although king Yudhishthira always used in days gone by to taste my
dishes. O lord of earth, I am also a wrestler. Nor is there one that is
equal to me in strength. And engaging in fight with lions and elephants,
I shall, O sinless one, always contribute to thy entertainment.'

"Virata said, 'I will even grant thee boons. Thou wilt do what thou
wishest, as thou describest thyself skilled in it. I do not, however,
think, that this office is worthy of thee, for thou deservest this
(entire) earth girt round by the sea. But do as thou likest. Be thou the
superintendent of my kitchen, and thou art placed at the head of those
who have been appointed there before by me.'"

Vaisampayana continued, "Thus appointed in the kitchen, Bhima soon
became the favourite of king Virata. And, O king, he continued to live
there unrecognised by the other servants of Virata as also by other
people!"


SECTION IX

Vaisampayana said, "Binding her black, soft, fine, long and faultless
tresses with crisped ends into a knotted braid, Draupadi of black eyes
and sweet smiles, throwing it upon her right shoulders, concealed it by
her cloth. And she wore a single piece of a black and dirty though
costly cloth. And dressing herself as a _Sairindhri_, she began to
wander hither and thither in seeming affliction. And beholding her
wandering, men and women came to her hastily and addressed her, saying,
'Who are you? And what do you seek?' And she replied, 'I am a king's
_Sairindhri_. I desire to serve any one that will maintain me.' But
beholding her beauty and dress, and hearing also her speech that was so