SECTION 2
Vaishampayana said, "Upon the fall of Karna, O monarch, the son of
Gavalgana, with a cheerless heart, set out that night for Nagapura, on
steeds that rivalled the wind in speed. Arrived at Hastinapura, with a
heart filled with deep anxiety, he proceeded to Dhritarashtra's abode
which no longer teemed with kinsmen and friends. Beholding the king
deprived of all energy by grief, joining his hands he worshipped, with a
bend of his head, the monarch's feet. Having duly worshipped king
Dhritarashtra, he uttered an exclamation of woe and then began, 'I am
Sanjaya, O lord of Earth! Art you not happy? I hope you are not
stupefied, having through your own faults fallen into such distress?
Counsels for your good had been uttered by Vidura and Ganga's son and
Keshava. I hope you feelest no pain now, remembering your rejection of
those counsels? Counsels for your good had also been uttered in the
assembly by Rama and Narada and Kanwa and others. I hope you feelest no
pain now, remembering their rejection by thee? I hope you feelest no
pain, remembering the slaughter in battle, by the foe, of Bhishma and
Drona and others, those friends that were ever engaged in your good?' Unto
the Suta's son who with joined hands was telling him so, the monarch
afflicted with grief and drawing a long and hot breath, said these words.
"Dhritarashtra said, 'Hearing, O Sanjaya, of the fall of the heroic son
of Ganga, that warrior of all celestial weapons, as also of the fall of
that foremost of all bowmen, Drona, my heart feeleth great pain! That
hero endued with great energy and born of the Vasus themselves, who slew
every day 10,000 car-warriors clad in mail, that high-souled one unto
whom Bhrigu's son had given the highest weapons, that warrior who in his
childhood had been trained in the science of the bow by Rama, alas, even
he hath been slain by Yajnasena's son Shikhandi protected by the
Pandavas! At this my heart is greatly pained! That hero through whose
grace those mighty car-warriors, the royal sons of Kunti, as also many
other lords of Earth, have become maharathas, alas, hearing of the
slaughter of that great bowman of sure aim, Drona, by Dhrishtadyumna, my
heart is exceedingly pained! Those two had not in the world a person
equal to them in (knowledge and use of) the four kinds of weapons! Alas,
hearing of the slaughter of these two, Bhishma and Drona, in battle my
heart is exceedingly pained! That warrior who had not in the three worlds
a person equal to him in knowledge of weapons, alas, hearing of the
slaughter of that hero, Drona, what did the people of my side do? After
the high-souled son of Pandu, Dhananjaya, exerting himself with prowess,
had despatched unto Yama's abode the strong force of the samsaptakas,
after the Narayana weapon of the intelligent son of Drona had been
baffled, and after the (Kaurava) divisions had begun to fly away, what,
indeed, did the people of my side do? I think that, after Drona's death
my troops, flying away and sinking in an ocean of grief, resembled
shipwrecked mariners struggling on the bosom of the vast deep. What also,
O Sanjaya, became the colour of the faces of Duryodhana, and Karna, and
Kritavarma the chief of the Bhojas and Shalya, the ruler of the Madras,
and of my remaining sons, and of the others, when the Kuru divisions fled
away from the field? Tell me all this as it truly happened in battle, O
son of Gavalgana, and describe to me the prowess put forth by the
Pandavas and the warriors of my side!"
"Sanjaya said, 'O sire, hearing all that has happened unto the Kauravas
through your fault, you shouldst not feel any anguish! He that is wise
never feeleth any pain at what Destiny bringeth! And since Destiny is
unconquerable, human purposes may or may not become attainable. Hence, he
that is wise never feeleth pain on the acquisition or the reverse of the
objects cherished by him.
"Dhritarashtra said, 'I do not feel great pain, O Sanjaya! I regard all
this to be the result of Destiny! Tell me all that you wishest!'"
--------------------END OF PARVA 8 : UPA-PARVA 2 ---------------------
