Mahabharata — Virata Parva, Shloka 36
द्रौपदी-भीमसेनसंवादः
Draupadī–Bhīmasena Dialogue on Suffering, Kāla, and Daiva
संरब्धं रक्तनेपथ्यं गोपालानां पुरोगमम् । विराटमभिनन्दन्तमथ मे भवति ज्वर:
sa rabdha rakta-nepathyam gop01l01n01 purogamam | vir01 am abhinandantam atha me bhavati jvara ||
Vaiśampāyana said: “When I see Sahadeva—though inwardly agitated—assuming a fierce demeanor, dressed in red attire and cosmetics, moving at the head of the cowherds, and greeting and honoring Virāṭa, then a fever seems to seize me. The disguise and forced homage hide a dangerous tension beneath outward courtesy.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical strain of living under concealment: outward politeness and social duty may be maintained, yet inner agitation can burn like a fever when one must honor a king while hiding a perilous truth. It underscores how dharma can involve restraint and self-control even amid fear and tension.
During the Pandavas' incognito period in Virata's realm, Sahadeva is seen in a striking red costume and disguise, leading the cowherds and offering greetings to King Virata. The narrator expresses intense anxietydescribed as a feverat witnessing this charged situation where disguise and courtly honor mask underlying danger.