deserving of every luxury as thou art, what office wilt thou, O heroic
Nakula, discharge while living in the dominions of that king? Tell me
all about it!'

"Nakula said, 'Under the name of Granthika, I shall become the keeper of
the horses of king Virata. I have a thorough knowledge (of this work)
and am skilful in tending horses. Besides, the task is agreeable to me,
and I possess great skill in training and treating horses; and horses
are ever dear to me as they are to thee, O king of the Kurus. At my
hands even colts and mares become docile; these never become vicious in
bearing a rider or drawing a car.[3] And those persons in the city of
Virata that may enquire of me, I shall, O bull of the Bharata race,
say,--_Formerly I was employed by Yudhishthira in the charge of his
horses_. Thus disguised, O king, I shall spend my days delightfully in
the city of Virata. No one will be able to discover me as I will gratify
the monarch thus!'[4]

[3] The sloka commencing with _Adushta_ and ending _ratheshu
cha_ does not occur in texts except those in Bengal.

[4] A difference reading is observable here. The sense, however,
is the same.

"Yudhishthira said, 'How wilt thou, O Sahadeva, bear thyself before that
king? And what, O child, is that which thou wilt do in order to live in
disguise.'

"Sahadeva replied, 'I will become a keeper of the king of Virata's kine.
I am skilled in milking kine and taking their history as well as in
taming their fierceness. Passing under the name of Tantripala, I shall