Life offers both sorrow and suffering and the way to happiness is not clear-cut. Wealth and wisdom too are only an unmixed blessing. Wealth has responsibilities and poverty has its own rewards. Ignorance is bliss, while wisdom imposes doubts and riddles. When the Pandavas enter their thirteenth year of exile, they realise the difficulties in meeting the challenge of spending the entire year in disguise without being detected. So they discuss their merits and strengths to choose suitable disguises in accordance with their individual aptitudes, said Sri V. Karunakarachariar in a discourse. They get the blessings and assurance from Yama Dharma Raja that they would be successful in their attempt to keep their inherent brilliance, intelligence, and handsome demeanour under wraps.
First they decide to seek the help of King Virata of the Matsya kingdom since this place seems to offer less scope for detection. Donning the guise of a sanyasi, Yudhishtira presents his credentials as having been in Indraprasta earlier and offers himself as a companion to the Matsya king; Bheema assumes the role of a cook in the palace. Arjuna remembers Urvasi’s curse that he turn into a eunuch for a year and sees it now as a blessing in disguise. He seeks service as a dance teacher to the princess and thereby sees a chance to develop his talents in music, dance, drama, etc. Nakula gets to work in the king’s stables and Sahadeva finds a job in tending the cows. Draupadi seeks the queen and offers to work as her personal attendant.
Being committed to righteousness, the Pandavas show equanimity and dedicate themselves to a life of selfless service and work. Their presence in Virata gradually spreads a mantle of prosperity on all fronts.