वैशम्पायन उवाच अथापरोऽदृश्यत रूपसम्पदा स्त्रीमाणलङ्कारधरो बृहत्पुमान्। प्राकारवप्रे प्रतिमुच्य कुण्डले दीर्घ च कम्बूपरि हाटके शुभे॥
Vaishampayana said Then there was seen at the gate of the ramparts another person of colossal form, rich in the wealth of beauty, adorned with the ornaments of woman, and putting on large earrings and fine conch bracelets set with gold.
बाहू च दीर्घान् प्रविकीर्य मूर्धजान् महाभुजो वारणतुल्यविक्रमः। गतेन भूमि प्रतिकम्पयंस्तदा विराटमासाद्य सभासमीपतः॥
That long armed one, having the gait like that of an elephant, with long and abundant tissues hanging about, came to Virata shaking the earth with his tread and stood in his court.
तं प्रेक्ष्य राजोपगतं सभातले व्याजात् प्रतिच्छन्नमरिप्रमाथिनम्। विराजमानं परमेण वर्चसा सुतं महेन्द्रस्य गजेन्द्र विक्रमम्॥ सर्वानपृच्छच्च सभानुचारिणः कुतोऽयमायाति पुरा न मे श्रुतः। न चैनमूचुर्विदितं तदा नराः सविस्मयं वाक्यमिदं नृपोऽब्रवीत्॥
Beholding him, the son of the great Indra, resembling an elephant in gait, him capable of crushing foes, having his real form hidden in disguise, entering the court chamber and stepping forward to the king, he (Virata) asked all his courtiers "whence does this man come; I have never heard of him before.” The people thereof said of the person as one unknown to them. Thereupon the king said wonderingly.
सत्त्वोपपन्नः पुरुषोऽमरोपमः श्यामो युवा वारणयूथपोपमः। आमुच्य कम्बूपरि हाटके शुभे विमुच्य वेणीमपिना कुण्डले॥ स्रग्वी सुकेशः परिधाय चान्यथा शुशोभ धन्वी कवची शरीयथा। आरुह्य यानं परिधावतां भवान् सुतैः समो मे भव वा मया समः॥
Endowed with might you appear like a celestials; you are are young and of dark complexion and resemble the leader of a herd of elephants. Although you have worn fine conch-bracelets beset with gold ear-rings and loosened your braid, yet you shine as one decked with garlands and fine hairs and equipped with bow, bow, mail and arrows; ascending the car you wander at your pleasure. Be you like my son or like myself.
वृद्धो ह्यहं वै परिहारकामः सर्वान् मत्स्यांस्तरसा पालयस्व। नैवंविधाः क्लीपरूपा भवन्ति कथंचनेति प्रतिभाति मे मनः॥
I am decrepit, and desirous of cast-off my burden. Rule you cheerfully the whole of the Matsya territory, I cannot believe that such persons may even be of the neuter sex.”
अर्जुन उवाच गायामि नृत्याम्यथ वादयामि भद्रोऽस्मि नृत्ये कुशलोऽस्मि गीते। त्वमुत्तरायै प्रदिशस्व मां स्वयं भवामि देव्या नरदेव नर्तकः॥
Arjuna said I sing, dance and play on instruments. I am skilled in dancing and expert in singing. O god among men, assign me to Uttara. I shall be the dancing-master to the princess.
इदं तु रूपं मम येन किं तव प्रकीर्तयित्वा भृशशोकवर्धनम्। बृहन्नलां मां नरदेव विद्धि सुतं सुतां वा पितृमातृवर्जिताम्॥
It will be of no avail to describe how I have come by this form. It will merely augment my pain, O lord of men; know me to be Brihannala, a son or daughter without parents.
विराट उवाच ददामि ते हन्त वरं बृहन्नले सुतां च मे नर्तय याश्च तादृशीः। इदं तु ते कर्म समं न मे मतं समुद्रनेमि पृथिवीं त्वमर्हसि॥
Virata said O Brihannala, I grant you the boon you seek for; instruct my daughter and those like her in dancing; me-seems this office is not worthy of you, you deserve the whole earth surrounded by seas.
वैशम्पायन उवाच बृहन्नलां तामभिवीक्ष्य मत्स्यराट कलासु नृत्येषु तथैव वादिते। सम्मन्त्र्य राजा विविधैः स्वमन्त्रिभिः परीक्ष्य चैनं प्रमदाभिराशु वै॥ अपुस्त्वमप्यस्य निशम्य च स्थिरं ततः कुमारीपुरमुत्ससर्ज तम्। स शिक्षयामास च गीतवादितं सुतां विराटस्य धनंजयः प्रभुः॥ सखींश्च तस्याः परिचारिकास्तथा प्रियश्च तासां स बभूव पाण्डवः॥
Vaishampayana said The king of the Matsya's, having tested Brihannala in dancing, in playing on instruments also in other fine arts, sent him to the quarters of the maidens, after consulting with his different ministers having him examined by women and being assured of his impotency of a permanent type. There the mighty Dhananjaya began to teach singing and playing on instruments to the daughter of Virata, and her friends and serving maids. The Pandava soon became their favorite.
तथा स सत्रेण धनंजयो वसन् प्रियाणि कुर्वन् सह ताभिरात्मवान्। तथा च तं तत्र न जज्ञिरे जना बहिश्चरा वाप्यथ चान्तरेचराः॥
There the self-subdued Dhananjaya began to live in disguise behaving amiably with them. The people within or without the palace could not recognize him.