Motif
heroic disguise in humble or gender-coded service
heroic_disguise_in_humble_or_gender_coded_service
A motif of the Shapeshifter and Transformation family, within the sub-family Disguises and Recognition. Every row below is a tagged passage; each rests on a quote in its source text.
1 occurrences
1 traditions
hindu
-
Maha-bharata BOOK V / PATIVRATA-MAHATMYA / BOOK VI / GO-HARANA; lines 2854-2990 confidence: high
The Pandavas and Draupadi enter Virata's service in disguise: Yudhishthir as dice-skilled Brahman courtier, Bhima as cook, Arjun as Brihannala teaching music and dance, Nakula with horses, Sahadeva with cows, and Draupadi as waiting-woman.
The Pandavas and Draupadi hide in menial roles; Arjun in particular becomes Brihannala, dressed with ornaments and teaching music and dance in inner apartments.
read in the book →