des, 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]

"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 kine of Virata's king. I
am skilled in milking kine and taking their history as well as in taming
their fierceness. Passing under the name of Tantripal, I shall perform my
duties deftly. Let thy heart's fever be dispelled. Formerly I was
frequently employed to look after thy kine, and, O Lord of earth, I have
a particular knowledge of that work. And, O monarch, I am well-acquainted
with the nature of kine, as also with their auspicious marks and other
matters relating to them. I can also discriminate bulls with auspicious
marks, the scent of whose urine may make even the barren being forth
child. Even thus will I live, and I always take delight in work of this
kind. Indeed, no one will then be able to recognise me, and I will
moreover gratify the monarch.'

"Yudhishthira said, 'This is our beloved wife dearer to us than our lives.
Verily, she deserveth to be cherished by us like a mother, and regarded
like an elder sister. Unacquainted as she is with any kind of womanly
work, what office will Krishna, the daughter of Drupada, perform?
Delicate and young, she is a princess of great repute. Devoted to her
lords, and eminently virtuous, also, how will she live? Since her birth,
she hath enjoyed only garlands and perfumes and ornaments and costly
robes.'

"Draupadi replied, 'There is a class of persons called Sairindhris,[5] who
enter the services of other. Other females, however (that are
respectable) do not do so. Of this class there are some. I shall give
myself out as a Sairindhri, skilled in dressing hair. And, O Bharata, on
being questioned by the king, I shall say that I served as a waiting
woman of Draup