Thy son, O king, who had constantlybeen implored (for peace) but
who always wished to terminate his hostility (with the Pandavas by
slaughtering them) has caused the earth to be exterminated. Do thou, O
king, cause the obsequial rites of thy sons and grandsons and sires to be
performed according to due order!"
Vaishampayana continued, "Hearing these terrible words of Sanjaya, the
king fell down on the Earth and lay motionless like one deprived of life.
Approaching the monarch who was lying prostrate on the Earth, Vidura,
conversant with every duty, said these words: Rise, O king, why dost thou
lie down thus? Do not grieve, O bull of Bharatas race! Even this, O lord
of Earth, is the final end of all creatures. At first creatures are
non-existent. In the interim, O Bharata, they become existent. At the
end, they once more become non-existent. What cause of sorrow is there in
all this? By indulging in grief, one cannot get back the dead. By
indulging in grief, one cannot die himself. When such is the course of
the world, why dost thou indulge in grief? One may die without having
been engaged in battle. One also escapes with life after being engaged in
battle. When ones Time comes, O king, one cannot escape! Time drags all
kinds of creatures. There is none dear or hateful to Time, O best of the
Kurus! As the wind tears off the ends of all blades of grass, even so all
creatures, O bull of Bharatas race, are brought by Time under its
influence. All creatures are like members of the same caravan bound for
the same destination.
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