And when the latter came, the king addressed him, saying, 'To whom dost
thou belong? And whence dost thou come? And what work dost thou seek? I
have never seen thee before. O bull among men, tell me truly about
thee.'

"Having come before the king that afflicter of foes, Sahadeva answered
in accents deep as the roar of the cloud, 'I am a Vaisya, Arishtanemi by
name. I was employed as a cowherd in the service of those bulls of the
Kuru race, the sons of Pandu. O foremost of men, I intend now to live
beside thee, for I do not know where those lions among kings, the sons
of Pritha, are. I cannot live without service, and, O king, I do not
like to enter into the service of anyone else save thee.'

"Hearing these words, Virata said, 'Thou must either be a Brahmana or a
Kshatriya. Thou lookest as if thou wert the lord of the entire earth
surrounded by the sea. Tell me truly, O thou that mowest down thy foes.
The office of a Vaisya is not fit for thee. Tell me from the dominions
of what king thou comest, and what thou knowest, and in what capacity
thou wouldst remain with us, and also what pay thou wouldst accept.'

"Sahadeva answered, 'Yudhishthira, the eldest of the five sons of Pandu,
had one division of kine numbering eight hundred and ten thousand, and
another, ten thousand, and another, again, twenty thousand, and so on. I
was employed in keeping those cattle. People used to call me Tantripala.
I know the present, the past, and the future of all kine living within
ten _Yojanas_, and whose _tale_ has been taken. My merits were known to
that illustrious one, and the Kuru king Yudhishthira was well-pleased
with me. I am also acquainted with the means which aid kine in
multiplying within a short time, and by which they may enjoy immunity
from disease. Also these arts are known to me. I can also single out