03.231
Vaiśampāyana said.
But, O great king, when Karna—the mighty chariot warrior—was defeated by the Gandharvas, the whole army of Dhritarashtra fled while he looked on. (03-231-1)
Having seen all the sons of Dhritarashtra fleeing and turned away, Duryodhana, the great king, was not turned away there. (03-231-2)
Seeing her advancing and the great army of the gandharvas, the subduer of enemies attacked them with a great shower of arrows. (03-231-3)
But the Gandharvas, wishing to kill Duryodhana, surrounded his chariot with an inconceivable shower of arrows from all sides. (03-231-4)
They shattered the yoke, reins, fender, and in the same way the charioteer bearing the banner; the horses, the axle-poles, the floor, and pounded the chariot into particles like sesame seeds. (03-231-5)
Citraseṇa, the mighty-armed one, rushed towards Duryodhana, who had fallen on the ground bereft of his chariot, and then seized him alive. (03-231-6)
O king, when he was thus seized, the Gandharvas surrounded Duḥśāsana as he stood on the chariot, encircling him on all sides. (03-231-7)
Twenty men, taking Citrasena, fled; others—Vinda and Anuvinda—completely fled, along with all the wives of the king. (03-231-8)
But the armies of Dhritarashtra, having been thoroughly attacked by the Gandharvas, and previously routed, together then approached the Pandavas. (03-231-9)
When the king was being carried away, the cart-drivers, traders, courtesans, and all the vehicles for harnessing went to the Pāṇḍavas for refuge. (03-231-10)
The pleasant-looking, mighty-armed, and powerful son of Dhṛtarāṣṭra, the king, is being carried away by the gandharvas; the Pāṇḍavas are running after him. (03-231-11)
Duḥśāsana, Durviṣaha, Durmukha, and Durjaya, after being bound, are all carried away by the Gandharvas, together with the king's wives. (03-231-12)
Thus all Duryodhana's ministers, crying out for the kingdom in affliction and with pitiful voices, approached Yudhishthira. (03-231-13)
Bhīmasena addressed Yudhiṣṭhira, the old and miserable men, those who were begging, and Duryodhana's ministers, seeing them in such an afflicted state. (03-231-14)
Otherwise, for those present, the purpose has turned out differently. What we ought to have done was performed by the Gandharvas. (03-231-15)
This is ill-advised, dear one; it is said that through the king's reckless gambling, others, enemies of the weak, bring them down—we have heard thus. (03-231-16)
This superhuman deed was performed for us right before our eyes by the Gandharvas. Fortunately, there remains in this world a man among our beloved ones, by whom the burden that brought happiness to us who sat (here) has been removed. (03-231-17)
The wicked-minded person, being in a comfortable situation, indeed desires to see those who are bearing cold, wind, and sun-heat, emaciated by austerity, in their difficult state. (03-231-18)
Those who follow the character of that wicked-souled Kaurava, who is unrighteous, they meet with ruin. (03-231-19)
Indeed, unrighteousness was done by him who taught this; however, the sons of Kunti are compassionate—I declare to you the overseers of his case. (03-231-20)
As Bhīmasena, Kuntī's son, impatiently spoke thus, the king addressed him, saying, "This is not the time for harshness." (03-231-21)
