Karna alone, with myself, will
slay the Pandavas. All the heroic kings will then live under my sway. He,
who is their leader, the mighty Vasudeva, will not, he has told me, put
on mail for them, O king." Even in this way, O Suta, did Duryodhana often
use to speak to me. Hearing what he said, I believed that the Pandavas
would be slain in battle. When, however, my sons stationed in the midst
of those heroes and exerting themselves vigorously in battle have all
been slain, what can it be but destiny? When that lord of the world, the
valiant Bhishma, having encountered Shikhandi, met with his death like a
lion meeting with his at the hands of a jackal, what can it be but
destiny? When the Brahmana Drona, that master of all weapons offensive
and defensive, has been slain by the Pandavas in battle, what can it be
but destiny? When Bhurishrava has been slain in battle, as also Somadatta
and king Bahlika, what can it be but destiny? When Bhagadatta, skilled in
fight from the backs of elephants, has been slain, and when Jayadratha
hath been slain, what can it be but destiny? When Sudakshina has been
slain, and Jalasandha of Puru's race, as also Srutayush, and Ayutayush,
what can it be but destiny? When the mighty Pandya, that foremost of all
wielders of weapons, has been slain in battle by the Pandavas, what can
it be but destiny? When Vrihadvala has been slain and the mighty king of
the Magadhas, and the valiant Ugrayudha, that type of all bowmen; when
the two princes of Avanti (Vinda and Anuvinda) have been slain, and the
ruler also of the Trigartas, as also numerous Samsaptakas, what can it be
but destiny? When king Alambusa, and the Rakshasas Alayudha, and
Rishyasringa's son, have been slain, what can it be but destiny? When the
Narayanas have been slain, as also the Gopalas, those troops that were
invincible in battle, and many thousands of Mlecchas, what can it be but
destiny? When Shakuni, the son of Subala, and the mighty Uluka, called
the gamester's son, that hero at the head of his forces, have been slain,
what can it be but destiny? When innumerable high-souled heroes,
accomplished in all kinds of weapons offensive and defensive and endued
with prowess equal to that of Shakra himself, have been slain, O Suta,
when Kshatriyas hailing from diverse realms, O Sanjaya, have all been
slain in battle, what can it be but destiny? Endued with great might, my
sons and grandsons have been slain, as also my friends and brethren, what
can it be but destiny? Without doubt, man takes his birth, subject to
destiny.
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