Week 11, Storytelling: Pandavs Escape

There once was two sets of brothers who lived in the same Kingdom. They were called the Kauravs and the Pandavs. There were only five Pandav brothers but combined they were stronger and smarter than the hundreds of Kauravs brothers. The Pandavs were loved by their people and were very popular, and the people wanted the Pandavs to take the throne after the king died. The Kauravs hated this fact and would do everything they could do to make the Pandavs look bad, they would even go to the extent of killing them which would permanently solve their problem.

One day one of the Kauravs, Duryodhana, decided to take of care their problem and made a plan to kill the Pandavs. Duryodhana called for one of his trusted generals and told him to go set up the local resort to be burned down, so he can trick the Pandav brothers to go there for their enjoyment. And while they are in there he can trap them and burn the house down. As told, the general went and poured oil outside and inside the resort and also put out dry stacks of hay so the place would burn down faster. When the general returned he went to Duryodhana and told him exactly what he did. While the general and Duryodhana were talking one of the Pandav brothers overheard their conversation.

The Pandav brother hurried back to his other brothers and told them everything he heard, and together they made a plan to make an escape route underneath the resort so no one would suspect it. That night the brothers went to the resort while no one was there and dug a tunnel. The next morning when they returned all tired and worn out, Duryodhana could not help but take this opportunity so he told the Pandavs that he had reserved the resort for them and they were welcome to go and relax there. The Pandavs looked at each other, shrugged their shoulders and told Duryodhana that they would love to go.

The Pandavs cleaned up a little bit before they left, and when they left Duryodhana followed them to the resort. Soon as the Pandavs made it inside the house, Duryodhana locked the doors form outside and set fire to the oil that was poured all around. Quickly the resort was engulfed in flames and the Pandavs made their escape through the tunnel as planned and ran into the forest.

Author’s Note:

I decided to retell the story where the Pandavs make a quick escape. I didn’t make it an exact retell, I changed up some things. In the original story Kunti is also sent to this house. And also the king sends away the Pandavs and the Pandavs go this house. The house in the book was not a resort. Another thing I changed was how the Pandavs found out, the original story someone foretold what was going to happen.

Buck, William (1973). Mahabharata.

Pandav Brothers