the high-souled lord of justice, the Pandavas continued to live
unrecognised by others in the city of Virata. O lord of men,
Yudhishthira, as courtier made himself agreeable to Virata and his sons
as also to all the Matsyas. An adept in the mysteries of dice, the son
of Pandu caused them to play at dice according to his pleasure and made
them sit together in the dice-hall like a row of birds bound in a
string. And that tiger among men, king Yudhishthira the Just, unknown to
the monarch, distributed among his brothers, in due proportion, the
wealth he won from Virata. And Bhimasena on his part, sold to
Yudhishthira for price, meat and viands of various kinds which he
obtained from the king. And Arjuna distributed among all his brothers
the proceeds of worn-out cloths which he earned in the inner apartments
of the palace. And Sahadeva, too, who was disguised as a cowherd gave
milk, curds and clarified butter to his brothers. And Nakula also shared
with his brothers the wealth the king gave him, satisfied with his
management of the horses. And Draupadi, herself in a pitiable condition,
looked after all those brothers and behaved in such a way as to remain
unrecognized. And thus ministering unto one another's wants, those
mighty warriors lived in the capital of Virata as hidden from view, as
if they were once more in their mother's womb. And those lords of men,
the sons of Pandu, apprehensive of danger from the son of Dhritarashtra,
continued to dwell there in concealment, watching over their wife
Draupadi. And after three months had passed away, in the fourth, the
grand festival in honour of the divine Brahma which was celebrated with
pomp in the country of the Matsyas, came off. And there came athletes
from all quarters by thousands, like hosts of celestials to the abode of
Brahma or of Siva to witness that festival. And they were endued with
huge bodies and great prowess, like the demons called _Kalakhanjas_. And
elated with their prowess and proud of their strength, they were highly
honoured by the king. And their shoulders and waists and necks were like