Virata War

Virata War (Part 2):

The massive army of Kauravas along with its mightiest warriors reached the city outskirts and surrounded the area and soon seized thousands of cattle. The cowherds of king Virata trembled at the sight of the mighty army and were quickly driven off by the enemy army. And, the chief of the cowherds, speedily mounted on a chariot and set out for the palace to inform about the capture of the royal kine. He quickly reached the palace and informed Bhuminjaya also known as Uttar kumar, the son of king Virata about the seizure of the royal kine and how Kauravas were driving those royal kine out of their kingdom. The chief of cowherds to inspire confidence and courage in Uttara kumar to fight against the Kauravas said, that they all regard him as a valiant hero and whose praises are sung by everyone including the king.

After hearing those words of high praise which sounded musical to his ears, Uttara kumar was flying high and indulged in self-praise as he was surrounded by beautiful females. He exaggerated his own skills and wanted to impress upon the beautiful females, saying that he will truly beat the back of Kaurava army including the legendary warriors like Bhishma, Drona and so on. But, since everyone including his own charioteer went to fight on the southern front against the Trigartha army, he is without any charioteer or else he would have stepped in immediately into the battle and routed the enemy.

Arjuna who was hearing all these boasts of Uttara kumar was seen chuckling and it became difficult for him to control his laughter and taking this opportunity called in Sairindhri. Looking at the beautiful Sairindhri, Arjuna asked her to convey the message through princess Uttara to prince Bhuminjaya, that formerly he worked as a charioteer to the third Pandava Arjuna and accompanied him in many battles including the famous battle at Khandavaprastha where he fought against Indra himself. Thus he gained lots of experience as a charioteer and would assist Bhuminjaya in this battle against Kauravas.

When princess Uttara revealed the same to Uttara kumar, he laughed loudly and stared at Brihannala and questioned if he truly worked as a charioteer to Arjuna to which Brihannala nodded in positive. After getting confirmation, Uttara kumar again started his own trumpet, specially to impress the beautiful ladies of the palace apartments. Uttara kumar boasted that today the mighty Kaurava army along with its famous warriors like Bhishma, Drona, Kripa, Karna, Ashwathama and Duryodhan and so on, would be routed by him single-handedly and indeed the enemy would be stunned to see such amazing display of unparalleled skill and valour that they would think, if this warrior is the mighty Arjuna himself or prince Uttara kumar. Draupadi who was patiently hearing from the start all the boasts of Uttara kumar got greatly agitated and cast a sidelong glance on Uttara kumar, when he was comparing himself with her husband the illustrious and noble warrior Savyasachi.

Brihannala just to cause some fun started to make some silly mistakes like donning the armour upside down, which resulted in bursts of laughter from princess Uttara and other female attendants of the palace. But, all this while Draupadi was not thrilled and was casting angry glances on Brihannala as she was incapable of seeing her beloved being laughed at. Uttara kumar showed Brihannala on how to don the armour and were ready to fight against the mighty kuru army.

Princess Uttara and her friends requested Brihannala to bring back the beautiful and expensive cloths worn by the kuru warriors specially by Duryodhan and Karna, which they would like to use for decorating their dolls. Brihannala smilingly and in a deep and booming voice said that, if prince Uttara kumar can vanquish those great warriors in the battle, then he would certainly bring the expensive and colourful cloths.

The journey from the palace started on a great note for Uttara kumar, his mother blessed him to achieve grand victory, and also the ladies, brahmanas and the old men of the city came in great numbers and blessed him to achieve victory. Uttara kumar was brimming with supreme confidence and totally lost in his own dreamy state, where he was imagining himself routing the great kuru army and beating the likes of Bhishma, Drona and so on.