nly words: 'O hero, O
foremost of the Gandharvas, it behoveth thee to set my brothers at
liberty. They are incapable of being insulted as long as the sons of
Pandu are alive.' 'Thus addressed by the illustrious son of Pandu, the
chief of the Gandharvas, O Karna, disclosed unto the Pandavas the object
we had in view in proceeding to that place, viz., that we came there for
casting our eyes on the sons of Pandu with their wife, all plunged in
misery. And while the Gandharva was disclosing those counsels of ours,
overwhelmed with shame I desired the earth to yield me a crevice, so that
I might disappear there and then. The Gandharvas then, accompanied by the
Pandavas, went to Yudhishthira, and, disclosing unto him also counsels,
made us over, bound as we were, to him. Alas, what greater sorrow could
be mine than that I should thus be offered as a tribute unto
Yudhishthira, in the very sight of the women of our household, myself in
chains and plunged in misery, and under the absolute control of my
enemies. Alas, they, who have ever been persecuted by me, they unto whom
I have ever been a foe released me from captivity, and wretch that I am,
I am indebted to them for my life. If, O hero, I had met with my death in
that great battle, that would have been far better than that I should
have obtained my life in this way. If I had been slain by the Gandharvas,
my fame would have spread over the whole earth, and I should have
obtained auspicious regions of eternal bliss in the heaven of Indra.
Listen to me therefore, ye bulls among men, as to what I intend to do
now. I will stay here forgoing all food, while ye all return home. Let
all my brothers also go to Hastinapura. Let all our friends, including
Karna, and all our relatives headed by Dussasana, return now to the
capital. Insulted by the foe, I myself will not repair thither. I who had
before wrested from the foe his respect, I who had always enchanced the
respect of my friends, have now become a source of sorrow unto friends
and of joy unto enemies. What shall I now say unto the king, going to the
city named after the elephant? What will Bhishma and Drona, Kripa, and
Drona's son, Vidura and Sanjaya, Vahuka and Somadatta and other revered
seniors,--what will the principal men of the other orders and men of
independent professions, say to me and what shall I say unto them in
reply? Having hitherto stayed over the heads of my enemies, having
hitherto trod upon their breasts, I ha