Bhima Becomes Virata's Cook

Verse 1 (4.10.1)

अथापरस्यां दिशि भीमदर्शनो वृकोदरोऽदृश्यत सिंहविक्रमः । असिप्रवेके प्रतिमुच्य शाणिते खजां च दर्वीं च करेण धारयन् ॥

athāparasyāṃ diśi bhīmadarśano vṛkodaro'dṛśyata siṃhavikramaḥ | asipraveke pratimucya śāṇite khajāṃ ca darvīṃ ca kareṇa dhārayan

Then from another direction Vrikodara appeared, terrible to behold, with the stride of a lion. He had fastened on a pair of fine whetted swords, and in his hand he held a stirring spoon and a ladle.

Note on the text: Only the last quarter matches the critical edition's 4.7.1 (khajaṃ ca darvīṃ ca kareṇa dhārayan); the third quarter is in its apparatus as 4.7.1*0181 (asiṃ praveke pratimucya śāṇake); the first half-line is found only in the vulgate recension. Corrected दर्वी → दर्वीं (misprint in Wikisource; the object needs the accusative, as in the critical edition).

Verse 2 (4.10.2)

त्वचं च गोचर्ममयीं सुमर्दितां समुक्षितां पानकरागषाडवैः । किलासमालम्ब्य करेण चायसं सशृङ्गिबेरार्द्रकभूस्तृणाङ्कुरम् ॥

tvacaṃ ca gocarmamayīṃ sumarditāṃ samukṣitāṃ pānakarāgaṣāḍavaiḥ | kilāsamālambya kareṇa cāyasaṃ saśṛṅgiberārdrakabhūstṛṇāṅkuram

He carried a well-dressed cowhide, sprinkled with sherbets, sauces and sweet relishes, and he grasped in his hand an iron spit, together with ginger, fresh ginger root and sprouts of bhustrina grass.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the critical edition records it in its apparatus as 4.7.1*0182, lines 1–4.

Verse 3 (4.10.3)

गम्भीररूपः परमेण तेजसा रविर्यथा लोकमिमं प्रकाशयन् । स कृष्णवासा गिरिराजसारवान् स मत्स्यराजं समुपेत्य तस्थिवान् ॥

gambhīrarūpaḥ parameṇa tejasā raviryathā lokamimaṃ prakāśayan | sa kṛṣṇavāsā girirājasāravān sa matsyarājaṃ samupetya tasthivān

Grave in bearing, with surpassing vigour, lighting up this world like the sun, clad in black and strong as the king of mountains, he came up to the king of the Matsyas and stood before him.

Verse 4 (4.10.4)

सभागतो वारणयूथपोपमस्तमिस्रहा रात्रिमिवावभासयन् । सहस्रनेत्रावरजान्तकोपमस्त्रिलोकपालाधिपतिर्यथा हरिः ॥

sabhāgato vāraṇayūthapopamastamisrahā rātrimivāvabhāsayan | sahasranetrāvarajāntakopamastrilokapālādhipatiryathā hariḥ

Arrived in the hall, he was like the leader of an elephant herd, lighting it up as the dispeller of darkness lights the night; he was like Indra's younger brother, like Antaka, like Hari, overlord of the guardians of the three worlds.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the critical edition records it in its apparatus as 4.7.2*0183, lines 1–4.

Verse 5 (4.10.5)

तमाव्रजन्तं गजयूथपोपमं निरीक्षमाणो नवसूर्यवर्चसम् । भयात्समुद्विग्नविषण्णचेतनो दिशश्च सर्वाः प्रसमीक्ष्य चासकृत् ॥

tamāvrajantaṃ gajayūthapopamaṃ nirīkṣamāṇo navasūryavarcasam | bhayātsamudvignaviṣaṇṇacetano diśaśca sarvāḥ prasamīkṣya cāsakṛt

As he watched him approach like the leader of an elephant herd, radiant as the newly risen sun, the king, shaken with fear and sinking at heart, looked again and again in every direction.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the critical edition records it in its apparatus as 4.7.2*0183, lines 5–8. Corrected विपण्णचेतनो → विषण्णचेतनो (misprint in Wikisource; प for ष; the apparatus reads viṣaṇṇacetano).

Verse 6 (4.10.6)

तमेकवस्त्रं परसैन्यवारणं सभाऽविदूरान्नृपतिर्नृपात्मजम् । समीक्ष्य वैक्लब्यमुपेयिवाञ्शनैर्जनाश्च भीताः परिसर्पिरे भृशम् ॥

tamekavastraṃ parasainyavāraṇaṃ sabhā'vidūrānnṛpatirnṛpātmajam | samīkṣya vaiklabyamupeyivāñśanairjanāśca bhītāḥ parisarpire bhṛśam

Seeing that prince, clad in a single garment, a check to hostile armies, so close to the hall, the king slowly lost his composure, and the frightened people scattered in haste.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the critical edition records it in its apparatus as 4.7.2*0183, lines 9–12.

Verse 7 (4.10.7)

अथाब्रवीन्मात्स्यपतिः सभागतान् भृशातुरोष्णं परिनिश्वसन्निव । कोऽयं युवा वारणराजसन्निभः सभामभिप्रैति हि मामिकामिमाम् ॥

athābravīnmātsyapatiḥ sabhāgatān bhṛśāturoṣṇaṃ pariniśvasanniva | ko'yaṃ yuvā vāraṇarājasannibhaḥ sabhāmabhipraiti hi māmikāmimām

Then the lord of the Matsyas, sighing hotly as if in great distress, said to those in the hall: "Who is this youth, like a king of elephants, who comes into this assembly of mine?

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the critical edition records it in its apparatus as 4.7.3*0184.

Verse 8 (4.10.8)

को वा विजानाति पुराऽस्य दर्शनं मृगेन्द्रशार्दूलगतिं हि मामकः । व्यूढान्तरांसो मृगराडिवोत्कटो य एष दिव्यः पुरुषः प्रकाशते ॥

ko vā vijānāti purā'sya darśanaṃ mṛgendraśārdūlagatiṃ hi māmakaḥ | vyūḍhāntarāṃso mṛgarāḍivotkaṭo ya eṣa divyaḥ puruṣaḥ prakāśate

Which of my people has seen him before, this man with the gait of a lion or a tiger? Broad of chest and shoulder, fierce as the king of beasts, this godlike man shines forth.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the critical edition records it in its apparatus as 4.7.3*0185, lines 1–4. No speaker heading in Wikisource; Virata's speech (verses 8–10), announced in verse 7, is assigned to him (Wikisource carried over Vaishampayana).

Verse 9 (4.10.9)

राजश्रिया ह्येष विभाति राजवद्विरोचते रुक्मगिरिप्रभोपमः । नाक्षत्रियो नूनमयं भविष्यति सहस्रनेत्रप्रतिमस्तथा ह्यसौ ॥

rājaśriyā hyeṣa vibhāti rājavadvirocate rukmagiriprabhopamaḥ | nākṣatriyo nūnamayaṃ bhaviṣyati sahasranetrapratimastathā hyasau

He shines like a king with royal splendour; he glows with the radiance of the golden mountain. Surely he cannot be other than a kshatriya, for he is like the thousand-eyed Indra.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the critical edition records it in its apparatus as 4.7.3*0185, lines 5–8.

Verse 10 (4.10.10)

रूपेण यश्चाप्रतिमो ह्ययं महान्महीमिमां शक्र इवाभिपालयेत् । नाभूमिपोऽयं हि रतिर्ममेति च च्युतः समृद्ध्या नभसीव नाहुषः ॥

rūpeṇa yaścāpratimo hyayaṃ mahānmahīmimāṃ śakra ivābhipālayet | nābhūmipo'yaṃ hi ratirmameti ca cyutaḥ samṛddhyā nabhasīva nāhuṣaḥ

This great man, matchless in form, could protect this earth as Shakra does. He is no landless man — so I feel — but one fallen from his fortune, like Nahusha's son Yayati cast down from the sky."

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the critical edition records it in its apparatus as 4.7.3*0185, lines 9–12. Corrected शत्रः → शक्र (misprint in Wikisource; शत्रः is not a word here; the comparison is with Shakra (Indra), as in the apparatus).

Verse 11 (4.10.11)

वितर्कमाणस्य च तस्य पाण्डवः सभामतिक्रम्य वृकोदरोऽब्रवीत् । जयेति राजानमभिप्रमोदयन्सुखेन सभ्यं च सभागतं जनम् ॥

vitarkamāṇasya ca tasya pāṇḍavaḥ sabhāmatikramya vṛkodaro'bravīt | jayeti rājānamabhipramodayansukhena sabhyaṃ ca sabhāgataṃ janam

While the king was still wondering, the Pandava Vrikodara crossed the hall and said "Victory!", gladdening the king and, with his easy manner, the courtly people gathered in the hall.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the critical edition records it in its apparatus as 4.7.3*0185, lines 13–16.

Verse 12 (4.10.12)

ततो नृपं वाक्यमुवाच पाण्डवो यथाऽनुपूर्व्यात्कृपयान्वितोत्तरम् । त्वां जीवितुं शत्रुहन्नागतोऽहं त्वमेव लोके परमो हि संश्रयः ॥

tato nṛpaṃ vākyamuvāca pāṇḍavo yathā'nupūrvyātkṛpayānvitottaram | tvāṃ jīvituṃ śatruhannāgato'haṃ tvameva loke paramo hi saṃśrayaḥ

Then the Pandava spoke to the king, answering him in due order and with humility: "I have come to you to earn my living, slayer of foes; you alone are the highest refuge in the world.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension). Its second half-line is in the critical edition's apparatus as 4.7.5*0187; the first half-line is found only in the vulgate recension.

Verse 13 (4.10.13)

नरेन्द्र शूद्रोस्मि चतुर्थवर्णभाग्गुरूपदेशात्परिचारकर्मकृत् । जानामि सूपांश्च रसांश्च संस्कृतान्मांसान्यपूपांश्च पचामि शोभनान् । रागप्रकाराश्च बहून्फलाश्रयान्महानसे मे न समोस्ति सूपकृत् ॥

narendra śūdrosmi caturthavarṇabhāggurūpadeśātparicārakarmakṛt | jānāmi sūpāṃśca rasāṃśca saṃskṛtānmāṃsānyapūpāṃśca pacāmi śobhanān | rāgaprakārāśca bahūnphalāśrayānmahānase me na samosti sūpakṛt

Lord of men, I am a shudra, of the fourth varna; by my teacher's instruction I do the work of a servant. I know how to make soups and well-seasoned sauces; I cook fine meats and cakes, and many kinds of relishes made from fruit. In the kitchen no cook is my equal."

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the critical edition records its three lines in its apparatus as 4.7.7*0188, 4.7.7*0189 and line 1 of 4.7.7*0190. No speaker heading in Wikisource; Bhima's words, announced in verse 12, are assigned to him (Wikisource carried over Vaishampayana).

Verse 14 (4.10.14)

तमब्रवीन्मत्स्यपतिः प्रहृष्टवत्प्रियं प्रगल्भं मधुरं विनीतवत् । न शूद्रतां कांचन लक्षयामि ते कुबेरचन्द्रेन्द्रदिवाकरप्रभ ॥

tamabravīnmatsyapatiḥ prahṛṣṭavatpriyaṃ pragalbhaṃ madhuraṃ vinītavat | na śūdratāṃ kāṃcana lakṣayāmi te kuberacandrendradivākaraprabha

The lord of the Matsyas, delighted, answered him warmly, boldly, sweetly and courteously: "I see no trace of the shudra in you, you who shine like Kubera, the moon, Indra and the sun.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension). Its first half-line is in the critical edition's apparatus as 4.7.7*0190, lines 3–4; the second half-line is found only in the vulgate recension.

Verse 15 (4.10.15)

हुताशनाशीविषतुल्यतेजसो न कर्म ते योग्यमिदं महानसे । न सूपकारो भवितुं त्वमर्हसि सुपर्णगन्धर्वमहोरगोपम ॥

hutāśanāśīviṣatulyatejaso na karma te yogyamidaṃ mahānase | na sūpakāro bhavituṃ tvamarhasi suparṇagandharvamahoragopama

Your energy is like that of fire or a venomous serpent; this kitchen work is not fit for you. You ought not to be a cook, you who are like Suparna, the Gandharvas and the great serpents.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the critical edition records it in its apparatus as 4.7.7*0191, lines 1–4. No speaker heading in Wikisource; Virata's speech (verses 15–16), announced in verse 14, is assigned to him (Wikisource carried over Vaishampayana).

Verse 16 (4.10.16)

अनीककर्णाग्रधरो ध्वजी रथी भवाद्य मे वारणवाहिनीपतिः । न नीचकर्मा भवितुं त्वमर्हसि प्रशासितुं भूमिमिमां त्वमर्हसि ॥

anīkakarṇāgradharo dhvajī rathī bhavādya me vāraṇavāhinīpatiḥ | na nīcakarmā bhavituṃ tvamarhasi praśāsituṃ bhūmimimāṃ tvamarhasi

Take charge of the van and the flanks of the army; with banner and chariot, become the commander of my elephant force today. You ought not to do lowly work; you are fit to rule this earth."

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the critical edition records it in its apparatus as 4.7.7*0191, lines 5–8.

Verse 17 (4.10.17)

चतुर्थवर्णोस्म्यहमुग्रशासन न वै वृणे त्वामहमीदृशं पदम् । जात्याऽस्मि शूद्रो बललेति नाम्ना जिजीविषुस्त्वद्विषयं समागतः ॥

caturthavarṇosmyahamugraśāsana na vai vṛṇe tvāmahamīdṛśaṃ padam | jātyā'smi śūdro balaleti nāmnā jijīviṣustvadviṣayaṃ samāgataḥ

"I am of the fourth varna, stern ruler; I do not ask such a post of you. By birth I am a shudra, Balala by name, and I have come to your kingdom wishing to make a living.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the critical edition records it in its apparatus as 4.7.7*0191, lines 9–12.

Verse 18 (4.10.18)

युधिष्ठिरस्यास्मि महानसे पुरा बभूव सर्वप्रभुरन्नपानदः । अथापि मामुत्सृजसे महीपते व्रजाम्यहं यावदितो यथागतम् ॥

yudhiṣṭhirasyāsmi mahānase purā babhūva sarvaprabhurannapānadaḥ | athāpi māmutsṛjase mahīpate vrajāmyahaṃ yāvadito yathāgatam

Formerly I was in Yudhishthira's kitchen, master of it all, the giver of food and drink. Yet if you dismiss me, lord of the earth, I will go away from here just as I came.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the critical edition records it in its apparatus as 4.7.7*0191, lines 13–16.

Verse 19 (4.10.19)

त्वमन्नसंस्कारविधौ प्रशाधि मां भवामि तेऽहं नरदेव सूपकृत् । बलेन तुल्यश्च न विद्यते मया नियुद्धशीलोस्मि सदा हि पार्थिव ॥

tvamannasaṃskāravidhau praśādhi māṃ bhavāmi te'haṃ naradeva sūpakṛt | balena tulyaśca na vidyate mayā niyuddhaśīlosmi sadā hi pārthiva

Command me in the preparing of food; I will be your cook, lord of men. And no one is my equal in strength; I am always given to wrestling, O king.

Note on the text: Only the second half-line matches the critical edition's 4.7.8 (its first half-line); the first half-line is in its apparatus as 4.7.7*0191, lines 17–18.

Verse 20 (4.10.20)

गजांश्च सिंहांश्च समेयिवानहं सदा करिष्यामि तवानघ प्रियम् । न नीचकर्मा तव मादृशः प्रभो बलस्य नेताऽप्यबलो भवेदिति ॥

gajāṃśca siṃhāṃśca sameyivānahaṃ sadā kariṣyāmi tavānagha priyam | na nīcakarmā tava mādṛśaḥ prabho balasya netā'pyabalo bhavediti

I have grappled with elephants and lions; I will always do what pleases you, sinless one. A man like me is no base worker for you, my lord — but as a leader of troops I would prove a weak one.

Note on the text: Only the first half-line matches the critical edition's 4.7.8 (its second half-line); the second half-line is in its apparatus as 4.7.8*0192, lines 1–2.

Verse 21 (4.10.21)

स्वकर्मतुष्टाश्च वयं नराधिप प्रशाधि मां सूदपदे यदीच्छसि । ये सन्ति मल्ला बलवीर्यसंमतास्तानेव योत्स्यामि तवाभिहर्षयन् ॥

svakarmatuṣṭāśca vayaṃ narādhipa praśādhi māṃ sūdapade yadīcchasi | ye santi mallā balavīryasaṃmatāstāneva yotsyāmi tavābhiharṣayan

We are content with our own work, lord of men; appoint me to the cook's post if you wish. Whatever wrestlers there are, renowned for strength and valour, those are the ones I will fight, to delight you."

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the critical edition records it in its apparatus as 4.7.8*0192, lines 3–6. Corrected तवाभिहर्पयन् → तवाभिहर्षयन् (misprint in Wikisource; प for ष; the apparatus reads tavābhiharṣayan).

Verse 22 (4.10.22)

तमेवमुक्ते वचने नराधिपः प्रत्यब्रवीन्मत्स्यपतिः प्रहृष्टवत् । सोहं न मन्ये तव कर्म तत्समं समुद्रनेमिं पृथिवीं त्वमर्हसि ॥

tamevamukte vacane narādhipaḥ pratyabravīnmatsyapatiḥ prahṛṣṭavat | sohaṃ na manye tava karma tatsamaṃ samudranemiṃ pṛthivīṃ tvamarhasi

When he had spoken thus, the king, lord of the Matsyas, replied in delight: "I do not think that work worthy of you; you deserve the earth with the ocean for its rim.

Note on the text: Only the second half-line matches the critical edition's 4.7.9 (its second half-line); the first half-line is in its apparatus as 4.7.8*0192, lines 7–8.

Verse 23 (4.10.23)

त्रिलोकपालो हि यथा विराजसे तथाऽद्य मे विष्णुरिवातिरोचसे । यथा तु कामस्तव तत्तथा कृतं महानसे मे भव मे पुरस्कृतः । नराश्च मे तत्र मया सदाऽर्चिता भवाद्य तेषामधिपो मया कृतः ॥

trilokapālo hi yathā virājase tathā'dya me viṣṇurivātirocase | yathā tu kāmastava tattathā kṛtaṃ mahānase me bhava me puraskṛtaḥ | narāśca me tatra mayā sadā'rcitā bhavādya teṣāmadhipo mayā kṛtaḥ

As the guardian of the three worlds shines, so you shine before me today, like Vishnu. But let it be as you wish: be the chief of my kitchen. And the men there whom I have always honoured — I make you their overseer from today."

Note on the text: Its first line is in the critical edition's apparatus as 4.7.9*0193; its second and third lines match the critical edition's 4.7.10, with variants in the third. No speaker heading in Wikisource; the rest of Virata's reply begun in verse 22 is assigned to him (Wikisource carried over Vaishampayana).

Verse 24 (4.10.24)

तथा स भीमो विहितो महानसे विराटराजस्य बभूव वै प्रियः । उवास राजन्न च तं पृथग्जनो बुबोध तस्यानुचरश्च कश्चन ॥

tathā sa bhīmo vihito mahānase virāṭarājasya babhūva vai priyaḥ | uvāsa rājanna ca taṃ pṛthagjano bubodha tasyānucaraśca kaścana

So Bhima, appointed to the kitchen, became dear to King Virata. He lived there, O king, and no ordinary person, nor any servant of his, found him out.