Chapter 150

“Vaisampayana said, ‘Seeing the Pandavas living there cheerfully andwithout suspicion for a full year, Purochana became exceedingly glad. Andbeholding Purochana so very glad, Yudhishthira, the virtuous son ofKunti, addressing Bhima and Arjuna and the twins (Nakula and Sahadeva)said, ‘The cruel-hearted wretch hath been well-deceived.

I think the timeis come for our escape. Setting fire to the arsenal and burning Purochanato death and letting his body lie here, let us, six persons, fly henceunobserved 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 alsoa number of ladies who while eating and drinking, enjoyed there as theypleased, and with Kunti’s leave returned to their respective homes.Desirous of obtaining food, there came, as though impelled by fate, tothat feast, in course of her wanderings, a Nishada woman, the mother offive children, accompanied by all her sons. O king, she, and herchildren, intoxicated with the wine they drank, became incapable.Deprived of consciousness and more dead than alive, she with all her sonslay down in that mansion to sleep. Then when all the inmates of the houselay down to sleep, there began to blow a violent wind in the night. Bhimathen set fire to the house just where Purochana was sleeping. Then theson of Pandu set fire to the door of that house of lac. Then he set fireto the mansion in several parts all around. Then when the sons of Panduwere satisfied that the house had caught fire in several parts thosechastisers of foes with their mother, entered the subterranean passagewithout losing any time. Then the heat and the roar of the fire becameintense and awakened the townspeople. Beholding the house in flames, thecitizens with sorrowful faces began to say, ‘The wretch (Purochana) ofwicked soul had under the instruction of Duryodhana built his house forthe destruction of his employer’s relatives. He indeed hath set fire toit. O, fie on Dhritarashtra’s heart which is so partial. He hath burnt todeath, as if he were their foe, the sinless heirs of Pandu! O, the sinfuland wicked-souled (Purochana) who hath burnt those best of men, theinnocent and unsuspicious princes, hath himself been burnt to death asfate would have it.’

“Vaisampayana continued, ‘The citizens of Varanavata thus bewailed (thefate of the Pandavas), and waited there for the whole night surroundingthat house. The Pandavas, however, accompanied by their mother coming outof the subterranean passage, fled in haste unnoticed. But thosechastisers of foes, for sleepiness and fear, could not with their motherproceed in haste. But, O monarch, Bhimasena, endued with terrible prowessand swiftness of motion took upon his body all his brothers and motherand began to push through the darkness. Placing his mother on hisshoulder, the twins on his sides, and Yudhishthira and Arjuna on both hisarms, Vrikodara of great energy and strength and endued with the speed ofthe wind, commenced his march, breaking the trees with his breast andpressing deep the earth with his stamp.'”