Shloka 32
एकचक्रानिवासे ब्राह्मणगृहदुःखश्रवणम् | Hearing the Brāhmaṇa Household’s Distress at Ekacakrā
युधिछिर उवाच गृहादग्निश्च बोद्धव्य इति मां विदुरोडब्रवीत् । पन्थाश्च वो नाविदित: कश्रित् स्यादिति धर्मधी:,युधिष्ठिरने कहा--माँ! जिनकी बुद्धि सदा धर्ममें ही लगी रहती है, उन विदुरजीने (सांकेतिक भाषामें) मुझसे कहा था, “तुम जिस घरमें ठहरोगे, वहाँसे आगका भय है, यह बात अच्छी तरह जान लेनी चाहिये। साथ ही वहाँका कोई भी मार्ग ऐसा न हो, जो तुमसे अपरिचित रहे
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca | gṛhād agniś ca boddhavya iti māṃ viduro 'bravīt | panthāś ca vo nāviditaḥ kaścit syād iti dharmadhīḥ ||
Sinabi ni Yudhiṣṭhira: “Ina! Si Vidura, na ang pag-unawa’y matatag na nakaugat sa dharma, ay nagbabala sa akin sa mga salitang may pahiwatig: ‘Alamin mong mabuti na ang bahay na iyong tutuluyan ay may panganib ng apoy. At huwag hayaang may anumang daan doon na hindi mo nalalaman.’”
युधिछिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even when one is committed to dharma, one must exercise vigilant prudence: recognize hidden dangers in seemingly safe places and ensure practical preparedness (such as knowing escape routes). Righteousness is not naïveté; it is guided by wise counsel and alertness.
Yudhiṣṭhira recalls Vidura’s indirect warning that the lodging arranged for them is threatened by fire and that they must know every route in and out. This points to a covert plot against the Pāṇḍavas and Vidura’s attempt to protect them without openly revealing the conspiracy.