ith rent temples surrounded by she-elephants in the midst of
females, waiting before Virata the king of the Matsyas, then I lose all
sense of directions. Surely, my mother-in-law doth not know Dhananjaya
to be afflicted with such extreme distress. Nor doth she know that
descendant of the Kuru race, Ajatasatru, addicted to disastrous dice, to
be sunk in misery. O Bharata, beholding the youngest of you all,
Sahadeva, superintending the kine, in the guise of a cowherd, I grow
pale. Always thinking of Sahadeva's plight, I cannot, O Bhimasena,
obtain sleep,--what to speak you of the rest? I do not know, O
mighty-armed one, what sin Sahadeva may have committed for which that
hero of unbaffled prowess suffereth such misery. O foremost of the
Bharatas, beholding that beloved brother of thine, that bull among men,
employed by Matsya in looking after his kine, I am filled with woe.
Seeing that hero of proud disposition gratifying Virata, by living at
the head of his cowherds, attired in robes dyed in red, I am attacked
with fever. My mother-in-law always applauds the heroic Sahadeva as one
possessed of nobility, excellent behaviour, and rectitude of conduct.
Ardently attached to her sons, the weeping Kunti stood, embracing
Sahadeva while he was about to set out (with us) for the great forest.
And she addressed me saying, "Sahadeva is bashful and sweet-speeched,
and virtuous. He is also my favourite child. Therefore, O Yajnaseni,
tend him in the forest day and night. Delicate and brave, devoted to the
king, and always worshipping his elder brother, do thou, O Panchali,
feed him thyself." O Pandava, beholding that foremost of warriors,
Sahadeva, engaged in tending kine, and sleeping at night on calf-skins,
how can I bear to live? He again who is crowned with the three
attributes of beauty, arms, and intelligence, is now the superintendent
of Virata's steeds. Behold the change brought on by time. Granthika
(Nakula), at sight of whom hostile hosts fled from the field of battle,
now traineth horses in the presence of the king, driving them with the
speed. Alas, I now see that handsome youth wait upon the gorgeously
decked and excellent Virata, the king of the Matsyas, and display horses
before him. O son of Pritha, afflicted as I am with all these hundred
kinds of misery on account of Yudhishthira, why dost thou, O chastiser
of foes, yet deem me happy? Listen now to me, O son of Kunti, as I tell
thee of other woes far surpassing these.