After years spent acquiring weapons, Arjuna joyfully rejoined his brothers. Their long exile was easier to bear when they were all together.

Duryodhana, meanwhile, was troubled when he heard about Arjuna's newly acquired weapons.

"Fear not," said Shakuni. "They are beggars, nothing like the princes they once were. Take your most magnificent army now, before they enter their year of disguise, and show them your might and power!"

"I like this plan," Duryodhana said, smiling.

Duryodhana then marched an army into the forest and set up camp with music and merriment, sending a messenger to his cousins with an invitation.

On his way to the Pandavas, Duryodhana's messenger met a gandharva, sent by the gods to cause trouble. And trouble there was: the messenger fought with the gandharva, and soon Duryodhana himself and his whole army were fighting with an army of gandharvas.

Then the gandharvas took Duryodhana prisoner, while Duryodhana's soldiers all fled in fear.

When Yudhishthira learned the news, he sent Bhima and Arjuna to rescue Duryodhana. "He's still our cousin after all," Yudhishthira said. So Bhima and Arjuna rescued Duryodhana, and they taunted him for needing their help.

The incident made Duryodhana hate the Pandavas even more.

Tracking a deer deep into the forest, the Pandavas grew tired and thirsty. "We'll rest here," Yudhishthira said, "and you look for water, Nakula."

Nakula found a lake, and began to drink when a voice shouted, "Stop!"

Nakula saw no one, just a crane.

"Stop!" It was the crane who spoke. "You must answer my questions before you drink."

But Nakula was so thirsty that he could not resist. He drank. He died.

When Nakula did not return, Yudhishthira sent Sahadeva. Then Arjuna. Then Bhima.

Then Yudhishtira himself came to the lake, and he saw his brothers lying there, dead.

Yudhishthira wept when he saw his dead brothers. Then he bent down to drink, and the crane said, "Stop! Answer my questions first."

Unlike his brothers, Yudhishthira obeyed. "Ask your questions!" he said, and the crane transformed into a mighty yaksha.

"What is faster than wind?" the yaksha asked.

"The mind," replied Yudhishthira.

"What is more numerous than the grasses?"

"Our thoughts."

"Who journeys always alone?"

"The sun."

"What enemy is invincible?"

"Anger."

The questions went on and on; Yudhishthira answered them all.

"You have answered well," said the yaksha. "You may revive one of your brothers. Choose which one."

Yudhishthira answered the yaksha instantly. "Let Nakula live!"

"You surprise me," said the yaksha. "He is Madri's son."

"And I am Kunti's son," said Yudhishthira. "The sons of both mothers must survive this exile."

"You are indeed righteous!" said the yaksha. "I will revive all four."

The four Pandavas arose, amazed to see a mighty yaksha standing there.

Then the yaksha transformed. Before them stood Yama, the god of dharma, Yudhishthira's father. "I used the deer to lure you, my son," Yama explained. "I was testing you, and you have done well. I give all five of you my blessing."

After twelve years of exile in the forest, the Pandavas and Draupadi had to spend a thirteenth year in disguise. If they were discovered, the exile would begin again. They decided to hide together in the court of King Virata in Matsya.

Yudhishthira became Kanka, playing dice with the king; during his time in exile Yudhishthira had become very skilled at dice.

Bhima became Vallabha, a cook.

Arjuna became Brihannala, a eunuch who taught the ladies dancing and music.

Nakula became Granthika, a trainer of horses.

Sahadeva became Tantipala, a herder of cattle.

Draupadi became Sairandhri, maid to Queen Sudeshna.

Before joining the court of King Virata as servants, the Pandavas tied their weapons and armor in a bundle and hid the bundle in a tree that stood in the cremation grounds.

Then they entered Virata's court and, thanks to the blessing of Yama, no one recognized them as the Pandavas.

The year of disguise was almost complete when disaster struck: Queen Sudeshna's brother, a general named Kichaka, became obsessed with Draupadi.

"I'm married to five powerful gandharvas," Draupadi told him, "and they watch over me. You must leave me alone, for your own good."

But Kichaka ignored her warnings.

Draupadi appealed to Queen Sudeshna. "Dear Sairandhri," she said, "my brother Kichaka is harmless, I assure you."

Draupadi, however, knew she was in serious danger. She threw herself on the king's mercy, but he ignored her, and Yudhishthira, who was playing dice with the king at the time, said nothing.

Draupadi felt betrayed once again, as she had at the dice game in Hastinapura years ago.

But this time, Bhima came to her aid. "I will protect you, Draupadi," he said, and he told Draupadi to invite Kichaka to the dancing hall that night. "I'll do the rest," Bhima promised.

"Come to the dancing hall tonight," Draupadi told Kichaka. "I'll show you my special dance."

The hall was dark when Kichaka arrived. "Sairandhri," he cooed, "where are you?"

"HERE!" boomed a voice. It was Bhima, who grabbed Kichaka and squeezed him to death, crushing him into a big ball of flesh.

Suspicion fell on Draupadi, and King Virata threatened to throw her on Kichaka's funeral pyre.

"I warned him about my powerful gandharva husbands," Draupadi protested, "but he didn't listen!"

Now King Virata was afraid too, and he spared Draupadi.

Thus Draupadi and the Pandavas remained in the king's service.

The thirteenth year was almost over. Duryodhana sent his spies everywhere, but he could not find the Pandavas.

Then he heard about the mysterious gandharvas who had killed his friend Kichaka in the court of King Virata. "That must be the Pandavas! I'm sure of it!"

Drona and Bhishma both urged restraint. "If you find the Pandavas, make peace with them," they advised. Even Dushasana tried to persuade his brother to set aside his obsession with the Pandavas.

But Duryodhana did not listen. He was determined to find the Pandavas and thus condemn them to another thirteen years of exile.