वैशम्पायन उवाच विदुरस्य सुहृत् कश्चित् खनकः कुशलो नरः। विविक्ते पाण्डवान् राजन्निदं वचनमब्रवीत्॥
Vaishampayana said : O king, a friend of Vidura, a person wellskilled in mining, came and spoke thus to the Pandavas in private.
प्रहितो विदुरेणास्मि खनकः कुशलो ह्यहम्। पाण्डवानां प्रियं कार्यमिति किं करवाणि वः॥ प्रच्छन्नं विदुरेणोक्तः श्रेयस्त्वमिति पाण्डवान्। प्रतिपादय विश्वासादिति किं करवाणि वः॥
"I have been sent by Vidura; I am wellskilled in mining. Tell me what favourite works of the Pandavas I shall perform. He trusts me and has said to me in private, “Go to Pandavas and accomplish their good. what can I do for you?
कृष्णपक्षे चतुर्दश्यां रात्रावस्यां पुरोचनः। भवनस्य तव द्वारि प्रदास्यति हुताशनम्॥
Purochana will set fire to the door of your house on the night of the fourteenth day of the black fortnight.
मात्रा सह प्रदग्धव्याः पाण्डवाः पुरुषर्षभाः। इति व्यवसितं तस्य धार्तराष्ट्रस्य दुर्मतेः॥
The desire of the wicked-minded Dhritarashtra's son (Duryodhana) is to burn the best of men, the Pandavas, with their mother.
किंचिच्च विदुरेणोक्तो म्लेच्छवाचासि पाण्डव। त्वया च तत् तथेत्युक्तमेतद् विश्वासकारणम्॥
O Pandavas, something was told to you by Vidura in the Mlecha language and you too replied in that language. I tell you this as a credential."
उवाच तं सत्यधृतिः कुन्तीपुत्रो युधिष्ठिरः। अभिजानामि सौम्य त्वां सुहृदं विदुरस्य वै॥ शुचिमाप्तं प्रियं चैव सदा च दृढभक्तिकम्। न विद्यते कवेः किंचिदविज्ञातं प्रयोजनम्॥
Yudhisthira said : Yudhisthira, the truthful son of Kunti, thus spoke to him. O amiable one, I now know you as a dear and trusted friend of Vidura, true and ever devoted to him. There is no necessity (of ours) which that learned man (Vidura) does not know.
यथा तस्य तथा नस्त्वं निर्विशेषा वयं त्वयि। भवतश्च यथा तस्य पालयास्मान् यथा कविः॥
As you are his, so you ours. Do not make any difference between him and us. We are as much yours as his. Protects us as that learned man (Vidura) protects us.
इदं शरणमाग्नेयं मदर्षमिति मे मतिः। पुरोचनेन विहितं धार्तराष्ट्रस्य शासनात्॥
I know this inflammable house was built for me by Purochana at the command of the son of Dhritarashtra (Duryodhana).
स पापः कोषवांश्चैव ससहायश्च दुर्मतिः। अस्मानपि च पापात्मा नित्यकालं प्रबाधते॥
That sinful, vicious and wicked-minded man, commanding wealth and allies, pursues us always (with his persecutions).
सभवान् मोक्षयत्वस्मान् यत्नेनास्माद्भुताशनात्। अस्मास्विह हि दग्धेषु सकामः स्यात् सुयोधनः॥
Save us with exertion from the impending conflagration. If we are brunt to death, the desire of Duryodhana will be fulfilled.
समृद्धमायुधागारमिदं तस्य दुरात्मनः। वप्रान्तं निष्पतीकारमाश्रित्येदं कृतं महत्॥ इदं तदशुभं नूनं तस्य कर्म चिकीर्षितम्। प्रागेव विदुरो वेद तेनास्मानन्वबोधयत्॥
Here is that wicked man's well stocked arsenal. This large house has been built abutting the high walls of the arsenal, without having any out let. This most curse device which was made (for our destruction) was known to Vidura and I was told of it by him.
सेयमापदनुप्राप्ता क्षत्ता यां दृष्टवान् पुरा। पुरोचनस्याविदितानस्मांस्त्वं प्रतिमोचय॥
The danger that Kshatta (Vidura) saw beforehand is now at our door, Save us from this without the knowledge of Purochana.
स तथेति प्रतिश्रुत्य खनको यत्नमास्थितः। परिखामुत्किरन्नाम चकार च महाबिलम्॥
The miner promised to do it by saying "Be it so"; and he began with care the work of excavation and he (soon) made a subterranean passage.
चक्रे च वेश्मनस्तस्य मध्येनातिमहद् बिलम्। कपाटयुक्तमज्ञातं समं भूम्याश्च भारत॥
He made that subterranean passage in the centre of the house. O descendant of Bharata, it was in a level with the floor and closed up by doors (planks).
पुरोचनभयादेव व्यदधात् संवृत्तं मुखम्। स तस्य तु गृहद्वारि वसत्यशुभधीः सदा॥ तत्र ते सायुधाः सर्वे वसन्ति स्म क्षपां नृप॥ दिवा चरन्ति मृगयां पाण्डवेया वनाद् वनम्। विश्वस्तवदविश्वस्ता वञ्चयन्तः पुरोचनम्। अतुष्टा तुष्टवद् राजन्नूषुः परमविस्मिताः॥
For the fear of Purochana, its mouth was thus covered. He (Purochana) kept a constant watch at the gate of the house. O king, they the (Pandavas) lived in the night in it with arms ready for use; and in the day they hunted from forests to forests. Thus lived they very guardedly deceiving Purochana with a show of trustfulness and contentment while in reality they were trustless and discontented.
न चैनानन्वबुध्यन्त नरा नगरवासिनः अन्यत्र विदुरामात्यात् तस्मात् खनकसत्तमात्॥
The people of the city also did not know anything of these plans (of the Pandavas). Except the friend of Vidura, that good miner, none else knew anything.