GHOSHA YATRA PARVA: Chapter 248

The colloquy between Karna and Duryodhana

दुर्योधन उवाच अजानतस्ते राधेय नाभ्यसूयाम्यहं वचः। जानासि त्वं जिताञ्छत्रून् गन्धर्वांस्तेजसा मया॥
Duryodhana said : O son of Radha, you do not know what had happened; therefore I am not angry at your word. You think that the hostile Gandharvas had been defeated by my own prowess.

आयोधितास्तु गन्धर्वाः सुचिरं सोदरैर्मम। मया सह महाबाहो कृतश्चोभयतः क्षयः॥
O mighty-armed hero, for a long time my brothers standing by me fought with the Gandharvas. But the slaughter on both the sides was very great.

मायाधिकास्त्वयुध्यन्त यदा शूरा वियद्गताः। तदा नो न समं युद्धमभवत् खेचरैः सह॥
When those heroes (the Gandharvas) fought with the illusion, then our battle with those rangers of skies became an unequal one.

पराजयं च प्राप्ताः स्मो रणे बन्धनमेव च। सभृत्यामात्यपुत्राश्च सदारबलवाहनाः॥
We then met with defeat and we were then all made prisoners along with our attendants, counsellors, children, wives, troops and cars.

उच्चैराकाशमार्गेण हता:स्मस्तैः सुदुःखिताः। अथ नः सैनिकाः केचिदमात्याश्च महारथाः॥
We were overwhelmed with sorrow and we were being taken by them ihrough high skies. Our Thereupon some of soldiers and counsellers and great car-warriors.

उपगम्याब्रुवन् दीनाः पाण्डवाञ्छरणप्रदान्। एष दुर्योधनो राजा धार्तराष्ट्रः सहानुजः॥
Went in grief to the Pandavas who never refuse help to those that ask for it; they thus spoke to them, “Here is king Duryodhana, the son of Dhritarashtra with his brothers.

सामात्यदारो ह्रियते गन्धर्वैर्दिवमाश्रितैः। तं मोक्षयत भद्रं वः सहदारं नराधिपम्॥
And also with his counsellors and wives. He is being carried away a prisoner by the Gandharvas who are in the sky. Be blessed. Rescue the king with his wives.

पराभवो मा भविष्यत् कुरुदारेषु सर्वशः। एवमुक्ते तु धर्मात्मा ज्येष्ठः पाण्डुसुतस्तदा॥
Do not allow great insult to be offered to all the Kuru ladies." Having been thus addressed, the eldest Pandava, who is ever virtuous.

प्रसाद्य पाण्डवान् सर्वानाज्ञापयत मोक्षणे। अथागम्य तमुद्देशं पाण्डवाः पुरुषर्षभाः॥ सान्त्वपूर्वमयाचन्त शक्ताः सन्तो महारथाः। यदा चास्मान् न मुमुचुर्गन्धर्वाः सान्त्विता अपि॥
Conciliating all the Pandavas ordered them to rescue us. Thereupon those foremost of men, the Pandavas, overtaking them (the Gandharvas), asked them in sweet words to release us, although they were able to rescue us by force. But when they refused to release us in sweet words.

ततोऽरर्जुनश्च भीमश्च यमजौ न बलोत्कटौ। मुमुचुः शरवर्षाणि गन्धर्वान् प्रत्यनेकशः॥
Then the greatly powerful Bhima, Arjuna and the twins (Nakula and Sahadeva) hurled on the Gandharvas a great shower of arrows.

अथ सर्वे रणं मुक्त्वा प्रयाताः खेचरा दिवम्। अस्मानेवाभिकर्षन्तो दीनान् मुदितमानसाः॥
Thereupon those rangers of skies, abandoning the fight fled through the sky and dragged our poor-selves after them in great joy.

ततः समन्तात् पश्यामः शरजालेन वेष्टितम्। अमानुषाणि चास्त्राणि प्रमुञ्चन्तं धनंजयम्॥
Then we saw a net-work of arrows all around us spread out by Dharmaraja who was shooting extraordinary weapons on the enemy.

समावृता दिशो दृष्ट्वा पाण्डवेन शितैः शरैः। धनंजयसखाऽऽत्मानं दर्शयामास वै तदा॥
Seeing all directions covered with a net work of sharp arrows shot by the Pandavas, that friend of Dhananjaya (the Gandharva king) appeared before him,

चित्रसेनः पाण्डवेन समाश्लिष्य परस्परम्। कुशलं परिपप्रच्छ तैः पृष्टश्चाप्यनामयम्॥ ते समेत्य तथान्योन्यं सन्नाहान् विप्रमुच्य च। एकीभूतास्ततो वीरा गन्धर्वाः सह पाण्डवैः। अपूजयेतामन्योन्यं चित्रसेनधनंजयौ॥
Then Chitrasena and the Pandava (Arjuna) embraced each other and enquired after each other's health. The other Pandavas were also embraced by him in return. They also enquired about one another's welfare. The heroic Gandharvas then casting aside their armours and weapons mixed freely with the Pandavas. Then Chitrasena and Dharmaraja worshipped each other with great respect and regard.