The Mahabharata, Book 1, Adi Parva, Section
148th, Jatugriha Parva continued.
"Vaisampayana said, 'Then all the citizens
(of Varanavata) on hearing that the son of
Pandu had come, were filled with joy at the
tidings, speedily came out of Varanavata,
in vehicles of various kinds numbering by
thousands, taking with them every auspicious
article as directed by the Sastras, for receiving
those foremost of men.
And the people of Varanavata, approaching
the sons of Kunti blessed them by uttering
the Jaya and stood surrounding them.
That tiger among men, viz., the virtuous Yudhishthira
thus surrounded by them looked resplendent
like him having the thunderbolt in his hands
(viz., Indra) in the midst of the celestials.
And those sinless ones, welcomed by the citizens
and welcoming the citizens in return, then
entered the populous town of Varanavata decked
with every ornament.
Entering the town those heroes first went,
O monarch, to the abodes of Brahmanas engaged
in their proper duties.
Those foremost of men then went to the abodes
of the officials of the town, and then of
the Sutas and the Vaisyas and then to those
of even the Sudras, O bull of Bharata's race,
thus adored by the citizens, the Pandavas
at last went with Purochana going before them,
to the palace that had been built for them,
Purochana then began to place before them
food and drink and beds and carpets, all of
the first and most agreeable order.
The Pandavas attired in costly robes, continued
to live there, adored by Purochana and the
people having their homes in Varanavata.
"After the Pandavas had thus lived for ten
nights, Purochana spoke to them of the mansion
(he had built) called 'The Blessed Home,'
but in reality the cursed house.
Then those tigers among men, attired in costly
dress, entered that mansion at the instance
of Purochana like Guhyakas entering the palace
(of Siva) on the Kailasa mount.
The foremost of all virtuous men, Yudhishthira,
inspecting the house, said unto Bhima that
it was really built of inflammable materials.
Smelling the scent of fat mixed with clarified
butter and preparations of lac, he said unto
Bhima, 'O chastiser of foes, this house is
truly built of inflammable materials!
Indeed, it is apparent that such is the case!
The enemy, it is evident, by the aid of trusted
artists well-skilled in the construction of
houses, have finely built this mansion, after
procuring hemp, resin, heath, straw, and bamboos,
all soaked in clarified butter.
This wicked wretch, Purochana, acting under
the instruction of Duryodhana, stayeth here
with the object of burning me to death when
he seeth me trustful.
But, O son of Pritha, Vidura of great intelligence,
knew of this danger, and, therefore, hath
warned me of it beforehand.
Knowing it all, that youngest uncle of ours,
ever wishing our good from affection hath
told us that this house, so full of danger,
hath been constructed by the wretches under
Duryodhana acting in secrecy.'
"Hearing this, Bhima replied, 'If, sir, you
know this house to be so inflammable, it would
then be well for us to return thither where
we had taken up our quarters first.'
Yudhishthira replied, 'It seems to me that
we should rather continue to live here in
seeming unsuspiciousness but all the while
with caution and our senses wide awake and
seeking for some certain means of escape.
If Purochana findeth from our countenances
that we have fathomed designs, acting with
haste he may suddenly burn us to death.
Indeed, Purochana careth little for obloquy
or sin.
The wretch stayeth here acting under the instruction
of Duryodhana.
If we are burnt to death, will our grandfather
Bhishma be angry?
Why will he, by showing his wrath, make the
Kauravas angry with him?
Or, perhaps, our grandfather Bhishma and the
other bull of Kuru's race, regarding indignation
at such a sinful act to be virtuous, may become
wrathful.
If however, from fear of being burnt, we fly
from here, Duryodhana, ambitious of sovereignty
will certainly compass our death by means
of spies.
While we have no rank and power, Duryodhana
hath both; while we have no friends and allies,
Duryodhana hath both; while we are without
wealth, Duryodhana hath at his command a full
treasury.
Will he not, therefore, certainly destroy
us by adopting adequate means?
Let us, therefore, by deceiving this wretch
(Purochana) and that other wretch Duryodhana,
pass our days, disguising ourselves at times.
Let us also lead a hunting life, wandering
over the earth.
We shall then, if we have to escape our enemies,
be familiar with all paths.
We shall also, this very day, cause a subterranean
passage to be dug in our chamber in great
secrecy.
If we act in this way, concealing what we
do from all, fire shall never be able to consume
us.
We shall live here, actively doing everything
for our safety but with such privacy that
neither Purochana nor any of the citizens
of Varanavata may know what we are after.'"
Adi Parva, Section 149th, Jatugriha Parva
continued.
"Vaisampayana continued, 'A friend of Vidura's,
well-skilled in mining, coming unto the Pandavas,
addressed them in secret, saying, 'I have
been sent by Vidura and am a skilful miner.
I am to serve the Pandavas.
Tell me what I am to do for ye.
From the trust he reposeth in me Vidura hath
said unto me, 'Go thou unto the Pandavas and
accomplish thou their good.
What shall I do for you?
Purochana will set fire to the door of thy
house on the fourteenth night of this dark
fortnight.
To burn to death those tigers among men, the
Pandavas, with their mother, is the design
of that wicked wretch, the son of Dhritarashtra.
O son of Pandu, Vidura also told thee something
in the Mlechchha tongue to which thou also
didst reply in same language.
I state these particulars as my credentials.'
Hearing these words, Yudhishthira, the truthful
son of Kunti replied, 'O amiable one, I now
know thee as a dear and trusted friend of
Vidura, true and ever devoted to him.
There is nothing that the learned Vidura doth
not know.
As his, so ours art thou.
Make no difference between him and us.
We are as much thine as his.
O, protect us as the learned Vidura ever protecteth
us.
I know that this house, so inflammable, hath
been contrived for me by Purochana at the
command of Dhritarashtra's son.
That wicked wretch commanding wealth and allies
pursueth us without intermission.
O, save us with a little exertion from the
impending conflagration.
If we are burnt to death here, Duryodhana's
most cherished desire will be satisfied.
Here is that wretch's well-furnished arsenal.
This large mansion hath been built abutting
the high ramparts of the arsenal without any
outlet.
But this unholy contrivance of Duryodhana
was known to Vidura from the first, and he
it was who enlightened us beforehand.
The danger of which Kshattri had foreknowledge
is now at our door.
Save us from it without Purochana's knowledge
thereof.'
On hearing these words, the miner said, 'So
be it,' and carefully beginning his work of
excavation, made a large subterranean passage.
And the mouth of that passage was in the centre
of that house, and it was on a level with
the floor and closed up with planks.
The mouth was so covered from fear of Purochana,
that wicked wretch who kept a constant watch
at the door of the house.
The Pandavas used to sleep within their chambers
with arms ready for use, while, during the
day, they went a-hunting from forest to forest.
Thus, O king, they lived (in that mansion)
very guardedly, deceiving Purochana by a show
of trustfulness and contentment while in reality
they were trustless and discontented.
Nor did the citizens of Varanavata know anything
about these plans of the Pandavas.
In fact, none else knew of them except Vidura's
friend, that good miner.'"
Adi Parva, Section 150th, Jatugriha Parva
continued.
"Vaisampayana said, 'Seeing the Pandavas living
there cheerfully and without suspicion for
a full year, Purochana became exceedingly
glad.
And beholding Purochana so very glad, Yudhishthira,
the virtuous son of Kunti, addressing Bhima
and Arjuna and the twins (Nakula and Sahadeva)
said, 'The cruel-hearted wretch hath been
well-deceived.
I think the time is come for our escape.
Setting fire to the arsenal and burning Purochana
to death and letting his body lie here, let
us, six persons, fly hence unobserved by all!'
"Vaisampayana continued, 'Then on the occasion
of an almsgiving, O king, Kunti fed on a certain
night a large number of Brahmanas.
There came also a number of ladies who while
eating and drinking, enjoyed there as they
pleased, and with Kunti's leave returned to
their respective homes.
Desirous of obtaining food, there came, as
though impelled by fate, to that feast, in
course of her wanderings, a Nishada woman,
the mother of five children, accompanied by
all her sons.
O king, she, and her children, intoxicated
with the wine they drank, became incapable.
Deprived of consciousness and more dead than
alive, she with all her sons lay down in that
mansion to sleep.
Then when all the inmates of the house lay
down to sleep, there began to blow a violent
wind in the night.
Bhima then set fire to the house just where
Purochana was sleeping.
Then the son of Pandu set fire to the door
of that house of lac.
Then he set fire to the mansion in several
parts all around.
Then when the sons of Pandu were satisfied
that the house had caught fire in several
parts those chastisers of foes with their
mother, entered the subterranean passage without
losing any time.
Then the heat and the roar of the fire became
intense and awakened the townspeople.
Beholding the house in flames, the citizens
with sorrowful faces began to say, 'The wretch
(Purochana) of wicked soul had under the instruction
of Duryodhana built his house for the destruction
of his employer's relatives.
He indeed hath set fire to it.
O, fie on Dhritarashtra's heart which is so
partial.
He hath burnt to death, as if he were their
foe, the sinless heirs of Pandu!
O, the sinful and wicked-souled (Purochana)
who hath burnt those best of men, the innocent
and unsuspicious princes, hath himself been
burnt to death as fate would have it.'
"Vaisampayana continued, 'The citizens of
Varanavata thus bewailed (the fate of the
Pandavas), and waited there for the whole
night surrounding that house.
The Pandavas, however, accompanied by their
mother coming out of the subterranean passage,
fled in haste unnoticed.
But those chastisers of foes, for sleepiness
and fear, could not with their mother proceed
in haste.
But, O monarch, Bhimasena, endued with terrible
prowess and swiftness of motion took upon
his body all his brothers and mother and began
to push through the darkness.
Placing his mother on his shoulder, the twins
on his sides, and Yudhishthira and Arjuna
on both his arms, Vrikodara of great energy
and strength and endued with the speed of
the wind, commenced his march, breaking the
trees with his breast and pressing deep the
earth with his stamp.'"
Adi Parva, Section 151st, Jatugriha Parva
continued.
"Vaisampayana said, 'About this time, the
learned Vidura had sent into those woods a
man of pure character and much trusted by
him.
This person going to where he had been directed,
saw the Pandavas with their mother in the
forest employed in a certain place in measuring
the depth of a river.
The design that the wicked Duryodhana had
formed had been, through his spies, known
to Vidura of great intelligence, and, therefore,
he had sent that prudent person unto the Pandavas.
Sent by Vidura unto them, he showed the Pandavas
on the sacred banks of the Ganga a boat with
engines and flags, constructed by trusted
artificers and capable of withstanding wind
and wave and endued with the speed of the
tempest or of thought.
He then addressed the Pandavas in these words
to show that he had really been sent by Vidura,
'O Yudhishthira, he said, "listen to these
words the learned Vidura had said (unto thee)
as a proof of the fact that I come from him.
Neither the consumer of straw and the wood
nor the drier of dew ever burneth the inmates
of a hole in the forest.
He escapeth from death who protecteth himself
knowing this, etc.'
By these credentials know me to be the person
who has been truly sent by Vidura and to be
also his trusted agent.
Vidura, conversant with everything, hath again
said, 'O son of Kunti, thou shalt surely defeat
in battle Karna, and Duryodhana with his brothers,
and Sakuni.'
This boat is ready on the waters, and it will
glide pleasantly thereon, and shall certainly
bear you all from these regions!'
"Then beholding those foremost of men with
their mother pensive and sad he caused them
to go into the boat that was on the Ganga,
and accompanied them himself.
Addressing them again, he said, 'Vidura having
smelt your heads and embraced you (mentally),
hath said again that in commencing your auspicious
journey and going alone you should never be
careless.'
"Saying these words unto those heroic princes,
the person sent by Vidura took those bulls
among men over to the other side of the Ganga
in his boat.
And having taken them over the water and seen
them all safe on the opposite bank, he uttered
the word 'Jaya' (victory) to their success
and then left them and returned to the place
whence he had come.
"The illustrious Pandavas also sending through
that person some message to Vidura, began,
after having crossed the Ganga, to proceed
with haste and in great secrecy.'"
Adi Parva, Section 152nd, Jatugriha Parva
continued.
"Vaisampayana said, 'Then, when the night
had passed away, a large concourse of the
townspeople came there in haste to see the
sons of Pandu.
After extinguishing the fire, they saw that
the house just burnt down had been built of
lac in materials and that (Duryodhana's) counsellor
Purochana had been burnt to death.
And the people began to bewail aloud saying,
'Indeed, this had been contrived by the sinful
Duryodhana for the destruction of the Pandavas.
There is little doubt that Duryodhana hath,
with Dhritarashtra's knowledge, burnt to death
the heirs of Pandu, else the prince would
have been prevented by his father.
There is little doubt that even Bhishma, the
son of Santanu, and Drona and Vidura and Kripa
and other Kauravas have not, any of them,
followed the dictates of duty.
Let us now send to Dhritarashtra to say, 'Thy
great desire hath been achieved!
Thou hast burnt to death the Pandavas!'
"They then began to extinguish the members
to obtain some trace of the Pandavas, and
they saw the innocent Nishada woman with her
five sons burnt to death.
Then the miner sent by Vidura, while removing
the ashes, covered the hole he had dug with
those ashes in such a way that it remained
unnoticed by all who had gone there.
"The citizens then sent to Dhritarashtra to
inform him that the Pandavas along with (Duryodhana's)
counsellor Purochana had been burnt to death.
King Dhritarashtra, on hearing the evil news
of the death of the Pandavas, wept in great
sorrow.
And he said, 'King Pandu, my brother of great
fame, hath, indeed, died today when those
heroic sons of his together with their mother
have been burnt to death.
Ye men, repair quickly to Varanavata and cause
the funeral rites to be performed of those
heroes and of the daughter of Kuntiraj!
Let also the bones of the deceased be sanctified
with the usual rites, and let all the beneficial
and great acts (usual on such occasions) be
performed.
Let the friends and relatives of those that
have been burnt to death repair thither.
Let also all other beneficial acts that ought,
under the circumstances, to be performed by
us for the Pandavas and Kunti be accomplished
by wealth.'
"Having said this, Dhritarashtra, the son
of Ambika, surrounded by his relatives, offered
oblations of water to the sons of Pandu.
And all of them, afflicted with excessive
sorrow, bewailed aloud, exclaiming, 'O Yudhishthira!
Oh prince of the Kuru race!'--While others
cried aloud, 'Oh, Bhima!--O Phalguna!'--while
some again,--'Oh, the twins!--Oh, Kunti!'--Thus
did they sorrow for the Pandavas and offer
oblations of water unto them.
The citizens also wept for the Pandavas but
Vidura did not weep much, because he knew
the truth.
"Meanwhile the Pandavas endued with great
strength with their mother forming a company
of six going out of the town of Varanavata
arrived at the banks of the Ganga.
They then speedily reached the opposite bank
aided by the strength of the boatmen's arms,
the rapidity of the river's current, and a
favourable wind.
Leaving the boat, they proceeded in the southern
direction finding their way in the dark by
the light of the stars.
After much suffering they at last reached,
O king, a dense forest.
They were then tired and thirsty; sleep was
closing their eyes every moment.
Then Yudhishthira, addressing Bhima endued
with great energy, said, 'What can be more
painful than this?
We are now in the deep woods.
We know not which side is which, nor can we
proceed much further.
We do not know whether that wretch Purochana
hath or hath not been burnt to death.
How shall we escape from these dangers unseen
by others?
O Bharata, taking us on thyself, proceed thou
as before.
Thou alone amongst us art strong and swift
as the wind.'
"Thus addressed by Yudhishthira the just,
the mighty Bhimasena, taking up on his body
Kunti and his brothers, began to proceed with
great celerity.'"
Adi Parva, Section 153rd, Jatugriha Parva
continued.
"Vaisampayana said," As the mighty Bhima proceeded,
the whole forest with its trees and their
branches seemed to tremble, in consequence
of their clash with his breast.
The motion of his thighs raised a wind like
unto that which blows during the months of
Jyaishtha and Ashadha (May and June).
And the mighty Bhima proceeded, making a path
for himself, but treading down the trees and
creepers before him.
In fact, he broke (by the pressure of his
body) the large trees and plants, with their
flowers and fruits, standing on his way.
Even so passeth through the woods breaking
down mighty trees, the leader of a herd of
elephants, of the age of sixty years, angry
and endued with excess of energy, during the
season of rut when the liquid juice trickle
down the three parts of his body.
Indeed, so great was the force with which
Bhima endued with the speed of Garuda or of
Marut (the god of wind), proceeded that the
Pandavas seemed to faint in consequence.
Frequently swimming across streams difficult
of being crossed, the Pandavas disguised themselves
on their way from fear of the sons of Dhritarashtra.
And Bhima carried on his shoulder his illustrious
mother of delicate sensibilities along the
uneven banks of rivers.
Towards the evening, O bull of Bharata's race,
Bhima (bearing his brothers and mother on
his back) reached a terrible forest where
fruits and roots and water were scarce and
which resounded with the terrible cries of
birds and beasts.
The twilight deepened the cries of birds and
beasts became fiercer, darkness shrouded everything
from the view and untimely winds began to
blow that broke and laid low many a tree large
and small and many creepers with dry leaves
and fruits.
The Kaurava princes, afflicted with fatigue
and thirst, and heavy with sleep, were unable
to proceed further.
They then all sat down in that forest without
food and drink.
Then Kunti, smitten with thirst, said unto
her sons, 'I am the mother of the five Pandavas
and am now in their midst.
Yet I am burning with thirst!'
Kunti repeatedly said this unto her sons.
Hearing these words, Bhima's heart, from affection
for his mother, was warmed by compassion and
he resolved to go (along as before).
Then Bhima, proceeding through that terrible
and extensive forest without a living soul,
saw a beautiful banian tree with widespreading
branches.
Setting down there his brothers and mother,
O bull of Bharata's race; he said unto them,
'Rest you here, while I go in quest of water.
I hear the sweet cries of aquatic fowls.
I think there must be a large pool here.'
Commanded, O Bharata, by his elder brother
who said unto him, 'Go', Bhima proceeded in
the direction whence the cries of those aquatic
fowls were coming.
And, O bull of Bharata's race, he soon came
upon a lake and bathed and slaked his thirst.
And affectionate unto his brothers, he brought
for them, O Bharata, water by soaking his
upper garments.
Hastily retracing his way over those four
miles he came unto where his mother was and
beholding her he was afflicted with sorrow
and began to sigh like a snake.
Distressed with grief at seeing his mother
and brothers asleep on the bare ground, Vrikodara
began to weep, 'Oh, wretch that I am, who
behold my brothers asleep on the bare ground,
what can befall me more painful than this?
Alas, they who formerly at Varanavata could
not sleep on the softest and costliest beds
are now asleep on the bare ground!
Oh, what more painful sight shall I ever behold
than that of Kunti--the sister of Vasudeva,
that grinder of hostile hosts--the daughter
of Kuntiraja,--herself decked with every auspicious
mark, the daughter-in-law of Vichitravirya,--the
wife of the illustrious Pandu,--the mother
of us (five brothers),--resplendent as the
filaments of the lotus and delicate and tender
and fit to sleep on the costliest bed--thus
asleep, as she should never be, on the bare
ground!
Oh, she who hath brought forth these sons
by Dharma and Indra and Maruta--she who hath
ever slept within palaces--now sleepeth, fatigued,
on the bare ground!
What more painful sight shall ever be beheld
by me than that of these tigers among men
(my brothers) asleep on the ground!
Oh, the virtuous Yudhishthira, who deserveth
the sovereignty of the three worlds, sleepeth,
fatigued, like an ordinary man, on the bare
ground!
This Arjuna of the darkish hue of blue clouds,
and unequalled amongst men sleepeth on the
ground like an ordinary person!
Oh, what can be more painful than this?
Oh the twins, who in beauty are like the twin
Aswins amongst the celestials, are asleep
like ordinary mortals on the bare ground!
He who hath no jealous evil-minded relatives,
liveth in happiness in this world like a single
tree in a village.
The tree that standeth single in a village
with its leaves and fruits, from absence of
other of the same species, becometh sacred
and is worshipped and venerated by all.
They again that have many relatives who, however,
are all heroic and virtuous, live happily
in the world without sorrow of any kind.
Themselves powerful and growing in prosperity
and always gladdening their friends and relatives,
they live, depending on each other, like tall
trees growing in the same forest.
We, however, have been forced in exile by
the wicked Dhritarashtra and his sons having
escaped with difficulty, from sheer good fortune,
a fiery death.
Having escaped from that fire, we are now
resting in the shade of this tree.
Having already suffered so much, where now
are we to go?
Ye sons of Dhritarashtra of little foresight,
ye wicked fellows, enjoy your temporary success.
The gods are certainly auspicious to you.
But ye wicked wretches, ye are alive yet,
only because Yudhishthira doth not command
me to take your lives.
Else this very day, filled with wrath, I would
send thee, (O Duryodhana), to the regions
of Yama (Pluto) with thy children and friends
and brothers, and Karna, and (Sakuni) the
son of Suvala!
But what can I do, for, ye sinful wretches,
the virtuous king Yudhishthira, the eldest
of the Pandavas, is not yet angry with you?'
"Having said this, Bhima of mighty arms, fired
with wrath, began to squeeze his palms, sighing
deeply in affliction.
Excited again with wrath like an extinguished
fire blazing up all on a sudden, Vrikodara
once more beheld his brothers sleeping on
the ground like ordinary persons sleeping
in trustfulness.
And Bhima said unto himself, 'I think there
is some town not far off from this forest.
These all are asleep, so I will sit awake.
And this will slake their thirst after they
rise refreshed from sleep.'
Saying this, Bhima sat there awake, keeping
watch over his sleeping mother and brothers.'"
...
