Upa-Parva:
(74) Shalya-vadha(75) Hrida-pravesha
(76) Saraswata
(77) Gadayuddha
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SECTION 1
ॐ Having bowed down unto Narayana and Nara, the most exalted of male
beings, and the goddess Sarasvati, must the word Jaya be uttered.
Janamejaya said, "After Karna had thus been slain in battle by Savyasaci,
what did the small (unslaughtered) remnant of the Kauravas do, O
regenerate one? Beholding the army of the Pandavas swelling with might
and energy, what behaviour did the Kuru prince Suyodhana adopt towards
the Pandavas, thinking it suitable to the hour? I desire to hear all
this. Tell me, O foremost of regenerate ones, I am never satiated with
listening to the grand feats of my ancestors."
Vaishampayana said, "After the fall of Karna, O king, Dhritarashtra's son
Suyodhana was plunged deep into an ocean of grief and saw despair on
every side. Indulging in incessant lamentations, saying, 'Alas, oh Karna!
Alas, oh Karna!' he proceeded with great difficulty to his camp,
accompanied by the unslaughtered remnant of the kings on his side.
Thinking of the slaughter of the Suta's son, he could not obtain peace of
mind, though comforted by those kings with excellent reasons inculcated
by the scriptures. Regarding destiny and necessity to be all-powerful,
the Kuru king firmly resolved on battle. Having duly made Shalya the
generalissimo of his forces, that bull among kings, O monarch, proceeded
for battle, accompanied by that unslaughtered remnant of his forces.
Then, O chief of Bharata's race, a terrible battle took place between the
troops of the Kurus and those of the Pandavas, resembling that between
the gods and the Asuras. Then Shalya, O monarch, having made a great
carnage in battle at last lost a large number of his troops and was slain
by Yudhishthira at midday. Then king Duryodhana, having lost all his
friends and kinsmen, fled away from the field of battle and penetrated
into the depths of a terrible lake from fear of his enemies. On the
afternoon of that day, Bhimasena, causing the lake to be encompassed by
many mighty car-warriors, summoned Duryodhana and having obliged him to
come out, slew him speedily, putting forth his strength. After
Duryodhana's slaughter, the three car-warriors (of the Kuru side) that
were still unslain (Ashvatthama and Kripa and Kritavarma), filled with
rage, O monarch, slaughtered the Pancala troops in the night. On the next
morning Sanjaya, having set out from the camp, entered the city (the Kuru
capital), cheerless and filled with grief and sorrow. Having entered the
city, the Suta Sanjaya, raising his arms in grief, and with limbs
trembling, entered the palace of the king. Filled with grief, O tiger
among men, he wept aloud, saying, 'Alas, O king! Alas, all of us are
ruined by the slaughter of that high-souled monarch. Alas, Time is
all-powerful, and crooked in his course, since all our allies, endued
with might equal to that of Shakra himself, have been slain by the
Pandavas.' Seeing Sanjaya come back to the city, O king, in that
distressful plight, all the people, O best of kings, filled with great
anxiety, wept loudly, saying, 'Alas, O king! The whole city, O tiger
among men, including the very children, hearing of Duryodhana's death,
sent forth notes of lamentation from every side. We then beheld all the
men and women running about, deeply afflicted with grief, their senses
gone, and resembling people that are demented.' The Suta Sanjaya then,
deeply agitated, entered the abode of the king and beheld that foremost
of monarchs, that lord of men, having wisdom for his eyes. Beholding the
sinless monarch, that chief of Bharata's race, seated, surrounded by his
daughters-in-law and Gandhari and Vidura and by other friends and kinsmen
that were always his well-wishers, and engaged in thinking on that very
subject--the death of Karna--the Suta Sanjaya, with heart filled with
grief, O Janamejaya, weepingly and in a voice choked with tears, said
unto him, 'I am Sanjaya, O tiger among men. I bow to thee, O bull of
Bharata's race. The ruler of the Madras, Shalya, hath been slain.
Similarly, Subala's son Shakuni, and Uluka, O tiger among men, that
valiant son of the gamester (Shakuni), have been slain. All the
Samsaptakas, the Kambojas together with the Sakas, the Mlecchas, the
Mountaineers, and the Yavanas, have also been slain. The Easterners have
been slain, O monarch, and all the Southerners. The Northerners have all
been slain, as also the Westerners, O ruler of men. All the kings and all
the princes have been slain, O monarch. King Duryodhana also has been
slain by the son of Pandu after the manner he had vowed. With his thighs
broken, O monarch, he lieth now on the dust, covered with blood.
Dhrishtadyumna also hath been slain, O king, as also the vanquished
Shikhandi. Uttamauja and Yudhamanyu, O king, and the Prabhadrakas, and
those tiger among men, the Pancalas, and the Cedis, have been destroyed.
The sons have all been slain as also the (five) sons of Draupadi, O
Bharata. The heroic and mighty son of Karna, Vrishasena, hath been slain.
All the men that had been assembled have been slain. All the elephants
have been destroyed. All the car-warriors, O tiger among men, and all the
steeds, have fallen in battle. Very few are alive on your side, O lord. In
consequence of the Pandavas and the Kauravas having encountered each
other, the world, stupefied by Time, now consists of only women. On the
side of the Pandavas seven are alive, they are the five Pandava brothers,
and Vasudeva, and Satyaki and amongst the Dhartarashtras three are so,
Kripa, Kritavarma, and Drona's son, that foremost of victors. These three
car-warriors, O monarch, are all that survive, O best of kings, of all
the akshauhinis mustered on your side, O ruler of men. These are the
survivors, O monarch, the rest have perished. Making Duryodhana and his
hostility (towards the Pandavas) the cause, the world, it seems, hath
been destroyed, O bull of Bharata's race, by Time.'"
Vaishampayana continued, "Hearing these cruel words, Dhritarashtra, that
ruler of men, fell down, O monarch, on the earth, deprived of his senses.
As soon as the king fell down, Vidura also, of great fame, O monarch,
afflicted with sorrow on account of the king's distress, fell down on the
earth. Gandhari also, O best of kings, and all the Kuru ladies, suddenly
fell down on the ground, hearing those cruel words. That entire conclave
of royal persons remained lying on the ground, deprived of their senses
and raving deliriously, like figures painted on a large piece of canvas.
Then king Dhritarashtra, that lord of earth, afflicted with the calamity
represented by the death of his sons, slowly and with difficulty regained
his life-breaths. Having recovered his senses, the king, with trembling
limbs and sorrowful heart, turned his face on every side, and said these
words unto Kshattri (Vidura). 'O learned Kshattri, O you of great
wisdom, thou, O bull of Bharata's race, are now my refuge. I am lordless
and destitute of all my sons.' Having said this, he once more fell down,
deprived of his senses. Beholding him fallen, all his kinsmen that were
present there sprinkled cold water over him and fanned him with fans.
Comforted after a long while, that lord of earth, afflicted with sorrow
on account of the death of his sons, remained silent, sighing heavily, O
monarch, like a snake put into a jar. Sanjaya also wept aloud, beholding
the king so afflicted. All the ladies too, with Gandhari of great
celebrity, did the same. After a long while, O best of men,
Dhritarashtra, having repeatedly swooned, addressed Vidura, saying, 'Let
all the ladies retire, as also Gandhari of great fame, and all these
friends. My mind hath become greatly unsettled.' Thus addressed, Vidura,
repeatedly trembling, slowly dismissed the ladies, O bull of Bharata's
race. All those ladies retired, O chief of the Bharatas, as also all
those friends, beholding the king deeply afflicted. Then Sanjaya
cheerlessly looked at the king, O scorcher of foes, who, having recovered
his senses, was weeping in great affliction. With joined hands, Vidura
then, in sweet words, comforted that ruler of men who was sighing
incessantly.'"
--------------------END OF PARVA 9 : UPA-PARVA 1 ---------------------
