SECTION CXLVIII
“Sanjaya said, ‘After the ruler of the Sindhus had been slain by Partha, Krishna, repairing unto the king, viz., Yudhishthira, the son of Dharma, worshipped the latter with a gladdened heart. And he said, “By good luck, O king of kings, thy prosperity increaseth. O best of men, thy foe hath been slain. By good luck, thy younger brother hath accomplished his vow.” Thus addressed by Krishna, that subjugator of hostile towns, viz., king Yudhishthira, filled with joy, came down from his car, O Bharata! His eyes filled with tears of joy, he embraced the two Krishnas and wiping his bright and lotus-like face, said these words unto Vasudeva, and Dhananjaya, the son of Pandu, “Ye mighty car-warriors, by good luck, I behold both of you after ye have accomplished your task. By good luck, that sinful wretch, viz., the ruler of the Sindhus, hath been slain. Ye Krishnas, by good luck, ye have done that which hath filled me with great happiness. By good luck, our foes have been plunged into an ocean of grief. Thou art the sovereign lord of all the worlds, O slayer of Madhu! In the three worlds they that have thee for their preceptor can have no object incapable of accomplishment. Through thy grace, O Govinda, we will conquer our foes, like Indra conquering the Danavas in days of old. Be it the conquest of the world, or be it the conquest of the three worlds, everything is certain, O thou of the Vrishni race, in their case with whom thou art gratified, O giver of honours! They can have no sin, nor can they meet with defeat in battle with whom thou, O lord of the celestials, art gratified, O giver of honours! It is through thy grace, O Hrishikesa, that Sakra hath become the chief of the celestials. It is through thy grace, that blessed personage obtained on the field of battle the sovereignty of the three worlds! It is through thy grace, O lord of the celestials, that the latter obtained immortality, O Krishna, and enjoy eternal regions (of bliss). Having slain thousands of Daityas, with prowess having its origin in thy grace, O slayer of foes, Sakra obtained the lordship of the celestials. Through thy grace, O Hrishikesa, the mobile and immobile universe, without swerving from its (ordained) course, O hero, is engaged in prayers and homa![178] In the beginning, this universe, enveloped in darkness, had been one vast expanse of water. Through thy grace, O mighty-armed one, the universe became manifest, O best of men! Thou art the creator of all the worlds, thou art the Supreme Soul, and thou art immutable! They that behold thee, O Hrishikesa, are never confounded. Thou art the Supreme God, thou art the God of gods, and thou art Eternal. They that seek refuge with thee, O lord of the gods, are never confounded. Without beginning and without death, thou art Divine, the Creator of all the worlds, and immutable. They that are devoted to thee, O Hrishikesa, always tide over every difficulty. Thou art Supreme, the Ancient one, the Divine-Being, and that which is the Highest of the high. He that attaineth to that viz., thy Supreme Self hath ordained for him the highest prosperity. Thou art sung in the four Vedas. The four Vedas sing of thee. Be seeking thy shelter, O high-souled one, I shall enjoy unrivalled prosperity. Thou art the Supreme God, thou art the God of the highest gods, thou art the lord of Winged creatures, and the lord of all human beings. Thou art the Supremest Lord of everything. I bow to thee, O best of beings! Thou art the Lord, the Lord of lords O puissant one! Prosperity to thee, O Madhava! O thou of large eyes, O Universal soul, Thou art the origin of all things. He, again, that is a friend of Dhananjaya or is engaged in Dhananjaya’s good, obtaineth thee that art the preceptor of Dhananjaya and attaineth to happiness.” Thus addressed by him those high-souled ones, viz., Kesava and Arjuna, cheerfully said unto the king, that lord of the earth, “The sinful king Jayadratha, hath been consumed by the fire of thy wrath. O puissant one, although the Dhartarashtra host is vast and swelleth with pride, yet, O Bharata, struck and slain, it is being exterminated. O slayer of foes, it is in consequence of thy wrath that the Kauravas are being destroyed. Having, O hero, angered thee that canst slay with thy eyes alone, the wicked-minded Suyodhana, with his friends and kinsmen, will have to lay down his life in battle. Slain before in consequence of thy ire, and struck down also by the gods themselves, the invincible Bhishma, the grandsire of the Kurus, lieth now on a bed of arrows. O slayer of foes, victory in battle is unattainable by them, and death also waiteth for them, that have thee, O son of Pandu, for their foe. Kingdom, life, dear ones, children, and diverse kinds of bliss, will soon be lost by him with whom thou, O scorcher of foes, hast been angry. I regard the Kauravas to be lost with their sons, and kinsmen, when thou, O scorcher of foes, that art observant of the duties of a king, hast been angry with them.” Then Bhima, O king, and the mighty car-warrior Satyaki, both mangled with shafts, saluted their senior. And those two mighty bowmen sat down on the ground, surrounded by the Panchalas. Beholding those two heroes filled with joy and arrived and waiting with joined hands, the son of Kunti congratulated them both, saying, “By good luck, it is that I see you both, ye heroes, escaped with life from that sea of (hostile) troops, that sea in which Drona acted the part of an invincible alligator, and the son of Hridika that of a fierce shark. By good luck, all the kings of the earth have been vanquished (by you two).[179] By good luck, I see both of you victorious in battle. By good luck, Drona hath been vanquished in battle, and that mighty car-warrior also viz., the son of Hridika. By good luck, Karna hath been vanquished in battle with barbed shafts. By good luck, Salya also was obliged to turn away from the field by you both, ye bulls among men. By good luck, I behold you both come back from battle safe and sound, ye that are foremost of car-warriors and well-skilled in battle! By good luck, I behold again, ye heroes, that have forded that sea of troops in obedience to my command, ye that went to battle impelled by the desire of honouring me! Ye are heroes delighting in battle. Ye are to me as life. By good luck, I see you both.” Having said this, the son of Pandu, O king, embraced both Yuyudhana and Vrikodara, those tigers among men, and shed tears of joy. Then, O monarch, the entire host of the Pandavas became cheerful and filled with joy. And all of them once more set their hearts on battle.’"
SECTION CXLIX
“Sanjaya said, ‘Upon the fall, O king, of the ruler of the Sindhus, thy son Suyodhana, his face bedewed with tears, and himself filled with grief and breathing hot sighs like a snake whose fangs have been broken, that offender against the whole world, viz., thy son, experienced bitter affliction. Beholding that great terrible slaughter of his troops caused by Jishnu and Bhimasena and Satwata in battle, he became pale, dejected and melancholy, and his eyes became filled with tears. And he came to think no warrior existed on the earth that could be compared with Arjuna. Neither Drona, nor the son of Radha, nor Aswatthaman, nor Kripa, O sire, is competent to stand before Arjuna when the latter is excited with wrath. And Suyodhana, said unto himself, “Having vanquished in battle all the mighty car-warriors of my army, Partha slew the ruler of the Sindhus. None could resist him. This my vast host hath almost been exterminated by the Pandavas. I think, there is no one that can protect my army, no, not even Purandara himself. He, relying upon whom I have been engaged in this passage-at-arms in battle, alas, that Karna hath been defeated in battle and Jayadratha slain. That Karna relying upon whose energy I regarded Krishna as straw who came to sue me for peace, alas, that Karna hath been vanquished in battle.” Grieving so within his heart, that offender against the whole world, O king, went to Drona, O bull of Bharata’s race, for seeing him. Repairing unto him, he informed Drona of that immense slaughter of the Kurus, the victory of his foes, and the dire calamity of the Dhartarashtras.[180] And Suyodhana said, “Behold, O preceptor, this immense slaughter of kings.[181] I came to battle, placing that grandsire of mine, viz., the heroic Bhishma, at our head. Having slain him, Sikhandin, his aspiration fulfilled, stayeth at the very van of all the troops, surrounded by all the Panchalas, covetous of another triumph.[182] Another disciple of thine, viz., the invincible Savyasachin, having slain seven Akshauhinis of troops hath despatched king Jayadratha to Yama’s abode. How, O preceptor, shall I be freed from the debt I owe to those allies of mine who, desirous of victory to me and ever engaged in my good, have gone to Yama’s abode? Those lords of earth who had desired the sovereignty of the earth, are now lying on the earth, abandoning all their earthly prosperity. Truly, I am a coward. Having caused such a slaughter of friends, I dare not think that I shall be sanctified by performing even a hundred horse-sacrifices. I am covetous and sinful and a transgressor against righteousness. Through my acts alone, these lords of earth, in their desire for victory, have gone to Yama’s abode. Why, in presence of those kings, does not the earth yield me a hole (through which to sink), since I am so sinful in behaviour and such a fomenter of internecine dissensions![183] Alas, what will the grandsire with blood-red eyes, that invincible hero who hath conquered the other world, tell me in the midst of the kings when he meets me?[184] Behold that mighty bowman, Jalasandha, slain by Satyaki. That great car-warrior, that hero, came proudly to battle for my sake, prepared to lay down his life. Beholding the ruler of the Kamvojas slain, as also Alamvusha and many other allies of mine, what object can I have for preserving my life? Those unretreating heroes who, fighting for my sake and struggling to the utmost of their powers to vanquish my foes, have laid down their lives. I shall today, O scorcher of foes, exerting the utmost measure of my might, free myself from the debt that I owe them and gratify them with oblations of water by repairing to the Yamuna. O foremost of all bearers of arms, I tell thee truly and swear by the good acts I have performed, by the prowess I possess and by my sons, that slaying all the Panchalas with the Pandavas, I shall obtain peace of mind, or slain by them in battle I shall repair to those regions whither those allies of mine have gone. I shall certainly proceed thither whither those bulls among men, slain, while engaged in battle for my sake, by Arjuna have gone! Our allies, seeing that they are not well-protected by us, no longer desire to stand by us. O thou of mighty arms, they now regard the Pandavas to be preferable to ourselves. Thyself, of sure aim, hast ordained our extermination in battle, for thou treatest Arjuna leniently, since he is thy disciple. It is for this that all those have been slain who had endeavoured to secure victory to us. It seems that only Karna now wishes us victory. The man of weak understanding who without duly examining another, accepteth him for a friend and engageth him in concerns that require friends for their accomplishment, is certain to suffer injury, even so hath this affair of mine been managed by my best friend![185] I am exceedingly covetous, sinful, crooked-hearted, and characterised by avarice! Alas, king Jayadratha hath been slain, and Somadatta’s son also of great energy, and the Abhishahas, the Surasenas, the Sivis, and the Vasatis! I shall go thither today whither those bulls among men, slain, while engaged in battle for my sake, by Arjuna, have gone. In the absence of those bulls among men, I have no need for life. O preceptor of the sons of Pandu, let me have thy permission in this.”’"
SECTION CL
“Dhritarashtra said, ‘After the ruler of the Sindhus had been slain in battle by Savyasachin and after the fall of Bhurisravas, what became the state of your mind? After Drona also had been thus addressed by Duryodhana in the midst of the Kurus, what did the preceptor say unto him then? Tell me all this, O Sanjaya!’
“Sanjaya said, ‘Loud wails arose among thy coops, O Bharata, after the slaughter of Bhurisravas and the ruler of the Sindhus. All of them disregarded the counsels of thy son, those counsels in consequence of which leaders of men, by hundreds, were slain. As regards Drona, hearing those words of thy son, he became filled with grief. Reflecting for a short while, O monarch, he said these words in great affliction.
“‘Drona said, “O Duryodhana, why dost thou pierce me thus with wordy shafts? I told thee before that Arjuna is incapable of defeat in battle. Protected by the diadem-decked Arjuna, Sikhandin slew Bhishma. By that feat, O thou of Kuru’s race, the prowess of Arjuna in battle hath been well-tested. Beholding Bhishma who was incapable of being defeated by the gods and the Danavas, actually slain in battle, even then I knew that this Bharata host is doomed. Upon the fall of him whom of all persons in the three worlds, we had regarded to be the very foremost of heroes, who else is there upon whom we are to rely? Those dice, O sire, with which Sakuni formerly played in the Kuru assembly, were not dice but keen arrows capable of slaying foes. Even those arrows, O sire, sped by Jaya, are now slaying us. Though Vidura characterised them to be such, thou didst not yet understand them to be so. Those words, again, that the wise and high-souled Vidura, with tears in his eyes had then said unto thee, those auspicious words recommending peace, thou didst not then hear. That calamity which foretold hath now come. That frightful carnage, O Duryodhana, hath now come as the result of that disobedience by thee of Vidura’s words. That man of foolish understanding who, disregarding the salutary words of trusted friends, followeth his own opinion, soon falls into a pitiable plight. O son of Gandhari, this great evil, viz., that dragging in our very sight to the Kuru assembly of Krishna who never deserved such treatment, who hath been born in a noble race, and who practiseth every virtue. Know that all this is but little, for in the next world dire consequences yet will be thine. Vanquishing the Pandavas at dice by deceit, thou hadst sent them, into the woods, attired in deer-skins. What other Brahmana, except myself, in this world, would seek to injure those princes that are ever engaged in the practice of virtue and that are to me even as my own sons. With the approval of Dhritarashtra, in the midst of the Kuru assembly, thou hadst, with Sakuni as thy help-mate, provoked the ire of the Pandavas. United with Duhsasana, Karna then fanned that wrath. Disregarding the words of Vidura, thou hast repeatedly fanned it thyself. With resolute care, all of you had surrounded Arjuna, resolved to stand by the ruler of the Sindhus. Why then have all of you been vanquished and why also has Jayadratha been slain? Why, when thou art alive, and Karna, and Kripa, and Salya, and Aswatthaman, O Kauravya, hath the ruler of the Sindhus been slain? For rescuing the ruler of the Sindhus, the kings (on thy side) had put forth all their fierce energy. Why, then, hath Jayadratha been slain in their midst? Relying upon me, king Jayadratha had expected his rescue from the hands of Arjuna. He, however, obtained not the rescue he had expected. I do not also see my safety for my own self. Until I succeed in slaying the Panchalas with Sikhandin, I feel like one sinking in the Dhristadyumna-mire. Having failed, O Bharata, in rescuing the ruler of the Sindhus, why dost thou pierce me thus with thy wordy shafts, seeing that I too am burning with grief? Thou seest not any longer on the field the gold standards of Bhishma of sure aim, that warrior who was never tired in battle. How, then, canst thou hope for success? When the rulers of the Sindhus and Bhurisravas also have been slain in the very midst of so many mighty car-warriors, what do you think, will the end be? Kripa, difficult of being vanquished, is still alive, O king! That he hath not followed in the track of Jayadratha, I applaud him highly for this! When I saw Bhishma himself, that achiever of the most difficult feats (in battle), that warrior who was incapable of being slain in battle by the gods with Vasava at their head, slain in thy sight, O Kaurava, as also of thy younger brother Duhsasana, I thought then, O king, that the Earth hath abandoned thee. Yonder the troops of the Pandavas and the Srinjayas, united together, are now rushing against me. For achieving thy good in battle, O son of Dhritarashtra, I will not without slaying all the Panchalas, put off my armour. O king, go and tell my son Aswatthaman who is present in battle that even at the risk of his life he should not let the Somakas alone.[186] Thou shouldst also tell him, ‘Observe all the instructions thou hast received from thy father. Be firm in acts of humility, in self-restraint, in truth and righteousness. Observant of religion, profit, and pleasure, without neglecting religion and profit, thou shouldst always accomplish those acts in which religion predominates. The Brahmanas should always be gratified with presents. All of them deserve thy worship. Thou shouldst never do anything that is injurious to them. They are like flames of fire.’ As regards myself, I will penetrate the hostile host, O slayer of foes, for doing great battle, pierced as I am by thee with thy wordy shafts. If thou canst, O Duryodhana, go and protect those troops. Both the Kurus and the Srinjayas have been angry. They will fight even during the night.” Having said these words, Drona proceeded against the Pandavas and set himself to over-ride the energy of the Kshatriyas like the sun overshadowing the light of the stars.’"