiseminent king, resembling the bright-rayed sun, made all lords of earthpay tribute unto him like persons of the agricultural class. Andeighty-eight thousands of high-souled Snatakas depended for theirsubsistence upon this king practising excellent vows. This illustriouslord protected the aged and the helpless, the maimed and the blind, ashis sons, and he ruled over his subjects virtuously. Steady in moralityand self-control, capable of restraining his anger, bountiful, devoted tothe Brahmanas, and truthful, this one is the son of Pandu. The prosperityand prowess of this one afflict king Suyodhana with his followersincluding Kama and Suvala’s son. And, O lord of men, the virtues of thisone are incapable of being enumerated. This son of Pandu is devoted tomorality and always abstains from injury. Possessed of such attributes,doth not this bull among kings, this son of Pandu, deserve, O monarch, tooccupy a royal seat?'”