Upa-Parva:
(78) Sauptika(79) Aishika
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Sauptika Upa-Parva
ॐ Having bowed down unto Narayana, and Nara the most exalted of male
beings, and unto the goddess Sarasvati, must the word Jaya be uttered!
Sanjaya said, "Those heroes then together proceeded towards the south. At
the hour of sunset they reached a spot near the (Kuru) encampment.
Letting their animals loose they became very much frightened. Reaching
then a forest, they secretly entered it. They took up their quarters
there at no great distance from the encampment. Cut and mangled with many
keen weapons, they breathed long and hot sighs, thinking of the Pandavas.
Hearing the loud noise made by the victorious Pandavas, they feared a
pursuit and therefore fled towards the east. Having proceeded for
sometime, their animals became tired and they themselves became thirsty.
Overpowered by wrath and vindictiveness, those great bowmen could not put
up with what had occurred, burning as they did with (grief at) the
slaughter of the king. They however, took rest for a while."
Dhritarashtra said, "The feat, O Sanjaya, that Bhima achieved seems to be
incredible, since my son who was struck down possessed the strength of
10,000 elephants. In manhood's prime and possessed of an adamantine
frame, he was not capable of being slain by any creature! Alas, even that
son of mine was struck down by the Pandavas in battle! Without doubt, O
Sanjaya, my heart is made of adamant, since it breaks not into a 1,000
fragments even after hearing of the slaughter of my hundred sons! Alas,
what will be the plight of myself and my spouse, an old couple destitute
of children! I dare not dwell in the dominions of Pandu's son! Having
been the sire of a king and a king myself, O Sanjaya, how shall I pass my
days as a slave obedient to the commands of Pandu's son! Having laid my
commands over the whole Earth and having stayed over the heads of all, O
Sanjaya, how shall I live now as a slave in wretchedness? How shall I be
able, O Sanjaya, to endure the words of Bhima who hath single-handed
slain a full hundred sons of mine? The words of the high-souled Vidura
have come to be realised! Alas, my son, O Sanjaya, did not listen to
those words! What, however, did Kritavarma and Kripa and Drona's son do
after my son Duryodhana had been unfairly stuck down?"
Sanjaya said, "They had not proceeded far, O king, when they stopped, for
they beheld a dense forest abounding with trees and creepers. Having
rested for a little while, they entered that great forest, proceeding on
their cars drawn by their excellent steeds whose thirst had been
assuaged. That forest abounded with diverse kinds of animals, and it
teemed with various species of birds. And it was covered with many trees
and creepers and was infested by numerous carnivorous creatures. Covered
with many pieces of water and adorned with various kinds of flowers, it
had many lakes overgrown with blue lotuses.
Having entered that dense forest, they cast their eyes about and saw a
gigantic banyan tree with thousands of branches. Repairing to the shade
of that tree, those great car-warriors, O king, those foremost of men,
saw that was the biggest tree in that forest. Alighting from their cars,
and letting loose their animals, they cleansed themselves duly and said
their evening prayers. The Sun then reached the Asta mountains, and
Night, the mother of the universe, came. The firmament, bespangled with
planets and stars, shone like an ornamented piece of brocade and
presented a highly agreeable spectacle. Those creatures that walk the
night began to howl and utter their cries at will, while they that walk
the day owned the influence of sleep. Awful became the noise of the
night-wandering animals. The carnivorous creatures became full of glee,
and the night, as it deepened, became dreadful.
At that hour, filled with grief and sorrow, Kritavarma and Kripa and
Drona's son all sat down together. Seated under that banyan, they began
to give expression to their sorrow in respect of that very matter: the
destruction that had taken place of both the Kurus and the Pandavas.
Heavy with sleep, they laid themselves down on the bare earth. They had
been exceedingly tired and greatly mangled with shafts. The two great
car-warriors, Kripa and Kritavarma, succumbed to sleep. However deserving
of happiness and undeserving of misery, they then lay stretched on the
bare ground. Indeed, O monarch, those two who had always slept on costly
beds now slept, like helpless persons, on the bare ground, afflicted with
toil and grief.
Drona's son, however, O Bharata, yielding to the influence of wrath and
reverence, could not sleep, but continued to breathe like a snake.
Burning with rage, he could not get a wink of slumber. That hero of
mighty arms cast his eyes on every side of that terrible forest. As he
surveyed that forest peopled with diverse kinds of creatures, the great
warrior beheld a large banyan covered with crows. On that banyan
thousands of crows roosted in the night. Each perching separately from
its neighbour, those crows slept at ease, O Kauravya! As, however, those
birds were sleeping securely on every side, Ashvatthama beheld an owl of
terrible aspect suddenly make its appearance there. Of frightful cries
and gigantic body, with green eyes and tawny plumage, its nose was very
large and its talons were long. And the speed with which it came
resembled that of Garuda. Uttering soft cries that winged creature, O
Bharata, secretly approached the branches of that banyan. That ranger of
the sky, that slayer of crows, alighting on one of the branches of the
banyan, slew a large number of his sleeping enemies. He tore the wings of
some and cut off the heads of others with his sharp talons and broke the
legs of many. Endued with great strength, he slew many that fell down
before his eyes. With the limbs and bodies, O monarch, of the slain
crows, the ground covered by the spreading branches of the banyan became
thickly strewn on every side. Having slain those crows, the owl became
filled with delight like a slayer of foes after having behaved towards
his foes according to his pleasure.
Beholding that highly suggestive deed perpetrated in the night by the
owl, Drona's son began to reflect on it, desirous of framing his own
conduct by the light of that example. He said unto himself, "This owl
teaches me a lesson in battle. Bent as I am upon the destruction of the
foe, the time for the deed has come! The victorious Pandavas are
incapable of being slain by me! They are possessed of might, endued with
perseverance, sure of aim, and skilled in smiting. In the presence,
however, of the king I have vowed to slay them. I have thus pledged
myself to a self-destructive act, like an insect essaying to rush into a
blazing fire! If I were to fight fairly with them, I shall, without
doubt, have to lay down my life! By an act of guile, however, success may
yet be mine and a great destruction may overtake my foes! People
generally, as also those versed in the scriptures, always applaud those
means which are certain over those which are uncertain. Whatever of
censure and evil repute this act may provoke ought to be incurred by
person that is observant of kshatriya practices. The Pandavas of
uncleansed souls have, at every step, perpetrated very ugly and
censurable acts that are again fall of guile. As regards this matter,
certain ancient verses, full of truth, are heard, sung by truth-seeing
and righteousness-observing persons, who sang them after a careful
consideration of the demands of justice.
These verses are even these: The enemy's force, even when fatigued, or
wounded with weapons, or employed in eating, or when retiring, or when
resting within their camp, should be smitten. They should be dealt with
in the same way when afflicted with sleep in the dead of night, or when
reft of commanders, or when broken or when under the impression of an
error.'"
Having reflected in this way, the valiant son of Drona formed the
resolution of slaying during the night the slumbering Pandavas and the
Pancalas. Having formed this wicked resolution and pledged himself
repeatedly to its execution, he awoke both his maternal uncle and the
chief of Bhojas. Awakened from sleep, those two illustrious and mighty
persons, Kripa and the Bhoja chief, heard Ashvatthama's scheme. Filled
with shame, both of them abstained from giving a suitable reply.
Having reflected for a short while, Ashvatthama said with tearful eyes,
"King Duryodhana, that one hero of great might, for whose sake we were
waging hostilities with the Pandavas, hath been slain! Deserted and
alone, though he was the lord of eleven akshauhinis of troops, that hero
of unstained prowess hath been struck down by Bhimasena and a large
number of wretches banded together in battle! Another wicked act hath
been perpetrated by the vile Vrikodara, for the latter hath touched with
his foot the head of a person whose coronal locks underwent the sacred
bath! The Pancalas are uttering loud roars and cries and indulging in
loud bursts of laughter. Filled with joy, they are blowing their conchs
and beating their drums! The loud peal of their instruments, mingled with
the blare of conchs, is frightful to the ear and borne by the winds, is
filling all the points of the compass. Loud also is the din made by their
neighing steeds and grunting elephants and roaring warriors! That
deafening noise made by the rejoicing warriors as they are marching to
their quarters, as also the frightful clatter of their car-wheels, comes
to us from the east. So great hath been the havoc made by the Pandavas on
the Dhartarashtras that we three are the only survivors of that great
carnage! Some were endued with the might of a hundred elephants, and some
were masters of all weapons. Yet have they been slain by the sons of
Pandu! I regard this to be an instance of the reverses brought about by
Time! Truly, this is the end to which such an act leads! Truly, although
the Pandavas have achieved such difficult feats, even this should be the
result of those feats! If your wisdom hath not been driven away by
stupefaction, then say what is proper for us to do in view of this
calamitous and grave affair.'"
