The sun had set a little before. The troops forming the
outposts of the camp, learning that all thy sons had been slain, wept
aloud. Then, O monarch, the old men that had been appointed to look after
the ladies of the royal household proceeded towards the city, taking the
princesses after them. Loud were the wails uttered by those weeping
ladies when they heard of the destruction of the whole army. The women, O
king, crying ceaselessly, caused the earth to resound with their voices
like a flight of she-ospreys. They tore their bodies with nails and
struck their heads with their hands, and untied their braids, indulging
all the while in loud cries. Filling the air with sounds such as "Oh!"
and "Alas!" and beating their breasts, they cried aloud and wept and
uttered loud shrieks, O monarch! Then the friends of Duryodhana, deeply
afflicted and made voiceless by their tears, set out for the city, taking
the ladies of the royal household with them. The camp-guards quickly fled
towards the city, taking with them many white beds overlaid with costly
coverlets. Others, placing their wives on cars drawn by mules, proceeded
towards the city. Those ladies, O monarch, who, while in their houses
could not be seen by the very sun, were now, as they proceeded towards
the city, exposed to the gaze of the common people. Those women, O chief
of the Bharata's race, who were very delicate, now proceeded with speed
towards the city, having lost their near ones and kinsmen.
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