After 12 Years-Agyaatvaas Begins

In the morning they took bath in the river, Yudhishthir bade farewell to his brothers and walked towards the palace. The king Viraat was very happy and satisfied to see Yudhishthir as he looked like a Braahman, and walked like a Kshatriya. Yudhishthir could not tell a lie, but he had to conceal the truth too. He said - "I am the friend of Yudhishthir. My name is Kank and I am also as fond of dice game as he is. I have no father, no mother, no one depending on me. I am free of all desires. I have come to you in search of peace. Can I get it?"

Raajaa Viraat got very pleased with his introduction, he said - "I am very happy to have you here. I am also very fond of dice game. I am happy that I have some one who can teach me to play the game. You can use my kingdom and wealth as if it is yours." Yudhishthir said - "I don't need anything, but I have one condition that I won't eat food touched by anybody and I will eat only once in the night." The king readily agreed to his conditions.

A few days later Bheem entered the city and came to the palace. Everyone was amazed to see his physique. He said to the king - "I have come here hearing your nobility. I am an excellent cook and I can cook thousand different tasty dishes. I will be happy if you allow me to stay in your kitchen."

Viraat said - "You don't look like a cook. You look like a prince. You look fit to command an army rather working in the kitchen." Bheem said - "You are right. I am not a cook, I am a wrestler by profession. I can defeat all the wrestlers in the world. I can train young men in your gymnasium, but cooking is my hobby, and I get a great pleasure in cooking." Viraat said - "You will not be a cook, you will be the in-charge of my whole kitchen as well as in-charge of gymnasium." Bheem said - "I am very grateful for this. My name is Vallabh."

Viraat's court had taken a new splendor since Kank had come there, and Bheem was enjoying his new duties in kitchen.

Now came Arjun  wearing pearl and coral necklaces and wrapped in red silk cloth. He went to Viraat and said - "I am Brihannalaa, the dancer. No one can make a flower garlands for the hair as I do. I have learned music and dance from Gandharv. I want to stay in your court and teach music and dance to your daughter and other women in the palace." Virat said - "You say you are a dancer but to me you look more a warrior than a dancer. Your long arms show that maybe if you had learned archery, you would have been an excellent archer. I will entrust my kingdom to you. Stay with me like a son to me. You take care of my kingdom. You seem to be fitted to be a king not a dancer."

Arjun said shyly - "Raajan, The only string I can play with is the string of Veenaa (an Indian string instrument); and the only art I know is of dancing. Let Uttaraa should be my student, I will make her the best dancer of the world." Viraat called Uttaraa and handed over Brihannalaa to her saying that she would be her future dance teacher. Uttaraa was happy to have her. Her friends also started learning dance from Brihannalaa. Arjun was enjoying his Agyaatvaas (incognito) with Uttaraa more than he thought.

One day Viraat was inspecting his horses that he found a dark young man staring at horses with a skilled eye. He thought that he had never ever seen such a handsome man before. He seemed to him that he loved horses. The then Nakul approached him and said - "I have come to your city in search of livelihood. I am good at looking after horses, if you make me your servant I will look after your horses." Viraat said - "But you look like of a noble family, not a stable man. I don't think you can work at such a lower job, I appoint you the in-charge of my stables. Nakul said - "My name is Damagranthi, I will do my best to please you."

Sahadev was the last to enter Viraat's court in the dress of a cowherd. He was looking as charming as Krishn Himself when He was in Gokul. He said - " I am good at taking care of your cows make me the in-charge of your cattle wealth. The cows will yield more milk if I milk them. My name is Tantripaal and I will take a good care of your cows." Viraat said - "You don't look like that you are worthy to do this kind of job, but I have not said "no" to any one, so you are also welcome."

Now Draupadee entered the city wearing old and dirty garments holding her lose hair in her right hand. She was heading towards queen's palace. Viraat's queen was Sudeshnaa from Kaikaya Desh. When queen saw her coming she was enchanted by her beauty and personality. She held her hand and made her sit beside her. She asked her - "You are so beautiful and you are alone? How come? Why have you come here in this city?" Drauapdee said - "I have come here to make a living. I was handmaid of Draupadee. Since they have gone to forest, I have no place to go. I am good at decorating women. I hope you will give me opportunity to work for you."

Sudeshnaa got very happy to receive her and said - "You may stay here and use this palace as your own. By the way what are your troubles?" Draupadee broke into tears and said - "My name is Sairandhree. I have five Gandharv as my husbands. They had to leave me because of a curse. The curse will last for a year. So I need to spend one year at a safe place. I am very fortunate that I have found you." Sudeshnaa kept a silence for a minute then said - "I have a fear that you are too beautiful. My husband is very susceptible to women, what if he falls in love with you." Draupadee said - "Don't worry about that. I will not let the king see me. Rather I will not be seen by anyone. If somebody will insult me, my five Gandharv husbands will take care of him. I have only two requests to make, I will not eat leftover food left by anybody, nor I will massage the feet of others." Sudeshnaa assured her she won't have to do either of the two things at any time.

Thus all Paandav, including Draupadee, settled down in Matsya Desh, one by one as Viraat's workers. Yudhishthir was appointed as his companion named as Kank. Bheem went to work in royal kitchen as head cook named as Vallabh. Arjun used his Shaap of Urvashee here. He became eunuch and went to teach music and dance to Viraat's daughter Uttaraa named as Brihannalaa. Draupadee worked as Sairandhree in the service of queen Sudeshnaa. Nakul went to take care of king's horses with the name as Damagranthi, and the youngest Sahadev worked as the caretaker of king's cows, named as Tantripaal. Draupadee started working with queen as Sairandhree.