Now Varnavata was a city which was popularised by Raja Harischandra,a King from the Solar dynasty who spent some of his not so good days there.It was a city in which Lord Shiva was also greatly honoured.

When the Pandavas arrived there,they were welcomed by many and loved and respected by all of the people there.Very often they would have visitors who just wanted to get a glimpse of them.Purochana under a great deal of pretence approached them.

He told them that the King Dhritarashtra had built a house for them to stay in while in Varnavata.He invited them to accompany him to that house at the request of King Dhritarashtra.They agreed to do so and on entering the house,they noticed the presence of a lot of combustable materials.

Yudhishtira asked Bhima to scope out the house and Bhima did so and reported that there were a lot of wax,lac,oil and other volatile substances hidden in various places of the house.

Vidura who had a knack for seeing things before it happened,dispatched a messenger to Yudhishtira.The messenger who was a miner by profession, told Yudhishtira about the danger that they were in.In an effort to save them from this danger he was going to dig a tunnel from the house to the bank of the river Ganga.

The year that Pandavas was to spend in Varnavata was coming to an end. Yudhishtira arranged a great celebration.There were lots of food and drink for all.

Purochana had lots to eat and drink and was sleeping in the house. When it was night time,the Pandavas and their mother Kunti using the newly dug tunnel,left the house and Bhima on his way out,lit the house of wax on fire.Purochana perished in the fire.

In the meantime,when the Pandavas and their mother reached the bank of the Ganga,Vidura had a boatman waiting there to take them across the shore.Then the messengers took back news to Vidura that the Pandavas and their mother escaped safely and had crossed the Ganga.

The news soon reached Hastinapura that the Pandavas and their mother had perished in the fire.There was pandemonium amongst the people. Bhishma,Kripa and Drona were all in deep shock.Soon there was a huge assembly on this side of the Ganga to offer oblations to these departed souls.

Vidura who knew the truth managed to get Bhishma aside from it all and told him the truth about the plot and eventually the safe escape of the Pandavas.

Pandit Bhadase Maharaj.

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