, "If Bhishma who boasteth of his prowess in battle or Drona who is
invincible in fight, doth not, from partiality, slay the sons of Kunti, O
Duryodhana, even I will slay them all, let the fever of thy heart be
dispelled!" who also said, "What will (Arjuna's) gandiva and the two
inexhaustible quivers do to that shaft of mine, smeared with cool
sandal-paste, when it will course through the welkin?" alas, how could
that warrior possessed of shoulders broad as those of the bull be slain
by Arjuna? He who, disregarding the fierce touch of the arrows shot from
gandiva had addressed Krishna, saying, "Thou hast no husbands now" and
glared at the Pandavas, he who, O Sanjaya, relying on the might of his
own arms, had entertained no fear, for even a moment, of the Parthas with
their sons and Janardana,--he, I think, could not possibly meet with
death at the hands of the very gods with Vasava at their head rushing
against him in fury, what then need I say, O sire, of the Pandavas? The
person could not be seen competent to stay before the son of Adhiratha,
while the latter, putting on his fences, used to touch the bowstring! It
was possible for the Earth to be destitute of the splendour of the Sun,
of the Moon, or of fire, but the death of that foremost of men, who never
retreated from battle, could not be possible. That foolish child of mine,
of wicked understanding, who having got Karna, as also his brother
Duhshasana, for his ally, had made up his mind for the rejection of
Vasudeva's proposals, surely, that wight, beholding the slaughter of the
bull-shouldered Karna and of Duhshasana, is now indulging in
lamentations! Seeing Vikartana's son slain in single combat by Savyasaci,
and the Pandavas crowned with victory, what indeed, did Duryodhana say?
Seeing Durmarshana slain in battle and Vrishasena also, and seeing his
host break when slaughtered by mighty car-warriors, beholding also the
kings (of his army) turn back their faces, intent on flight, and his
car-warriors already fled, I think that son of mine is now indulging in
lamentations! Beholding his host dispirited, what, indeed, did the
ungovernable, proud, and foolish Duryodhana, with passions not under
control, say? Having himself provoked such fierce hostility though
dissuaded by all his friends what, indeed, did Duryodhana, who has
suffered a great loss in battle of friends and followers, say? Beholding
his brother slain in battle by Bhimasena, and upon his blood being drunk,
what indeed, did Duryodhana say? My son had, with the ruler of the
gandharvas, said, "Karna will slay Arjuna in battle!" When he saw that
Karna slain, what indeed, did he say? What, O sire, did Shakuni, the son
of Subala, who had formerly been filled with joy after going through the
match at dice and cheating the son of Pandu, say when he saw Karna slain?
What did that mighty car-warrior among the Satwatas, that great bowman,
Kritavarma the son of Hridika, say when he saw Vaikartana slain? Endued
with youth, possessed of a handsome form, agreeable to the sight, and
celebrated throughout the world, what, O Sanjaya, did Ashvatthama, the
intelligent son of Drona, upon whom brahmanas and kshatriyas and vaishyas
who are desirous of acquiring the science of arms wait, for protections,
say when he saw Karna slain? What did Sharadvata's son Kripa, O sire, of
Gotama's race, that foremost of car-warriors, that teacher of the science
of arms, say when he saw Karna slain? What did the mighty leader of the
Madras warriors, that king of the Madras, the great bowman Shalya of the
Sauvira clan, that ornament of assemblies, that foremost of car-warriors
(temporarily) engaged in driving the car, say when he saw Karna slain?
What also did all the other warriors, difficult of defeat in battle,
those lords of earth that came to fight, say, O Sanjaya, when they behold
Vaikartana slain? After the fall of the heroic Drona, that tiger among
car-warriors that bull among men, who, O Sanjaya, became the heads of the
several division in their order? Tell me, O Sanjaya, how that foremost of
car-warriors, Shalya the ruler of the Madras, became engaged in driving
the car of Vaikartana! Who were they that guarded the right wheel of the
Suta's son while the latter was engaged in fight, and who were they that
guarded his left wheel, and who were they that stood at the rear of that
hero? Who were those heroes that did not desert Karna, and who were those
mean fellows that ran away? How was the mighty car-warrior Karna slain
amidst your united selves? How also did those mighty car-warriors, the
brave Pandavas, advance against him shooting showers of shafts like the
clouds pouring torrents of rain? Tell me also, O Sanjaya, how that mighty
shaft, celestial and foremost of its species, and equipped with a head
like that of a serpent became futile! I do not, O Sanjaya, see the
possibility of even a small remnant of my cheerless host being saved when
its leaders have been crushed! Hearing of the slaughter of those two
heroes, those two mighty bowmen, Bhishma and Drona, who were ever ready
to lay down their lives for my sake, what use have I of life? Again and
again I am unable to endure that Karna, the might of whose arms equalled
that of 10,000 elephants, should be slain by the Pandavas! Tell me, O
Sanjaya, all that occurred in the battle between the brave warriors of
the Kauravas and their foes, after the death of Drona! Tell me also how
the sons of Kunti fought the battle with Karna, and how that slayer of
foes received his quietus in the fight!'"
10
"Sanjaya said, 'After the fall of the mighty bowman Drona on that day, O
Bharata, and after the purpose had been baffled of that mighty
car-warriors, viz.
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