Cunning courtiers, instigated by Duryodhana, came to the Pandavas and began to praise the city of Varanasi to the sky. They said, "Why don't the yuvaraja and his brothers go to Siva's city for the Pasupati festival this year?"
The Pandavas had no inkling of the plot that was being hatched and they felt no desire to visit Varanasi. Duryodhana himself never mentioned Varanasi to his cousins. He went to his father and said, "The Pandavas have heard so much about the Pasupati festival they are keen to visit Varanasi."
Dhritarashtra called Yudhishtira and his brothers. "I hear you want to go to Varanasi, but feel del- icate to ask me."
Yudhishtira began to protest, but the king cut him short. "It seems I must force you to enjoy your- selves. So be it: I order you to go to Varanasi. Go on a holiday, my sons; go for a whole year. Take Kunti and a retinue with you and gifts for the priests, musicians and the people of Varanasi, as befits the Kuru yuvaraja."
Yudhishtira saw through his uncle: Dhritarashtra wanted them out of Hastinapura for a year. He was helpless to resist. He bowed to the king and said, "We will prepare to leave, my lord."
Yudhishtira restrained a smoldering Bheema and an irate Arjuna from committing any discour- tesy. He realized the Pandavas must always be in the right and visibly so.
Yudhishtira came to Bheeshma. He hoped the Pitama would intercede on their behalf. Drona and Vidura were with Bheeshma when the sons of Pandu arrived in his presence.
Yudhishtira said, "The king wants us to live in Varanasi for a year. Pitama, you are our father, our mother and our guru. We are your children, bless us."
Yudhishtira's tone contained a world of insinuation; Bheeshma gave no sign he understood.
Yudhishtira continued, "The king wants us to spend a year in Varanasi worshipping Siva Pasupati, who burned the Tripura with his astra. Pitama, we are fortunate to have an uncle who loves us so much."
Bheeshma was certainly aware of Yudhishtira's sarcasm. Yet, at this crucial juncture, Duryodhana was proven right in his judgement of what the patriarch's reaction would be. Perhaps Bheeshma could not dream of the evil Dhritarashtra and his son were plotting. He had also seen enough of life to know that all things take their course in this world, inevitably. No one could subvert destiny; her purposes were always deeper, wiser and more inexorable than man's. Besides, in those days, Duryo- dhana was still a restrained prince, at least with his elders. He hardly wore his restless ambition on his sleeve. On some pretext or other, Bheeshma might have rescued the Pandavas from having to go to Varanasi. He did nothing of the sort; indeed, he also seemed pleased at the idea.
Yudhishtira could not accuse the king of plotting against him. He had done the best he could and he, too, was wise enough to know that if fate took his brothers and himself to Varanasi, then to that city they would go. Bheeshma said, "My blessings go with you, children."
Yudhishtira replied, "Your blessing will keep danger away from us."
"Let all the Gods be with you. Go joyfully and in peace."
Kunti and the Pandavas prepared themselves to leave. When they were ready, they came to take
their leave of the elders in the king's court. Bheeshma, Dhritarashtra, Drona, Kripa and Vidura blessed the princes; and so did Gandhari and the other women of the palace. The Pandavas set out grimly for Varanasi. They sensed Duryodhana's hand behind this journey and they knew they could be in danger.
Some weeks before the Pandavas left, Duryodhana and Shakuni heard that Yudhishtira had agreed to go to Varanasi. There was a Purochana in the court that was a trusted man of Duryodhana's. The Kaurava accosted Purochana one day and steered him to a quiet corner.
