Duryodhana, Dhritarashtra’s eldest son by his wife Gandhari, and thus the leader of the Kauravas, has become consumed with hatred for the Pandavas, mainly because the people of Hastinapura are calling for Yudhishthira (eldest of the Pandavas) to be named as Dhritarashtra’s heir. Duryodhana persuades his father to send the Pandavas and their mother, Kunti, to live in a handsome but inflammable palace which he has had specially built for them in the forest–surrounded city of Varanavata. He then instructs his low-caste spy Purochana to burn the Pandavas alive in the house; but Vidura, the courtier who helped to set up the war-skills contest (see pp. 233-48), tips off Yudhishthira, who devises a plan of escape – though the Kauravas do not at first know this, and shed public crocodile tears at the supposed death of their cousins.
Vidura was the son of Vyasa (Author of the Mahabharata) by a low-caste slave girl. He is wise, humane and impartial, and does his best to restrain the irrationality and criminality of the Kauravas.
The following extract also indicates Kunti’s unflinching character, for she is prepared to sacrifice innocent lives in order to ensure her sons’ escape from the burning palace.
The Pandavas with their wife Draupadi
The Lacquered Palace (pp. 259-90)
Sakuni, Duryodhana,
Duhsasana and Karna
Formed a picked plot
(continued Vaisampayana).
With Dhritarashtra’s approval,
They decided to burn alive
Kunti and her sons.
But it so happened
That Vidura, who could read
Men’s hearts in their faces,
Discovered the intentions
Of the four conspirators.
Defectless, Atman-illuminated
Vidura, devoted to the welfare
Of the Pandavas, made up his mind
To devise an escape for them.
He arranged for a boat;
Variously equipped, with strong sails,
Able to withstand wave-beat
And wind-havoc. He told Kunti:
‘Dhritarashtra is bent on insulting
Past and future Kuru glory.
He is obsessed with mischief
And he si contemptuous of dharma.
‘I have a boat ready, sweet lady,
Wind-worthy and river-worthy.
Escape in it with your sons
From the noose of death.’
When Kunti heard this,
She was deeply distressed.
She and her sons boarded the boat,
And crossed the Ganga.
On Vidura’s advice they abandoned
The boat and, taking their possessions
With them, they entered a forest
(continued Vaisampayana).
Well, it so happened that
A tribal woman of the Nishadas
Came to the house of lac and
Was burnt alive with her five sons.
That outrageous Mleccha,
Purochana, was also burnt alive.
And in this way the plan
Of Dhritarashtra’s sons was frustrated.
In this way the noble sons
Of Kunti, and she herself, escaped
With Vidura’s help. The citizens,
However, had no knowledge of this.
In fact, when the people
Of Varanavata saw
The house of lac reduced to ashes
They grieved inconsolably.
They sent a messenger to the king
Giving the details, and saying,
‘Your purpose has been fulfilled,
The Pandavas burnt to death.
‘Your mission accomplished, your majesty,
You are now free to enjoy,
With your sons, the Kuru kingdom’
Dhritarashtra and his sons
In Grief performed the sraddha
Of the Pandavas. Friends
And relatives were present. Vidura
Was there, and great Bhishma.
‘Noble Brahmin,’ Janamejaya interrupted,
‘I would like to know the details
Of the burning of the house of lac,
And the escape of the Pandavas.
‘What a horrible and cruel
Plan – such colossal wickedness!
Tell me everything, as it happened.
My curiosity overpowers me.’
Vaisampayana said: Your majesty,
I will explain everything –
Both the burning of the lac house
And the escape of the Pandavas.
It began like this: Duryodhana
Seethed with envy when
He saw Bhima and Arjuna
Grow in glory each day.
The Sun’s son Karna,
And Subala’s son Sakuni
Tried every means they could
To get rid of the Pandavas.
But the Pandavas foiled
Each attempt and,
Action on Vidura’s advice,
Kept silent about it.
The people talked of
The achievement of the Pandavas
Everywhere, in city and out
(continued Vaisampayana).
In courtyards and assembly-halls,
In all meeting-places,
They spoke of Pandu’s eldest son
As most worthy of being king.
They said: ‘Prophetic-visioned
Dhritarashtra, because blind,
Was prevented from ruling once.
How is he ruling now?
‘Santanu’s son Bhishma,
Strict-vowed and truth-devoted,
Once renounced the kingdom;
He cannot become king now.
‘Let us, with due ceremony,
Install Yudhishthira king –
He is young, skilled in war-craft,
Learned in the Vedas, truthful, liberal.
‘He respects Santanu’s son
And Dhritarashtra;
He will make a good ruler
In every way.’
And when ill-minded Duryodhana
Heard these sentiments
Of the followers of Yudhishthira,
He was roused to anger.
So great was his fury
He could not bear to hear them.
Boiling with jealousy,
He went to Dhritarashtra.
Dhritarashtra was alone.
He did Pranam to his father
And recalling the people’s words,
He said:
‘Father, I hear shocking things,
Words of great ill-omen.
Ignoring you and Bhishma, the citizens
Want Yudhishthira king.
‘Bhishma will not object,
He does not seek kingship.
I think the citizens
Are deliberately insulting us.
‘Panadu got the kingship
Because he was deserving.
You were equaling deserving, but
Your blindness stood in the way.
‘If now Pandu’s son gets it,
His son will inherit it,
Then his son’s son, and so on –
All of them Pandavas.
‘We are our sons will
Be forever excluded from ruling.
Lord of the world,
What will people think of us?
‘That we should wait on others
And bemoan our lot!
Sire, help us discover a
Dignified way out of this.
‘For, no matter what you say,
Had you been king before Pandu,
We would be the successors
And not Pandu’s sons.’
*
These words of Duryodhana
Coupled with Kanika’s advice
Made the prophetic-visioned
King Dhritarashtra
Profoundly uneasy; sorrow
Assailed his heart, and doubts
Filled his mind. Duryodhana,
Karna, Subala’s son Sakuni,
And Duhsasana – these four
Held a consultation.
Duryodhana approached Dhritarashtra,
And said:
‘Father, find out some means
Of sending the Pandavas
To Varanavata. Then we
Will have some peace of mind.’
Dhritarashtra pondered these words
For some time; then
He replied to Duryodhana
(continued Vaisampayana):
‘Pandu was a man of dharma.
He behaved perfectly
With his relatives; with me
He was especially courteous.
‘He was indifferent to food,
Dress, and world’s pleasures.
He was devoted to me; had I asked,
He would have given me his kingdom.
‘Yudhishthira, like him, was dharma;
He is greatly accomplished;
He has dignity and character;
He is loved by the citizens.
‘And you want him exiled
From the kingdom of his ancestors?
How can I do this?
He has many friends.
‘Pandu took good care of
His counsellors and soldiers,
And their sons and grandsons.
Since they benefited so much,
‘Don’t you think, my son,
That if I do what you tell me,
They might turn against us,
Even kill us, to defend Yudhishthira?’
‘You are right, father,’
Replied Duryodhana. ‘But think;
Some risk has to be taken.
Confer honors, titles, wealth;
‘Win the people at your side.
At the present moment,
The ministers and treasury officials
Are entirely in your control.
‘I am sure a way can be found,
A smooth way, I think,
To get the Pandavas sent away
To Varanavata.
‘And when I am installed king,
I promise you, father,
I will have Kunti and her sons
Brought back to the kingdom.’
Dhritarashtra said:
‘That was my plan, Duryodhana,
But I thought it against dharma,
And did not dare voice it.
‘You see, my son, neither Bhishma,
Nor Drona, nor Vidura,
Nor Kripa will ever approve
Of exiling Kunti’s sons.
‘To them the Kurus and
The Pandavas have equal status.
They are wise and moral, and
See no difference between them and us.
‘I think, my son, an act like that
Will make us guilty
Before illustrious men, before the
Whole world. It is unthinkable.’
‘Bhishma,’ Durodhana replied,
‘never take sides; Drona’s son
Is on my side; and Drona, I know,
Will be on the side his son is.
‘Saradvat’s son Kripa
Will follow Drona and his son.
How can he repudiate Drona
And his nephew Asvatthaman?
‘Though Vidura depends on us,
Secretly he is a Pandava –
Lover. Let him join them.
He can do us no harm.
‘Don’t be afraid, father.
Exile Pandu’s sons
And their mother to Varanavata.
Do this today.
‘Do this, and remove my suffering.
There’s a fire inside me
Devouring my sleep and coursing
In my heart like poison.’
*
Duryodhana and his brothers
Conspired to win over
The people to their side
By granting bribes and favors.
On instructions from Dhritarashtra,
Some shrewd ministers
Praised the attractions of Varanavata
One day in the court.
‘The festival of Siva –
Pasupati has begun in the city
Of Varanavata,’ they said.
‘Thousands are flocking there.
‘What a concourse of people!
Just the glitter of their jewels
Ravishes the eyes!’ All this they said
On orders from Dhritarashtra,
And so cleverly did they say it
That the Pandavas decided
(continued Vaisampayana)
To pay a visit to Varanavata.
And when King Dhritarashtra
Heard that the Pandavas
Were eager to go there,
He went to them and said:
‘Children, your studies under Drona
Are over; you have mastered
All there is to master in war –
Skills of all kinds.
‘It occurred to me that
The kingdom is secure,
Statecraft attends to all matters,
Everyone is looked after.
‘My men come and tell me
Every day, without exception,
There is no city in the world
As lovely as Varanavata.
‘If you, my children, would like
To be there and see for yourselves,
Go with your friends and followers,
And enjoy yourselves like gods.
‘Give pearls and jewels away
To the Brahmins and musicians.
Enjoy yourselves there,
Like radiant gods;
‘And when you have had
Your fill of pleasures,
And do not want anymore,
Return to Hastinapura.’
‘Yudhishthira read Dhritarashtra’s
Mind, but unwilling to expose
The king, weakly agreed
To go to Varanavata.
‘To wise Vidura, to
Santanu’s son Bhishma,
To Drona, Vahlika,
And the Kaurava Somadatta,
‘To the acharya Kripa,
To Asvatthaman, Bhurisravas,
To the respected Brahmins,
Elders, ascetics, and counsellors,
‘to the noble priests,
To illustrious Gandhari,
Yudhishthira, speaking slowly
And gently, said:
‘Because King Dhritarashtra
Has advised us, we go
With our friends and followers
To festive Varanavata.
‘May your blessings
Go with us!
May we prosper,
May failure not touch us!’
The Kauravas heard Yudhishthira,
Pandu’s son, speak thus,
And all of them blessed him,
Saying:
‘Sons of Pandu,
May the blessings of the elements
Go with you!
May your path be clear,
May nothing inauspicious
Obstruct you!’
The Pandavas performed the rituals
For obtaining their royal right,
And with full preparations
Set out for Varanavata.
*
After this decision of
The Pandavas, approved
By Dhritarashtra, ill-minded
Duryodhana was delighted.
He summoned Purochana
In secret, and pressing
The man’s right hand, he
Said, “Purochana,
‘This world is full of riches,
And they are all mine.
They are yours too,
To enjoy if you will.
‘Who can I trust but you?
There is no one
In this palace I have
More faith in than you.
‘So let what follows remain
A secrete between you and me.
I want an enemy removed.
I want you to do it.
‘Dhritarashtra has sent
The Pandavas to Varanavata.
Because Dhritarashtra wants it,
They will make merry in that city.
‘Yoke swift mules
To your chariot and rush
To Varanavata
Today, if you can.
‘Get a place built there,
On the city’s outskirts,
A rectangular one; furnish
It lavishly; guard it.
‘And see that you use
Only hemp, resin, lac
And other inflammable materials
When you build.
‘Take mud and clay,
Mix it with ghee,
Oil, fat, and plenty of lac,
And plaster the walls.
‘Strategically, in different
Corners of the palace,
Apply hemp, oil, ghee, lac,
And paste; do this cleverly,
‘So that neither the Pandavas
Nor anyone else, even
After the closes inspection,
Can discover the ruse.
‘Build the palace and,
When Kunti and the Pandavas
Arrive, lavishly honor them,
And make them comfortable in it.
‘The seats, relaxing places,
The beds must be the finest
Possible – divine almost.
Say my father orders it.
‘See that all this is done
Without word reaching the ears
Of Varanavata’s citizens –
Until my mission’s accomplished.
‘And when they are sleeping
In full confidence,
Beginning with the gate
Set fire to the palace.
‘Everyone will declare
It an accident that
They perished in the fire.
None will blame us.’
Purochana promised to carry
Out orders; and immediately
Sped to Varanavata
In a swift mule-driven chariot.
Obedient to Duryodhana,
He wasted no time.
He fulfilled the instructions
To the minutest detail.
*
Climbing into their chariots
Yoked to wind-swift horses,
The Pandavas left. Earlier,
They sadly touched Bhishma’s feet,
And in the same way
Honored Dhritarashtra,
Mahatma Drona, Kripa,
Vidura, and other elders.
They paid their respects
To the elders of the Kurus,
They embraced their equals,
They were respected by the children;
They respectfully half-circled
The elderly palace ladies,
They bade farewell to the citizens
Before leaving for Varanavata.
Learned Vidura and other
Noble Kurus, including the citizens,
Sorrowfully followed the Pandavas
Sme distance outside the city.
Seeing the Pandavas unhappy
As they were preparing to leave,
Some of Hastinapura’s
Citizens murmured:
‘King Dhritarashtra has not
In this case been impartial.
He means ill. HIs eyes
Do not follow the path of Dharma.
‘Noble Yudhishthira, powerful
Bhima and Arjuna
Are not the kind to flout
The wishes of Dhritarashtra.
‘And if they remain silent,
Madri’s sons will not protest either.
The kingdom is theirs, from Pandu;
Just that Dhritarashtra does not like it.
‘But how could Bhishma
Allow this great adharma?
How could Bhishma allow
The Pandavas to leave?
‘Santanu’s son Vicitravirya
And the great Kuru, Pandup,
Were both to us even
Like our own fathers.
‘Now that Pandu, finest
Of kings, is in heaven,
Dhritarashtra cannot bear
To look on the Pandavas.
‘We will not allow this!
WE will leave this city,
We will leave our houses,
And follow Yudhishthrira.’
Dharmaraja Yudhishthira
Overheard them, and pondered.
Then, sorrowfully, he said
To the murmuring citizens:
‘Dhritarashtra is our father,
Our superior, our guru;
He is lord of the earth,
His words must be obeyed.
‘And you are our friends.
If you mean us well,
Stand on our left, bless us,
And return to your homes.
‘And when the time comes
When we really need your help,
Then come forward and help us
To shine and prosper.’
The citizens heard Yudhishthira and,
Putting the Pandavas on their right,
Blessed them and, slowly,
Returned to Hastinapura.
After they had left,
Vidura, wise in dharma,
Spoke to Yudhishthira
In order to warn him.
He spoke in Mleccha dialect
(which Yudhishthira knew);
Both were wise, and familiar
With the Mleccha tongue.
‘A wise man,’ whispered Vidura,
‘is one who knows in advance
His enemies’ intentions,
And prepares himself accordingly.
‘Steel is not the only
Means of piercing the body.
Other means need other foils.
Who knows this, survives.
‘He survives who knows
That straw-consumer and dew-driver
Cannot harm those who
Burrow holes in the ground.
‘A blind man does not know
Where to go, how to go.
A man without will-power
Is a blind man. Keep awake.
‘If your enemy tricks you
Into a trap not made of steel,
Remember how the jackal
In his hole escapes a fiery death.
‘Traveling brings knowledge.
Keep moving. Let the starts
In the sky guide you. Unite
The five senses, and live.’
Yudhishthira listened carefully.
Dharmaraja Yudhishthira,
Pandu’s eldest son,
Said to Vidura:
‘I understand.’
Visdura, placing Yudhishthira
On his right, bade him farewell,
And returned to the city.
After Vidura, Bhishma,
And the citizens had gone,
Kunti approached Yudhishthira,
And said:
‘What did Vidura tell you,
In the presence of the others?
I couldn’t make out a word
Of his speech and your reply.
‘Tell me, son, what he said,
If it is not secret.
I am eager to know
What both of you discussed.’
Yudhishthira replied:
‘He mentioned a lacquer house.
He also said there was
A way to escape from it.
‘He whispered that the man
Who controls his senses
Rules the world. To which
I replied, ‘I understand.’’
When the star Rohini
Was in the ascendant,
On the eighth day of
The month of Phalguna,
The Pandavas left for
The city of Varanavata.
*
Word spread that the Pandavas
Were coming, and the citizens
Of Varanavata flocked
In thousands, joyfully,
By various means of transportation,
To catch a glimpse
Of the princes. They brought
Auspicious customary gifts.
The moment they were spotted,
The Pandavas were surrounded;
The citizens of Varanavata
Blessed them, shouting Victory!
King of dharma Yudhishthira,
Best among men, so surrounded,
Looked like thunder-wielding
Indra among the gods.
Welcomed by the citizens,
And thanking them for the reception,
The Pandavas entered
The populous, enchanting city.
Their first duty, your majesty,
Was to find out the houses
Of ritual practicing Brahmins,
And visit them.
Their second was to go
To the homes of the officials;
Then they visited the charioteers,
The Vaisyas, and even the Sudras.
Honored by the citizens,
they retired, your majesty,
To a mansion, Purochana
Leading, they following.
Purochana supplied them
(Vaisampayana continued)
The choicest food and drink,
Beds, carpets and seats.
They continue to live there,
With the citizens serving them,
And Purochana doing everything
To make them comfortable.
After ten nights had passed,
Purochana recommended to them
A house called the ‘Blessed Abode’
(actually a cursed one).
The Pandavas, richly dressed,
Rose, went to the house,
And entered like Guhyakas
On Mount Kailasa.
After inspecting it,
Yudhishthira, finest of men,
Whispered to Bhima,
‘Highly inflammable.
‘Not a doubt of it.
I can smell fat, and lac
Mixed with ghee – all
Inflammable materials.
‘Superb workmanship.
Our enemies have good craftsmen.
Hemp, and straw, mud
And bamboo stalks,
‘Soaked in ghee,
Going up in flames –
First Purochana honors us,
Then he burns us.
‘No doubt his wickedness
Is encouraged by Duryodhana.
Vidura knew – and warned me.
He is our well-wisher,
‘Our father’s younger brother,
He loves us. He told me
All about this death-trap,
Duryodhana’s supreme treachery.’
Bhima said, ‘If you are sure
This house is a trap,
Let us return to the place
Where we were staying.’
‘And rouse suspicion? No,’
Said Yudhishthira. ‘Rather,
Let us keep our eyes and ears open,
And find a means of escape.
‘If Purochana ever suspects
That we’ve stumbled on his plan,
He may panic and frantically
Bun us and the house down.
‘He has no scruples,
No sense of adharma;
He is a blind slave
To the whims of Duryodhana.
‘If we run away in fear,
Duryodhana, greedy
For the kingdom, will set spies
On us to get rid of us.
‘Duryodhana is evil – he
Has position, power;
He has friends, allies, wealth;
We have nothing.
‘There are many ways
He can get rid of us.
Let us out-trick him
By living in disguise.
‘For some time let us
Become hunters and nomads.
Let us become familiar
With all routes of escape.
‘Inside our room, tonight,
Let’s start digging a tunnel.
If we can keep it secret,
We are safe from fire.
‘So let us live here,
And give neither Purochana
Nor the citizens the least hint
That we suspect anything.’
*
A friend of Vidura
(continued Vaisampayana),
An expert tunnel-digger,
Came to the Pandavas and said:
‘I am a tunnel-digger.
Vidura has sent me.
I am at your service. Let me know what I should do.
‘Vidura said to me,
Go to the Pandavas
And help them in every way.
I await your orders.
‘Purochana intends to
Set fire to your house
On the fourteenth night
Of the dark fortnight.
‘Dhirtarashtra’s ill-minded
Son Duryodhana has plans
To burn alive the Pandavas
And their mother.
‘Vidura used Mleccha speech,
And you replied in Mleccha.
This is my credential.’
Yudhishthira said to him:
‘My friend, I know you
Are a close and trusted
Friend of Vidura;
I know you are deeply
‘Devoted to him.
There is no need of ours
That learned and noble Vidura
Does not anticipate.
‘You will be ours,
As you are his.
Make no difference
Between him and us.
‘We are as much yours
As we are his.
Protect us even as
Vidura would protect us.
‘Purochanta built this house
At Duryodhana’s orders
In order to destroy us.
This I know.
‘Wicked, persistent in
Vicious machinations,
Using wealth and allies,
Duryodhana hounds us.
‘Save us from the fire-trap.
If we are burnt to death,
The evil schemes of Duryodhana
Will be fulfilled.
‘Next door is the vast
Storehouse of Duryodhana,
Materials from which were used
To build the house of lac.
It has high walls,
Escape that way is impossible.
‘Vidura was the first
To discover the plot.
In his goodness he
Revealed the secret to me.
‘The danger that he foresaw
Now threatens to destroy us.
Show us how to escape.
Without a rousing Purochana’s suspicions.’
‘So be it,’ replied the digger.
With many precautions
He began work on a tunnel
(continued Vaisampayana).
The tunnel was located
In the center of the house.
Wooden planes covered it.
It was on floor level.
This was done in order
Not to rouse any suspicion.
Purochana kept a constant
Vigil at the house.
At night the Pandavas, armed,
Lived in the tunnel.
During the day the hunted
In the nearby forests.
Always alert, they deceived
Purochana with shows of trust
And contentment; actually,
They were restless and worried.
The Varanavatans knew nothing
Of these goings-on. Only
Vidura’s friend, the tunnel-digger,
Knew. No one else.
*
One year passed. Purochana
Saw the Pandavas happy
And unsuspecting, and
Inwardly he rejoiced.
Yudhishthera, seeing Purochana
Saw the Pandavas happy
And unsuspecting, and
Inwardly he rejoiced.
Yudhishthira, seeing Purochana
Relaxed, one day
Said to Bhima and
The twins Nakula and Sahadeva:
‘Purochana’s under the impression
We don’t suspect anything.
We have him in our hands.
The time to escape is now.
‘We’ll set fire to the store house,
Let Purochana burn to death,
Leave six other dead bodies here,
And slip out, unseen.’
It so happened, your majesty,
That, on an alms-giving,
Kunti had the occasion to feed
Many Brahmins. Some women were fed too.
They ate and drank hugely,
Enjoying themselves to excess,
And late in the night,
With Kunti’s permission, went home.
As fate would have it,
A Nishada woman and her five sons
Came to the feast, and
Gorged themselves to exhaustion.
She and her sons drank
Till drunk, and, your majesty,
Unable to stir, more dead
Than alive, decided to spend
The night in the lac house.
That night when all were sleeping,
A tremendous thunderstorm rose
(continued Vaisampayana).
Purochana was sleeping
When Bhima set fire to his room.
Then the other Pandavas
Set the torch to the doorway,
And quickly, in various places,
The rest of the lac house.
Satisfied that the entire house
Was ablaze,
The foe-subduing Pandavas
Slipped into the tunnel
One by one, Kunti with them.
The heat and crackle of the flames
Woke up the citizens.
They rushed out, saw
The house furiously aflame,
And sadly, said to each other:
‘It must have been Purochana.
He built this house
To kill his master’s relatives
By setting it on fire.
‘Shame on Dhritarashtra,
So prejudiced in mind!
To burn the sons of Pandu
As if they were his enemies!
‘Evil, wicked Purochana,
In the process of burning
The Pandavas, trapped himself,
And got burnt to death.’
Moaning the tragedy,
The Varanavatans encircled
The smoldering house,
And passed the night there.
Meanwhile, the Pandavas
And their sorrowing mother
Had escaped through the tunnel,
Unseen by anyone.
The foe-subduing Pandavas,
Sleepless and fearful,
Were unable to flee
As swiftly as they wished.
So mighty, wind-swift Bhima
Picked up his mother and four
Brothers to ensure haste
(added Vaisampayana).
Bhima of great strength
And stamina, wolf-waisted Bhima,
Lifted his mother on his shoulder,
The twins on both his sides,
Picked up Yudhishthira
And Arjuna on both arms,
Smashed trees with his chest,
Smote the earth with his feet,
And pressed steadily on.
*
Meanwhile, learned Vidura
Sent to the forest
A man of unimpeachable character
(continued Vaisampayana).
He went where instructed,
And saw the Pandavas
And their mother measuring
The depth of a river.
This man was they spy
Who had revealed to mahatma
Vidura all the machinations
Of ill-minded Duryodhana.
For which reason Vidura
Sent him to Kunti’s sons;
And he showed them
A mind-swift, wind-swift boat,
Fitted with various gadgets,
Decked with flags, sturdily
Constructed by shipwrights
To withstand stormy waves.
The boat was moored
On holy Ganga’s banks.
To establish his credentials
As Vidura’s messenger,
He said, ‘O Yudhishthira,
This is what Vidura told you:
‘He survives who knows
That straw-consumer and dew-drier
Cannot harm those who
Burrow holes in the ground.
‘Vidura has sent me.
You can depend on me.
Besides, dharma-learned Vidura
Also said to me,
‘O son of Kunti, that you
Will defeat in battle
Karna, Sakuni, and
Duryodhana and his brothers.
‘The boat waits for you.
May its journey be pleasant.
May it take you swiftly
Away from this place.’
He saw the brothers
And their mother anxious,
So, climbing along with them
Into the boat, he said:
‘Vidura has embraced you, and smelt
Your heads; he asked me
To make your journey auspicious,
To shield you from harm.’
With these words, your majesty,
The man piloted the heroes
Carefully over the Ganga’s waters
To the opposite bank.
When they had reached
The opposite bank safely
He shouted May victory be yours!
And returned to his home.
The Pandavas sent word
Of their safety to Vidura,
And secretly and hurriedly
Pressed on, none else knowing.
*
Next morning a large crowd
Of Varanavatans
Came to the smouldering lac house
To see what had happened.
They extinguished the fire,
Saw the house was made of lac,
And discovered Purochana’s body
Charred in the ruins.
They murmured among themselves:
‘None except wicked Duryodhana
Could have thought of such a plot
To get rid of the Pandavas.
‘It seems certain that he,
With Dhritarashtra’s knowledge,
Has killed the Pandavsa;
Or why wasn’t he stopped?
‘Santanu’s son Bhishma,
Drona, Vidura, Kripa,
And all the other Kurus
Have strayed from dharma.
‘Our duty is to send
This message to Dhritarashtra:
At last you have succeeded –
You have killed the Pandavas.’
They searched among the embers
For the bodies of the Pandavas,
And found the charred corpses of
The Nishada woman and her five sons.
The tunnel-digger had managed
To re-cover the tunnel’s mouth
With charred wood pieces so cleverly
That not one citizen noticed it.
The citizens sent a messenger
To Dhritarashtra informing him
That Purochana and the Pandavas
Had perished in the fire.
When the unpleasant news
Was conveyed to him,
Dhritarashtra moaned the deaths
Of the Pandavas and their mother.
He said:
‘It is not just the Pandavas
Who have died today –
My brother Pandu,
Illustrious hero,
Has perished in the fire too.
‘Go, men, quickly
To Varanavata, and
Collect the bodies.
Let all the funeral rites
Be performed for the heroes
And the king of Kunti’s daughter.
‘Let their bones
Be purifed by the rites,
May noble charities follow.
ANd let the friends and relatives
Of those who have perished
Hurry to Varanavata.
‘Whatever is needed,
Whatever selfless deeds enjoined –
May those be done.
May nothing be stinted
In the funeral ceremonies
Of Kunti and the Pandavas.’
Saying this, Dhritarashtra,
Ambika’s son, surrounded
By his relatives, offered water-homage
To the spirits of the ancestors.
Bhishma and other Kauravas
Gathered near the banks
Of the Ganga to offer
Similar water-homage.
They each had a single dress on.
Their discarded head-coverings,
Ornaments, and other finery
Accentuated their joylessness.
He wept. The others wept.
O Yudhishthira!
O great descendant of Kuru!
Some wept: O Bhima!
Other’s wailed: O Arjuna!
Others: O the twins!
O Kunti! Noble Mother!
They offered water-homage.
The citizens also moaned
The deaths of the Pandavas.
Vidura moaned formally:
He knew the truth.
Seeing Bhishma lamenting,
He whispered, ‘Lord among men,
Do not grieve. Strict-vowed sire,
The Pandavas are not dead.
‘What needed to be done,
I did – at the crucial time.
Great Bharata, it is not necessary
For you to offer water-homage.’
Bhishma took Vidura’s hand,
And pulled him to a corner
Where they could not be heard.
Still weeping, he said:
‘How can this be?
How did Pandu’s great-
Chariot-warrior sons escape?
Even as Garuda saved his mother,
‘Did you succeed in saving them?
Tell me how it was done –
Tell me how you stopped the crime of Pandava –
Murder from falling on us.’
Because Bhishma enquired,
Vidura replied to the
Worker-of-marvellous-deeds
(said Vaisampayana):
‘Dhirtarashtra, Sakuni
And Duryodhana had decided
Once and for all to kill
The Pandavas and their mother.
‘When Duryodhana conceived
Of the plot of burning them alive
In a lac house, I arranged
To have an expert tunnel-digger
‘Devise a large tunnel
From the centre of the house;
And before the fire spread,
The Pandavas slipped into the tunnel,
And escaped. They and their mother
Are now far away,
All with my help. I am certain
That they are alive.
‘There is no need to mourn.
Until the propitious time
When their return is warranted,
They will stay in hiding.
‘They will move from place to place,
And no one will know.
At the right time, Yudhishthira
Will show himself to the earth’s kings.’
Meanwhile, the mighty Pandavas,
Six of them, had slipped
Away from Varanavata,
And come to the Ganga.
Helped by expert boatmen
And a favorable current,
They quickly alighted at
The opposite bank of the river.
They abandoned the boat,
And moved southwards,
Guiding themselves at night
By the light of the stars.
It was a difficult journey.
Finally, your majesty,
They reached a dense forest.
They were tired, thirsty, sleepy.
Yudhishthira said to Bhima,
‘Here we are, lost in a forest,
With no idea where we are;
What do we do now?
‘We are not even sure if
Purochana is dead or alive.
How long can we continue
Keeping our presence a secret?
‘Great Bharata, pick us up
As you did earlier, and
Let us move on. You are the strongest
Among us, you are wind-swift.’
Bhima heard Yudhishthira,
Picked up his mother and brothers,
And pressed on
(said Vaisampayana).
