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4  MAHABHARATA ful modes of dancing and in musical instruments of diverse kinds. And I shall also recite the various excellent acts of men and thus conceal myself, O son of Kunti, by feigning disguise. And, O Bharata, should the king enquire, I will say that I lived as a waiting maid of Draupadi in Yudhishthira's palace. And, O foremost of kings concealing myself by this means, as fire is concealed by ashes, I shall pass my days agreeably in the palace of Virata.

Vaisampayana continued,— "Having said this, Arjuna, that best of men and foremost of virtuous persons, became silent. Then the king addressed another brother of his(1)."

Thus ends the second section in the Pandava-Pravesa Parva of the Virata Parva.

SECTION III

(Pandava-pravesa Parva continued)

"Yudhishthira said,—"Tender, possessed of a graceful presence, and deserving of every luxury as thou art, what office wilt thou, O heroic Nakula, discharge while living in the dominions of that king ? Tell me all about it !"

"Nakula said, 'Under the name of Granthika, I shall become the keeper of the horses of king Virata. I have a thorough knowledge (of this work) and am skilful in tending horses. Besides, the task is agree-able to me, and I possess great skill in training and treating horses ; and horses are ever dear to me as they are to thee, O king of the Kurus. At my hands even colts and mares become docile ; these never become vicious in bearing a rider or drawing a car(2). And those persons in the city of Virata that may enquire of me, I shall, O bull of the Bharata race, say,——Formerly I was employed by Yudhishthira in the charge of his horses. Thus disguised, O king, I shall spend my days delightfully in the city of Virata. No one will be able to discover me as I will gratify the monarch thus(3)!

"Yudhishthira said,— 'How wilt thou, O Sahadeva, bear thyself before that king ? And what, O child, is that which thou wilt do in order to live in disguise.

"Sahadeva replied,—I will become a keeper of the kine of Virata's king. I am skilled in milking kine and taking their history, as well as in taming their fierceness. Passing under the name of Tantripal, I shall

1 This speech of Vaisampayana is not included in some texts within the second section. To include it, however, in the third, is evidently a mistake.—T.

2 The sloka commencing with Adushta and ending ratheshu cha does not occur in texts except those in Bengal.—T.

3 A difference of reading is observable here. The sense, however, is the same.—T.