सर्पिषा च सतैलेन लाक्षया चाप्य् अनल्पया ॥
मृत्तिकां मिश्रयित्वा त्वं लेपं कुड्येषु दापयेः ॥
शणान् वंशं घृतं दारु यन्त्राणि विविधानि च ॥
तस्मिन् वेश्मनि सर्वाणि निक्षिपेथाः समन्ततः ॥
यथा च त्वां न शङ्केरन् परीक्षन्तो ऽपि पाण्डवाः ॥
आग्नेयम् इति तत् कार्यम् इति चान्ये च मानवाः ॥
sarpiṣā ca satailena lākṣayā cāpy analpayā ||
mṛttikāṃ miśrayitvā tvaṃ lepaṃ kuḍyeṣu dāpayeḥ ||
śaṇān vaṃśaṃ ghṛtaṃ dāru yantrāṇi vividhāni ca ||
tasmin veśmani sarvāṇi nikṣipethāḥ samantataḥ ||
yathā ca tvāṃ na śaṅkeran parīkṣanto 'pi pāṇḍavāḥ ||
āgneyam iti tat kāryam iti cānye ca mānavāḥ ||
"Mixing clay with ghee, oil, and no small amount of lac, have the walls plastered; place hemp, bamboo, ghee, wood, and various devices throughout that house. And arrange things so that the Pandavas, even on inspection, will not suspect you, and so that other people will take that structure for an ordinary [building made] of combustible materials."
0530ef7f5857 · published Jul 12, 2026, 5:03:08 PM UTC
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Here the diabolical refinement of the plot reveals itself. Telling is the demand for concealment: the house must be a lethal trap, yet appear innocent, so that even the victims themselves will not grow wary upon inspection. Here the very nature of treachery is laid bare — a lie that passes off destruction as a kindness: the house of pitch is offered as an honored dwelling. It is telling that evil fears exposure and so hides itself: falsehood cannot bear the light and always wears a mask. Thus scripture strips away the surface of this crime to show death carefully concealed beneath a show of hospitality; but as the story will show, the foresight of Vidura will unmask this scheme, and the trap will turn upon its makers.