King
Chitrasena, leader of the gandharvas was elated to hear the conch...
everything was proceeding exactly as per the plan…. He was here on
a purpose.
Gandharvas
were not from this planet. They were heavenly beings, far stronger,
more powerful and much faster than humans. Most of the gandharvas
were interested in dancing and singing and arts in general. That was
the reason humans dismissed gandharvas as singing people of the
heavens. Humans never understood exactly how ferocious a gandharva
could be in battle….
Chitrasena
still remembered with joy when Arjuna, the third Pandava had come to
the heavens. Arjuna had performed a great penance and even won the
Pashupatastra from the three eyed blue God – Shiva. Arjuna had also
come to the heavens to help Indra [Indra was the biological father of
Arjuna] fight the Nivatakavachas and the Kalakeyas.
Chitrasena
had been much impressed with Arjuna. After winning the battle
against the Nivatakavachas and the Kalakeyas, Arjuna had stayed
behind in the heavens. There Chitrasena himself had taught Arjuna the
art of dancing and singing. Chitrasena was amazed.. Arjuna learned
singing and dancing with the same fervor and passion that he did
everything else…..Arjuna soon became a master in the arts…as good
as Chitrasena himself. Chitrasena loved Arjuna like his own son….
Chitrasena’s
thoughts flew back to the previous day, when Indra had come to see
him. Indra was looking angry. ‘That vile Duryodhana….he just
cannot leave the Pandavas in peace….’ Chitrasena had followed the
destiny of the Pandavas and was feeling sad that decent people like
the Pandavas had to undergo so much hardship. He bowed to Indra. ‘Is
there anything you want me to do?’
Indra
nodded. ‘Yes…’ Indra explained to Chitrasena what Duryodhana
had planned and Chitrasena grew more and more angry as he listened.
‘I want you to go to the forest near the river and make sure that
Duryodhana never tries to mess with my son anymore!’ Chitrasena
nodded his head and left with his men to the forests.
******************
Now
looking at the Kaurava army, Chitrasena realized that the Kauravas
had played right into his hands. Duryodhana wanted battle. Chitrasena
looked at his men and back at Duryodhana….It was going to be a
very short battle and one that Duryodhana would never forget….
Karna
gave the sign for the attack to begin. The Kaurava army
advanced….They were surprised to see a quick blur come straight
towards them….Wherever the blur hit the Kaurava troops it was
followed by screams of the Kaurava soldiers….Duryodhana watched in
panic as the well-trained Kaurava troops were systematically being
decimated by Chitrasena and his men…. Karna was fighting the
gandharvas in a remote corner and soon went out of sight…In a short
while the Kaurava army was reduced to rubble….
Duryodhana
was staring in disbelief as a tall gandharva came forward with his
men and captured Dushasana, himself and all his queens and took
them prisoners….
Chitrasena
spoke to Duryodhana in anger. ‘You came here to show-off did you
not?…’ Chitrasena looked at the downcast Duryodhana and smiled to
himself leaving the Kaurava prince in the prison….
***********************
Meanwhile
two Kaurava soldiers who had escaped the massacre ran helter-skelter.
They knew that the Pandavas were nearby….The two soldiers almost
stumbled into the Pandava’s hermitage where Yudhishtara came
forward to meet them.
Yudhishtara
calmly noticed the uniforms of the Kaurava soldiers and their
panic.
The
guards panted out. ‘Kaurava forces destroyed by
gandharvas….Duryodhana taken prisoner….’ The soldiers took a
deep breath….’Please help!’ They said looking desperately at
the Pandavas.
Predictably
it was Bheema who broke out in a derisive laugh, ‘Help? Who should
we help? We ought to reward the gandharvas for helping us!’ He
looked at his brothers. ‘Probably we will go and see the great
Duryodhana in his prison….Are you coming? We will thank the
gandharvas for their help….’
Arjuna
looked at the Kaurava soldiers. ‘Gandharvas are ferocious
warriors….Why did Duryodhana go and fight against them?....They
kill all their prisoners….’ Arjuna said in a matter-of-fact
voice. The guards paled a little. They desperately looked at
Yudhishtra hoping he would save their king.
Yudhishtara
turned to Arjuna and Bheema, his lips set in a firm line. ‘Save
Duryodhana now!’
Both
Arjuna and Bheema looked at Yudhishtara wondering whether they had
heard right. Arjuna told Yudhishtara. ‘I do not need to save that
evil man…He invited this problem….I have no obligation to save a
sworn enemy….’ Bheema also snorted in disgust as he looked at his
elder brother.
Yudhishtara
looked at Arjuna first and then at Bheema. ‘If the gandharvas kill
Duryodhana….whom will you have your revenge against?’ Yudhishtara
turned to Bheema. ‘To the gandharvas we must seem like a united
front….whatever may be our personal differences….We cannot show
others how divided we are…Go now!’ Yudhishtara said. The words of
Yudhishtara about revenge hit both Arjuna and Bheema.
The
four brothers – Bheema, Arjuna, Nakula and Sahadeva followed the
two Kaurava soldiers. They came to the clearing where the battle had
taken place. Then Bheema shouted. ‘Gandharvas! Come out! Come out
and show your faces….Come out and fight with us….’
A
few gandharva soldiers came out and saw four people and howled in
laughter. ‘We just decimated an entire army…you think four of
you would be any challenge to us?’
Arjuna
twanged his bow as Bheema shouted , ‘We four represent four
armies…Come out and fight!!’ A few gandharvas came and fought
with the four brothers….But it was the turn of the gandharvas to be
shocked… The four brothers fought like demons….The gandharvas
wilted under the attack of the brothers….The gandharvas ran to
Chitrasena, their king. Surprised at the bravery of four humans,
Chitrasena followed his soldiers….He was still in the thick forest
not seeing the Pandavas. He shouted, ‘Who are you? What do you
want?’
‘We
are the cousins of the people you just imprisoned. Release them….’
Arjuna shouted back.
‘They
lost the battle fairly!’ Chitrasena replied. There was a sudden
doubt in his voice. ‘Who are you? I have heard your voice before…’
Chitrasena came out into the open and looked at the four brothers….He
was in for a shock….Standing before him were the four Pandavas. As
he saw them, Chitrasena also realized that the gandharvas losing to
the Pandavas was no big deal ….The Pandavas could not be
defeated...
‘My
friend Arjuna!’ Chitrasena ran towards the third Pandava.
Shocked
on seeing his heavenly friend Arjuna was elated as Chitrasena hugged
him. ‘How are you my friend? enquired Chitrasena in an excited
voice. Arjuna introduced his brothers to Chitrasena. After the
introductions, Arjuna requested Chitrasena. ‘Friend! I have a
favour to ask of you! Please release Duryodhana, his relatives and
his queens…Please!’
Chitrasena
looked astounded. ‘I thought you would be happy that I have
imprisoned them….Why do you want them released? In fact I am here
at the request of your father….Indra!’
Arjuna
looked wistful and then said. ‘No my friend! Duryodhana and his
friends are destined to be defeated and killed in our hands…It is
our duty to put an end to their menace….I thank you and my father
for your well-meaning actions….But please release Duryodhana now….’
Chitrasena
looked at Arjuna and the other Pandavas partly in wonder and partly
with pride. He studied Arjuna for some time and then nodded his head.
He turned to his soldiers. ‘Bring the prisoners here….We will
release them….’
The
soldiers went away when Chitrasena looked at Arjuna. ‘I take it you
are still practicing your singing and dancing my friend!’ Arjuna
smiled as he nodded his head. Arjuna did not know exactly how useful
the dancing and singing skills would be….[In the second dice game,
Duryodhana had placed a bet that if the Pandavas lost, they had to
spend twelve years in the forest and one year in hiding. If
Duryodhana found them out during the one year of hiding, the Pandavas
would have to go for another 12 years exile and one year
hiding….Arjuna spent the last one year as Brihanalla in the court
of Virata, teaching dance and singing to Virata’s daughter –
Uttarakumari.]
The
soldiers dragged Duryodhana and his relatives before Chitrasena and
the Pandavas. Chitrasena looked haughtily at Duryodhana. Duryodhana’s
eyes burned with shame…He had come here to show off….Instead
he was standing bound and tied, before the wretched
Pandavas…Duryodhana felt he would rather die of shame….
Chitrasena
continued arrogantly. ‘I would have made you my servant and kept
you in my heavenly palace….Instead my friends here….’
Chitrasena pointed at the Pandavas.. ‘…they want you fools to be
released….’ Chitrasena shrugged. ‘So, much against my wishes, I
am releasing you…GO!’ Chitrasena said not even looking at
Duryodhana.
Duryodhana
prayed that the earth would cave in and swallow him.…He wished he
could turn invisible, instead of standing and watching the smug smile
on Bheema’s face. Nakula and Sahadeva looked like they were trying
their level best not to laugh. Arjuna looked grim, his face
expressionless.
The
gandharva soldiers were jeering as they let Duryodhana go. His hands
free, Duryodhana gruffly approached Arjuna. He saw no one else and
paid no attention to anybody else. He spoke slowly as if unable to
get the words out. ‘You…Today .you have given me my freedom
back….I am a man who respects my honour. You can ask me one boon
anytime and I will grant it to you….anything!’ Duryodhana said
seriously. Arjuna was tempted to snipe at him and laugh out loud. But
he held his tongue. Besides Arjuna was too seasoned a warrior to
enter into a war of words with a defeated enemy. His face still grim
he nodded his head. ‘I will ask you, when the time is right!’
Arjuna found himself saying.
The
gandharvas left for their heavenly abode and the Pandavas went back
to their hermitage.
His
heart burning with revenge and hatred, Duryodhana, with his queens
and relatives went back to Hastinapur….
good narration
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