The Lac Palace

The citizens of Varanavata warmly welcomed the Pandavas. Purochana brought them to the palace that had been built for them. After entering, Yudhishthira closely inspected everything inside, paying special attention to the walls and pillars.

He confided in Bhima, "The artisans of this mansion ought to be commended. It appears to be made of bricks and stones; no one would ever guess that it is made of flax, bamboo, and lac. It is as flammable as straw. Vidura correctly warned us that Duryodhana wishes to burn us alive here."

Bhima's blood began to boil when he heard this. Nevertheless, he maintained his composure and said, "If this is Duryodhana's scheme, why should we remain here? We must leave immediately."

But Yudhishthira thought differently. "If we leave the mansion, the Kauravas will know their plan has been foiled, and their next plot may be even more sinister. It would be better to stay inside and fool them into thinking they were successful."

The Pandavas rested for some time. Suddenly, a man who looked cautious and vigilant came to see them. He identified himself as a miner who specialized in digging tunnels. He said, "Purochana intends to burn this palace on Amavasya (new moon) night. Vidura has sent me to save you."

Feeling that the Pandavas doubted his story, he repeated what Vidura had privately told Yudhishthira. They now believed him. Yudhishthira apologized for not trusting him sooner and showed him around the palace. After a close examination, the miner said they would have to dig a secret tunnel that led into a forest.