Did you know that Sahadeva, the Pandava enigma, explores the unexplored sub-plots of the story of Mahabharata as it unfolds?

Sahadeva, the youngest of the Pancha Pandavas of epic Mahabharata, was though normally an inconspicuous person, refined it as it helped him to observe the surroundings and to blend into the background as unobtrusively as possible. Following his eldest brother Yudhishthira's catastrophic loss in the game of dice played by Shakuni on behalf of Kuru prince Duryodhana, meant that all Pandavas, Sahadeva included had to live in exile for 13 years with last year in incognito. Before the Pandavas left Hastinapur, Sage Narada. surrounded by many powerful sages, appeared before King Dhritarashtra and foretold that In the fourteenth year from now, for Duryodhana's fault, Bhima, Arjuna, Nakula and Sahadeva will destroy the Kauravas.

As the Pandavas departed Hastinapur, the entire populace of the city had lined up the streets in grief. Sahadeva had then smeared his face thinking "none should recognise me in this hour of calamity". Nakula covered himself with ashes. Arjuna scattered sands to symbolize the countless arrows he would let loose in battle, Bhima walked with his hands outstretched to indicate to people that no one could equal him, and Yudhisthira had covered his face. Kunti had appealed to Draupadi to take care of her child Sahadeva as he holds a special place in her heart; Draupadi had left Hastinapur along with the Pandavas wearing a single safron cloth with her hair disheveled.

During their stay in the forest in Dwaitavana and Kirmira of Kamakhya Forest, Pandavas were visited by sage Veda Vyasa, their uncle Vidura, Krishna and many other sages, to boost their morale.

Once, while in exile in the forests, Jatasura, a rakshasa who disguised as a Brahmin, had kidnapped Nakula along with Draupadi, Sahadeva and Yudhishthira. Jatasura then furtively attacked Sahadeva. A long fight ensued between them, and Sahadeva initially felled Jatasura to the ground. Sahadeva had then thrown his axe at him but Jatasura rose up and gave a hard slap to Sahadeva and threw him to the ground ; Yudhisthira, Nakula and Panchali were distressed and told Jatasura that his death was near. Sahadeva and Jatasura continued the fight by uprooting trees and throwing it at each other, and at one stage, Sahadeva by throwing his axe had cut off the Jata or hair tuft by which the rakshasa was known as Jatasura, which infuriated him further. The rakshasa then , with magical powers as a mayavi, had asssumed immense proportions and Sahadeva was relentlessley attacked and injured. But then Bhima appeared on the scene eventualy and challenged Jatasura. In a very fierce fight Bhima hit Jatasura's head with his mace and slayed him. Sahadeva and his brother Nakula with their brothers Bhima and Yudhishthira then navigated to a nearby lake which was surrounded by a herbal forest where they nursed their wounds. 

The Pandavas during their wanderings in the forests, visiting pilgrimage places, and kingdoms of other rulers, finally come to the stage of spending one last year in agnyatavas (incognito living) at a place where they could hide without getting identified, otherwise if caught they had to go through the process of 13 years Vanavasa again. They collectively decided that the Virata Kingdom of king Virata would be an ideal place for them to hide in disguise. 

The day after Draupadi's entrance into Virata's palace as Sairandhri – 'an expert maid', in the name of Malini, employed by the Virata queen Shudeshna, Sahadeva made his way into the city dressed as a cowherd. He arrived at one cow posture in the region of Virata's palace. The king happened to be visitng his herd and was present when he saw a handsome well built man clad in a cowherd's dress, and speaking the dialects of the cowherds, and beholding him the King was struck with amazement. He asked Sahadeva, "To whom dost though belong" and whence though come.; What work dost though seek: I have never seen thee before." Sahadeva replied saying that he was a Vaisya, Arishtinemi by name, and was earlier in the employment of Kuru King Yudhishthira, the eldest of the five sons of Pandu and had tended to eight hundred thousand cattle and that people used to call him 'Tatripala', and that he knew the present, the past and the future of all kine (cows) living within ten yojanas (12–15 km). He also told the king the means by which kine population could be multiplied in a short time, and that he liked the work of taming, milking and breeding cattle. Impressed with the resume narrated by Sahadeva, King Virata employed him in his palace as the chief cowherd who supervised the maintenance and upkeep of all cows in Virata's kingdom, while his elder brothers assumed different roles in disguise to work in Virata's court; Yudhishthira assumed the identity of game entertainer to the king and calle himself Kanka, Bhima was the cook Ballava, Arjuna taught dance and music as eunuch Brihannala and dressed as a woman, and Nakula tended horses as Granthika. In Virata's kingdom the Pandavas had a very hilarious but entertaining time but also a mini war, which ultimately revealed their identity at the end of the Agnyatavasa period of one year.

In Virata's Matysa kingdom, with all powerful King's brother-in-law Kichaka's death at the hands of Bhima for his lascivious behaviuor towards Draupadi (Sairandhri), King Virata was weakened. It was then, scenting that Pandavas were residing incognito in Virata's palce, Duryodhana, the Kuru king and Susharma, King of Trigatas invaded Matsya Kingdom not only to capture Virata but also rob him of his immense cattle wealth. Virata with the help of the four Pandavas , Yudhisthira, Bhima, Nakula and Sahadeva defeated Susharma and freed from the clutches of Susharma. Meanwhile the Kurus had robbed Virata's kingdom of all their cattle wealth. However, they were defeated by Arjuna, with Uttara (King Virata's son) as a charioteer. The Kurus headed by Duryodhana, including Karna, were humiliated in the battle and returned to Hastinapur fully humbled. The cattle was eventually retrieved by Sahadeva. This day was also the last day of agnyatavasa of the Pandavas when they revealed their true identity to King Virata. Virata welcomed them in his court with due honours and assured them of all help, as their staunch ally, in fighting the Kurus in the event of a war to get back their rightful share of the Hastinapur Kingdom.

Note: To be continued in the next episode titled: "Sahadeva, Part 5, Kurukshetra war and thereafter.

Narasipur Char