Karna Consoles Duryodhana After Defeat
At night's end, Karna approaches the dejected Duryodhana and speaks — praising his survival, his victory over the gandharvas, his extraordinary feat of freeing himself and his entourage. But the words, meant as comfort, only deepen the wound. Duryodhana lowers his head and answers in a voice choked with tears.
When night was over, Karna came to Duryodhana.
The camp had stirred to life. The army was preparing to move. But Duryodhana still sat on his couch, unmoved, looking like the moon after the eclipse had passed — still there, but dimmed, uncertain of its own light.
Karna spoke first.
"O son of Gandhari! It is fortunate that you are alive and fortunate that we have met again. It is fortunate that you have vanquished the gandharvas, who are capable of assuming any form at will. O descendant of the Kuru lineage! It is fortunate that I see all of your brothers. They are maharathas (great warriors) and have been victorious, triumphing over the enemies in battle."
He paused. Then he spoke of himself.
"While you looked on, I was worsted by all those gandharvas. My own army was routed and I was incapable of ensuring that they remained there. I was sorely wounded by the arrows and hard-pressed. I ran away."
He said it plainly. He had been there. He had fought. He had failed.
"O descendant of the Bharata lineage! I think it is extraordinary that I see you here, without harm and without injury, and with all your wives, riches and vehicles. You have freed yourself from that superhuman battle. O descendant of the Bharata lineage! O great king! There is no other man in this world who is like you, or can achieve what you have done in battle with your brothers."
The words were meant to console. To remind Duryodhana that he had survived something extraordinary, that he had done what Karna himself could not do. But they landed on a man who knew the truth: he had not freed himself. Yudhishthira had freed him. His brothers had fought while he was bound. The rescue had come from the very people he had come to mock.
Duryodhana lowered his head.
When he spoke, his voice was choked with tears. Aranyaka Parva, Chapter 533