Duryodhana Returns in Shame from Yudhishthira

Yudhishthira gave Duryodhana his leave. The son of Dhritarashtra had come to the forest to mock the Pandavas in their exile — to parade his wealth before them, to let them see what they had lost. Instead, he had been captured by gandharvas (celestial beings) in the night, bound like a common prisoner, and freed only because Yudhishthira sent his brothers to rescue him. Now the rescue was complete. The gandharvas were gone. And Duryodhana stood before the man he had come to humiliate, owing him his freedom. Yudhishthira did not gloat. He simply granted him leave to go. Duryodhana's face was lowered in shame. He was extremely miserable. He turned and began the journey back to Hastinapura, followed by the four components of his army — elephants, horses, chariots, and infantry — all of them witnesses to what had happened. He traveled slowly. On the way, he found a region full of excellent grass and water. He ordered the vehicles unharnessed and set free to graze. The army camped in an auspicious and beautiful spot of ground. In due order, the elephants, horses, chariots, and infantry stationed themselves around him. The king seated himself on a couch that blazed like fire in its radiance. He sat there, surrounded by his forces, and looked like the moon eclipsed by Rahu — the demon of eclipse who swallows the celestial body, leaving only a darkened rim. The light was still there, but no one could see it. He did not speak. He did not sleep. He sat through the night, consumed by the weight of what had happened, while his army rested around him in the darkness.