And in all those persecutions of the Pandavas
by their cousins, the Kurus, the high-minded Vidura attentively engaged
himself neutralising those evil designs and rescuing the persecuted ones.
And as Sakra from the heavens keeps in happiness the world of men, so did
Vidura always keep the Pandavas from evil.

"When Duryodhana, with various means, both secret and open, found himself
incapable of destroying the Pandavas who were protected by the fates and
kept alive for grave future purposes (such as the extermination of the
Kuru race), then called together his counsellors consisting of Vrisha
(Karna), Duhsasana and others, and with the knowledge of Dhritarashtra
caused a house of lac to be constructed. And king Dhritarashtra, from
affection for his children, and prompted by the desire of sovereignty,
sent the Pandavas tactfully into Varanavata. And the Pandavas then went
away with their mother from Hastinapura. And when they were leaving the
city, Vidura gave them some idea of impending danger and how they could
come out of it.

'The sons of Kunti reached the town of Varanavata and lived there with
their mother. And, agreeably to the command of Dhritarashtra, those
illustrious slayers of all enemies lived in the palace of lac, while in
that town. And they lived in that place for one year, protecting
themselves from Purochana very wakefully. And causing a subterranean
passage to be constructed, acting according to the directions of Vidura,
they set fire to that house of lac and burnt Purochana (their enemy and
the spy of Duryodhana) to death. Those slayers of all enemies, anxious
with fear, then fled with their mother. In the woods beside a fountain
they saw a Rakshasa. But, alarmed at the risk they ran of exposure by
such an act the Pandavas fled in the darkness, out of fear from the sons
of Dhritarashtra. It was here that Bhima gained Hidimva (the sister of
the Rakshasa he slew) for a wife, and it was of her that Ghatotkacha was
born. Then the Pandavas, of rigid vows, and conversant with the Vedas
wended to a town of the name of Ekachakra and dwelt there in the guise of
Brahmacharins. And those bulls among men dwelt in that town in the house
of a Brahmana for some time, with temperance and abstinence. And it was
here that Bhima of mighty arms came upon a hungry and mighty and
man-eating Rakshasa of the name of Vaka. And Bhima, the son of Pandu,
that tiger among men, slew him speedily with the strength of his arms and
ma