Tell me, ye sons of the Kuru
race, in what capacities ye will severally present yourselves before the
king of the Matsyas!'
"Arjuna said, 'O god among men, what service wilt thou take in Virata's
kingdom? O righteous one, in what capacity wilt thou reside in the city
of Virata? Thou art mild, and charitable, and modest, and virtuous, and
firm in promise. What wilt thou, O king, afflicted as thou art with
calamity, do? A king is qualified to bear trouble like an ordinary
person. How wilt thou overcome this great calamity that has overtaken
thee?'
"Yudhishthira replied, 'Ye sons of the Kuru race, ye bulls among men,
hear what I shall do on appearing before king Virata. Presenting myself
as a Brahmana, Kanka by name, skilled in dice and fond of play, I shall
become a courtier of that high-souled king. And moving upon chess-boards
beautiful pawns made of ivory, of blue and yellow and red and white hue,
by throws of black and red dice, I shall entertain the king with his
courtiers and friends. And while I shall continue to thus delight the
king, nobody will succeed in discovering me. And should the monarch ask
me, I shall say, _Formerly I was the bosom friend of Yudhishthira_. I
tell you that it is thus that I shall pass my days (in the city of
Virata). What office wilt thou, O Vrikodara, fill in the city of
Virata?'"
SECTION II
"Bhima said, 'I intend to present myself before the lord of Virata as a
cook bearing the name of Vallava.
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