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45. MATSYA DEFENDED
There were only two persons who could
kill Kichaka, and Bhima was one of them.
And so they suspected that Bhima might
have been the vengeful Gandharva who
had killed Kichaka. Duryodhana also felt
that the lady who was the cause of the
killing might be Draupadi. He expressed
his doubts in the open assembly.
He said: "I suspect that the Pandavas are
in Virata's city. Now, he is one of the
kings who are too stiff-necked to court our
friendship. It would be a good thing to
invade his country and carry away his
cows. If the Pandavas are hiding there,
they will certainly come out to fight with
us to repay Virata's hospitality and we can
easily spot them. If we discover them
there and we can sure before the stipulated
time, they will have to go to the forest
again for another twelve, years. If, on the
other hand, the Pandavas are not there,
there is nothing lost."
King Susarma, the ruler of Trigarta
heartily supported him. "The king of
Matsya is my enemy." he said, "and
Kichaka has given me a lot of trouble.
Kichaka's death must have weakened
Virata considerably. Give me leave to
attack Virata now."
Karna seconded this proposition. They
unanimously came to the decision that
Susarma should attack Matsya from the
south and draw off the army of Virata to
the south for defence. Duryodhana, with
the Kaurava army, would then launch a
surprise attack on Virata from the
northern side, which would be relatively
undefended.
Susarma invaded Matsya from the south
seized the cattle and laid waste the
gardens and fields on the way. The
cowherds ran in great distress to Virata,
who now very much wished that Kichaka
were alive, for he surely would have made
short work of the raiders. When he said so
to Kanka (the assumed name by which
Yudhishthira was known in Virata's court)
the latter said: "O king, be not worried.
Even though I am a hermit, I am an expert
in warfare.
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