disguise, have always granted protection unto those that solicit it? Oh,
why do those heroes today, endued as they are with strength and possessed
of immeasurable energy, quietly suffer, like eunuchs, their dear and
chaste wife to be thus insulted by a Suta's son? Oh, where is that wrath
of theirs, that prowess, and that energy, when they quietly bear their
wife to be thus insulted by a wicked wretch? What can I (a weak woman) do
when Virata, deficient in virtue, coolly suffereth my innocent self to be
thus wronged by a wretch? Thou dost not, O king, act like a king towards
this Kichaka. Thy behaviour is like that of a robber, and doth not shine
in a court. That I should thus be insulted in thy very presence, O
Matsya, is highly improper. Oh, let all the courtiers here look at this
violence of Kichaka. Kichaka is ignorant of duty and morality, and Matsya
also is equally so. These courtiers also that wait upon such a king are
destitute of virtue.'

"Vaisampayana continued, 'With these and other words of the same kind the
beautiful Krishna with tearful eyes rebuked the king of the Matsyas. And
hearing her, Virata said, 'I do not know what your dispute has been out
of our sight. Not knowing the true cause how can I show my
discrimination?' Then the courtiers, having learnt every thing, applauded
Krishna, and they all exclaimed, 'Well done!' 'Well done!' and censured
Kichaka. And the courtiers said, 'That person who owneth this large-eyed
lady having every limb of hers endued with beauty for his wife,
possesseth what is of exceeding value and hath no occasion to indulge in
any grief. Surely, such a damsel of transcendent beauty and limbs
perfectly faultless is rare among men. Indeed, it seems to us that she is
a goddess.'

"Vaisampayana continued, 'And while the courtiers, having beheld Krishna
(under such circumstances), were applauding her thus, Yudhishthira's