'
"Uttara said, 'Let the Kurus rob the Matsyas of all their wealth. Let
men and women, O Vrihannala, laugh at me. Let my kine perish, let the
city be a desert. Let me stand exposed before my father. Still there is
no need of battle.'"
Vaisampayana continued, "Saying this, that much affrighted prince decked
in ear-ring jumped down from his car, and throwing down his bow and
arrows began to flee, sacrificing honour and pride. Vrihannala, however,
exclaimed, 'This is not the practice of the brave, this flight of a
Kshatriya from the field of battle. Even death in battle is better than
flight from fear.' Having said this, Dhananjaya, the son of Kunti,
coming down from that excellent car ran after that prince thus running
away, his own long braid and pure red garments fluttering in the air.
And some soldiers, not knowing that it was Arjuna who was thus running
with his braid fluttering in the air, burst out into laughter at the
sight. And beholding him thus running, the Kurus began to argue, 'Who is
this person, thus disguised like fire concealed in ashes? He is partly a
man and partly a woman. Although bearing a neuter form, he yet
resembleth Arjuna. His are the same head and neck, and his the same arms
like unto a couple of maces. And this one's gait also is like unto his.
He can be none else than Dhananjaya. As _Indra_ is among the celestials,
so Dhananjaya is among men. Who else in this world than Dhananjaya,
would alone come against us? Virata left a single son of his in the
empty city.
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