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Virata looked at his son and said: "Why all this ado about it? I
struck him for untimely and envious belittling of you when I was in an ocean of delight at
the news of your glorious victory. Each time I mentioned you, this unlucky brahmana
extolled your charioteer, the eunuch, and gave the victory to him.
It was too silly really, and I am sorry Istruck him, but it is not
worth talking about." Uttara was overwhelmed with fear. "Alas! You have done
great wrong. Fall at his feet right now, father, and pray forforgiveness or we will be
destroyed, root and branch,"
Virata, to whom all this was inexplicable, stood with a puzzled frown
not knowing what to do, but Uttara was so anxious and importunate that he yielded and
bowed to Yudhishthira asking for pardon.
Thereafter, embracing his son and making him sit, Virata said: "My
boy, you are truly a hero. I am in a fever of impatience to hear all about it. How did you
defeat the Kaurava army? How did you recover the kine?"
Uttara hung his head down. "I conquered no army," he said,
"and rescued no cows. All that was the work of a god prince. He took up our cause,
rescued me from destruction, put the Kaurava soldiers to flight and brought the herd back.
I did nothing."
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