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,