Purocana

Purocana was the minister and trusted agent of Duryodhana. Duryodhana sent him to Vāraṇāvata to build the lākshāgṛha, the house of lac. It was made of lac, flax, hemp and fat, and it was meant to be set on fire with the Pāṇḍavas inside.

Purocana built the house and arranged for the Pāṇḍavas to live there. Then he waited for the right moment to set it alight. Vidura’s loyal agent dug a secret tunnel that gave the Pāṇḍavas a way out. Kuntī held a feast, and Purocana attended it. Bhīma then set fire to the house. Purocana died in the fire he had built for others, while the Pāṇḍavas escaped through the tunnel.

Duryodhana’s instrument

The Pāṇḍavas showed their great strength at the svayaṃvara of Draupadī (the ceremony at which she chose her husband). They then returned to Hastināpura with Draupadī as their wife. After this, Duryodhana and his allies made plans to destroy them for good. One plan was the lākshāgṛha. It was a house built wholly of materials that burn easily, but it was made to look like a comfortable and beautiful palace. Duryodhana chose Purocana to carry out this plan.

Purocana was given detailed instructions. He was to travel to Vāraṇāvata and build a house there using lac (lākshā), hemp (śāṇa), resin (jatu) and fat (ghṛta). These look like ordinary building materials, but they burn with great speed and heat. He was to arrange for the Pāṇḍavas to live in the house. Then, at the right moment, he was to set it on fire.

The house of lac

Purocana went to Vāraṇāvata ahead of the Pāṇḍavas and built the lākshāgṛha with skill and disguise. Inside and outside, the house looked beautiful and well furnished. He put the materials that burn easily into the walls and the frame, so that the nature of the building was not plain to see.

The Pāṇḍavas arrived at Vāraṇāvata and took up residence. Purocana stayed nearby, watching and waiting. Vidura had sent the Pāṇḍavas a coded message, and so they already knew about the plot. Vidura’s agent had also quietly dug a tunnel under the house as a way of escape.

Death in the fire

Kuntī arranged a feast and Purocana was invited. During the night of the feast, while Purocana was inside the house, Bhīma set fire to it. The house blazed at once with great speed, as its construction was made to do. The Pāṇḍavas and Kuntī escaped through Vidura’s tunnel into the forest.

Purocana died in the fire that he had built for others.

Sources

• Mahābhārata, Ādi Parva