तत्र ते सायुधाः सर्वे वसन्ति स्म क्षपां नृप ॥
दिवा चरन्ति मृगयां पाण्डवेया वनाद् वनम् ॥
विश्वस्तवद् अविश्वस्ता वञ्चयन्तः पुरोचनम् ॥
अतुष्टास् तुष्टवद् राजन्न् ऊषुः परमदुःखिताः ॥
न चैनान् अन्वबुध्यन्त नरा नगरवासिनः ॥
अन्यत्र विदुरामात्यात् तस्मात् खनकसत्तमात् ॥
tatra te sāyudhāḥ sarve vasanti sma kṣapāṃ nṛpa ||
divā caranti mṛgayāṃ pāṇḍaveyā vanād vanam ||
viśvastavad aviśvastā vañcayantaḥ purocanam ||
atuṣṭās tuṣṭavad rājann ūṣuḥ paramaduḥkhitāḥ ||
na cainān anvabudhyanta narā nagaravāsinaḥ ||
anyatra vidurāmātyāt tasmāt khanakasattamāt ||
"There all of them, armed, spent the night, O king, while by day the Pandavas roamed on the hunt from forest to forest. As if trusting, yet distrustful, deceiving Purochana, displeased, yet as if pleased, they lived, O king, deeply suffering; and the people, the city-dwellers, did not perceive their plan, except for that trusted man of Vidura's, that best of diggers."
be2b17782e48 · published Jul 12, 2026, 5:03:09 PM UTC
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Here the patience and self-mastery of the Pandavas in hidden suffering shows itself. Telling is the contradiction between appearance and heart: "as if trusting -- yet distrustful, as if pleased -- yet deeply suffering"; they wear the mask of calm while concealing anguish and vigilance. Here is shown the high titiksha (forbearance): the righteous endure both fear and humiliation in silence, not betraying themselves, for the sake of deliverance. Telling too is the twofold preparation: armed by night (against attack), hunting by day (scouting the paths) -- vigilance never sleeps. In this is a model for conduct in danger: to keep outward calm, inward vigilance, and trust, acting circumspectly. Thus the scripture shows how the righteous, surrounded by deadly treachery, patiently and wisely await the hour of deliverance, kept safe by the faithfulness of Vidura and his servant.