The Longing Heart: Arjun and Subhadra's Tale of Exile

Exile in Disguise

Then came the thirteenth year.
In the dead of the night, the Pandavas hid their weapons in a bundle of
cloth shaped like a corpse which they tied to the branch of a Sami tree.

Then they took various disguises.

Yudhishtira presented himself as a learned Brahman called Kanka well
versed in the art of managing a kingdom.

Bhima presented himself as a cook called Ballava. ‘Like Nala who served Rituparna, I will be the
greatest cook in the world,’ he said.

Arjuna wore the clothes of a woman
and presented himself as an accomplished dance teacher called Brihanalla.

‘I have learnt the art of dancing from the Apsaras themselves,’ he said.

Nakula presented himself as a groom of horses called Damagranthi and
Sahadeva presented himself as a physician of cows called Tantipala.
Draupadi presented herself as a beautician called Sairandhri.

All six of them went to the kingdom of Matsya and sought employment
from its king, Virata.

So good were the disguises that Duryodhana’s spies found no trace of them when they reached Dwaitavana.

All they found in the caves last occupied by the Pandavas were Dhaumya and a few Rishis performing yagna,praying for the well-being of the Pandavas.