and Karna and Sakuni, the son of Suvala, all fought
with the Gandharvas, although every one of them was
much wounded and mangled in the encounter. All
the Gandharvas then, desirous of slaying Karna, rushed
together by hundreds and thousands towards Karna.
And those mighty warriors, desirous of slaying the
Suta’s son, surrounded him on all sides, with
swords and battle-axes and spears. And some cut
down the yoke of his car, and some his flagstaff, and
some the shaft of his car, and some his horses, and
some his charioteer. And some cut down his umbrella
and some the wooden fender round his car and some
the joints of his car. It was thus that many thousands
of Gandharvas, together attacking his car, broke it
into minute fragments. And while his car was
thus attacked, Karna leaped therefrom with sword and
shield in hand, and mounting on Vikarna’s car,
urged the steeds for saving himself.”
Vaisampayana said, “After that great warrior
Karna had been routed by the Gandharvas, the whole
of the Kuru army, O monarch, fled from the field in
the very sight of Dhritarashtra’s son. And
beholding all his troops flying from the field of
battle with their back to the foe, king Duryodhana
refused to fly. Seeing the mighty host of the
Gandharvas rushing towards him, that represser of
foes poured down upon them a thick shower of arrows.
The Gandharvas, however, without regarding that arrowy
shower, and desirous also of slaying him, surrounded
that car of his. And by means of their arrows,
they cut off into fragments the yoke, the shaft, the
fenders, the flagstaff, the three-fold bamboo poles,
and the principal turret of his car. And they
also slew his charioteer and horses, hacking them
to pieces. And when Duryodhana, deprived of his
car, fell on the ground, the strong-armed Chitrasena
rushed towards him and seized him in such a way that
it seemed his life itself was taken. And after
the Kuru king had been seized, the Gandharvas, surrounding
Dussasana, who was seated on his car, also took him
prisoner. And some Gandharvas seized Vivinsati
and Chitrasena, and some Vinda and Anuvinda, while
others seized all the ladies of royal household.
And the warriors of Duryodhana, who were routed by
the Gandharvas, joining those who had fled first,
approached the Pandavas (who were living in the vicinity).
And after Duryodhana had been made captive, the vehicles,
the shops, the pavilions, the carriages, and the draught
animals, all were made over to the Pandavas for protection.
And those soldiers said, ’The mighty-armed son
of Dhritarashtra, possessed of great strength and handsome
mien, is being taken away captive by the Gandharvas!
Ye sons of Pritha, follow them! Dussasana, Durvishasa,
Durmukha, and Durjaya, are all being led away as captives
in chains by the Gandharvas, as also all the ladies
of the royal household!’
Print
Word
PDF
