Intro
Ghosha means cowherd. Ghoshayatra Parva is the story of the Kauravas going to the stock show near Lake Dvaitavana.
The ‘As It Rhymes’ chapters in Ghosha parva are available in this link.
As It Rhymes
1-2.
Vaishampayana said,
‘Duryodhana’s advisors crowded.
The musicians’ resistance heated Duryodhana’s head.
3.
Duryodhana chastised the men,
‘I don’t care if it’s Shatakratu sporting with Drake.
Dvaitavana is my lake!’
4.
Duryodhana’s brothers were sufficiently inspired to regain their ire.
Dhritarashtra’s sons whooped war cries and clashed weapons.
5.
In madness the Kuru kin spread through the wood forest like fire.
The Kauravas’ leonine roars filled all directions like raging flood water.
6-7.
The Gandharva Musicians again forbade Dhritarashtra’s soldier sons’ entrance to the lake of pleasure.
The musicians started up a Sama Veda tune for good measure.
8-9.
The Gandharva King’s name was Chitrasena.
Chitrasena’s voice was as smooth as Beyonce’s cream.
But Chitrasena could fight like a swordfish.
When Chitrasena heard the commotion he assumed the Kurus had a death wish.
‘You’ve got my permission to leave.
You’ll leave the lake or you’ll grieve.’
Chitrasena taunted the riled up Kuru soldiers in singsong.
10-11.
The Kauravas ran in flight frightened from the fight by the song of the fighting musician.
Duryodhana’s authority was made into hash as his men scattered like ash.
The Kurus cold steel resolve melted like ghee on hot tin.
Radheya - Karna - alone refused to back down.
Karna yelled, ‘Come on, then! Show me how!’
12.
Without waiting, many arrows zinged and zagged from Karna’s bow to check the advancing wave of fighting musician.
The ripping arrowheads zing zipped through the forest slicing down vines limbs leaves cover.
The razor sharp heads stopped the trident and spear wielding musician forward march track flat in its tune.
13.
Karna fired crescent shaped arrows, arrows tipped by teeth, and arrows with iron tips at the charging musician platoon.
14-15.
Karna’s hands flashed like lightning on the bowstring.
Karna’s arrow weaves pinned down the musicians.
Karna’s assault ruined the opposition’s momentum.
Once the limbs and leaves of trees were cut down, Karna’s falling arrows splintered Chitrasena’s vehicles that the musicians took cover in.
16.
The musicians were stunned at how quick the Suta’s son bow strung.
Not even Arjuna was as fast on the blast as Karna.
Karna’s draw was blazing fast, the Gandharavas felt stunned by the wheel of fire that bow spun.
17.
Then Duryodhana, King Shakuni, Duhshasana charged into the fray to get Karna’s back.
18.
By their lead, Duryodhana’s brother soldiers regained their wrath and returned to swarm attack.
As the Kurus chariots rolled the forest floor groaned.
19.
The chariots attacked in organization - hemming in Chitrasena’s brigade of fighting musicians.
Vaikartana led the Kuru chariot formation.
20.
The Gandharvas were driven off and regrouped some distance away from the assault.
The Kurus dealt dominance like patti from a stall.
21.
As the Kurus arrows were spent the musicians started up a drumbeat.
The musicians sang out to blast the Kurus’ ridiculous triumphal roar.
22.
Chitrasena pushed the others not to abandon their position.
23.
Chitrasena knew the art of psychological war.
Chitrasena played mind games with the heads of men through lyrical composition.
First he reminded the Kuru holy warriors of the religious plight they faced in the next life for the death of a veda musician.
24.
As Chitrasena piled on more and more the arms of the Kurus holding weapons grew leaden.
The Kuru fighting spirit felt deadened by the dead-end notes Chitrasena sent them.
25-27.
‘Are you certain?
Witness the Lord above cretin.
You’ll look ridiculous to kill or die by a musician.’
Chitrasena’s words weakened by making them confused.
The Kurus felt enfeebled.
Chitrasena challenged.
Chitrasena concussed.
The Kurus were not prepared for this madness.
The soldiers broke and ran.
But Karna again stood alone as proud as a mountain.
The lesser Kuru bros ran around in confusion.
Saubala’s son King Shakuni of Gandhara, King Duryodhana and Prince Duhshasana were brought down, bound and given contusion.
28.
The Kuru forces melted back into the forest.
Armed Gandharavas surged around Karna manning his battle station chariot.
29.
A mob of rowdy musicians wielding tridents and spears closed from all sides on Karna’s chariot.
Karna the suta’s son was surrounded.
30.
‘The tables have turned!’, the mob burned in unrest.
Some musicians sliced down the flag from Karna’s chariot.
Others cut loose the horses from Karna’s chariot.
Others pulled down Karna’s charioteer from his seat.
31.
Soon the mob was overcome by wrath.
Musicians bearing arms battered Karna’s rocking chariot for the fun of it.
32.
Then the mob of mad musicians’ and friends smashed Karna’s chariot, passing broken bits of it by hand down the beaten path.
In a desperate scramble Karna hopped on a horse and dashed.
Notes
[1] Vaishampayana - ibid.
[3] Shatakratu is another name for Indra. Indra is the king of Gods.
[13] Kshurapa arrows are shaped like crescents.
With a wide cone of target, Kshurapas are frequently used to counter other weapons by slicing them down in mid-flight - or to slice bows, damage chariot or cut down standard flag poles.
Bhallas are punch shaped arrows.
Danta arrows are tooth shaped or actual tooth arrows.
[19] Vaikartana is Karna. The story of Karna earning the name Vaikartana is told in Sambhava parva.
https://crackpot.substack.com/t/sambhava
[29] Karna is called a suta’s son and Radheya because he was adopted by Radha and a charioteer named Adiratha. Suta means charioteer. Karna’s origin story is told in Sambhava.
ibid.