Virata Parva Summary: The Year in Disguise

Quick answer: The Virata Parva is the fourth of the eighteen books of the Mahabharata. It tells the Pandavas' thirteenth year of exile, which they had to spend unrecognised. They live in disguise at the court of King Virata of Matsya. Bhima kills the general Kichaka for harassing Draupadi, and when the Kauravas raid Virata's cattle, Arjuna, disguised as a dance teacher, defeats their whole army alone.

In the critical edition of the Mahabharata (Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute, Pune), the Virata Parva has 67 chapters. References below are book.chapter.verse in that edition.

The disguises

The Pandavas hid their weapons in a shami tree near the cremation ground outside Virata's city (4.5), and each took a role at court (4.1 to 4.12):

Kichaka

Kichaka, Queen Sudeshna's brother and commander of Virata's army, desired Sairandhri and would not take no for an answer. Sudeshna sent her to his house on an errand; Draupadi fled to the assembly, where Kichaka kicked her in front of the king, and Yudhishthira, in disguise as Kanka, could only tell her to be patient (4.13 to 4.15).

That night Draupadi went to Bhima in the kitchen. They arranged that she would agree to meet Kichaka at night in the dance hall, and Bhima waited there in her place. He killed Kichaka with his bare hands (4.20 to 4.22). When Kichaka's kinsmen tried to burn Sairandhri on his pyre, Bhima killed them as well (4.22 to 4.23). See Bhima in the Mahabharata.

The raid on Virata's cattle

News of Kichaka's death reached Hastinapura, and Duryodhana suspected the Pandavas were hiding in Matsya. King Susharma of Trigarta, an old enemy of Virata, raided the cattle from the south. Virata rode out with his army, taking Kanka, Ballava, Granthika and Tantipala with him; Virata was captured and Bhima rescued him (4.29 to 4.32).

Meanwhile the Kaurava army, with Bhishma, Drona, Kripa, Karna, Ashwatthama and Duryodhana, attacked from the north, and only the young Prince Uttara was left to defend the city.

Brihannada at war

Uttara boasted that he would win if only he had a charioteer, and Sairandhri suggested Brihannada. Princess Uttara and her friends asked Brihannada to bring back fine clothes from the defeated Kurus for their dolls (4.35.22 to 25). At the sight of the Kaurava army, Prince Uttara lost his nerve and jumped from the chariot. Brihannada brought him back, made him the charioteer instead, fetched the Pandava weapons from the shami tree, and revealed who he was (4.36 to 4.40). The Kaurava commanders recognised Arjuna in his disguise (4.37.9).

Was the thirteenth year over? Duryodhana claimed the Pandavas had been discovered too soon. Bhishma explained that, counting the extra months of the calendar, the Pandavas had completed thirteen years with five months and twelve nights to spare (4.47.4).

Arjuna fought the Kaurava commanders one after another and drove them back. At last he stunned the whole army with a weapon that robbed them of their senses, and, remembering the princess's request, sent Uttara to take the cloths of Drona, Kripa, Karna, Ashwatthama and Duryodhana (4.61.10 to 13). He returned to the city with the cattle recovered. See Arjuna in the Mahabharata.

The Pandavas revealed

Virata returned, heard that his son had won, and, playing dice with Kanka, praised Uttara; when Kanka said the credit belonged to Brihannada, Virata struck him in the face with a die, and Kanka caught the blood in his hands before it touched the ground (4.63.44 to 45). Then the truth came out. On the third day, the Pandavas appeared in their own form in the assembly (4.65.1). Virata offered his daughter Uttara to Arjuna, who accepted her as a daughter-in-law instead, as her teacher, and she married his son Abhimanyu (4.66.29, 4.67.7). See Abhimanyu and the chakravyuha.

What comes next

The Udyoga Parva covers the failed peace talks and the preparations for war.

Frequently asked questions

What is the Virata Parva about?

The Pandavas' thirteenth year of exile, spent in disguise at the court of King Virata.

What names did the Pandavas use in disguise?

Kanka (Yudhishthira), Ballava (Bhima), Brihannada (Arjuna), Granthika (Nakula), Tantipala (Sahadeva) and Sairandhri (Draupadi).

Who killed Kichaka?

Bhima, in the dance hall at night, after Kichaka harassed Draupadi (4.21 to 4.22).

Where did the Pandavas hide their weapons?

In a shami tree near the cremation ground outside Virata's city (4.5).

Why did Arjuna live as Brihannada?

The text has him choose that disguise himself (4.2.21). The story that it fulfilled a curse of Urvashi is not in the critical edition.

Was the thirteenth year complete when Arjuna was recognised?

Bhishma said yes: with the extra months of the calendar, the term had been passed by five months and twelve nights (4.47.4).

Related reading

• Mahabharata: The Complete Guide
• Vana Parva summary
• Draupadi in the Mahabharata
• Yudhishthira in the Mahabharata
• Nakula and Sahadeva
• Mahabharata FAQ

Sources

1. The Mahabharata, critical edition (Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute, Pune, 1933 to 1966); electronic text BORI 1999, via Indology: indology.info/bombay/mahabharata. References are book.chapter.verse in this edition.

Last reviewed: 12 November 2026.