Sunday, 19 February 2012

Uttara and Arjuna return. Mahabharata 99

As Arjuna surveys the unconscious kauravas, he remembers Uttare's request and tells her brother, 'Rajakumara! Collect the white clothes from Drona and Kripa, the yellow from Karna and the blue from Duryodhana and Ashwattama. Do not go near Bheeshma, he may be awake. He would know how to counter my astra.'

Uttara collects the many colored clothes and as he returns to the chariot, Bheeshma awakened shoots at him. But Arjuna has a reply and soon they are out from the midst of the kauravas. Duryodhana wakes up and sees Arjuna's chariot moving out and is very upset! 'How can he escape from your midst. Why didn't  you stop him?'

Bheeshma hears him and laughs.'It seems you have lost your mind! What happened to your valour? Why were you  lying down quiet when all this happened? Be thankful that Arjuna followed dharma and did not kill us when we were all unconscious. Just think of getting back home, let Arjuna take the cattle!'

Duryodhana realises that it is in his interest to heed Bheeshma and becomes silent. Kauravas thus decide not to provoke Arjuna further and decide to get Duryodhana back to safety. Arjuna is happy to see that they have given up the fight and are intent on going back. He follows his elders and speaks with them for a while and returns. He salutes Kripa and Ashwattama with his arrow and knocks down the crown of Duryodhana in a final gesture of anger, blows on the conch and turns back towards Virata.

On the way the Kaurava soldiers who were hiding in the forest come out and seek orders from Arjuna. Noticing that they are tired and hungry allows them to go. The soldiers relieved, praise his kindness and leave. Then Arjuna suggests ' Rajakumara! Let the cowherds get back with the good tidings of our victory. We shall rest the horses for a while and leave in the afternoon!'


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