ere his
servants? Without forethought, ye also are doubtless on the point of
death; for senseless idiots as ye are, ye have dared to bring us his
message! Return ye soon to where that king of the Kurus is, or else go
this very day to the abode of Yama.' Thus addressed by the Gandharvas,
the advanced guard of the king's army ran back to the place where the
royal son of Dhritarashtra was."

SECTION CCXXXIX

Vaisampayana said, "Those soldiers then, O king, all went back to
Duryodhana and repeated to him every word that the Gandharvas had said.
And, O Bharata, finding that his soldiers had been opposed by the
Gandharvas, Dhritarashtra's son, endued with energy, was filled with
rage. And the king addressed his soldiers, saying, 'Punish these wretches
who desire to oppose my will, even if they have come hither to sport,
accompanied by all the celestials with him of a hundred sacrifices. And
hearing these words of Duryodhana, the sons and officers of Dhritarashtra
all endued with great strength, as also warriors by thousands, began to
arm themselves for battle. And filling the ten sides with loud leonine
roars and rushing at those Gandharvas that had been guarding the gates,
they entered the forest. And as the Kuru soldiers entered the forest,
other Gandharvas came up and forbade them to advance. And though gently
forbidden by the Gandharvas to advance, the Kuru soldiers, without
regarding them in the least, began to enter that mighty forest. And when
those rangers of the sky found that the warriors of Dhritarashtra along
with their king could not be stopped by words they all went to their king
Chitrasena and represented everything unto him. And when Chitrasena, the
king of the Gandharvas, came to know all this he became filled with rage,
alluding to the Kuru, and commanded his followers saying, 'Punish these
wretches of wicked behaviour.' And, O Bharata, when the Gandharvas were
so commanded by Chitrasena, they rushed weapons in hand, towards the
Dhritarashtra ranks. And beholding the Gandharvas impetuously rushing
towards them with upraised weapons, the Kuru warriors precipitously fled
in all directions at the very sight of Duryodhana. And beholding the Kuru
soldiers all flying from the field with their backs to the foe, the
heroic Radheya alone fled not. And seeing the mighty host of the
Gandharvas rushing towards him, Radheya checked them by a perfect shower
of arrows. And the Suta's son, owing to his extreme lightnes