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.
士卒呼号道:“昆蒂之子啊!我等那容貌俊美、臂力雄伟、威势无双的持国之子——杜尔约陀那王——已被乾闼婆缚为俘虏,正被押走。请速速奔往护救!他们还掳走了杜赫沙萨那、杜尔维沙诃、杜尔穆迦、杜尔阇耶,甚至俱卢家诸女也尽被擒拿,作为囚徒带去。”
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.