The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa BOOK 1 ADI PARVA SECTION CXLVIII (Jatugriha Parva continued)

 

 The Mahabharata of

Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa BOOK 1

ADI PARVA

SECTION CXLVIII

(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.'"

SECTION CXLIX

(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.'"

SECTION CL

(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.'"

SECTION CLI

(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.'"

SECTION CLII

(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.'"