Gatothgaja - Chapter 2

Before leaving for Vanaravata, the Pandavas paid respect to all the elders of Hastinapur.

In the end the Pandavas met Vidura, the man who was wise beyond his age and who through his extensive spy system knew almost everything which happened in the kingdom of Hastinapur and outside it.

As Vidura was blessing Yudhishtara, the eldest Pandava, a rather strange thing happened. 

The learned Vidura spoke in the language of the Mlechchas, instead of the language spoken in Hastinapur. This language was hardly known to anyone in the kingdom of Hastinapur and the words of Vidura sounded like utter garble - except to one person. The person for whom it was intended – Yudhishtara.

Yudhishtara, the eldest Pandava knew the language of the Mlechchas and was steadily getting worried as he understood exactly what Vidura was saying.

“You need to know what your enemies are upto and avoid the dangers. And remember that fire cannot destroy someone who is hiding under the hole in the woods and when you are in a strange home it is best to be like a jackal and make not one escape route, but make many ways out.”

Yudhishtara stared at Vidura, who was studying his nephew with dangerous eyes as Vidura continued in the same language, “Sometimes, son, it is best to keep wandering from one place to another to acquire knowledge and that way you would also keep your five senses safe.”

Yudhishtara was silent as Vidura and Yudhishtara studied each other.

“I understand!” Yudhishtara said in the same language, as a sudden crinkly smile broke in Vidura’s face.

Soon the Pandavas came out of the house of Vidura and bid goodbye to the Pandavas and their mother Kunti, as they set out to Vanaravata.

The Pandavas then were out of the kingdom of Hastinapur and were walking when a confused Kunti came to her son.

“What was it that Vidura said?” she asked Yudhishtara. “And I did not even know what it was that you said in return.”

Yudhishtara saw the kingdom of Hastinapur far behind him and took in a deep breath as he saw his mother and brothers look at him, questioningly.

“There is going to be a fire. A huge fire and we need to escape it!” Yudhishtara said finally.

*********

The Pandavas were met by a man called Purochana in the city of Vanaravata. He saw the Pandavas and told them that he was here to help them. The Pandavas then met all the high officials in the city of Vanravata and the people were all glad to see the Pandavas.

Finally with Purochana’s help, they went to the palace built for them in the city of Vanravata. 

It was a beautiful palace, by any stretch of imagination.

Yudhishtara saw the palace and nodded at Purochana. “We would like to inspect the palace ourselves!” Yudhishtara told Purochana. “It has been built so beautifully.”

Purochana nodded not saying anything as he walked away leaving the six of them alone.

Hurriedly, the Pandavas entered the palace and they were all shell shocked because they made a sad discovery. The beautiful palace was combustible and was built out of resin, hemp, straw, bamboo and butter and lac!

All it needed was a tiny spark and the fire inside the palace would be uncontrollable and destroy everything inside it.

Yudhishtara turned to Bheema, “We need to build an underground tunnel out of the palace. In secret. No one can know about it. To the outside world we act normally, but we work on the tunnel everyday.”

“Tunnel?” Bheema asked as Yudhishtara nodded.

“After we escape the fire, then what?” Bheema asked his eyes popping with anger.

Yudhishtara remembered Vidura’s words.

“We keep moving.” Yudhishtara said slowly. “Right now, we have neither power nor rank in the country. Once, everyone believes that we are dead, no one would be looking for us. Then, we can move freely and we go to all the kingdoms in the country, to build alliances and make ourselves strong!”

*******

Purochana was being very friendly to the Pandavas and he tried to make their stay as comfortable as possible. As he was talking animatedly about the place, a strange man came to see Yudhishtara.

Yudhishtara stared at the man who with his hard and coarse hands looked to be some sort of manual labourer. What really surprised Yudhishtara was that the man introduced himself in the Mlechcha language.

Yudhishtara left Purochana and turned to the newcomer and took him to the inside quarters and for what it was worth replied in the language of the Mlechchas.

“Who are you?” Yudhishtara asked the man.

“I am a miner!” the man said in the same language, “and I was sent by Vidura to help you.”

A beautiful smile broke out in the face of Yudhishtara as he nodded happily at the man.

And so with the help of the miner, right in the middle of the palace, the Pandavas dug a tunnel out of the palace. They hid the hole of the tunnel by a slab to make sure that Purochana who was living outside the palace, did not know what they were doing.