MAHABHARATA CONDENSED INTO ENGLISH ... - Mandhata Global

(Cattle-Lifting)
THE conditions of the banishment of the sons of Pandu were hard. They must pass
twelve years in exile, and then they must remain a year in concealment. If they were
discovered within this last year, they must go into exile for another twelve years. Having
passed the twelve years of exile in forests, the Pandav brothers disguised themselves and
entered into the menial service of Virata, king of the Matsyas, to pass the year of
concealment. Yudhishthir presented himself as a Brahman, skilled in dice, and became a
courtier of the king. Bhima entered the king's service as cook. For Arjun, who was so
well known, a stricter concealment was necessary. He wore conch bangles and earrings
and braided his hair, like those unfortunate beings whom nature has debarred from the
privileges of men and women, and he lived in the inner apartments of the king. He
assumed the name of Brihannala, and taught the inmates of the royal household in music
and dancing. Nakula became a keeper of the king's horses, and Sahadeva took charge of
the king's cows. Draupadi too disguised herself as a waiting-woman, and served the
princess of the Matsya house in that humble capacity.
In these disguises the Pandav brothers safely passed a year in concealment in spite of all
search which Duryodhan made after them. At last an incident happened which led to their
discovery when the year was out.
Cattle-lifting was a common practice with the kings of ancient India, as with the chiefs of
ancient Greece. The king of the Trigartas and the king of the Kurus combined and fell on
the king of the Matsyas in order to drive off the numerous herd of fine cattle for which
his kingdom was famed. The Trigartas entered the Matsya kingdom from the south-east,
and while Virata went out with his troops to meet the foe, Duryodhan with his Kuru
forces fell on the kingdom from the north.
When news came that the Kurus had invaded the kingdom, there was no army in the
capital to defend it. King Virata had gone out with most of his troops to face the Trigartas
in the south-east, and the prince Uttara had no inclination to face the Kurus in the north.
The disguised Arjun now came to the rescue in the manner described in this Book. The
description of the bows. arrows, and swords of the Pandav brothers which they had
concealed in a tree, wrapped like human corpses to frighten away inquisitive travellers,
throws some light on the arts and manufacture of ancient times. The portions translated in
this Book form Sections xxxv., xxxvi., xl. to xliii., a portion of Section xliv., and Sections
liii. and lxxii. of Book iv. of the original text.
I
COMPLAINT OF THE COWHERD
Monarch of the mighty Matsyas, brave Virata known to fame,
Marched against Trigarta chieftains who from southward regions came,