| / Dharmashastra / Mahabharata |
Mahabharata
Pandava Pravesha Parva
The counsels of Yudhishthira and others. Counsels of the Pandavas. The advice of Dhaumya. The entering into Virata's city. The hymn of Durga. The entry of Bhima. The entry of Draupadi. The entry of Sahadeva. The entry of Arjuna. The entry of Nakula. The destruction of Jimuta.
Having saluted Narayana and Nara the best of male beings as also the goddess of learning let us cry success.
Janamejaya said:
How did my great grand fathers, stricken with the fear of Duryodhana, live incognito in the city of Virata ?
O Brahmana, how did the highly lucky Draupadi, devoted to her husbands, afflicted with woe and in the habit of reciting the names of the Supreme being, live undiscovered?
Vaishampayana said:
Listen, O ruler of men, how your great grand-fathers spent their days in the city of Virata without being discovered.
Having thus received the boon from Dharma (the god of virtue) the best of the virtuous retired to the asylum, and described to the Brahmanas, all that came to pass.
Having described everything to the Brahmanas, Yudhishthira gave over to the Brahmana the fire sticks along with the churning staff which he had lost.
O Bharata, then the high-souled potentate Yudhishthira, the offspring of Dharma, called all his younger brothers together and addressed them thus:
For these twelve years, we have been exiled from our kingdom. This is the thirteenth year very had to pass.
Therefore, O Arjuna, the son of Kunti, from here make a judicious choice of a place where we may stay one year without being known by our enemies.
Arjuna said:
O lord of men, by virtue of Dharma's gift of boon we shall to about without being known to the people. There is no doubt of it.
But for purposes of our abode I shall mention some places both pleasant and sequestered, please fix upon from among those.
About the kingdom of Kurus there are many beautiful countries with plenty of corn viz. Panchala, Chedi, Matsya, Shurasena, Patachchara, Dasharna, Navarashtra, Malla, Shalva, Yugandhara and extensive Kuntirashtra, Saurashtra and Avanti.
Which of these, O king, do you select for your abode, where we may live all the year round. On which of these places, O king, does your choice fall, where we may live all the year round.
Yudhishthira said:
O you of mighty arms, what the worshipful deity (Dharma), the lord of all beings, has said must be so; there can be no other alternative.
After consulting together we must seek out a pleasant auspicious and agreeable place, where we may live all together without fear.
The aged Virata, the king of Matsya, is powerful, charitable, of righteous disposition, ever beloved and also attached to the Pandavas.
In the city of Virata, O dear one, we shall, O Bharata, spend the whole of his year, doing his work.
Tell me, O sons of Kuru, in what capacities we shall have to present ourselves after we shall have gone to the king of the Matsya.
Arjuna said:
O god among men, how will you work in his domain, O virtuous one, in what capacity will you reside in the city of Virata?
O king, you are gentle, charitable, modest, righteous, and true to promise. O Pandava, what will you do, although afflicted with calamity.
Like an ordinary person a king is not accustomed to hardships; how will you, as a king, thus get over the awful calamity that has overtaken you.
Yudhishthira said:
O you sons of Kuru, O you best among men, listen what work I shall do after having come before the king Virata.
Appearing as a twice-born one, Kanka by name, expert in dice and fond of game, I shall be a counter of that high-minded king.
Moving upon boards nice ivory pawns, blue, yellow, red and white, by means of red and black dice I shall please the king with his friends and ministers. When I shall thus be satisfying the king no body shall be able to find me out.
If the king asks me I shall say - "formerly I was the friend of Yudhishthira, as dear as his life."
I have told you all that - how I would pass my days there. O Vrikodara, in what capacity will you live in the city of Virata?
Bhima said:
O Bharata, I shall present myself before the king Virata, calling myself a cook, named Ballava. This is my intention.
I shall prepare his curries. I am expert in the business of the kitchen. I shall supercede even those experts who used to made curries for him before and I shall carry from biggest loads of wood and thus render every service; and the king, having seen that splendid work, will appoint me. O Bharata, beholding me doing these superhuman deeds the servants of the monarch will regard me as a king. Thus I shall be the lord of all sorts of food and drink.
O king, if I am commanded to overpower the mighty elephants and powerful bulls I will do that. I will defeat those combatants who will fight against me in the lists in order to satisfy the monarch but I shall not kill those fighting heroes, but bring them down in such a way that they may not perish.
On being asked, I shall say, "Formerly I 'was the cook, subduer of animals, maker of curries and wrestler of Yudhishthira. O lord of me, in whatever direction I shall went my way I shall take care of my own person. This much I promise.
Yudhishthira said:
What work will Dhananjaya, the son of Kunti, perform, who is mighty, long armed, invincible, the foremost of men, and the joy of Kurus, and before whom formerly the fire-god, desirous of consuming the Khandava forest, appeared in the guise of a Brahmana.
What work will be performed by the best of dualists Arjuna, who having ascended the single chariot with Krishna, repaired to the forest and gratified the fire god after defeating and destroying the Pannagas and Rakshasas and who carried off the sister of the serpent- king named Vasuki.
The sun is the foremost of all shining bodies, the Brahmana is the foremost of all bipeds, the Ashivisha is the foremost of all serpents, the fire is the foremost of all bright substances, thunder is the foremost of all weapons, the humped bull is the foremost of its kind, the ocean is the foremost of all watery expanses, the Parjanya is the foremost of all rain clouds, Dhritarashtra is the foremost of all Nagas, Airavata is the foremost of all elephants, the son is the foremost of all beloved objects, and the wife is the foremost of all friends. O Vrikodara, as every species has its, best, so is the youthful Gudakesha the best of all archers.
What office will be performed by Bibhatsu of great splendour, whose bow is Gandiva, and whose chariot is drawn by white horses and who is in no way inferior to Indra or Vasudeva himself?
What office will be performed by Arjuna shining in celestials grace, who, having stayed for five years in the abode of the thousand- eyed deity, acquired by his superhuman prowess, the art of using arms along with all the celestials weapons, and who is me-seems like the Rudra, thirteenth of the Adityas, ninth of the Vasus and the tenth of the Grahas, whose arms are symmetrical and long, having the skin rendered hard by repeated strokes of the bow string and knobs on which appear like the humps of bulls and who is the foremost of warriors as the Himavata of mountains, the sea of rivers, Shakra of the gods, Havyavahak (fire) of the Vasus, the tiger of the beasts, Garuda of the winged tribes.
Arjuna said:
O ruler of the earth, I shall declare myself to be one of the neuter sex, but O king, it is very difficult to conceal the big strokes of the bow-string on my arms.
However, I shall conceal with the bangles the marks of my arm caused by the bow-string.
Having worn rings shining as fire on my ears and conch-bangles on my wrist, and dressing my hair in a bread on my head and taking the name of Brihannala I shall, O king, appear as one of the third sex, and please the king and others in the seraglio by reciting stories often and often as becomes a female.
O king, I shall instruct the ladies of Virata's house in singing, delightful dancing and also in musical performances of sundry sorts.
And in reciting various good deeds and customs of people, I shall, O son of Kunti, conceal myself in disguise.
O Pandava, on being asked by the king I shall say "I lived as a waiting maid of Draupadi in the palace of Yudhishthira.
O great king, hiding myself by this counterfeiting means as fire is concealed by ashes, I shall happily pass my days in the palace of Virata.”
Having spoken thus, Arjuna, the best of men and the foremost of the virtuous, ceased, and the king again asked his another brother.
Yudhishthira said:
O Nakula, tender, heroic, graceful and accustomed to pleasurable pursuits as you are, what work will you do in the dominion of Virata, tell me that.
Nakula said:
I shall be the keeper of the horses of king Virata; I possess thorough knowledge of the business, and am expert in the tending of them,
I shall be designated Granthika. The avocation is congenial to me. I am expert both in training and treating horses.
O king of the Kurus, horses are even dear to me as they are to you. Those who will question me in the city of the Virat will be thus told by me. "Formerly I was placed by Yudhishthira in charge of his horses. O ruler of the earth, I shall thus disguised go about in the city of Virata."
Yudhishthira said:
O Sahadeva, how will you appear before him or what work will you do so that you may walk about undiscovered.
Sahadeva said:
I shall be the counter of the cows of the king Virata; I am skilled in taming, milking and counting them.
Denominated as Tantipala and by that name I shall clearly do my duty. Let your mental anxiety be dispelled.
Very often was I formerly employed by you in looking after your cows. O Lord of the earth, all the arts that the business involves are known to me.
O ruler of the earth, the nature, the characteristics and the favorable marks and other points regarding cows are well known to me.
I also know the bulls bearing favourable marks whose urine on being smelt makes even the barren productive.
Thus shall I pass my days; there is always a delight for me in this work, and no one shall recognize me and moreover I will entertain the monarch.
Yudhishthira said:
This is our beloved wife dearer even than life. Like a mother she is to be cherished and like an elder sister she is to be respected.
In what capacity will Krishna the daughter of Drupada, appear; like other women she does not know how to do any work.
Tender and young is the king's daughter, endowed with eminence, devoted to her lords and highly virtuous; how will she pass her days?
Since her very birth the handsome lady has only been accustomed to garlands, perfumes, ornaments and diverse kinds of robes.
Draupadi said:
O Bharata, there is a class of maid-servants called Sairandhri employed in the service of others and it is the conviction of people that no (respectable) ladies will enter it.
I shall call myself Sairandhri skilled in dressing hair; and asked by the king, O Bharata, I shall say "I was a waiting maid to Draupadi in the house of Yudhishthira," and as you ask me (I say) I, shall pass my days concealing myself.
I shall serve Shudeshna the reputed wife, of the king, and getting me, she will keep me. Let this anxiety of yours be set at rest.
Yudhishthira said:
O Krishna, you have spoken well, O fair one, you are born in a noble family; chaste as you are and engaged in pursuit of pious vows you are a stranger to sin.
O blessed one, you should behave yourself in such a way that the wicked and sinful men may have no chance of deriving pleasure from looking at you.
Yudhishthira said:
In consonance with the ordinance, the works which you will perform have been already described by you, and I have also said according to my discretion the office which I shall perform.
Let this our priest go back to the house of Drupada with our charioteer and cooks, and preserve our Agnihotra fires.
Let these people with Indrasena as their head repair speedily with empty cars to the city of Amaravati. This is my wish.
Let all these attending maids of Draupadi go to the Panchalas with our charioteers and cooks.
All of them also must say this "we do not know the Pandavas, they have all departed from Dvaitavana leaving us alone here."
Vaishampayana said:
Thus having consulted one another and mentioned their own respective duties they asked the advice of Dhaumya and he also gave his advice.
O Pandavas, you have made arrangements in regard to the Brahmanas, friends, weapons and also in regard to the fires.
You and Falguna (Arjuna) are to protect Krishna. O kings, the characters of men are properly known to you all. Inspite of your knowledge, it behoves the friends to describe them out of their regard for you and that is reckoned as the everlasting virtue, pleasure and profit. Therefore I shall say something - you should attend.
Alas! it is woeful to stay with a king, I shall tell you. O princes, how you shall avert the calamities while residing in the royal premises. O Kauravas, whether respected or not, may you pass thus at the royal residence undiscovered by those who know you. Then in the fourteenth year you will act according to your own pleasure.
One ought to obtain previous permission should he want to appear before the king. As regards royal secrets one should not give credit when they are mentioned; one should rather court that seat where no one can defeat him.
He alone can live in a royal residence who does not, with the confidence that he is a favorite, make use of the king's car, vehicle, or bedstead, or seat, or elephant or chariot.
He alone can live in a royal house who sits on a seat the occupation of which cannot create any suspicion in the minds of the wicked.
Unasked no one should even offer a counsel to the king; one should pay respect to him with reticence and homage in time. Kings wish to have those who babble and hate counsellors who tell lies.
A wise man should never contract friendship with the wife of the king nor with the other inmates of his seraglio, nor with those whom the despises and who are hostile to him.
One about the king should perform the act, however greatly insignificant may be in his presence. There would be no harm to him should he behave himself towards the king in the way.
Holding even the highest office one should, until he is asked or commanded, regard himself as born-blind in consideration of (the dignity of his position).
Because the kings show no consideration even to their sons, grandsons and brothers when they are found to disregarded their dignity.
In this world a king should be carefully served like the fire-god or any other deity; one that plays false to the king is killed by him; this admits of no doubt .
One should follow what the master directs, and renounce carelessness, pride and anger.
After carefully pondering over all things one should relate to the king what is both agreeable and profitable; but one must say what is beneficial in preference to what is merely agreeable.
In all matters and works one ought to be well-disposed towards the king and should never relate to him what is disagreeable and unprofitable.
Thinking that one is not his favourite, one should serve the king, always do him what is good and pleasant without neglect.
He alone can live in a royal house who does not swerve from his place, nor does him any injury, nor associates with those who are unfriendly to him (the king).
Learned men should sit either on the right or the left side of the king, because the place behind him is reverend, for the guards furnished with arms and seats in his front are always forbidden.
No one should give publicity to what transpires in the very presence of the king because even for those who are very favourite it is looked upon as the height of impertinence.
One should not reveal to others any lie, that has been told by the king for he is annoyed with those who report his lies and also despise those who regard themselves as learned.
A person that does not take pride in thinking “I am heroic and intelligent,” and conducts himself agreeably to the wishes of the king is worthy of royal favour and amenities of life.
A person, obtaining from the king wealth and other agreeable things hard to acquire, must employ himself assiduously in doing for him what is both pleasant and profitable.
What person, that is agreeable to the wise, can even contemplate a wrong to him, whose wrath is a great trouble and whose propitiation is productive of great fruits?
In the presence of the king no one should move his lips, anus and thighs and one should speak gently, spit slowly and break wind softly.
In the presence of the king if any laughable matter is mooted, a person should not enjoy it with the utmost reserve, nor should he laugh like a maniac.
No person should restrain himself to the reserve, for in that case he should lead him to an unnecessary gravity. But he should smile with modesty and without betraying any mistaken interest as regards real cause of the mirth. He that is always on his guard, and is neither exalted by reward nor feels wronged by disgrace, is alone worthy of residing in a royal palace.
The learned courtier who always described the king and princes in suitable terms can stay long as a favorite in a royal residence.
The favored counsel or who refrains from speaking ill of the king, if ever deprived of royal grace for some causes, regains his prosperity.
The person, who earns his livelihood through the favour of the king or lives in his dominion, if prudent, must eulogize him both in his presence and behind him.
The courtier, who desires to gain his end by using force on the king, does not hold his place long and incurs the danger of losing his life.
No person should, for the sake of his own interest, hold communion with the king's enemies, nor should one always come forward to instruct the king on all occasions, however suitable they may be.
He, who is cheerful mighty, brave, truthful, gentle and of subdued passions, and who always follows the king like a shadow, is alone capable of living in a royal palace.
He who steps forward saying "pray, I will do it," when another is entrusted with a work, is alone worthy of living in a royal residence.
He who never fears when commanded by the king to do work, wither in or out of his dominion, is alone fit for living in the royal premises.
He alone, can live in a royai palace, who, although staying away from home, never remembers his beloved ones and suffers misery in the expectation of future happiness.
One should not dress like the king, should not burst out into a loud laughter in the presence of the king, nor should one divulge royal counsels; behaving in this way one may become favourite of the king.
Appointed to a work one should not lay hands on money; if one does it he runs the risk of being imprisoned or put to death.
One should always use the cars, the robes, the ornaments and other things which the king bestows; and by doing this one should win the royal favour.
O sons of Pandu, thus controlling your minds with great efforts, spend, O children, this year, adorned with good manners. Then regaining your kingdom you may act according to your own pleasure.
Yudhishthira said:
By you we have been instructed; let good betide you. There is no one else who could say so except our mother Kunti and the high- minded Vidura.
Now it behoves you to do all that is necessary for our departure, for the removal of our woes and for the achievement of victory over foe.
Vaishampayana said:
Thus addressed by the king, Dhaumya, the best of the twice-born, arranged all that was necessary for their departure.
Lighting up fires, he offered with Mantras the oblations on them that they might gain prosperity and success and spread their conquest all over the earth.
Then the six, having circumbulated the fire and the Brahmanas whose only treasure is austerity, departed with Yajnseni ahead of them.
These heroes having departed, Dhaumya, the great among ascetics, took their Agnihotra fires and started for Panchalas.
Indrasena and others as mentioned before, after having gone to the Yadavas spent their days happily and privately in looking after the horses and cars of the Pandavas.
Vaishampayana said:
Those heroes equipped with swords and finger-protectors made of Iguna leather and furnished with weapons and quivers proceeded in the direction of the river Kalindi.
Then they desirous of regaining their own kingdom put an end to their forest-life and walked on foot to the southern bank of the river (Kalindi).
Having put an end to their forest life, those sons of Pandu, wielders of great bows, endued with great strength, equipped with swords, wearing beards and looking wan proceeded through Yakrilloma and Shurasena, and leaving the country of Panchalas on the south and that of Dasharna on the north, dwelling (sometimes) in hill-forts and forest fastness and killing the deer (in their journey) entered Matsya's dominions giving out themselves as hunters.
Having arrived at the country Krishna said to the king- “Look here, there are seen many foot-paths and these indicate the existence of Virata's metropolis in the distance. Spend the remaining part of the night here for great is my fatigue."
Yudhishthira said:
O Dhananjaya, O Bharata, take up Panchali and carry her. As we are come out of this forest we shall settle ourselves in the capital.
Vaishampayana said:
Arjuna, like the leader of elephants, quickly took up Draupadi (Drupada's daughter) and on reaching the skirts of the forest let her down.
After having arrived at the capital the son of Kunti, asked Arjuna- where shall we keep our weapons before we enter the city?
If we enter the city with our weapons we shall undoubtedly cause terror to the citizens. Moreover your gigantic bow, the Gandiva, is known to the people of the world, therefore, if we enter the city with that weapon, the people will undoubtedly cognizant us very soon.
And if any one of us be discovered we shall have to enter the forest again for another twelve years, for that has truly been our promise.
Arjuna said:
O lord of men, close by the cremation ground there stands, on the mountain peak, a large Shami tree, gigantic in size, hard to climb upon and with tremendous boughs.
Nor is their any human being I believe who can observe us, O Pandava, depositing our weapons.
Remote from the road there grows the tree in the forest inhabited by beasts and snakes and it stands beside a dismal cremation ground.
Having thus deposited our weapons on the Shami tree we shall, O Bharata, go to the city and pass our days there in style befitting us.
Vaishampayana said:
Having spoken thus to king the Yudhishthira, the virtuous Arjuna, O best of the Bharata race, prepared for putting aside the weapons on that tree.
Pritha's son, the best of the Kurus, loosened the string of the large and tremendous Gandiva, capable of producing a deeply terrific twang, of destroying the mighty hosts of enemies and by which he, on a single car, had conquered all the gods and men and many opulent countries.
The warlike Yudhishthira, the chastiser of enemies, loosened the undecaying string of bow with which he had protected the field of the Kurus (Kurukshetra).
The mighty Bhimasena unfastened the string of the bow with which the sinless one had conquered the Panchalas in fight, defeated the lord of Sindhu, opposed many of his foes alone at the time of spreading his conquest in all directions and hearing whose twang like the splitting of a mountain, or like the roar of the thunder, the enemies had fled from the field.
The heroic son of Pandu by Madri, having large arms, copper complexion, frugal speech and immense prowess in the field of battle, known by the name Nakula by virtue of his matchless beauty in the family, took away the string of his bow with which he had conquered all the regions of the west.
The heroic Sahadeva of noble conduct rendered his bow stringless with which he made conquests in the southern regions.
Along with their bows they deposited their long and shining swords, quivers of great value, and arrows with edges as sharp as those of razors.
Vaishampayana said:
Then Yudhishthira, the son of Kunti, commanded Nakula- "O heroic one ascend this Shami tree and deposit those bows thereon."
Having ascended the Shami tree Nakula himself placed these bows. He tied them with strong ropes with those parts of the tree which he thought to be well-formed and where the rain in an oblique lines.
There also the Pandavas fastened a corpse so that the people getting the bad smell and saying- "there a corpse fastened, will shun this Shami from a distance."
After having finished the fastening they gave out - "This is our mother, one hundred and eight years old. This is our ancestral custom, observed by our forefathers."
Having said this to the cow-herds and ship-herds Pritha's sons, the subduers of enemies, approached the capital.
(In order to live incognito) Yudhishthira selected for himself and his brothers these false names - Jaya, Jayanta, Vijaya, Jayatsena and Jayadbala.
For the purpose of passing the thirteenth year undiscovered in that kingdom they entered the great city in conformity to their promise (to Duryodhana).
Vaishampayana said:
While Yudhishthira was about to enter the beautiful city of Virata, he mentally hymned the divine Durga, the goddess of the three worlds, born of the womb of Yashoda, very dear to Narayana, born in the family of Nandagopa, bestower of prosperity capable of enhancing a family, the terror of Kansa, slayer of Asuras, the goddess who ascended the welkin when dashed on a stone slate, Vasudeva's sister, adorned with celestials garlands, attired in celestials apparel and holding sword and scimitar capable of rescuing worshippers, like a cow in the mire, who for the purpose of getting themselves released of the burden, invoke the aid of that giver of eternal blessing.
The king, with his brothers, desirous of obtaining a sight of the goddess, invoked her and began to sing praises by various hymns.
I salute you, O bestower of boons, O you that are the same as Krishna, O maiden O your Chaya, O your that have a form bright as the newly risen sun, and a face as beautiful as the full moon itself.
I salute you, O you of four hands and four faces, O you that have large hips and a very high-boom, O you that wears bangles and bears armlets.
O goddess you appear like Padma the consort of Narayana, O you ranger in the sky, your Brahmacharya and the real forms are both without a spot.
O goddess, you appear with a countenance that vies with the moon, with a pair of well shaped ears decorated with excellent rings, having a pair of large arms like Indra's pole; you are the only female in the world endowed with the attributes of piety, purity - you are the one holding a vessel a lotus, a bell, a noose, a bow and a large discus and various other weapons.
With a beautiful crown and graceful tresses, with dresses made of the hoods of serpents and an ornament fascinating your hip, you appear to be like the mount Mandara girded with serpents; also you shine with peacock-plumes standing high on your crest.
Having accepted the vow of maiden hood you have sanctified the heaven; therefore, O goddess, you are praised and adorned by the gods.
For the protection of the three worlds, you have slain the demon Mahisha (buffalo); O foremost of deities, be propitious to me; give me your grace and be the cause of my well-being.
You are Jaya and Vijaya and capable of giving victory in battle, as you are also capable of granting boons, now be pleased to grant me victory.
O Kali, Kali, O Mahakali, fond of wine, meat and animal-sacrifice your eternal abode is on the Vindhya, the chief of the mountains.
O giver of boon, capable of ranging every where at will, you are followed by celestials beings (in your journey). Persons who, for the purpose of shaking off their burdens, bow down to, or call upon, you in the morning on earth, attain all either in respect of children or riches. O Durga, as you rescue people from danger, you are called by them Durga.
You are the greatest refuge of people who are groping in the wilderness, getting drowned in the great ocean, and are taken captives by high-way-men.
O great goddess, the persons who remember you in the crossing of waters and in the forest and wilderness are never afflicted with calamity.
O great fame, and prosperity, you are fortitude and success, you are modesty and knowledge, you are offspring and intellect, you are evening and night, you are light and sleep, you are lunar beam and beauty, and you are forgiveness and mercy.
When worshipped, you remove men's fetters ignorance, loss of sons, loss of wealth and disease, death and dread.
I have been deprived of my kingdom and seek your refuge. O supreme goddess, I make obeisance to you with bended head.
O possessor of eyes like the petals of lotuses, be truth to us who are seeking after truth. O Durga, O refuge of all, O affectionate to devotees, be pleased to grant me protection.
Thus praised the goddess showed herself to the Pandavas and having addressed him thus said.
O Lord endowed with massive arms, listen to my words; shortly you shall get victory in battle.
Having defeated and slaughtered the Kaurava forces through my benediction and rendered the kingdom destitute of thorns you shall enjoy the earth again.
O king, you shall with your brothers again enjoy an abundance through my grace, health and happiness.
I propitiated, will confer, kingdom longevity, goodly form and offspring on those stainless persons who will chant my attributes aloud to the world.
To persons who will remember me, as you have done, in exile, in the town in battle, in danger by foes, in forest, in unapproachable deserts, in seas or in mountains, there will be nothing unattainable in this world.
O sons of Pandu, he who will listen to, or recite with faith this excellent hymn, shall attain success in all his undertakings.
Through my grace neither the Kurus nor the people inhabiting the city of Virata, will be able to recognize you all during your stay in that city.
Having said this to Yudhishthira the repressor of foes and bestowed protection on the sons of Pandu the Goddess disappeared.
Vaishampayana said:
Then having tied up in his cloth dice made of gold set with sapphires and placed them under his arm-pit, the king Yudhishthira, the lord of men, of great glory, founder of the Kuru family, of great soul, respected by kings, hard to be approached like a serpent of virulent venom. The best of men, great in might and beauty, resembling a deity in form, appearing like the sun enveloped with thick clouds, and like the mighty fire covered with ashes, first presented himself before the illustrious king Virata while he was seated in the court.
The king Virata first saw the Pandava coming like the moon covered with clouds and then in a moment found him arrived at the court, with a countenance like the full moon and possessed of a great splendour.
The king Virata asked his counsellors, the Brahmanas, the charioteers, the Vaishyas and all others who took their seats about him, "who might be the man that has come first, and just like a king appears in my court.
This best of men can not be a Brahmin; me-thinks he is a lord of earth, though he has neither a slave, nor a car, nor an elephant with him, yet he shines just like Indra.
By the marks on his person it is indicated that he is no other than one whose head has gone through the ceremony of coronal baths, and that is my belief. He approaches me as fearless as an elephant in a ruttish frenzy approaches a lotus.”
Yudhishthira, the best of men, having come near the king Virata while he was thus indulging in thoughts, addressed him saying "O great king, know me to be a Brahmin, who having lost all, have come to you, solicitous for his livelihood.
O sinless one, I wish to reside with you just like one obeying the voice of his master O Lord!" After having accorded him a due welcome the king well pleased said "accept the post you seek for."
Having appointed him the best of kings, O king, glad at heart addressed him saying "O worshipful one I bow down to you" from the dominions of what king you are come here? Please tell me truly what your name is and what family you belong to and whether you have knowledge of any art.
Yudhishthira said:
I was formerly a fried of Yudhishthira, I am a Brahmin belonging to the family named Vaiayghara, I am expert in casting dice. O Virata, I am known by the name of Kanka.
Virata said:
I grant you the boon which you may desire. Rule over the Matsya's. Know me to be your obedient. Even the cunning gamblers are always beloved of me, you, like a king, deserve a kingdom.
Yudhishthira said:
O Matsya, O lord of people, I shall never pick a quarrel, from the play at dice, with low people, nor shall any person be defeated by me. Let this boon be granted to me through your grace.
Virata said:
Surely shall I kill him who may do wrong to you. Should he be a Brahmin I shall banish him from my kingdom. Let my assembled subjects hear, Kanka, is as much lord of this my dominion as I myself.
You (Kanka) shall be my friend, your vehicle shall be the same as mine, you shall have plenty of clothes and sundry sorts of drinks and dishes. You shall look into both ins and outs of my affair, I shall always keep my doors open for you.
When the people pressed by the want of employment, will apply to you, you shall at all hours tell me all their words. I shall undoubtedly give them all that they will ask for; before my presence there will be no fear to you.
Vaishampayana said:
Having thus obtained the boon from the king Virata he too the best of men began to live there happily, highly respected by all. Nor could any one discover him.
Vaishampayana said:
Then there came another of dreadful strength and of shining beauty, with a gait as pleasant as that of a lion; holding in hand a cooking laddle and a spoon and an unsheathed sword of azure body and without a spot on the blade.
Although in the guise of a cook he endued with the strength of the lord of mountains, and attired in dark garments, reached the king of the Matsya's and stood before him illuming, with his great splendour, all around him like the sun revealing the world.
Beholding him like a king present before him Virata asked the people assembled there "who is this young man seen, the best of men, exceedingly beautiful, and having shoulders as high as those of a lion.
This man, not seen before, is like one seen; thinking and thinking over I cannot come to a definite conclusion (who he may be); nor do I, with a serious deliberation, understand the intention of that best of men.
Beholding him I do not deem it worth while to discuss whether he is the king of the Gandharvas or Purandara himself; ascertain who it is standing before my eyes, let him have in no time what he desires."
Thus commissioned by the words of Virata, his quick-paced messengers went to the son of Kunti and told that younger brother of Yudhishthira all that the king had said.
Then the high-souled son of Pandu approaching the king Virata spoke in words not poorly on the occasion "O king, I am a cook named Ballava; appoint me, pray, an expert in culinary arts.”
Virata said:
I do not believe that cooking is your business, you shine like a thousand-eyed deity amongst men; you seem to be the best in grace, beauty and prowess.
Bhima said:
O king, I am your cook and servant; it is not so that I have only the knowledge of curries, although O king, they were always tasted, in days gone by, by the king Yudhishthira.
O ruler of the earth, I am also a wrestler, there is no equal to me in strength. O sinless one, I shall always entertain you by fighting with elephants and lions.
Virata said:
I grant you the boons; you will take possession of the kitchen in which you say you are skilled. I do not think this office is worthy of you. You deserve the whole earth having seas for its walls, (girt by the seas).
I have done what you desire, you are appointed in my kitchen. I place you at the head of those who have been appointed there before by me.
Thus appointed in the kitchen Bhima became a great favorite of the king Virata. O king, he began to live there, but neither the servants of Virata nor other people recognized him.
Vaishampayana said:
Then Draupadi, of pleasant smile and of dark eyes, bending her black; glossy, soft, long and fine tresses of crispy ends into a twisted braid, threw it on her right side and kept it concealed (under her cloth ).
Having put on a very big dirty piece of cloth and dressed herself as a Sairandhri, Krishna began to ramble hither and thither like one in a miserable plight. All males and females came running to her wandering about.
Beholding her they asked "who are you and what you want to do"? O king, she said to them “I am a Sairandhri; here have I come to do his work who will maintain me."
The people, seeing her beauty and dress, hearing her voice so sweet, could not believe her to be in a position of a maid servant come in quest of livelihood.
While going abroad from the root of the palace Virata's beloved wife, the daughter of Kaikeyi, beheld the daughter of Drupada.
Beholding her thus plighted, unprotected and clad in a single piece of cloth, she (Virata's wife) addressed her saying "O gentle one, who are you and what you desire to do."
O king, she said to her “I am a Sairandhri, I desire to do his work who will maintain me."
Sudeshna said:
It cannot be so as you say, O beautiful one, (but on the contrary) it seems you can appoint numerous servants both male and female.
You are such a one as your heels are not high, thighs touch each other, deep are your intelligence, voice and navel, highly developed are your soles, palms, tongue, upper and neither lips and your voice is as sweet as that of a swan.
You are one of beautiful tresses, good breasts and possessed of high graces; and plump are your buttock and breasts. Being furnished with all these beautiful signs, you appear like a Kashmirean woman.
You are one with eyes having its line of hairs gracefully bent, lips scarlet as Bimba, waist slender, neck having the lines like those on the conch, veins scarcely visible and countenance like the full moon.
In beauty you are Sri (goddess of beauty) herself with eyes resembling the petals of the autumnal lotus, with a person fragrant as the autumnal lotus chief, and seated on the autumnal lotus.
O gentle one, tell me who you are; you cannot be a maid-servant; are you a Yakshi or a goddess, a Gandharvi or an Apsara (nymph) ? are you the daughter of a celestials or female Naga? is a presiding deity of the city? Are you a Vidyadhari or a Kinnari or Rohini herself? Are you Alambusha or Mishrakeshi or Pundarika or Malini or the queen of Indra or Varuna, or are you the wife of Vishvakarma or of the Prajapati himself? These goddesses are renowned in the regions of celestials; of these who are you, O beautiful one?
Draupadi said:
I am neither a goddess nor a Gandharvi nor an Asuri nor a Rakshasas; I am a maid-servant of the Sairandhiri class; I tell you this truth.
I know how to dress the hair, pound (fragrant staff) to make unguents. O auspicious lady, I know also how to make beautiful and variegated garlands of Jasamines, lotuses, lilies and Champakas. Formerly I served Satyabhama, the beloved queen of Krishna, and also Krishna the wife of the Pandavas, and the only beauty of the Kuru race. I serve in those places where I may get good food and clothes; as long as I get them I continue to serve.
Draupadi herself called me by name Malini, O lady Sudeshna, I, her serving maid, have come to your house today.
Sudeshna said:
I can place you on my head, and there is no doubt in that, provided that the king does not desire you and be not captivated with his whole heart.
Charmed by your beauty even the females of the royal house hold and as well as those in my own seraglio are gazing at you. What male person is there whom you will not captivate?
Look again, even the very trees that stand in my palace seem to bend low as if by way of paying homage to you, what male person is there that will not be attracted by you?
O you of well-shaped hips; O you girl of surpassing beauty, beholding your superhuman form, king Virata, will surely forsake me and will turn to you with his whole heart.
O you of expanded eyes, of nimble glances, the person, on whom you endued with faultless limbs, will cast a look with desire, will surely fall a victim to the God of Love.
O you of sweet smiles, O you of perfectly faultless form, the man who will behold you often and often will surely be subject to that formless deity.
As a person climbs up a tree for his own destruction, so, O you of graceful eyebrows, your stay in this royal house-hold will bring out the same result to me.
As a crab conceives for her own death so. O you of pleasant smiles, my desire for your stay here will surely be ruinous to me.
Draupadi said:
Neither by Virata nor by any other man I am to be won, O fair lady, for I have five youthful husbands who are all Gandharvas.
They are the sons of certain Gandharva king of extra-ordinary strength; they always protect me. Also my mode of living is very hard.
My Gandharva husbands wish me to serve only such person as will not give me to eat food already partaken of by another or ask me to wash their feet.
The person who will desire me like any other woman, will surely encounter destruction that very night.
O lady of sweet smiles, no one is able to decay me from the paths of rectitude; those beloved Gandharvas of exceeding prowess always protect me secretly.
Sudeshna said:
O charming one, it being so, I will allow you a residence (in my palace) according to your desire. You will never have to touch food partaken of by another nor even to wash another's feet.
Vaishampayana said:
Thus assured by the wife of Virata the chaste Krishna, devoted to her lords, began to live in that city. O Janamejaya, no one of that place could know who she really was.
Vaishampayana said:
Wearing an excellent dress of a cowherd and learning the dialect of the same, Sahadeva also arrived at the city of the king Virata.
Then the king, seeing him standing in the cow pasture in the vicinity of the royal palace, became amazed and sent for him.
The king, seeing that best of men shining in splendour, coming, asked the son of Kuru.
To whom do you belong? Whence are you come and what do you seek? You were not seen by me before, tell me in sooth all about you, O best of men.
Having come to the king, the repressor of foes Sahadeva said with a voice deep as the roar of the clouds, "I am a Vaishya known by the name Arishtanemi, I served as an enumerator of the cows of those best of the Kuru race.
O foremost of men, I do no know where the sons, of Pritha the foremost among men, are; I want to live with you. I can not keep myself without service. I do not like to serve any other king except you.
Virata said:
You must either be a Brahmana or a Kshatriya, you are as graceful as the lord of the entire earth girt by the sea. Tell me truly, O afflicted of enemies, the office of a Vaishya does not become you.
Tell me from the dominion, of what king you are come here, what knowledge of art you are versed with, in what capacity you will remain with us and what your pay will be.
Sahadeva said:
Of the five sons of Pandu Yudhishthira is the eldest. He had one division of kine the number where of amounts to eight hundred and ten thousand and another ten thousand, and another twenty thousand and so forth. I was employed as an enumerator of cows under them; people used to call me Tantipala.
Nothing is unknown to me about the cows that live within ten Yojanas and whose tale has been taken in reference to their present past and future.
My merits were known to that high-souled one, and the Kuru king Yudhishthira was pleased with me.
I am perfectly aware of the arts by means of which the kine may increase in number within a short time and no disease may come upon them.
O king, I also know the bulls having marks for which they are adored by people and by smelling whose urine even the barren may be fruitful.
Virata said:
I have a hundred thousand kine of various classes the merits of which have not yet been brought to light. I give you the charge of these beasts with their keepers. Let my beasts he henceforth in your keep.
Vaishampayana said:
The best of men began to live there happily without being recognized by the king, the lord of men, nor did any one else know him; the king also allowed him a stipend as much as he desired.
Vaishampayana said:
Then there was seen at the gate of the ramparts another person of colossal form, rich in the wealth of beauty, adorned with the ornaments of woman, and putting on large ear- rings and fine conch bracelets set with gold.
That long armed one, having the gait like that of an elephant, with long and abundant tissues hanging about, came to Virata shaking the earth with his tread and stood in his court.
Beholding him, the son of the great Indra, resembling an elephant in gait, him capable of crushing foes, having his real form hidden in disguise, entering the court chamber and stepping forward to the king, he (Virata) asked all his courtiers "whence does this man come; I have never heard of him before." The people thereof said of the person as one unknown to them. Thereupon the king said wonderingly.
Endowed with might you appear like a celestials; you are young and of dark complexion and resemble the leader of a herd of elephants. Although you have worn fine conch-bracelets beset with gold ear-rings and loosened your braid, yet you shine as one decked with garlands and fine hairs and equipped with bow, mail and arrows; ascending the car you wander at your pleasure. Be you like my son or like myself.
I am decrepit, and desirous of cast-off my burden. Rule you cheerfully the whole of the Matsya territory, I cannot believe that such persons may even be of the neuter sex."
Arjuna said:
I sing, dance and play on instruments. I am skilled in dancing and expert in singing. O god among men, assign me to Uttara. I shall be the dancing-master to the princess.
It will be of no avail to describe how I have come by this form. It will merely augment my pain, O lord of men; know me to be Brihannala, a son or daughter without parents.
Virata said:
O Brihannala, I grant you the boon you seek for; instruct my daughter and those like her in dancing; me-seems this office is not worthy of you, you deserve the whole earth surrounded by seas.
Vaishampayana said:
The king of the Matsya's, having tested Brihannala in dancing, in playing on instruments also in other fine arts, sent him to the quarters of the maidens, after consulting with his different ministers having him examined by women and being assured of his impotency of a permanent type. There the mighty Dhananjaya began to teach singing and playing on instruments to the daughter of Virata, and her friends and serving maids. The Pandava soon became their favorite.
There the self-subdued Dhananjaya began to have in disguise behaving amiably with them. The people within or without the palace could not recognize him.
Vaishampayana said:
Then there was seen another mighty son of Pandu approaching king Virata in haste; the common people thereof saw him coming like solar orb freed from the clouds.
He began to observe the horses around; the king of the Matsya's, the lord of people, seeing him observing his horses minutely asked his followers "whence is this man lustrous like a celestials, coming"?
This person looks closely at my horses. Must he be proficient in horse-lore. Let him quickly enter into my presence. This heroic one seems to me as much as a celestials.
That slaughterer of enemies, having approached the king addressed him thus "O king, let victory be to you and good betide you all. I am always esteemed by kings for my ability as a horse-painter. I will be an expert keeper of your horses.
Virata said:
I give you vehicles, wealth and quarters; you deserve to be the keeper of my horses. But tell me whence you are come, whose you are, and how you came here, also tell me of the arts you are versed with.
Nakula said:
O repressor of foes, of the five sons of Pandu, Yudhishthira is the eldest brother, by him I was formerly employed as a keeper of his horses.
I know the temper of horses, and the art of breaking them completely. I know how to correct the wicked steeds and the treatment of all kinds.
Under my care hardly does any animal fall ill. What to speak of horses even mares in my hands are not to be found wicked. People called me by name, Granthika so also Yudhishthira the son of Pandu.
Virata said:
Let all my horses that belong to me be entrusted to your care from today. Let all my charioteers and those to yoke my horses, be henceforth subordinate to you.
If this be your desire, O god-like one, tell me what remuneration is sought by you. This office of horse-training does not become you, because you look like a king and you are agreeable to me.
Here, the very sight of you is as much pleasing to me as that of Yudhishthira himself. Oh how does that faultless son of Pandu, dwell and divert himself in the forest without his servants.
Vaishampayana said:
That youthful one resembling the chief of the Gandharvas was thus honoured by the delighted king of Virata, and no one recognized him conducting himself agreeably in the city.
Thus the son of Pandu, whose very sight never proved abortive, began to live in the kingdom of Matsya; and in conformity with their pledge, the lords of the earth surrounded by seas although stricken with woe began to pass their days of non-discovery with composure.
Janamejaya said:
O twice-born one, living thus disguised in the city of the Matsya's what did the Kuru's sons of exceeding might do.
Vaishampayana said:
Hear, what the descendants of Kuru did living thus disguised in the city of the Matsya's and serving the king thereof.
By the grace of the ascetic Trinabindu and of the high-souled Dharma they began to live incognito in the city of Virata.
Yudhishthira as a courtier made himself a favorite to Virata and his son, as well as to all the Matsya's, O lord of people.
Well versed in the mysteries of the dice he caused him to play at dice in the dice-hall in accordance with his pleasure like the birds bound by the string.
That best of men, the king of justice (Yudhishthira) having won the wealth of Virata duly distributed it without the knowledge of the monarch among his brothers.
Bhimsena also sold to Yudhishthira, the meat and the viands of various sorts which were given by the king of the Matsya's.
Arjuna parted with the worn out clothes by sale, which he obtained from women's quarters, to the other sons of Pandu.
Both of them were of exceeding energy and of terrible prowess, and they both were like a couple of infuriated elephants of gigantic form each being sixty years old. Then those two best of men became engaged in hand-to- hand fight.
Those two heroic combatants were exceedingly cheerful, each being desirous of gaining victory over the other; exceedingly terrible was the encounter between them, just like the clash of the thunderbolt against the mountain.
Both of them were exceedingly powerful and were highly pleased with each other's strength; each of them was desirous of winning the victory over the other and was vigilant to take advantage of his rival's lapse.
Both of them were exceedingly delighted and resembled a couple of infuriated elephants of huge forms; and various were the manners of their attack and defence shown by means of their clenched fists.
They fought in a manner that each dashed against the other, threw his rival far off his stand, each crushed the other down, and pressed him hard on the ground, each showing the other off exchanged blows, and each whirled the other round with his head downward and threw him away with a loud noise.
With their palms each gave a good slap to the other, striking as hard as the thunder bolt and with outstretched fingers they slapped each other. They thrust spear like nails into each other's person; each gave violent kicks to the other.
They struck knee against knee, dashed head against head, 'producing the crash of one stone against another. That was the furious combat without weapons, sustained chiefly by the might of their arms.
By both physical and mental energy of the two heroic combatants, as represented in the presence of people assembled in the arena on the occasion of the festivity, all the spectators were extremely delighted, and their delight was manifested by joyous shouts given out at intervals.
O king, in the wrestling of the two mighty persons, resembling Vitra and Vasava respectively, they pulled, pressed, whirled and hurried down each other and struck each other with their knees and expressed their hatred for each other in loud voices.
Then they both of expansive chest, and long arms, and expert in wrestling began to fight with their arms resembling huge bolts of iron.
Bhima, the slayer of enemies, seized, with a big shouts, his vociferous rival wrestler by the arms and drew him near even as the lion seizes the elephant.
Then the mighty-armed Bhima of great prowess raised him up and began to whirl him round; then all the athlete and the people of the Matsya's, who had assembled on the occasion, were greatly astonished.
Then having whirled him round and round a hundred times, the mighty armed Vrikodara made him utterly insensible and threw him down lifeless on the ground.
That distinguished athlete Jimuta being slain, Virata and his friends were exceedingly delighted.
In his great joy the high-minded king gave away to Ballava plenty of riches in the shape of a reward on the very field of combat with as much liberality as that of Kubera.
Having thus slain numerous athletes and many other persons of great strength he received the great favour of the king of the Matsya's.
When there was found no one such as to stand equal to him the king made him fight with tigers and lions and elephants.
Again the king made Vrikodara fight with furious lions of exceeding strength in the assembly of the ladies of the harem.
Bibhatsu, the son of Pandu, pleased Virata and all the ladies of the harem by singing and dancing.
Nakula pleased the king, the best of kings by showing him the fast-going and well-trained horses and the king, pleased gave him a plenty of money as a reward.
Beholding a herd of well-trained bullocks around Sahadeva, Virata the best of men, gave him wealth of various kinds.
O king, beholding all these mighty warriors suffer pain, Draupadi felt herself dejected in mind and had recourse to constant sighs.
Those best among men began to live there in disguise rendering services to the king Virata.
End of Pandava Pravesha Parva
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE
