Chapter 245

Janamejaya said, “After his defeat and capture by the foe and hissubsequent liberation by the illustrious sons of Pandu by force of arms,it seemeth to me that the entry into Hastinapura of the proud, wicked,boastful, vicious, insolent, and wretched Duryodhana, engaged ininsulting the sons of Pandu and bragging of his own superiority, musthave been exceedingly difficult. Describe to me in detail, OVaisampayana, the entry into the capital, of that prince overwhelmed withshame and unmanned by grief!”

Vaisampayana said, “Dismissed by the king Yudhishthira the just,Dhritarashtra’s son Suyodhana, bending his head down in shame andafflicted with grief and melancholy, set out slowly. And the king,accompanied by his four kinds of forces, proceeded towards his city, hisheart rent in grief and filled with thoughts of his defeat along the wayin a region that abounded in grass and water. The king encamped on adelightful piece of ground as pleased him best, with his elephants andcars and cavalry and infantry stationed all around. And as the kingDuryodhana was seated on an elevated bedstead endued with the effulgenceof fire, himself looking like the moon under an eclipse, towards thesmall hours of the morning Karna, approaching him, said, ‘Fortunate itis, O son of Gandhari, that thou art alive! Fortunate it is, that we haveonce more met! By good luck it is that thou hast vanquished theGandharvas capable of assuming any form at will. And, O son of the Kururace, it is by good luck alone, that I am enabled to see thy brothers–mighty warriors all–come off victorious from that encounter, havingsubjugated their foes! As regards myself, assailed by all the Gandharvas,I fled before thy eyes, unable to rally our flying host. Assailed by thefoe with all his might, my body mangled with their arrows, I soughtsafety in flight. This however, O Bharata, seemed to me to be a greatmarvel that I behold you all come safe and sound in body, with yourwives, troops, and vehicles, out of that super-human encounter. OBharata, there is another man in this world who can achieve what thou, Oking, hast achieved in battle to-day with thy brothers.”

Vaisampayana continued, “Thus addressed by Karna, king Duryodhana repliedunto the ruler of the Angas in a voice choked with tears.”