Ritual Acclamation at Hastināpura and Karṇa’s Vow Concerning Arjuna (राजकीय स्तुति-प्रसङ्गः कर्णप्रतिज्ञा च)
सैनिक बोले--कुन्तीकुमारो! हमारे प्रियदर्शी महाबाहु महाबली धूृतराष्ट्रकुमार राजा दुर्योधनको गन्धर्व (बाँधकर) लिये जाते हैं। आपलोग उनकी रक्षाके लिये दौड़िये। वे दुःशासन, दुर्विषह, दुर्मुख, दुर्जय तथा कुरुकुलकी सब स्त्रियोंको भी कैद करके लिये जा रहे हैं
sainikā ūcuḥ—kuntīkumāra! asmākaṃ priyadarśī mahābāhuḥ mahābalī dhṛtarāṣṭrakumāraḥ rājā duryodhanaḥ gandharvaiḥ (baddhvā) nīyate. yūyaṃ tasya rakṣārthaṃ śīghraṃ dhāvata. te duḥśāsanaṃ durviṣahaṃ durmukhaṃ durjayaṃ ca kurukulasyākhilāḥ striyaś ca bandhanena gṛhītvā nīyante.
صرخ الجنود: «يا ابن كونتي! إن أميرنا ابن دِهْرِتَراشْترا، الحسن الطلعة، عظيم الساعدين شديد البأس—الملك دُريودَهَنَة—يُساق على يد الغندرفا موثَقاً أسيراً. أسرعوا لحمايته! وهم يأخذون أيضاً دُحشاسَنَة، ودُرفِشَهَة، ودُرمُخَة، ودُرجَيَة، بل وحتى نساء بيت الكورو كلهن، وقد قُبِض عليهن وسيقن سبايا.»
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Even amid enmity, the call to protect the vulnerable and uphold kṣatriya responsibility arises: captivity and the seizure of women are portrayed as grave dishonor, demanding immediate response. The episode also tests whether duty and basic righteousness can override partisan hatred.
Kaurava soldiers urgently appeal to a son of Kuntī (a Pāṇḍava) to rush and rescue Duryodhana, who has been bound and is being carried off by Gandharvas. Along with him, several Kaurava princes and the women of the Kuru household are also being taken as captives.