वैशम्पायन उवाच सहदेवोऽपि गोपानां कृत्वा वेषमनुत्तमम्। भाषां चैषां समास्थाय विराटमुपयादथ॥
Vaishampayana said Wearing an excellent dress of a cowherd and learning the dialect of the same, Saladeva also arrived at the city of the king Virata.
गोष्टमासाद्य तिष्ठन्तं भवनस्य समीपतः। राजाथ दृष्ट्वा पुरुषान् प्राहिणोज्जातविस्मयः॥
Then the king, seeing him standing in the cow pasture in the vicinity of the royal palace, became amazed and sent for him.
तमायान्तमभिप्रेक्ष्य भ्राजमानं नरर्षभम्। समुपस्थाय वै राजा पप्रच्छ कुरुनन्दनम्॥
The king, seeing that best of men shining in splendour, coming, asked the son of Kuru.
कस्य वा त्वं कुतो वा त्वं किंवा त्वं तु चिकीर्षसि। न हि मे दृष्टपूर्वस्त्वं तत्त्वं ब्रूहि नरर्षभ॥
To whom do you belong? Whence are you come and what do you seek? You were not seen by me before, tell me in sooth all about you, O best of men.
सम्प्राप्य राजानममित्रतापनं ततोऽब्रवीन्मेघमहौघनिःस्वनः। गोसंख्य आसं कुरुपुङ्गवानाम्॥
Having come to the king, the repressor of foes Sahadeva said with a voice deep as the roar of the clouds, "I am a Vaishya known by the name Arishtanemi, I served as an enumerator of the cows of those best of the Kuru race.
वस्तुं त्वयीच्छामि विशां वरिष्ठ तान् राजसिंहान् न हि वेद्मि पार्थान्। न शक्यते जीवितुमप्यकर्मणा न च त्वदन्यो मम रोचते नृपः॥
O foremost of men, I do no know where the sons, of Pritha the foremost among men, are; I want to live with you. I can not keep myself without service. I do not like to serve any other king except you.
विराट उवाच त्वं ब्राह्मणो यदि वा क्षत्रियोऽसि समुद्रनेमीश्वररूपवानसि। आचक्ष्व मे तत्त्वममित्रकर्शन न वैश्यकर्म त्वयि विद्यते क्षमम्॥
Virata said You must either be a Brahmana or a Kshatriya, you are as graceful as the lord of the entire earth girt by the sea. Tell me truly, O afflicter of enemies, the offlice of a Vaishya does not become you.
कस्यासि राज्ञो विषयादिहागतः किं वापि शिल्पं तव विद्यते कृतम्। कथं त्वमस्मासु निवत्स्यसे सदा वदस्व किं चापि तवेह वेतनम्॥
Tell me from the dominion, of what king you are come here, what knowledge of art you are versed with, in what capacity you will remain with us and what your pay will be.
सहदेव उवाच पञ्चानां पाण्डुपुत्राणां ज्येष्ठो भ्राता युधिष्ठिरः। तस्याष्टशतसाहस्रा गवां वर्गाः शतं शतम्॥ अपरे शतसाहस्रा विस्तावन्तस्तथा परे। तेषां गोसंख्य आसं वै तन्तिपालेति मां विदुः॥
Sahadeva said Of the five sons of Pandu Yudhishthira is the eldest. He had one division of kine the number where of amounts to eight hundred and ten thousand and another ten thousand, and another twenty thousand and so forth. I was employed as an enumerator of cows under them; people used to call me Tantipala.
भूतं भव्यं भविष्यं च यच्च संख्यागतं गवाम्। न मेऽस्त्यविदितं किंचित् समन्ताद् दशयोजनम्॥
Nothing is unknown to me about the cows that live within ten Yojanas and whose tale has been taken in reference to their present past and future.
गुणाः सुविदिता ह्यासन् मम तस्य महात्मनः। असकृत् स मया तुष्टः कुरुराजो युधिष्ठिरः॥
My merits were known to that high-souled one, and the Kuru king Yudhishthira was pleased with me.
क्षिप्रं च गावो बहुला भवन्ति न तासु रोगो भवतीह कश्चना देतानि शिल्पानि मयि स्थितानि॥
I am perfectly aware of the arts by means of which the kine may increase in number within a short time and no disease may come upon them.
ऋषभाँश्चापि जानामि राजन् पूजितलक्षणान्। येषां मूत्रमुपाघ्राय अपि वन्ध्या प्रसूयते॥
O king, I also know the bulls having marks for which they are adored by people and by smelling whose urine even the barren may be fruitful.
विराट उवाच शतं सहस्राणि समाहितानि सवर्णवर्णस्य विमिश्रितान् गुणैः। पशून् सपालान् भवते ददाम्यहं त्वदाश्रया मे पशवो भवन्त्विह॥
Virata said I have a hundred thousand kine of various classes the merits of which have not yet been brought to light. I give you the charge of these beasts with their keepers. Let my beasts be henceforth in your keep.
वैशम्पायन उवाच रुवास तत्रैव सुखं नरोत्तमः। न चैनमन्येऽपि विदुः कथंचन प्रादाच्च तस्मै भरणं यथेप्सितम्॥
Vaishampayana said The best of men began to live there happily without being recognized by the king, the lord of men, nor did any one else know him; the king also allowed him a stipend as much as he desired. A