Tribes in Ancient India c7.49

c7.49

The Matsya king and his people honoured Yudhiṣṭhira and his brothers, and were grateful to them for preventing the predatory excursions of the Trigarttas and Kurus against their cattle. The bond with the Matsyas was further cemented by the marriage of Virāṭa’s daughter with Abhimanyu, the son of Arjuna. The Pāṇḍavas were further related through Draupadī with the powerful king of Pañcāla; and they had a firm friend in Kṛṣṇa, the hero of the Yādavas. It was felt, accordingly, that a successful attempt might be made to recover the dominions out of which they had been cheated. The King of Pañcāla suggested that they should resort to war, and kings of other neighbouring countries were invited to help the Pāṇḍavas. But before the war began the brothers made a last unsuccessful attempt to negotiate peace, sending Kṛṣṇa Vāsudeva as their emissary to the Kuru court.²