SECTION XXI
" Vaisampayana said, 'Upon the retirement of the chief of the Kurus into
the forest, the Pandavas, O king, afflicted besides by grief on account
of their mother, became very cheerless. The citizens also of Hastinapura
were possessed by deep sorrow. The Brahmanas always talked of the old
king. 'How, indeed, will the king, who has become old, live in the
solitary woods? How will the highly blessed Gandhari, and Pritha, the
daughter of Kuntibhoja, live there? The royal sage has always lived in
the enjoyment of every comfort. He will certainly be very miserable.
Arrived in deep woods, what is now the condition of that personage of
royal descent, who is, again, bereft of vision? Difficult is the feat
that Kunti has achieved by separating herself from her sons. Alas casting
off kingly prosperity, she chose a life in the woods. What, again, is the
condition of Vidura who is always devoted to the service of his elder
brother? How also is the intelligent son of Gavalgani who is so faithful
to the food given him by his master? Verily, the citizens, including
those of even nonage meeting together, asked one another these questions.
The Pandavas also, exceedingly afflicted with grief, sorrowed for their
old mother, and could not live in their city long, Thinking also of their
old sire, the king, who had lost all his children, and the highly blessed
Gandhari, and Vidura of great intelligence, they failed to enjoy peace of
mind. They had no pleasure in sovereignty, nor in women, nor in the study
of the Vedas. Despair penetrated their souls as they thought of the old
king and as they repeatedly reflected on that terrible slaughter of
kinsmen. Indeed, thinking of the slaughter of the youthful Abhimanyu on
the field of battle, of the mighty-armed Karna who never retreated from
the fray, of the sons of Draupadi, and of other friends of theirs, those
heroes became exceedingly cheerless. They failed to obtain peace or mind
upon repeatedly reflecting that the Earth had become divested of both her
heroes and her wealth. Draupadi had lost all her children, and the
beautiful Subhadra also had become childless. They too were of cheerless
hearts and grieved exceedingly. Beholding, however, the son of Virata's
daughter, viz., thy sire Parikshit, thy grandsires somehow held their
life-breaths.'
