01.134
Core:Knowing well evil intentions of Purochana, Pandavas enter the lac palace.
वैशम्पायन उवाच॥
Vaiśampāyana said:
ततः सर्वाः प्रकृतयो नगराद्वारणावतात् । सर्वमङ्गलसंयुक्ता यथाशास्त्रमतन्द्रिताः ॥१-१३४-१॥
Then all the citizens of Vāraṇāvata, endowed with all auspiciousness and acting without sloth, came forth from the city according to the scriptures.
श्रुत्वागतान्पाण्डुपुत्रान्नानायानैः सहस्रशः । अभिजग्मुर्नरश्रेष्ठाञ्श्रुत्वैव परया मुदा ॥१-१३४-२॥
Hearing that the sons of Pāṇḍu had arrived, thousands came in various vehicles, joyfully approaching those excellent men.
ते समासाद्य कौन्तेयान्वारणावतका जनाः । कृत्वा जयाशिषः सर्वे परिवार्योपतस्थिरे ॥१-१३४-३॥
Having reached the sons of Kuntī, the people of Vāraṇāvata surrounded them, offering blessings for victory and respectfully attending upon them.
तैर्वृतः पुरुषव्याघ्रो धर्मराजो युधिष्ठिरः । विबभौ देवसङ्काशो वज्रपाणिरिवामरैः ॥१-१३४-४॥
Surrounded by them, Yudhiṣṭhira, the king of dharma and tiger among men, shone like Indra among the gods.
सत्कृतास्ते तु पौरैश्च पौरान्सत्कृत्य चानघाः । अलङ्कृतं जनाकीर्णं विविशुर्वारणावतम् ॥१-१३४-५॥
Honored by the citizens and in turn honoring them, the faultless ones entered Vāraṇāvata, which was adorned and crowded with people.
ते प्रविश्य पुरं वीरास्तूर्णं जग्मुरथो गृहान् । ब्राह्मणानां महीपाल रतानां स्वेषु कर्मसु ॥१-१३४-६॥
Having entered the city, the heroes swiftly went to the homes of Brāhmaṇas who were engaged in their respective duties, O king.
नगराधिकृतानां च गृहाणि रथिनां तथा । उपतस्थुर्नरश्रेष्ठा वैश्यशूद्रगृहानपि ॥१-१३४-७॥
The best among men also approached the homes of city officers, warriors, and even those of Vaiśyas and Śūdras.
अर्चिताश्च नरैः पौरैः पाण्डवा भरतर्षभाः । जग्मुरावसथं पश्चात्पुरोचनपुरस्कृताः ॥१-१३४-८॥
Honored by the townsfolk, the Pāṇḍavas, bulls among the Bharatas, went to their residence, led by Purocana.
तेभ्यो भक्ष्यान्नपानानि शयनानि शुभानि च । आसनानि च मुख्यानि प्रददौ स पुरोचनः ॥१-१३४-९॥
Purocana gave them eatables, food, drinks, auspicious beds, and excellent seats.
तत्र ते सत्कृतास्तेन सुमहार्हपरिच्छदाः । उपास्यमानाः पुरुषैरूषुः पुरनिवासिभिः ॥१-१३४-१०॥
There, they were honored by him with very valuable arrangements and dwelt being attended upon by the people of the city.
दशरात्रोषितानां तु तत्र तेषां पुरोचनः । निवेदयामास गृहं शिवाख्यमशिवं तदा ॥१-१३४-११॥
After they had stayed ten nights there, Purocana then offered them a house called auspicious, but in truth inauspicious.
तत्र ते पुरुषव्याघ्रा विविशुः सपरिच्छदाः । पुरोचनस्य वचनात्कैलासमिव गुह्यकाः ॥१-१३४-१२॥
There, the tiger-like men entered with their entourage, by Purocana’s word, like yakṣas entering Kailāsa.
तत्त्वगारमभिप्रेक्ष्य सर्वधर्मविशारदः । उवाचाग्नेयमित्येवं भीमसेनं युधिष्ठिरः ॥ जिघ्रन्सोम्य वसागन्धं सर्पिर्जतुविमिश्रितम् ॥१-१३४-१३॥
Observing the true nature of the house, Yudhiṣṭhira, skilled in all dharmas, said to Bhīmasena, “This is flammable,” as he smelled the odor of fat mixed with ghee and resin.
कृतं हि व्यक्तमाग्नेयमिदं वेश्म परन्तप । शणसर्जरसं व्यक्तमानीतं गृहकर्मणि ॥ मुञ्जबल्वजवंशादि द्रव्यं सर्वं घृतोक्षितम् ॥१-१३४-१४॥
This house is evidently made flammable, O scorcher of foes; hemp and śarjara resin have clearly been brought for its construction. All materials—muñja grass, balvaja reeds, bamboo, etc.—are smeared with ghee.
शिल्पिभिः सुकृतं ह्याप्तैर्विनीतैर्वेश्मकर्मणि । विश्वस्तं मामयं पापो दग्धुकामः पुरोचनः ॥१-१३४-१५॥
This house has indeed been well built by skilled and trusted craftsmen; this wicked Purocana, gaining my trust, desires to burn me.
इमां तु तां महाबुद्धिर्विदुरो दृष्टवांस्तदा । आपदं तेन मां पार्थ स सम्बोधितवान्पुरा ॥१-१३४-१६॥
That great-intellect Vidura had seen this danger then, O son of Pṛthā, and had warned me earlier.
ते वयं बोधितास्तेन बुद्धवन्तोऽशिवं गृहम् । आचार्यैः सुकृतं गूढैर्दुर्योधनवशानुगैः ॥१-१३४-१७॥
We, having been warned by him, are aware of this inauspicious house, built secretly and well by teachers under Duryodhana’s influence.
भीम उवाच॥
Bhīma said:
यदिदं गृहमाग्नेयं विहितं मन्यते भवान् । तत्रैव साधु गच्छामो यत्र पूर्वोषिता वयम् ॥१-१३४-१८॥
If you think this house is flammable and arranged thus, then let us go to where we earlier stayed—it is better.
युधिष्ठिर उवाच॥
Yudhiṣṭhira said:
इह यत्तैर्निराकारैर्वस्तव्यमिति रोचये । नष्टैरिव विचिन्वद्भिर्गतिमिष्टां ध्रुवामितः ॥१-१३४-१९॥
Here, I think we should stay, as if guided by the invisible, like those lost, searching from here for a certain desired path.
यदि विन्देत चाकारमस्माकं हि पुरोचनः । शीघ्रकारी ततो भूत्वा प्रसह्यापि दहेत नः ॥१-१३४-२०॥
If Purocana finds out our intent, then acting quickly he may even burn us forcibly.
नायं बिभेत्युपक्रोशादधर्माद्वा पुरोचनः । तथा हि वर्तते मन्दः सुयोधनमते स्थितः ॥१-१३४-२१॥
This Purocana does not fear either outcry or unrighteousness; for indeed, he acts in this way, being fixed in Duryodhana’s intent.
अपि चेह प्रदग्धेषु भीष्मोऽस्मासु पितामहः । कोपं कुर्यात्किमर्थं वा कौरवान्कोपयेत सः ॥ धर्म इत्येव कुप्येत तथान्ये कुरुपुङ्गवाः ॥१-१३४-२२॥
If we were burned here, even Bhīṣma our grandsire may become angry—yet why would he turn against the Kauravas? He would be angered only in the name of dharma; likewise, the other foremost Kurus.
वयं तु यदि दाहस्य बिभ्यतः प्रद्रवेम हि । स्पशैर्नो घातयेत्सार्वान्राज्यलुब्धः सुयोधनः ॥१-१३४-२३॥
But if we flee out of fear of burning, Duryodhana, greedy for the kingdom, might have us all killed through his spies.
अपदस्थान्पदे तिष्ठन्नपक्षान्पक्षसंस्थितः । हीनकोशान्महाकोशः प्रयोगैर्घातयेद्ध्रुवम् ॥१-१३४-२४॥
Standing firm, one aligned with a faction may certainly destroy the unsupported and resource-poor with his superior means.
तदस्माभिरिमं पापं तं च पापं सुयोधनम् । वञ्चयद्भिर्निवस्तव्यं छन्नवासं क्वचित्क्वचित् ॥१-१३४-२५॥
Therefore, we must deceive both this sin and that sinner Duryodhana, and live in hiding here and there.
ते वयं मृगयाशीलाश्चराम वसुधामिमाम् । तथा नो विदिता मार्गा भविष्यन्ति पलायताम् ॥१-१३४-२६॥
So, we shall roam this earth as if fond of hunting; thus, paths for escape will become known to us.
भौमं च बिलमद्यैव करवाम सुसंवृतम् । गूढोच्छ्वसान्न नस्तत्र हुताशः सम्प्रधक्ष्यति ॥१-१३४-२७॥
Let us construct today itself a well-covered underground tunnel; by hiding our breath, fire will not consume us there.
वसतोऽत्र यथा चास्मान्न बुध्येत पुरोचनः । पौरो वापि जनः कश्चित्तथा कार्यमतन्द्रितैः ॥१-१३४-२८॥
So that Purocana or any citizen may not perceive us while we dwell here, we must act accordingly without any negligence.
