|
Mahābhārata The History of the Great India
<< 40 The House Of Lac Burns >>
 |  | Seeing the Pandavas happily dwelling there for one full year, and observing them fully confident and at ease, Purocana rejoiced. Yudhisthira was wise in the ways of men, and seeing Purocana so joyful, he said to his brothers Bhima, Arjuna, and the twins, "Wicked Purocana is convinced that we fully trust him, but that cruel man is deceived. I think it is time to escape. We shall ignite the armory and burn up Purocana, along with this house of lac, leaving six bodies here so we shall escape unnoticed".
| | | That night, O king, on the pretext of giving charity, Kunti arranged a huge reception to feed saintly brahmanas and their wives. After the brahmanas ate, drank, and enjoyed as they desired, they begged their leave from Kunti and returned late at night to their homes.
| | | The hand of destiny brought to that celebration a low-class Nisada woman and her five sons, who came to beg food. She and her sons became drunk and wild from drinking liquor, until they collapsed in the house of lac and slept without a trace of consciousness, as if dead.
| | | A noisy wind blew that night, and all the city slept, O mighty king, when Bhima arose and ignited a blazing fire on the very spot where Purocana lay asleep. A roaring fire arose, consuming the armory and the house of lac. So ferociously did it roar and burn that all the city awoke.
| | | The citizens said, "Sinful and stupid Purocana, engaged by Duryodhana, had this house built and burned down and thus destroyed his own soul. Damn the foolish mind of Dhrtarastra, who worked through his counselor to burn the pure and innocent Pandavas! The only good thing is that wicked Purocana himself has burned to death. His brain was so incredibly evil that he killed with fire the very best of men, the faultless sons of Pandu, who had such faith in him".
| | | Thus the people of Varanavata spoke to one another. Surrounding the devastated house of lac, they kept vigil throughout the night.
| | | Meanwhile, escaping unnoticed through the tunnel under the house, the Pandavas fled with their mother. The mighty Pandavas and their mother were very disturbed and unhappy, having passed the night without sleep in extreme anxiety, and they could not find the energy to run. Bhimasena, however, bristled with power and courage.Taking his brothers and his mother, he pushed forward, O king. Placing his mother on his shoulder, the twins on his hips, and his two powerful brothers Yudhisthira and Arjuna in his arms, mighty Bhima moved swiftly along under cover of night, breaking down trees, tearing apart the earth with his two feet, and blazing ahead with the power of the wind.
|
|
| |
|---|
English
Español
Pусский
Português