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