Fire cant harm rat

Mahabharata Adiparva Jatugrihaparva section 143-148

Sri Sadgurubhyoh namah

Duryodhana, Karna, Dushasana, Shakuni hatch a conspiracy to burn Pandavas to death along with Kunti.

The people of Hastinapur, go to King Dhritarashtra and request him to annoint Crown prince Yudhistir as King. Duryodhana burning with hatred and jealousy, approaches his father in privacy and tells him to banish Pandavas to a place called varanavata. Dhritarastra says, "People are in favor of pandavas, if we do banish them, we will be slayed".

Duryodhana agrees to this and says "Devise a clever means and request them to camp in varanavata for sometime".

Dhritarastras trusted counsels start talking to Pandavas about a wonderful festival of lord shiva in varanavata. Pandavas desire to see that festival. Then Dhritarastra asks Yudhistir, "If you so wish to see varanavata and festival, go with your well wishers, friends and brothers to that town and spend sometime there". Yudhistir knows fully well the intentions of Dhritarastra, but he has no option as he was friendless, and no supporters came forward. He chooses to go to varanavata.

Duryodhana then asks Purochana an architect, to build a house of lac in varanavata near the godown of arsenal. He describes how the house should be built with all inflammable material. He requests purochana to mask the flammable material with clever architectural designs.

Pandavas set out towards varanavata after taking blessings of Bhishma, Vidura, citizens of hastinapur and all other elders. People lament that short-sightedness of their King. They say "The King is blind, he cannot see his children and his brothers children with equal eye".

Vidura, then in front of everybody say to Yudhistir in the tongue of Mlechchas ( which is not understood by many people) to awaken the sense of danger in him, "Those who live in a hole like rats will not be harmed by fire. The blind man cannot find his way. So always be vigilant. Who takes a weapon not made of steel from their foes, can escape from fire by making their abode like a jackals abode with many escape routes. He who can keep their five under control can never be oppressed by enemies". To this Yudhistir says "I understood what you said".

After taking the leave of all, Pandavas set out towards varanavata. Kunti approaches Yudhistir and asks, Learned Vidura (Kshattri) talked to you in mlechcha tongue, and you replied to him as if you understood what he said. Can you tell me what transpired between you two.

Yudhistir replies "Vidura is cautioning that the house that was made for us in varanavata is made of inflammable materials, and it was made with full knowledge of Dhritarastra. One needs to dig many escape routes out of that house to escape fire hazard".

My Commentary :

I am amazed by the utter lack of love of Dhritarastra for the children of his brother. He is so attached to his son, that he is blind both physically as well as to the morals and ethics. Moha (attachment) is the root cause of all evils.

Hari OM