6
"Dhritarashtra said, 'Thou hast, O son, mentioned the names of those of my side that have been slain in battle by the Pandavas. Tell me now, O Sanjaya, the names of those amongst the Pandavas that have been slain by the people of my side!'
"Sanjaya said, 'The Kuntis possessed of great prowess in battle, endued with great energy and great might, have been slain in fight by Bhishma, with all their kinsmen and advisers. The Narayanas, the Valabhadras, and hundreds of other heroes, all devoted (to the Pandavas) have been slain in battle by the heroic Bhishma. Satyajit, who was equal to the diadem-decked Arjuna himself in battle as regards energy and might, hath been slain in battle by Drona of sure aim. Many mighty bowmen among the Pancalas, all of whom were skilled in battle, encountering Drona, have repaired to Yama's abode. So the two kings Virata and Drupada, both venerable in years, who exerted themselves with great prowess for their ally, have, with their sons, been slain in battle by Drona. That invincible hero, viz., Abhimanyu, who, though a child in years, was still equal in battle to Arjuna or Keshava or Baladeva, O lord, that, warrior who was highly accomplished in battle, after making an immense slaughter of the foe, was at last encompassed by six foremost of car-warriors and slain by them. Unable to resist Arjuna himself, they thus slew Arjuna's son! Deprived of his car, that hero, viz., the son of Subhadra, still stayed in battle, remembering the duties of a Kshatriya. At last, O king, Duhshasana's son slew him on the field. The slayer of the Patachchatras, viz., the handsome son of Amvashtha, surrounded by a large force, had put forth all his prowess for the sake of his allies. Having made a great slaughter among the foe, he was encountered by Duryodhana's son, the brave Lakshmana, in battle and despatched to Yama's abode. The mighty bowman Vrihanta, accomplished in arms and invincible in battle, hath been despatched to Yama's abode by Duhshasana, exerting himself with great prowess. The two kings Manimat and Dandadhara, both of whom were invincible in battle and had put forth their prowess for their allies, have been slain by Drona. Ansumat the ruler of the Bhojas, that mighty car-warrior at the head of his own forces, hath been despatched to Yama's abode by Drona exerting himself with great prowess. Citrasena, the ruler of the sea-coast, with his son, O Bharata, hath been forcibly despatched by Samudrasena to Yama's abode. Another ruler of a maritime country, viz., Nila, and Vyaghradatta of great energy, have both, O king, been despatched to Yama's abode by Ashvatthama. Citrayudha and Citrayodhin, after making a great slaughter, have both been slain in battle by Vikarna exerting himself with great prowess and displaying diverse manoeuvres of his car. The chief of the Kaikeyas, who was equal to Vrikodara himself in battle and surrounded by Kaikeya warriors, has been slain by Kaikeya, the brother by the brother. Janamejaya of the hilly country, endued with great prowess and accomplished in encounters with the mace, hath, O king, been slain by thy son Durmukha. Those two foremost of men, viz., the brothers Rochamana, like two brilliant planets, have together been despatched to heaven by Drona with his shafts. Many other kings, O monarch, endued with great prowess, have fought (for the Pandavas). Having achieved the most difficult feats, all of them have gone to Yama's abode. Purujit and Kuntibhoja, the two maternal uncles of Savyasaci, have been despatched by Drona with shafts to such regions as are attained by death in battle. Abhibhu of the Kasis, at the head of many of his followers, hath been obliged by Vasudana's son to lay down his life in battle. Yudhamanyu of immeasurable prowess, and Uttamauja of great energy, after slaying hundreds of heroic warriors, have themselves been slain by our men. The Pancala prince Mitravarman, O Bharata, those two foremost of bowmen, have been despatched to Yama's abode by Drona. Shikhandi's son Kshatradeva, that foremost of warriors, possessed of great bravery, hath, O king, been slain by thy grandson Lakshmana, O sire! The two heroes Sucitra and Citravarman, who were sire and son and endued with great might, and who careered fearlessly in battle, have been slain by Drona. Vardhakshemi, O monarch, who was like the ocean at full tide, having had his weapons exhausted in battle, hath at last obtained undisturbed peace. That foremost of Sutas, viz., Senavindu, having consumed many foes in battle, hath, at last, O king been slain by Bahlika. Dhrishtaketu, O monarch, that foremost of car-warriors among the Cedis, after accomplishing the most difficult feats, hath repaired to the abode of Yama. Similarly, the heroic Satyadhriti, endued with great prowess, having made a great slaughter in battle for the sake of the Pandavas, has been despatched to Yama's abode. That lord of Earth, viz., Suketu, the son of Shishupala, having slain many foes, hath at last been slain by Drona in battle. Virata's son Sankha, as also Uttara of great strength, having accomplished the most difficult feats, have repaired to Yama's abode. Similarly, Satyadhriti of the Matsyas, and Madiraswa of great energy, and Suryadatta possessed of great prowess, have all been slain by Drona with his shafts. Srenimat also, O monarch, having fought with great prowess and accomplished the most difficult feats, hath repaired to Yama's abode. Similarly, the chief of the Magadhas, that slayer of hostile heroes, endued with great energy and acquainted with the highest weapons, sleepeth on the field of battle, slain by Bhishma. Vasudana also, having made an immense carnage in battle, has been despatched to Yama's abode by Bharadwaja's son exerting himself with great prowess. These and many other mighty car-warriors of the Pandavas have been slain by Drona exerting himself with great energy. I have now told them all that thou hadst asked me.'"
7
"Dhritarashtra said, 'When all the foremost of my warriors, O Sanjaya have perished, I do not think that the remnant of my army will not perish! When those two heroes, those two mighty bowmen, those two foremost of the Kurus, Bhishma and Drona, have been slain, what use can I any longer have with life? I cannot also brook the death of Radha's son, that ornament of battle, the might of whose arms was as great as that of 10,000 elephants! O foremost of speakers, tell me now, O Suta, who are yet alive in my army after the death of all the foremost heroes! Thou hast told me the names of those that have fallen. It seems, however, to me that those who are still alive are almost all dead!'
"Sanjaya said, 'That hero O king, to whom Drona, that foremost of Brahmanas, imparted many blazing, celestial, and mighty weapons of the four kinds, that mighty car-warrior, possessed of skill and lightness of hands, that hero of firm grasp, strong weapons, and powerful shafts, that high-souled son of Drona, capable of shooting to a great distance, is still on the field, desirous of battling for thy sake. That dweller of the Anarta country, that son of Hridika, that mighty car-warrior, that foremost one among the Satwatas, that chief of the Bhojas, Kritavarma, accomplished in arms, is on the field, desirous of battle. Artayana's son, dauntless in battle, that first of warriors, that foremost of all yet on thy side, he, that abandoned his own sister's sons, the Pandavas, for making his own words true, that hero endued with great activity who promised in the presence of Yudhishthira that he would in battle depress the proud spirit of Karna, that invincible Shalya, who is equal unto Sakra himself in energy, is still on the field, desirous of battling for thy sake. Accompanied by his own force consisting of Ajaneyas, Saindhavas, mountaineers, dwellers of riparian regions, Kambojas, and Vanayus, the king of the Gandharas stayeth on the field, desirous of battling for thy sake. Sharadvata's son called Gautama, O king, endued with mighty arms and capable of fighting with diverse weapons in diverse beautiful ways, taking up a beautiful and large bow capable of bearing great strain, stayeth on the field, desirous of battle. That mighty car-warrior, the son of the ruler of the Kaikeyas, riding on a goodly car equipped with standard and goodly steeds, stayeth on the field, O chief of Kuru's race, for battling for thy sake. Thy son also, that foremost of heroes in Kuru's race, Purumitra, O king, riding on his car possessed of the effulgence of fire or the Sun, stayeth on the field, like the Sun himself shining brilliantly in the cloudless firmament. Duryodhana also, endued with great energy, in the midst of an elephant force and accompanied by many foremost of combatants, stayeth on his car adorned with gold, desirous of engaging in battle. In the midst of many kings, that foremost of men, possessed of the splendour of a lotus, looked resplendent in his beautiful armour of gold like a fire with little smoke or the Sun emerged from the clouds. So also thy sons Sushena, armed with sword and shield, and the heroic Satyasena, are staying with Citrasena, their hearts full of joy and themselves desirous of battle. Endued with modesty, the Bharata princes Citrayudha, Srutavarman, and Jaya, Dala, and Satyavrata, and Dussala, all of whom are possessed of great might, stay on the field, desirous of battle. The ruler of the Kaitavyas, that prince proud of his courage, and capable of fearlessly careering in battle and slaying his foes, possessing foot-soldiers and cavalry, and elephants and cars, stayeth on the field, desirous of battling for thy sake. The heroic Srutayu and Srutayudha, and Citrangada and Citravarman, those foremost of men, those proud warriors capable of smiting effectually and possessed of sureness of aim, stay on the field, desirous of battle. The high-souled Satyasandha, the son of Karna, stayeth on the field, desirous of battle. Two other sons of Karna, possessing a knowledge of high weapons and endued with great lightness of hands, are both staying, O king, at the head of forces that are large and incapable of being pierced by warriors of little energy, desirous of battling for thy sake. Accompanied by these heroes and by many other foremost of warriors, O king, that are possessed of immeasurable might, the Kuru king (Duryodhana) is staying like a second Indra in the midst of his elephant division in expectation of victory!'
"Dhritarashtra said, 'Thou hast told me duly all that are alive both amongst us and the foe. From this I plainly see on which side the victory will be. Indeed, it may be inferred from the facts.'"
Vaishampayana continued, "While saying this, Dhritarashtra the son of Ambika, having learnt that only a small portion of his army was alive, for all his foremost of warriors had died, felt his heart to be exceedingly agitated by grief. The king swooned away. Partially restored to his senses, he addressed Sanjaya, saying, 'Wait for a moment!' And the king said, 'O son, having heard of this dire calamity, my heart is greatly agitated. My senses are being stupefied, and my limbs are about to be paralysed!' Having said these words, Dhritarashtra the son of Ambika, that lord of earth, lost his senses and fell down on the earth."
8
Janamejaya said, "Having heard of Karna's fall and the slaughter of his sons, what, O foremost of regenerate ones, did the king say, after he had been a little comforted? Indeed, poignant was the grief that he experienced, arising from the calamity that befell his sons! Tell me, I ask thee, all that the king said on that occasion!"