Mahabharata: Volume 4

by Debroy, Bibek

  ‘Virata’s wife was the daughter of Kekaya and was greatly honoured. She looked down from the palace and beheld Drupada’s daughter. On seeing her in that state, without a protector and clad in a single piece of garment, she summoned her and said, “O fortunate one! Who are you and what do you wish to do?” O Indra among kings! She told her,56 “I am a sairandhri and I have arrived here in search of work. I will work for anyone who feeds me.” Sudeshna57 replied, “O beautiful one! Those you speak of58 do not possess the beauty you have. Those like you have many and varied servant maids and servants. Your ankles are concealed. Your thighs are firm. You are deep in three places59 and high in six.60 You are red in the five places that should be red.61 Your voice is as slow as that of a swan. You have beautiful hair and beautiful breasts. You are dark.62 Your buttocks and breasts are full. You are endowed with all the qualities, like a mare from Kashmira. Your eyelashes curl gracefully. Your lips are like bimbas.63 You are slender at the waist. Your neck is lined like a conch shell. Your veins are hidden. Your face is like the full moon. O fortunate one! Tell me truthfully who you are. You cannot be a servant maid. Are you a yakshi, a goddess, a gandharvi or an apsara64—Alambusha, Mishrakeshi, Pundarika, Malini, Indrani, Varuni, or the consort of Tvashtra, Dhata or Prajapati?65 These goddesses are famous among the gods. Which of these are you?”

  ‘Droupadi replied, “I am not a goddess, or a gandharvi, or an asuri, or a rakshasi. I tell you truthfully that I am a sairandhri. I know how to dress hair and am skilful at grinding unguents. I can weave extremely beautiful and colourful garlands. I served Satyabhama, Krishna’s beloved queen and Krishna,66 the wife of the Pandus and the solitary beauty in the Kuru lineage. I go wherever I can obtain a good life. I am happy as long as I can obtain excellent garments. The goddess herself used to call me by the name of Malini.67 O goddess! O Sudeshna! I have arrived thus in your house.”

  ‘Sudeshna said, “There is no doubt that I can place you on my head, as long as the king does not desire you with all his heart and go to you. Behold! The ladies of the royal lineage and those who live in my abode are gazing at you with attachment. What man will you not infatuate? Behold! Even the trees that are established in my abode are bending down over you. What man will you not infatuate? When King Virata sees your superhuman beauty, with the beautiful buttocks and the beautiful hips, he will forsake me and go to you with all his heart. Your limbs are flawless. Your eyes are soft and long. O one with the beautiful smiles! On looking at you, any man who sees you will become attached and be overcome with desire. You are unblemished in all your limbs and he will come under the sway of the god of love. A she-crab conceives and brings about her own death.68 O one with the beautiful smiles! I think that if I grant you residence, I will bring about my own destruction.”

  ‘Droupadi replied, “O beautiful one! Neither Virata, nor anyone else, can ever obtain me. I have five young gandharvas69 as my husbands. They are the sons of a gandharva king who is extremely powerful. They always protect me. Any conduct that brings me grief ensures destruction. My gandharva husbands allow me to live in a house where I am not served any leftover food and where I am not asked to wash anyone’s feet. If any man desires me, like any other common woman, before the night is over, he will enter another body.70 O beautiful one! No one is capable of making me stray. Those powerful gandharvas always protect me from unhappiness.”

  ‘Sudeshna said, “O beloved one! I will then offer you residence, according to your desires. You will not wash the feet of others. Nor will you ever eat leftover food.”’

  Vaishampayana said, ‘Krishna was thus comforted by Virata’s wife. O Janamejaya! No one there got to know who she actually was.’

  605(9)

  Vaishampayana said, ‘Having donned the supreme garments of a cowherd, Sahadeva also arrived. He adopted their language and presented himself before Virata. The king saw that resplendent bull among men arriving, and advancing towards the descendant of the Kuru lineage, asked him, “Whom do you belong to and where have you come from? O son!71 What do you wish for? O bull among men! Tell me truthfully. I have not seen you before.” When he arrived before the king, Sahadeva, the destroyer of enemies, spoke in a voice that was as deep as the clouds. “I am a vaishya by the name of Arishtanemi. I used to number the cows for the bulls among the Kurus. O supreme one on earth! I wish to reside with you. I do not know where the Parthas, lions among kings, are. I know of no other means of livelihood. O king! I will not find pleasure in serving anyone other than you.” Virata replied, “You must be a brahmana or a kshatriya. You are as handsome as a lord of the earth, with the frontiers of the ocean. O destroyer of enemies! Tell me the truth. The duties of a vaishya are not appropriate for you. From what king’s kingdom have you arrived here? What kind of craftsmanship do you wish to pursue? In what capacity will you always reside with us? Tell me what salary you wish to be paid.” Sahadeva said, “King Yudhishthira is the eldest among the five sons of Pandu. He possessed herds of eight hundred, one thousand, ten thousand, another ten thousand and another twenty thousand cows. I was the one who numbered his cows and I was known by the name of Tantipala. Nothing is unknown to me about numbering—the past, the present and the future, and within a distance of ten yojanas.72 The great-souled one, Yudhishthira, king of the Kuru lineage, was well acquainted with my skills and was always satisfied with me. I know how cattle can be multiplied swiftly and how one ensures that they never suffer from disease. These types of skills have always been known to me. Such craftsmanship has always been established in me. O king! I know the auspicious marks of bulls, the smell of whose urine makes barren cows give birth.” Virata replied, “I possess one hundred thousand. They have been classified according to colours and other qualities that are yet undetected. I put you in charge of the animals and the herdsmen. Henceforth, let my animals be in your care.” O lord of the earth! Thus, unknown to the king, that supreme among men lived there happily. No one else found out who he was. He was also paid a salary, according to his wishes.’

  606(10)

  Vaishampayana said, ‘Then another handsome one made his appearance. He was a giant man, but was adorned in the ornaments of women. He wore earrings that were as large as walls and turrets, made out of long and beautiful conch shells adorned with gold. His long and abundant hair was combed. He was mighty-armed and his valour was like that of an elephant. The earth trembled as he advanced. He approached Virata, who was seated in his assembly hall, an oppressor of enemies who had disguised himself. However, his supreme radiance was dazzling. This was the son of the great Indra, and like a king of elephants in his valour. On seeing him arrive in the assembly hall, the king asked all those who were nearby, “Where has he come from? I have not heard of him before.” But none of the men there said that they knew him. In amazement, the king spoke these words. “You are a beautiful man and have all the endowments. You are dark and young and are equal to the leader of a herd of elephants. You wear beautiful conch shells that are adorned with gold. You have loosened your hair in a braid and are adorned with earrings. Your hair is peaked and abundant. But your attire seems to be wrong. You must be an archer, with armour and arrows. Climb onto a swift vehicle. Be like my sons, or like me myself. I am an old man now and wish to ease my burdens. Swiftly protect the entire region of Matsya. Someone with your form cannot be a eunuch. It seems to my mind that there is no way this can be true.”

  ‘Arjuna replied, “I sing, dance and play musical instruments. I am excellent in dancing and skilled in singing. O god among men! Give me Uttara.73 I will myself be the dancer to that goddess. There is no point in recounting how I came by this form. It will only increase my misery. O god among men! Know my name to be Brihannada. I have been abandoned by my father and my mother as a son and a daughter.”74

  ‘Virata said, “O Brihannada! I will grant you the boon that you have asked for. Instruct my daughter, and others like her, in dance. I do not think that such a duty befits you. You deserve the entire earth, up to the frontiers of the oce
an.”’

  Vaishampayana said, ‘Having tested Brihannada in dancing, music and other arts, and on determining that he was a eunuch, the king of Matsya permitted him to enter the quarters of the princess. Lord Dhananjaya instructed Virata’s daughter in singing and music, as well as her friends and attendants. Pandava became very dear to them. Self-controlled Dhananjaya lived there in disguise and did what pleased them. No one there, outside or in the inner quarters, got to know about him.’

  607(11)

  Vaishampayana said, ‘Then another lordly Pandava was seen to approach King Virata, when he was inspecting his horses. As he arrived, the people saw him, like the disc of the sun freed from behind the clouds. He began to examine the horses that were in every direction. On seeing him engaged in examining, the king of Matsya, the destroyer of enemies, spoke to his attendants thus. “This man is an equal of the immortals. Where has he come from? He is examining my horses with great thoroughness. It is certain that he is skilled in the knowledge of horses. Let him swiftly be brought before me. This brave one’s appearance is like that of an immortal.” The destroyer of enemies75 now spoke to the king. “O king! O fortunate one! May you be victorious. O king! I have always been esteemed because of my knowledge of horses. I will become the skilled charioteer of your horses.” Virata replied, “I will give you vehicles, riches and a house. You deserve to be the charioteer of my horses. But where have you come from and whom do you belong to? Why have you come here? Tell me about the arts that are known to you.”76 Nakula said, “King Yudhishthira is the eldest of the five sons of Pandu. O destroyer of enemies! I was earlier employed as the tender of his horses. I know the nature of horses and everything about subduing them. I can control wicked ones and I know everything about healing them. No steed that belongs to me is ever timid. No mare of mine is wicked, not to speak of stallions. People, and Pandava Yudhishthira, knew me by the name of Granthika.” Virata replied, “From today, let all the horses and mounts that I possess be entrusted to your care. Let all my charioteers, and all those who yoke horses, be subordinate to you from now on. O one who is like the gods! Tell me what you wish for. What kind of salary do you desire? The tending of horses does not become you. It seems to me that you are as radiant as a king. To me, your appearance is as pleasant as that of Yudhishthira himself. How can the Pandava77 find any pleasure dwelling in the forest, without any servants?” Thus the young one, who was like the best of the gandharvas, was happily honoured by King Virata. No one got to know about him and he roamed around, making himself agreeable. Thus did the Pandavas, whose sight always bore fruit, dwell in Matsya, following the pledge that they had given. They lived a careful life of concealment. But the lords of the earth, up to the frontiers of the ocean, were extremely miserable.’

  608(12)

  Janamejaya asked, ‘O brahmana! While the Pandavas resided in the city of Matsya, what did the extremely valorous Pandavas do?’

  Vaishampayana said, ‘While the descendants of the Kuru lineage lived there in disguise, honoured by the king, listen to what they did. O lord of the earth! As a courtier, Yudhishthira became the beloved of others in the assembly, as well as of Virata and his son. Pandava knew the heart of the dice and played with the dice as he pleased, as if they were birds tied to a string. Unknown to Virata, Dharmaraja, tiger among men, distributed the riches that he won among his brothers, to each one according to what he deserved. Bhimasena sold Yudhishthira meat and other kinds of food that were given by Matsya. Arjuna sold the old garments that he obtained from the inner quarters and passed on all the proceeds to the Pandavas. Pandava Sahadeva assumed the attire of a cowherd. He gave the Pandavas curds, milk and ghee. Because of his duties with the horses, Nakula satisfied the lord of men78 and obtained riches. He gave this to the Pandavas. The ascetic Krishna looked after all the brothers. The beautiful one acted so that they might remain undetected. O lord of men! Thus the maharathas79 looked after each other, living in disguise, but looking after Krishna.

  ‘There was a great festival of austerities in Matysa in the fourth month.80 Men honoured it and celebrated it with great expense. O king! Thousands of wrestlers arrived there from all the directions. They were gigantic in size and immensely valorous, like Kalakhanja asuras.81 They were insolent of their valour and were proud of their strength and were honoured by the king. Their shoulders, waists and necks were like those of lions. They were free from dirt and were in great spirits. Before the king, they had been victorious and honoured in the arena earlier. There was a gigantic one among them and he challenged all the wrestlers. As he strode around the arena, not a single one dared to take him on. When all the other wrestlers were despondent and had lost their spirits, the king of Matsya asked his cook to fight with the wrestler. Thus instructed, Bhima was unable to refuse the king in public and unhappily made up his mind.82 That tiger among men entered the giant arena with the light gait of a tiger and brought delight to Virata. To the delight of the assembly, Kounteya girded himself. Bhima then challenged the wrestler, who was like Vritra83 himself. Both of them were extremely energetic and both of them were terrible in their valour. They were intoxicated, like giant elephants that were sixty years old. Bhima, the destroyer of enemies, grasped the roaring wrestler and tugged him with his arms. He also roared like a tiger seizing an elephant. Then the mighty-armed and brave Bhima raised the wrestler up and whirled him around, to the supreme amazement of the other wrestlers and the residents of Matsya. Having whirled him around a hundred times, until he lost his mind and his senses, the mighty-armed Vrikodara flung him down on the ground. The brave Jimuta,84 famous in the world, was thus slain. Together with his relatives, Virata was greatly delighted. In his joy, the great-minded king gave a lot of riches to Ballava in that great arena, like Vaishravana.85 After having defeated a large number of wrestlers and immensely strong men in the same way, he obtained the supreme of favours from the king of Matsya. No other man could be found who was a match for him. He was then made to fight with tigers, lions and elephants. In the presence of the women from the inner quarters, Virata repeatedly made Vrikodara fight with angry lions that were extremely powerful.

  ‘Pandava Bibhatsu satisfied Virata and all the women from the inner quarters with his singing and his excellent dancing. O supreme among kings! Nakula satisfied the king with the trained and swift steeds that he assembled there. On seeing Sahadeva’s trained bulls, the king was delighted and gave him a lot of riches. Thus did those bulls among men live there in disguise. They performed various duties for King Virata.’

  Section Forty-Six

  Kichaka-Vadha Parva

  This section has 353 shlokas and eleven chapters.

  Chapter 609(13): 21 shlokas

  Chapter 610(14): 21 shlokas

  Chapter 611(15): 41 shlokas

  Chapter 612(16): 16 shlokas

  Chapter 613(17): 29 shlokas

  Chapter 614(18): 36 shlokas

  Chapter 615(19): 30 shlokas

  Chapter 616(20): 34 shlokas

  Chapter 617(21): 67 shlokas

  Chapter 618(22): 30 shlokas

  Chapter 619(23): 28 shlokas

  Vadha means to kill and is also the act of slaying. Kichaka is Virata’s general and Sudeshna’s brother and lusts after Droupadi. Kichaka is killed by Bhima, which explains the name of this section.

  609(13)

  Vaishampayana said, ‘The maharatha Parthas lived in disguise in the city of Matsya and ten months elapsed. O lord of the earth! O Janamejaya! Yajnaseni1 lived there in great unhappiness, serving Sudeshna, though she deserved to be served herself. Virata’s general saw the lotus-eyed Panchali roaming around in Sudeshna’s abode. As soon as he saw her roaming around like a goddess, like a daughter of the gods, Kichaka2 desired her and was oppressed by the arrows of love. Burning with the fire of desire, the general went to Sudeshna and smilingly said, “I have not seen this beautiful one in Virata’s abode earlier. This beautiful one’s form intoxicates me, like scent generated from liquor. O beautiful one! Who is this one
who steals the heart, with the form of a goddess? O beautiful one! Where has she come from and whom does she belong to? She oppresses my mind and has brought me under her control. I think that there is no medicine that can cure me now. Behold! It seems to me that your beautiful serving maid possesses extreme beauty. It is not fitting that she should work for you. She should command me and everything that I possess. Let her grace my beautiful and grand residence, with all its many elephants, horses, chariots, great riches and opulence, with a lot of food and drink and with its handsome gold and colourful adornments.” After consulting Sudeshna, Kichaka went to the daughter of the king3 and spoke to Krishna in a comforting voice, like a jackal confronting a queen of deer4 in the forest. “O beautiful one! Your supreme form and your youth are useless if you are alone, like a beautiful garland that is not worn. O beautiful one! Though you are handsome, you are lacking in radiance. O one with the beautiful smile! I will give up the wives I have had before. O beautiful one! I will station myself as your servant. O one with the beautiful face! I will always be under your control.”

  ‘Droupadi replied, “O son of a suta!5 You desire me. But I am not one who should be coveted. I am a sairandhri, born from an inferior lineage. I am terrible to look at and I perform the duty of dressing hair. O fortunate one! I am another one’s wife. This conduct is beneath you. Wives are loved by all beings. Think of what is dharma. In no way should your mind turn towards another one’s wife. Men who are good in their vows always avoid that which should be abhorred. Men who are evil-souled and overcome by delusion covet that which should not be coveted and attain ill fame. They confront grave danger. O son of a suta! Do not rejoice. Otherwise, you may lose your life today, by desiring that which is difficult to obtain. I am protected by brave ones. I cannot be obtained by you. My husbands are gandharvas. They will be angered and will kill you. Cease and do not bring about your own destruction. You desire to traverse a path that men cannot walk on. You are like a stupid child who is on a bank and wants to cross over to the other bank. You may enter the earth, or you may rise up into the sky. You may flee to the furthest shore of the ocean. But you will not be able to free yourself from them. My husbands are the powerful sons of the gods. O Kichaka! You firmly desire me now, as if you are ill and the night of your death has arrived. You desire me, like a child who is asleep on his mother’s lap and wishes to obtain the moon.”’