He
deserveth even more than this. When I was praising thee, he praised that
person of the third sex.'
"Uttara said, 'Thou hast, O king, committed an improper act. Do thou
speedily propitiate him so that the virulent poison of a Brahmana's
curse may not consume thee to thy roots!'"
Vaisampayana continued, "Having heard the words of his son, Virata, that
enhancer of the limits of his kingdom, began to soothe Kunti's son, who
was like unto a fire hid in ashes, for obtaining his forgiveness. And
unto the king desirous of obtaining his pardon the Pandava replied, 'O
king, I have long ago forgiven it. Anger I have none. Had this blood
from my nostrils fallen on the ground, then, without doubt, thou, O
monarch, wouldst have been destroyed with thy kingdom. I do not,
however, blame thee, O king, for having struck an innocent person. For,
O king, they that are powerful generally act with unreasoning
severity.'"
Vaisampayana continued, "When the bleeding had stopped, Vrihannala
entered (the council-room) and having saluted both Virata and Kanka,
stood silent. And the king, having appeased the chief of the Kurus,
began to praise, in Savyasachin's hearing, Uttara who had returned from
the battle. And the king said, 'O enhancer of the joys of Kekaya's
princess, in thee have I truly a son! I never had nor shall have, a son
that is equal to thee! How, indeed, couldst thou, O child, encounter
that Karna who leaveth not a single mark unhit amongst even a thousand
that he may aim at all at once? How couldst thou, O child, encounter
that Bhishma who hath no equal in the whole world of men? How also
couldst thou, O child, encounter Drona, that foremost of all wielders of
weapons, that preceptor of the Vrishnis and Kauravas, twice-born one who
may be regarded as the preceptor of all the Kshatriyas? How couldst thou
meet in battle the celebrated Aswatthaman? How couldst thou, O child,
encounter that Duryodhana, the prince who is capable of piercing even a
mountain with his mighty arrows? My foes have all been thrashed.
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