THE PANDAVAS had set out on the eighth day of the waning moon in the month of Phalguna when the Rohini star was in ascendance. Upon arriving in the city of Varanavata, the town's people came to greet them. The assembly consisted of many thousands of people who were anxious to see the pious Pandavas. The sons of Pandu were presented many auspicious articles and taken on a tour of the town. Purochan took them to the palace. The palace was magnificent. Pillars made of gold and adorned with gems and expensive stones. All the Pandavas looked around the house with awe. The palace didn't use lamps rather it was lit by the mirrors which reflected the moon light. Nakul stared himself in the mirror as Devasena smirked.

"Lagta Bhrata Nakul ko yeh mahal bahut lubha raha hai." she slyly smirked as they laughed except Sahadev. Devasena had a frown on her face. Sahadev could see the future and since he was not allowed to reveal it, he used to stay aloof but that didn't mean that he didn't like a laugh or two. He just kept staring at the walls blankly not even caring about others.       

"Bhrata Sahadev?" she snapped him out of his trance as he looked at her. "Devasena." he acknowledged.   

"Aap thik toh hain?" she asked concerned as he let out a sigh and nodded. Kunti ushered them to their rooms as Arjun walked next to Chandra with Yudhishtir in an audible distance.   

"Tumko nahi lagta Parthvi ki yeh Duryodhan aur Maharaj Dhritrashtra ki koi-"

"-nayi chal hai. Lagta toh hai Bhrata shree." she agreed as Yudhishtir slowed his pace a bit.   

"Tum dono aise vichar apne hriday mat lao aur iss mahal ka anand lo." he said in a stern voice as the brother-sister duo let out a sigh knowing that their elder brother was not going to accept anything that contradicted his dharma.    

The Pandu family after bathing and changing into fresh clothes went to their mother's room. They all chatted while Devasena and Bheem enjoyed ladoos which were made specially for them.   

"Kya lagta Bhrata shree, Devasena, Bhrata Bheem ko parasth kar payegi?" he asked as Devasena and Bheem fought tooth and nail for their ladoos.   

"Mujhe lagta Devasena vijayi hogi." Arjun said as he laid on the couch.   

"Aisa kyun Arjun?" Yudhishtir asked taking seat next to him. "Aap swayam dekh lijiye."

Bheem picked up the last ladoo, he was about to stuff it in his mouth but glanced at Devasena's face, who looked ready to cry. Bheem was filled with immense guilt. Seeing his only beloved sister sad was something he considered sin. He passed the ladoo to her with a sad look on his face.   

The second the ladoo reached her hands, she smiled and all the fake tears immediately dried up as she ate it. Bheem frowned knowing that he was tricked by his sister. The laughter died as they saw their mother entering with a diya.   

"Maa yeh diya kisliye?" Devasena asked as Kunti smiled.  

"Kaksh mein bahut andhera hai socha thodi roshni kar doon." she explained as she moved to light the lamp placed at the walls. Unfortunately she tripped a bit and the diya fell on the floor. The cotton wick of diya spread fire on the floor. Everyone's eyes widened except Sahadev's.   

"Yeh toh lakdi ka hai." Devasena said as she thought of the possible consequences they could have suffered if this wouldn't have happened."Arthat ki humara chintan sahi tha." Arjun added as Yudhishtir sighed feeling slightly done with the planning of his own family who were trying to kill him and his family."Humein Purochan ko iss bhram mein rakhna hoga ki hum uske chhal se agyaan hain yadi usse bhanak bhi ho gayi ki humein uski neetiyon ke baare mein gyaat hai toh ve aaj ratri hi iss mahal ko aag laga dega." Devsena advised.    

"Aur humare pass surakshit nikalne ka koi marg bhi nahi hoga." Yudhistir added."Yadi hum nikal bhi gaye toh Duryodhan ke jasoos humara vadh kar denge." Nakul piped in.   

"Hey prabhu! Kab mere bacchon par aisa jaa ghatak prahar hona band hoga? Kya sukh humari jeevan mein nahi hai?" Kunti said in distress as Devasena kept hand on her shoulder.   

"Sukh humare jeevan mein aayega jab Jyesht Bhrata Chakrvartin Samrat banenge ,tab humara jeevan sukh ki kirnon se bhar jaayega." Devasena consoled her mother.   

After some time, a friend of Vidura, well skilled in excavation, arrived at the palace of the Pandavas. In private he talked to Yudhisthira, he had been sent by Vidura for excavating a tunnel under this house. Purochana will set fire to this palace on the fourteenth day of the dark moon. This was all the plan of the wicked Duryodhana. 

Yudhistir shared this information with his siblings.    

"Hum shikar par chalenge hain jisse Purochan humare sang hoga aur uska dhyaan uss surang ke karya par jayega hi nahi." Devasena added as they all agreed with it.    

On hearing these instructions, the miner agreed, and the next day he began his work. Every day the Pandavas would go to the forest accompanied by Purochana, and they seemed very happy to be under Purochana's care. Thus they lived in that palace for one full year.

Seeing the Pandavas living in the palace cheerfully and without any suspicion, Purochana felt content that his plan would be successful. Beholding Purochana in a happy mood, Yudhisthira, the pious son of Kunti, spoke to his brothers, "Samay aa gaya hai ki hum yeh mahal chod de. Hum mahal aur Purochan ko agni mein bhasm kar denge aur kuch kshan ke liye Duryodhan ke netron mein apratyaksh rahenge."

Yudhisthira planned a festival in the palace of lac and invited many of the leading citizens of Varanavata. At the end of the night all had left, and Purochana had become so drunk with wine that he laid on the floor unconscious. It so happened on that occasion that a nishad (lower class) woman and her five sons had come to the festival in hopes of receiving charity. They also became drunk and laid on the floor unable to move. They fell fast asleep in a part of the palace that few people frequented. When everyone had left the house, it was late at night and suddenly a violent wind began to blow outside.    

Yudhisthira ordered Bhima to set fire to the house. Bhima first of all set fire to the place where Purochana was sleeping and then to other parts of the house. Soon the whole mansion was ablaze, and the Pandavas, Devasena and their mother escaped through the tunnel excavated by the miner. They came out near the bank of the Yamuna and in the distance, as they looked back, they could see the palace of lac high in flames. 

The heat of the fire became intense and awakened the townspeople. Seeing the house ablaze, the citizens with sorrowful faces began to exclaim loudly that the wicked Purochana, guided by Duryodhana, had built this death house. 

He has burnt to death the sinless sons of Pandu. The citizens thus lamented the loss of the Pandavas, and waited the whole night until the flames died down. They extinguished the fire and searched through the ashes. They then found the burnt body of Purochana and the bodies of the nishada woman and her five sons. The people began to weep saying that indeed, this is the plan of the evil Duryodhana. By his wickedness, he had brought about the death of the Pandavas. There is little doubt that Duryodhana has, with Dhritarastra's permission, burnt to death the heirs of Pandu.

Upon receiving news of the supposed death of the Pandavas, Dhritarastra and Duryodhana were jolly at heart, but outwardly expressed great regret. They arranged for the last funeral rites of the Pandavas, Vidur and Dwaarikadheesh Krishna himself attended the ceremony. Neither Vidura nor Dwaarikadheesh Krishna were in lamentation because they knew that the Pandavas and their mother were happy and alive. The deceitful Duryodhana felt his desires had been fulfilled, and in due course of time began to rule the kingdom under the direction of his father Dhritarastra.

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RADHE RADHE