Vidura's Digger and the Secret Tunnel

Verse 1 (1.159.1)

विदुरस्य सुहृत्कश्चित्खनकः कुशलः क्वचित् । विविक्ते पाण्डवान्राजन्निदं वचनमब्रवीत् ॥

vidurasya suhṛtkaścitkhanakaḥ kuśalaḥ kvacit | vivikte pāṇḍavānrājannidaṃ vacanamabravīt

A friend of Vidura's, a skilled digger, came from somewhere and spoke these words to the Pandavas in private, O king:

Verse 2 (1.159.2)

प्रहितो विदुरेणास्मि खनकः कुशलो ह्यहम् । पाण्डवानां प्रियं कार्यमिति किं करवाणि वः ॥

prahito vidureṇāsmi khanakaḥ kuśalo hyaham | pāṇḍavānāṃ priyaṃ kāryamiti kiṃ karavāṇi vaḥ

"I have been sent by Vidura; I am a skilled digger. 'Do what will please the Pandavas,' he told me. So what shall I do for you?

Note on the text: Speaker set to the digger (his words to the Pandavas; Wikisource prints no heading and the input carried Vaishampayana over).

Verse 3 (1.159.3)

प्रच्छन्नं विदुरेणोक्तं प्रियं यन्म्लेच्छभाषया । त्वया च तत्तथेत्युक्तमेतद्विश्वासकारणम् ॥

pracchannaṃ vidureṇoktaṃ priyaṃ yanmlecchabhāṣayā | tvayā ca tattathetyuktametadviśvāsakāraṇam

What Vidura said to you in secret, for your good, in the language of the mlecchas, and your answer to it, 'So be it': let that be the token of my good faith.

Note on the text: Speaker set to the digger (his words to the Pandavas; Wikisource prints no heading and the input carried Vaishampayana over). Aligned by hand with CE 1.135.6 (second line identical; the first line is a variant reading). Wikisource has no counterpart to CE 1.135.3.

Verse 4 (1.159.4)

कृष्णपक्षे चतुर्दश्यां रात्रावस्यां पुरोचनः । भवनस्य तव द्वारि प्रदास्यति हुताशनम् ॥

kṛṣṇapakṣe caturdaśyāṃ rātrāvasyāṃ purocanaḥ | bhavanasya tava dvāri pradāsyati hutāśanam

On the night of the fourteenth of the dark fortnight Purochana will set fire to the door of your house.

Note on the text: Speaker set to the digger (his words to the Pandavas; Wikisource prints no heading and the input carried Vaishampayana over).

Verse 5 (1.159.5)

मात्रा सह प्रदग्धव्याः पाण्डवाः पुरुषर्षभाः । इति व्यवसितं तस्य धार्तराष्ट्रस्य दुर्मतेः ॥

mātrā saha pradagdhavyāḥ pāṇḍavāḥ puruṣarṣabhāḥ | iti vyavasitaṃ tasya dhārtarāṣṭrasya durmateḥ

'The Pandavas, bulls among men, are to be burned along with their mother': that is what Dhritarashtra's evil-minded son has resolved."

Note on the text: Speaker set to the digger (his words to the Pandavas; Wikisource prints no heading and the input carried Vaishampayana over).

Verse 6 (1.159.6)

उवाच तं सत्यधृतिः कुन्तीपुत्रो युधिष्ठिरः । अभिजानामि सौम्य त्वां सुहृदं विदुरस्य वै ॥

uvāca taṃ satyadhṛtiḥ kuntīputro yudhiṣṭhiraḥ | abhijānāmi saumya tvāṃ suhṛdaṃ vidurasya vai

Yudhishthira, son of Kunti, steadfast in truth, said to him: "I know you, gentle friend, for a friend of Vidura's,

Verse 7 (1.159.7)

शुचिमाप्तं प्रियं चैव सदा च दृढभक्तिकम् । न विद्यते कवेः किंचिदविज्ञातं प्रयोजनम् ॥

śucimāptaṃ priyaṃ caiva sadā ca dṛḍhabhaktikam | na vidyate kaveḥ kiṃcidavijñātaṃ prayojanam

pure, trustworthy, dear to him and always firm in your loyalty. Nothing that the wise Vidura intends is unknown to you.

Note on the text: Speaker set to Yudhishthira (verse 6 introduces his reply; the input carried Vaishampayana over).

Verse 8 (1.159.8)

यथा तस्य तथा नस्त्वं निर्विशेषा वयं त्वयि । भवतश्च यथा तस्य पालयास्मान्यथा कविः ॥

yathā tasya tathā nastvaṃ nirviśeṣā vayaṃ tvayi | bhavataśca yathā tasya pālayāsmānyathā kaviḥ

As you are to him, so you are to us; we make no distinction between you and him. We are yours as we are his. Protect us as the wise Vidura would.

Note on the text: Speaker set to Yudhishthira (verse 6 introduces his reply; the input carried Vaishampayana over).

Verse 9 (1.159.9)

इदं शरणमाग्नेयं मदर्थमिति मे मतिः । पुरोचनेन विहितं धार्तराष्ट्रस्य शासनात् ॥

idaṃ śaraṇamāgneyaṃ madarthamiti me matiḥ | purocanena vihitaṃ dhārtarāṣṭrasya śāsanāt

This dwelling, I believe, was made to burn for my sake; Purochana built it at the command of Dhritarashtra's son.

Note on the text: Speaker set to Yudhishthira (verse 6 introduces his reply; the input carried Vaishampayana over).

Verse 10 (1.159.10)

स पापः कोशवांश्चैव ससहायश्च दुर्मतिः । अस्मानपि च पापात्मा नित्यकालं प्रबाधते ॥

sa pāpaḥ kośavāṃścaiva sasahāyaśca durmatiḥ | asmānapi ca pāpātmā nityakālaṃ prabādhate

That evil, wrong-headed man has wealth and allies too, and the wicked one harasses us all the time.

Note on the text: Speaker set to Yudhishthira (verse 6 introduces his reply; the input carried Vaishampayana over).

Verse 11 (1.159.11)

स भवान्मोक्षयत्वस्मान्यत्नेनास्माद्धुताशनात् । अस्मास्विह हि दग्धेषु सकामः स्यात्सुयोधनः ॥

sa bhavānmokṣayatvasmānyatnenāsmāddhutāśanāt | asmāsviha hi dagdheṣu sakāmaḥ syātsuyodhanaḥ

So save us from this fire with all your skill; for if we were burned here, Suyodhana would have his wish.

Note on the text: Speaker set to Yudhishthira (verse 6 introduces his reply; the input carried Vaishampayana over). Corrected भोक्षयत्वस्मान् → मोक्षयत्वस्मान् (misprint in Wikisource; भ for म, critical edition mokṣayatv asmān).

Verse 12 (1.159.12)

समृद्धमायुधागारमिदं तस्य दुरात्मनः । वप्रान्तं निष्प्रतीकारमाश्रित्येदं कृतं महत् ॥

samṛddhamāyudhāgāramidaṃ tasya durātmanaḥ | vaprāntaṃ niṣpratīkāramāśrityedaṃ kṛtaṃ mahat

Here is that wicked man's well-stocked armoury. This great house has been built right up against the rampart, with no way out.

Note on the text: Speaker set to Yudhishthira (verse 6 introduces his reply; the input carried Vaishampayana over).

Verse 13 (1.159.13)

इदं तदशुभं नूनं तस्य कर्म चिकीर्षितम् । प्रागेव विदुरो वेद तेनास्मानन्वबोधयत् ॥

idaṃ tadaśubhaṃ nūnaṃ tasya karma cikīrṣitam | prāgeva viduro veda tenāsmānanvabodhayat

Surely this is the evil deed he meant to do. Vidura knew of it long before, and so he warned us.

Note on the text: Speaker set to Yudhishthira (verse 6 introduces his reply; the input carried Vaishampayana over).

Verse 14 (1.159.14)

सेयमापदनुप्राप्ता क्षत्ता यां दृष्टवान्पुरा । पुरोचनस्याविदितानस्मांस्त्वं प्रतिमोचय ॥

seyamāpadanuprāptā kṣattā yāṃ dṛṣṭavānpurā | purocanasyāviditānasmāṃstvaṃ pratimocaya

The danger that Vidura the steward foresaw long ago has now arrived. Set us free without Purochana knowing."

Note on the text: Speaker set to Yudhishthira (verse 6 introduces his reply; the input carried Vaishampayana over).

Verse 15 (1.159.15)

स तथेति प्रतिश्रुत्य खनको यत्नमास्थितः । परिखामुत्किरन्नाम चकार च महाबिलम् ॥

sa tatheti pratiśrutya khanako yatnamāsthitaḥ | parikhāmutkirannāma cakāra ca mahābilam

"So be it," the digger promised, and set to work. Pretending to clear out the moat, he dug a great tunnel.

Verse 16 (1.159.16)

चक्रे च वेश्मनस्तस्य मध्ये नातिमहद्बिलम् । कपाटयुक्तमज्ञातं समं भूम्याश्च भारत ॥

cakre ca veśmanastasya madhye nātimahadbilam | kapāṭayuktamajñātaṃ samaṃ bhūmyāśca bhārata

In the middle of the house he made an opening, not very large, fitted with a door, hidden from sight and level with the floor, O Bharata.

Verse 17 (1.159.17)

पुरोचनभयादेव व्यदधात्संवृतं मुखम् । स तस्य तु गृहद्वारि वसत्यशुभधीः सदा । तत्र ते सायुधाः सर्वे वसन्ति स्म क्षपां नृप ॥

purocanabhayādeva vyadadhātsaṃvṛtaṃ mukham | sa tasya tu gṛhadvāri vasatyaśubhadhīḥ sadā | tatra te sāyudhāḥ sarve vasanti sma kṣapāṃ nṛpa

For fear of Purochana he kept its mouth covered, for that ill-minded man always lived at the door of the house. There the Pandavas all stayed by night with their weapons, O king.

Note on the text: Aligned by hand with CE 1.135.18 (Wikisource prints a three-line verse; its third line is CE 1.135.19ab).

Verse 18 (1.159.18)

दिवा चरन्ति मृगयां पाण्डवेया वनाद्वनम् । विश्वस्तवदविश्वस्ता वञ्चयन्तः पुरोचनम् ॥

divā caranti mṛgayāṃ pāṇḍaveyā vanādvanam | viśvastavadaviśvastā vañcayantaḥ purocanam

By day the sons of Pandu went hunting from forest to forest, distrustful though they seemed to trust, deceiving Purochana.

Note on the text: Aligned by hand: first line = CE 1.135.19cd, second line = 1.135.20ab.

Verse 19 (1.159.19)

अतुष्टास्तुष्टवद्राजन्नूषुः परमविस्मिताः ॥

atuṣṭāstuṣṭavadrājannūṣuḥ paramavismitāḥ

Discontented, yet seeming content, they lived on there, O king, in deep astonishment.

Note on the text: A single line in Wikisource, left over because verse 17 runs to three lines; = CE 1.135.20cd (Wikisource reads परमविस्मिताः for paramaduḥkhitāḥ).

Verse 20 (1.159.20)

न चैनानन्वबुध्यन्त नरा नगरवासिनः । अन्यत्र विदुरामात्यात्तस्मात्खनकसत्तमात् ॥

na cainānanvabudhyanta narā nagaravāsinaḥ | anyatra vidurāmātyāttasmātkhanakasattamāt

None of the townspeople knew what they were about, except that excellent digger, Vidura's confidant.