नारायणं नमस्कृत्य नरं चैव नरोत्तमम्। देवी सरस्वतीं व्यासं ततो जयमुदीरयेत्॥
Having saluted the Supreme Deity (Narayana) and the highest of all the male beings (Nara) and also the Goddess of Learning (Sarasvati), let us cry success!
वैशम्पायन उवाच ततो द्रोणे हते राजन् दुर्योधनमुखा नृपाः। भृशमुद्विग्नमनसो द्रोणपुत्रमुपागमन्॥
Vaishampayana said O king, after Drona had been killed, the monarchs headed by Duryodhana, with greatly anxious hearts, all went to the son of Drona.
ते द्रोणमनुशोचन्तः कश्मलाभिहतौजसः। पर्युपासन्त शोकार्तास्ततः शारद्वतीसुतम्॥
Thereupon mourning for the death of Drona, they (the kings) being highly oppressed with grief and deprived of energy on account of their gloominess of mind sat around the son of Sharadvata.
ते मुहूर्त समाश्वस्य हेतुभिः शास्त्रसम्मितैः। रात्र्यागमे महीपालाः स्वानि वेश्मानि भेजिरे॥
Then having comforted him for a short while by citing reasons arrived at in the Shastras, the rulers of the earth departed to their respective abodes on the advent of the night.
ते वेश्मस्वपि कौरव्य पृथ्वीशानाप्नुवन् सुखम्। चिन्तयन्तः क्षयं तीवं दुःखशोकसमन्विताः॥
O descendant of the Kuru race, the lords of the earth could not enjoy pleasure while resting in their own abodes; and they could not obtain sleep, thinking of that immense massacre.
विशेषत: सूतपुत्रो राजा चैव सुयोधनः। दुःशासनश्च शकुनिः सौबलश्च महाबलः॥
Especially the son of Suta, king Suyodhana, Dushasana and Shakuni could not at all sleep.
दुःशासनश्च निशां तां तु दुर्योधननिवेशने। चिन्तयन्तः परिक्लेशान् पाण्डवानां महात्मनाम्॥
And they passed together that night in the abode of Duryodhana, whilst they were seriously thinking of the grief's with which the lofty-minded Pandavas were afflicted.
यत् तद्यूते परिविष्टा कृष्णा चानायिता सभाम्। तत् स्मरन्तोऽनुशोचन्तो भृशमुद्विग्नचेतसः॥
Recollecting these, viz. that they (the Pandavas) were greatly oppressed during the game at dice and also that Krishna (Draupadi) was (forcibly) brought to the assembly (of kings), they greatly regretted, with hearts filled with anxiety.
तथा तु संचिन्तयतां तान् केशान् द्यूतकारितान्। दुःखेन क्षणदा राजन् जगामाब्दशतोपमा॥
Thus reflecting upon those miseries resulting from the gambling match, (which the Pandavas had become subject to), their night had passed away with great uneasiness, which (night), O king, seemed to be (so long as) a hundred years.
ततः प्रभाते विमले स्थिता दिष्टस्य शासने। चक्रुरावश्यकं सर्वे विधिद्दष्टेन कर्मणा॥
Thereupon at the break of day they, being obedient to the injunctions of ordinance, all performed the necessary ceremonies, prescribed by the established usage.
कृत्वावश्यकार्याणि समाश्वस्य च भारत। योगमाज्ञापयामासुयुद्धाय च विनिर्ययुः॥ ते
Having finished all the necessary ceremonies and consoled themselves, they, O Bharata, ordered for the array of soldiers and then started for battle.
कर्णं सेनापतिं कृत्वा कृतकौतुकमङ्गलाः। पूजायित्वा द्विजश्रेष्ठान् दधिपात्रघृताक्षतैः॥ गोभिरश्चैश्च निष्कैश्च वासोभिश्च महाधनैः। वन्धमाना जयाशीर्भिः सूतमागधवन्दिभिः॥
After having made Karna their generalissimo with the due performance of the most auspicious rites (by tying a thread round his wrist) and having adored the foremost of the regenerate persons by offerings of vessels of curds, clarified butter and vessels, filled with corn and other auspicious articles, as well as by presents of gold-coins, kine and gems, valuable cloths and immense wealth and also having been praised by the charioteers and panegyrists, born in the country of Magadha, (the Magadha-panegyrists are the mixed tribes born of a Kshatriya mother and a Brahmana father), with hymns about victory.
तथैव पाण्डवा राजन् कृतपूर्वाह्निकक्रियाः। शिबिरान्निर्ययुस्तूर्णं युद्धाय कृतनिश्चयाः॥
O monarch, the Pandavas on the other hand, having similarly performed the morning ceremonies, came out of their tents; and O king, they were resolved upon the battle.
ततः प्रववृते युद्धं तुमुलं लोमहर्षणम्। कुरूणां पाण्डवानां च परस्परजयैषिणाम्॥
Thereupon the formidable battle began, which caused the hair of the body stand erect, between the Kurus and the Pandavas, each party being desirous of vanquishing the other.
तयोर्दी दिवसो युद्धं कुरुपाण्डवसेनयोः। कर्णे सेनापतौ राजन् बभूवाद्भुतदर्शनम्॥
O monarch, the most formidable battle, betwcen the troops of the Kurus and those of the Pandavas, lasted only for two days during the leadership of Karna.
ततः शत्रुक्ष्यं कृत्वा समुहान्तं रणे वृषः। पश्वतां धार्तराष्ट्राणां फाल्गुनेन निपातितः॥
Thereupon Vrisha (Karna), having brought about an immense slaughter of the opponents in battle, was himself slain by Falguna (Arjuna), whilst the sons of Dhartarashtra were observing it.
ततस्तु संजयः सर्वे गत्वा नागपुरं द्रुतम्। आचष्ट धृतराष्ट्राय यद् वृत्तं कुरुजाङ्गले॥
Thereafter Sanjaya departed towards the city of Hastinapur and told all to Dhritarashtra, that had taken place at Kurujangala.
जनमेजय उवाच आपगेयं हतं श्रुत्वा द्रोणं चापि महारथम्। आजगाम परामार्तिं वृद्धो राजाऽम्बिकासुतः॥
Janamejaya said Having heard that both Bhishma and the car-warrior Drona of indomitable courage were slain (in the battle), the old king (Dhritarashtra) the son of Ambika, was highly oppressed with sorrow.
स श्रुत्वा निहतं कर्णं दुर्योधनहितैषिणम्। कथं द्विजवर प्राणानधारयत दुःखितः॥
Having heard of the death of Karna the benefactor of Duryodhana, how could he, O best of the regenerate persons, hold his life, much aggrieved as he was?
यस्मिञ्जयाशां पुत्राणां सममन्यत पार्थिवाः। तस्मिन् हते स कौरव्यः कथं प्राणानधारयत्॥
How could that royal descendant of Kuru hold his life, after having heard of the fall of that hero, on whom he supposed the hope of his sons' victory to rest?
दुर्मरं तदहं मन्ये नृणां कृच्छ्रेऽपि वर्तताम्। यत्र कर्णं हतं श्रुत्वा नात्यजजीवितं नृपः॥
I suppose that men, falling in the most distressful circumstances, find greatest difficulty in yielding up their lives; for, the king, even after hearing of the death of Karna, could not (possibly) forsake his life.
तथा शान्तनवं वृद्धं ब्रह्मन् बाह्रीकमेव च। द्रोण च सोमदत्तं च भूरिश्रवसमेव च॥ तथैव चान्यान् सुहृदः पुत्रान् पौत्रांच पातितान्। श्रुत्वा यन्नाजहात् प्राणां स्तन्मन्ये दुष्करं द्विज॥
As, O twice-born one, having heard of the fall of the old son of Shantanu, of Balhika, of Drona, of Somadatta, of Bhurisravas, as well as of other friends, of his sons and grandsons, the king did not give up his life; so, I suppose, that to yield up one's life is, O regenerate person, highly difficult.
एतन्मे सर्वमाचक्ष्व विस्तरेण महामुने। न हि तृप्यामि पूर्वेषां शृण्वानश्चरितं महत्॥
Relate to me all these in their entirety, as they had really taken place. I am not (at all) satisfied with (simply) hearing the mighty achievements of my forefathers.