SECTION XXIV

Vaisampayana said, "And beholding the Sutas slain, the citizens went to
the king, and represented unto him what had happened, saying, 'O king,
those mighty sons of the Sutas have all been slain by the Gandharvas.
Indeed, they lie scattered on the earth like huge peaks of mountains
riven by thunder. _Sairindhri_ also, having been set free, returneth to
thy palace in the city. Alas, O king, if _Sairindhri_ cometh, thy entire
kingdom will be endangered. _Sairindhri_ is endued with great beauty;
the Gandharvas also are exceedingly powerful. Men again, without doubt,
are naturally sexual. Devise, therefore, O king, without delay, such
means that in consequence of wrongs done to _Sairindhri_, thy kingdom
may not meet with destruction.' Hearing those words of theirs, Virata,
that lord of hosts, said unto them, 'Do ye perform the last rites of the
Sutas. Let all the Kichakas be burnt, in one blazing pyre with gems and
fragrant unguents in profusion.' And filled with fear, the king then
addressed his queen Sudeshna, saying, 'When _Sairindhri_ comes back, do
thou tell her these words from me, "Blessed be thou, O fair-faced
_Sairindhri_. Go thou whithersoever thou likest. The king hath been
alarmed, O thou of graceful hips, at the defeat already experienced at
the hands of the Gandharvas. Protected as thou art by the Gandharvas, I
dare not personally say all this to thee. A woman, however, cannot
offend, and it is for this that I tell thee all this through a woman."'"

Vaisampayana continued, "Thus delivered by Bhimasena after the slaughter
of the Sutas, the intelligent and youthful Krishna relieved from all her
fears, washed her limbs and clothes in water, and proceeded towards the
city, like a doe frightened by a tiger. And beholding her, the citizens,
O king, afflicted with the fear of the Gandharvas fled in all
directions. And some of them went so far as to shut their eyes. And