SECTION LXI
"Vaisampayana said, 'After the high-souled Vasudeva of great prowess had
finished his narration of the great battle of the Bharatas before his
sire, it was plain that that hero had passed over the slaughter of
Abhimanyu. The motive of the high-souled one was that his sire might not
hear what was highly unpleasant to him. Indeed, the intelligent Krishna
did not wish that his sire Vasudeva should, on hearing the dreadful
intelligence of the death of his daughter's son, be afflicted with sorrow
and grief. (His sister) Subhadra, noticing that the slaughter of her son
had not been mentioned, addressed her brother, saying,--Do thou narrate
the death of my son, O Krishna--and fell down on the earth (in a swoon).
Vasudeva beheld his daughter fallen on the ground. As soon as he saw
this, he also fell down, deprived of his senses by grief. (Regaining his
senses) Vasudeva, afflicted with grief at the death of his daughter's
son, O king, addressed Krishna, saying, 'O lotus-eyed one, thou art famed
on Earth for being truthful in speech. Why, however, O slayer of foes,
dost thou not tell me today of the death of my daughter's son? O puissant
one, tell me in detail of the slaughter of thy sister's son. Possessed of
eyes resembling thine, alas, how was he slain in battle by foes? Since my
heart does not from grief break into a hundred pieces, it seems, O thou
of the Vrishni's race, that it does not die with men when its hour does
not come. Oh, at the time of his fall, what words did he utter;
apostrophising his mother? O lotus-eyed one what did that darling of
mine, possessed of restless eyes, say unto me? I hope he has not been
slain by foes while retreating from battle with his back towards them? I
hope, O Govinda, that, his face did not become cheerless while fighting?
He was possessed, O Krishna, of mighty energy. From a spirit of
boyishness, that puissant hero, boasting (of his prowess) in my presence,
used to speak of his skill (in battle). I hope that boy does not lie on
the field, slain deceitfully by Drona and Karna and Kripa and others? Do
thou tell me this. That son of my daughter always used to challenge
Bhishma and that foremost of all mighty warriors, viz., Karna, in
battle.' Unto his sire who, from excess of grief, indulged in such
lamentations, Govinda, more afflicted than he answered in these words.
'His face did not become cheerless as he fought in the van of battle.
Fierce though that battle was, he did not turn his back upon it. Having
slain hundreds and thousands of kings of Earth, he was brought to grief
by Drona and Karna and at last succumbed to the son of Dussasana. If, O
lord, he had been encountered, one to one, without intermission, he was
incapable of being slain in battle by even the wielder of the
thunderbolt. When his sire Arjuna was withdrawn from the main body by the
Samsaptakas (who challenged to fight him separately), Abhimanyu was
surrounded by the enraged Kaurava heroes headed by Drona in battle. Then,
O sire, after he had slaughtered a very large number of foes in battle,
thy daughter's son at last succumbed to the son of Dussasana. Without
doubt, he has gone to Heaven. Kill this grief of thine, O thou of great
intelligence. They that are of cleansed understandings never languish
when they meet with any calamity. He by whom Drona and Karna and others
were checked in battle,--heroes that were equal to Indra himself in
might--why would not he ascend to Heaven? O irresistible one, do thou
kill this grief of thine. Do not suffer thyself to be swayed by wrath.
That conqueror of hostile cities has attained in that sanctified goal
which depends upon death at the edge of weapons. After the fall of that
hero, this my sister Subhadra stricken with grief, indulged in loud
lamentations, when she saw Kunti, like a female ospray. When she met
Draupadi, she asked her in grief,--O reverend lady, where are all our
sons? I desire to behold them. Hearing her lamentations, all the Kaurava
ladies embraced her and wept sitting around her. Beholding (her
daughter-in-law) Uttara, she said,--'O blessed girl, where has thy
husband gone? When he comes back, do thou, without losing a moment,
apprise me of it. Alas, O daughter of Virata, as soon he heard my voice,
he used to come out of his chamber without the loss of a moment. Why does
not thy husband come out today? Alas, O Abhimanyu, thy maternal
uncles--mighty car-warriors--are all hale. They used to bless thee when
they saw thee come here prepared to go out for battle. Do thou tell me
the incidents of battle today as before, O chastiser of foes. Oh. why
dost thou not answer me today--me who am weeping so bitterly?'--Hearing
these lamentations of this daughter of the Vrishni race, Pritha, deeply
afflicted with grief, addressed her and slowly said,--'O Subhadra, though
protected by Vasudeva and Satyaki and by his own sire, thy youthful son
has yet been slain. That slaughter is due to the influence of Time! O
daughter of Yadu's race, mortal thy son was. Do not grieve. Irresistible
in battle, thy son has, without doubt, attained to the highest goal. Thou
art born in a high race of high-souled Kshatriyas. Do not grieve, O thou
of restless glances, O girl of eyes like lotus-petals. Do thou cast thy
eyes on Uttara who is quick with child. O blessed lady, do not yield to
sorrow. This auspicious girl will soon bring forth a son to that hero.
Having comforted her in this way, Kunti, conversant with every duty, O
perpetuator of Yadu's race, casting off her grief, O irresistible one,
made arrangements for Abhimanyu's obsequial rites, with the acquiescence
of king Yudhishthira and Bhima, and the twins (viz., Nakula and Sahadeva)
who in prowess resembled Yama himself. She also made many presents unto
the Brahmanas, and bestowed upon them many kine, O perpetuator of Yadu's
race, Then the Vrishni dame (Kunti), comforted a little, addressed the
daughter of Virata, saying,--O faultless daughter of Virata, thou
shouldst not indulge in grief. For the sake of thy husband, O thou of
rotund hips, protect the child in thy womb.--Having said these words, O
thou of great splendour, Kunti ceased. With her permission I have brought
Subhadra here. It was even thus, O giver of honours, that thy daughter's
son met with his death. Cast off thy burning grief, O irresistible one.
Indeed, do not set thy heart on sorrow.'
