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Virata

Virata is a proper name in Sanskrit literature, most prominently associated with the Mahabharata. The word is sometimes interpreted as meaning “vast” or “universal,” and in the epic it designates both a king and the kingdom he rules. The king of the Matsya Kingdom is named Virata, a ruler who fosters the circumstances in which the Pandavas spend the incognito year of exile.

In the Mahabharata, the Pandavas take shelter in Virata’s court during the thirteenth year of their exile,

The Virata Parva, the third book of the Mahabharata, centers on these events and their consequences. It

Beyond the epic, Virata has also been used as a given name in Indian culture and appears

living
in
disguise
while
remaining
within
the
borders
of
his
realm.
The
period
is
marked
by
courtly
life,
political
maneuvering,
and
personal
peril,
including
the
notorious
harassment
of
Draupadi
by
Kichaka,
the
commander
of
Virata’s
forces.
Bhima,
along
with
his
brothers,
operates
within
the
court
under
disguise,
and
the
ensuing
events
culminate
in
the
exposure
of
the
Pandavas’
identities
and
preparations
for
the
next
phase
of
conflict.
provides
the
transitional
arc
between
the
Pandavas’
exile
and
their
return
to
Hastinapura,
highlighting
the
political
dynamics
of
Virata’s
kingdom
and
the
resilience
of
its
people
during
a
time
of
upheaval.
in
modern
literary
and
fictional
contexts.
The
figure
remains
a
symbol
of
allegiance,
strategy,
and
the
complexities
of
royal
court
life
in
ancient
Indian
storytelling.