Krishna and Balarama Visit the Pandavas in the Potter's House
Krishna and Balarama, suspecting the disguised residents of a potter's house are the Pandavas, come to find them. They confirm their identities, explain how they tracked them down, and advise them to remain hidden. After a brief, joyful reunion, they quickly depart to keep the Pandavas' secret safe.
The Pandavas, disguised as Brahmins, were living in the potter’s house in Ekachakra. They had just finished discussing their precarious situation when two visitors arrived. Krishna and Balarama, the foremost of the Vrishnis, had heard rumors of extraordinary newcomers in the city. Suspecting these might be the missing Kurus, they came to the potter’s house to see for themselves.
Inside, they found Yudhishthira seated, his long and thick arms a familiar sign. Around him in a circle sat his brothers and their mother, Kunti — all of them blazing with an inner energy that could not be fully concealed by their simple clothes. Vasudeva Krishna went straight to Yudhishthira, the foremost among those who follow dharma. He bent and touched the king’s feet with his hands. “I am Krishna,” he said. Balarama, Rohini’s son, did the same. Seeing them, the descendants of Kuru were filled with great delight. The two Yadava chiefs then went to Kunti, their father’s sister, and touched her feet in reverence.
Yudhishthira, overjoyed yet cautious, asked Krishna about his welfare. Then he posed the pressing question: “O Vasudeva! When we are living here in disguise, how did you manage to track us down?”
Krishna smiled. “O king! Even when fire is covered, it comes out. Who but the Pandavas can display such valour among men?” He told them it was through good fortune that they had escaped from the fire of the lacquer house in Varanavata, and through good fortune that Duryodhana and his advisers had not succeeded in their evil desires. His advice was clear and urgent. “Be blessed. Prosper, the way a fire hidden in a cave gradually expands and spreads. Permit us to return to our camp. Otherwise, the other kings may discover you.”
Understanding the danger that even their presence could bring, the Pandavas gave their permission. The eternally radiant Krishna, accompanied by Baladeva, quickly went away, leaving the potter’s house as quietly as they had come. The Pandavas remained safe, their secret intact, and their hearts fortified by the knowledge that they were not forgotten.