Bhima rescues Susharma

Having achieved his motive, Susharma went with his prisoner to the banks of the river Krishna. There a camp was setup and food was being prepared.
Susharma said to Virata - See, Without your brother in law, you are nothing.

Suddenly Bhima attacked. The people there were scared to this huge person come there. Bhima started using his hands. He saw a broken chariot and picking up the flagstaff of that, he started fighting. Catching the horses, he flung them on the other horses.

Susharma got the news that a strange being had attacked and was calling out to him. Bhima saw Susharma. Susharma was scared to see Bhima. With his left hand, he grabbed Susharma by his hair and with his right hand he grabbed Virata. He then rushed where Yudhistira was. Both Virata and Susharma had fainted. Virata coming to his senses saw Yudhistira there. He asked what had happened, where had the gandharva vanished, the one who had rescued him.

Yudhistira said The gandharva likes you, so he rescued you. Do not fear him.

To Susharma, Yudhistira said, Who asked you to come here? You would have heard of the Gandharvas who are staying here.
To Virata, he said - Pardon the king of Trigarta, Susharma, and let him go.

Virata agreed and pardoned Susharma.

With the treasures and Virata, the Pandavas returned back.

Susharma steals the cows

While Pandavas were in hiding, Duryodhana was sending spies to trace them out. The spies reported back - We have no sign of the Pandavas. If they were alive they should have been spotted.
One spy who had come from the south said - I agree but I want to add something. You have heard of the prince of Kaikeya, Kichaka who is also the brother in law of the Matsya King, Virata. Kichaka and his brothers have been mysteriously killed there.

Susharma, a king, was in Duryodhana's court. He got up and said - Killing of Kichaka is good. He had forcibly taken over my land. With Kichaka gone, Virata is weak. We can loot him and take his treasures.

Duryodhana agreed and said Let Susharma go first. We will follow later. Let him take over his land. We will then steal the cows from the land of Matsya.

In the month of Ashada, on the fifth day of the moon, Susharma attacked the Matsya kingdom. He asked his soldiers to capture the cows from the kingdom and take them away. The soldiers got busy taking not only the cows but whatever wealth they could find.

The cow herds rushed to Virata and reported this. The king orders the army to get ready. He asked the Pandavas in court to help him fight. All were asked except Arjuna.

A great battle started. The sky was covered in dust from the chariots and soldiers. Virata attacked Susharma and killed the horses pulling the chariot. Susharma jumped off from the chariot. Picking up a mace, he rushed to attack Virata. He killed the horses of the chariot and threw the charioteer from the chariot. He then took Virata as a prisoner and started dragging him towards his chariot.

The army seeing their king captive, started running. Yudhistira then asked Bhima to do something. Virata had done them a big favor by hiding them. They needed to repay that.

Bhima said he would do that. He would rescue Virata. Bhima went to uproot a tree but Yudhistira stopped him. As they were in hiding, they could not disclose their identity. He asked Bhima to use the bow and arrow.

Bhima said he would do the needful. He would not uproot a tree but do what he needed to do with his bare hands.