संजय उवाच वार्तिकाणां सकाशात् तु श्रुत्वा दुर्योधनं हतम्। हतशिष्टास्ततो राजन् कौरवाणां महारथाः॥ विनिर्भिन्नाः शितैर्बाणैर्गदातोमरशक्तिभिः। अश्वत्थामा कृपश्चैव कृतवर्मा च सात्वतः॥ त्वरिता जवनैरश्वैरायोधनमुपागमन्। तत्रापश्यन् महात्मानं धार्तराष्ट्र निपातितम्॥ प्रभग्नं वायुवेगेन महाशालं यथा वने। भूमौ विचेष्टमानं तं रुधिरेण समुक्षितम्॥ महागजमिवारण्ये व्याधेन विनिपातितम्। विवर्तमानं वहुशो रुधिरौधपरिप्लुतम्॥
Sanjaya said “Having heard of Duryodhana's fall from the messengers, those powerful car-warriors, the remnant of the Kaurava arıny greatly wounded with keen arrows and maces and lances and darts-those three, viz.. Ashvathaman and Kripa and Kritavarman of the Satwata race, riding at breakneck pace on their swift chargers came to the field of battle. They saw there the high-souled son of Dhritarashtra lying low on the ground, like a gigantic Shala tree laid low in the forest by a storm. They saw him suffering on the mother Earth and covered with blood like a powerful elephant in the forest laid low by a hunter. They saw him suffering and bleeding profusely.
यदृच्छया निपतितं चक्रमादित्यगोचरम्। महावातसमुत्थेन संशुष्कमिव सागरम्॥ पूर्णचन्द्रमिव व्योम्नि तुषारावृतमण्डलम्। रेणु ध्वस्तं दीर्घभुजं मातङ्गमिव विक्रमे॥
Indeed, they saw him lying on the ground like the Sun dropped on the Earth or like the Occan dried by a mighty wind, or like the Full Moon in the sky with his disc covered with fog. Like an elephant in prowess and possessing long arms, the king lay on the Earth, covered with dust.
वृतं भूतगणैोरैः क्रव्यादैश्च समन्ततः। यथा धनं लिप्समानैर्भूत्यैर्नृपतिसत्तमम्॥
Around hiin were many terrible creatures and carnivorous animals, like satellites sceking wealth around a king in state.
भृकुटीकृतवक्त्रान्तं क्रोधादुवृत्तचक्षुषम्। सामर्षं तं नरव्याघ्रं व्याघ्रं निपतितं यथा।॥
His forehead was contracted into furrows of rage and his eyes were rolling in anger. They saw the king, that foremost of men, full of rage, like a tiger struck down (by hunters).
ते तं दृष्ट्वा महेष्वासं भूतले पतितं नृपम्। मोहमभ्यागमन् सर्वे कृपप्रभृतयो रथाः।। १० ।
Seeing the king laid low on the Earth, those great bow-inen, viz., Kripa and others became stupefied.
अवतीर्य रथेभ्यश्च प्राद्रवन् राजसंनिधौ। दुर्योधनं च सम्प्रेक्ष्य सर्वे भीमावुपाविशन्॥
Getting down from their cars, they ran towards the king. Seeing Duryodhana, all of them sat on the Earth around him.
ततो द्रौणिर्महाराज बाष्पपूर्णेक्षणः श्वसन्। उवाच भरतश्रेष्ठं सर्वलोकेश्वरेश्वरम्॥
Then Drona's son, O king, with eyes full of tears and sighting like a snake, said these words to that chief of Bharata's race, that foremost of all the kings on Earth.
न नूनं विद्यते सत्यं मानुषे किंचिदेव हि। यत्र त्वं पुरुषव्याघ्र शेषे पांसुषु रूषितः॥
Forsooth, there is nothing permanent in the world of men, since you, O foremost of men, lic on the mother Earth covered with dust.
भूत्वा हि नृपतिः पूर्वं समाज्ञाप्य च मेदिनीम्। कथमेकोऽद्य राजेन्द्र तिष्ठसे निर्जने वने।॥
You were a king who had issued your commands to all the world! Why then, O foremost of kings, do you lie alone on the bare ground?
दुःशासनं न पश्यामि नापि कर्णं महारथम्। नापि तान् सुहृदः सर्वान् किमिदं भरतर्षभ॥
I do not see Dussasana by you, nor the great car-warrior Karna, nor those hundreds of your friends. What is this, O foremost of men?
दुःखं नूनं कृतान्तस्य गतिं ज्ञातुं कथंचन। लोकानां च भवान् यत्र शेषे पांसुषु रूषितः॥
Forsooth, it is difficult to learn the ways of Yama, since you, O lord of all the world, thus lie on the bare ground covered with dust.
एष मूर्धाभिषिक्तानामग्रे गत्वा परंतपः। सतृणं ग्रसते पांसुं पश्य कालस्य पर्ययम्॥
Alas, this destroyer of foes used to trample at the head of all Kshatriyas that had their locks sprinkled with holy water at the time of coronation. Alas, he now eats the dust. Witness the reverses of fortune that time brings.
क्व ते तदमलं छत्रं व्यजनं क्व च पार्थिव। सा च ते महतीं सेनां क्व गता पार्थिवोत्तमा॥
Where is that pure white umbrella of yours? Where is that fanning yak-tail also, O king? Where is that vast army of yours now gone, O best of kings?
दुर्विज्ञेया गतिर्नूनं कार्याणां कारणान्तरे। यद् वै लोकगुरुर्भूत्वा भवानेतां दशां गतः॥
The course of events is, forsooth, a mystery, since you, who were the master of the world, have been reduced to this state.
अध्रुवा सर्वमत्र्येषु श्रीरूपालक्ष्यते भृशम्। भवतो व्यसनं दृष्ट्वा शक्रविस्पर्धिनो भृशम्॥
Forsooth, the prosperity of all mortals is very unstable, since you, who were equal unto Shakra himself, have now been reduced to such a miserable condition.'
तस्य तद् वचनं श्रुत्वा दुःखितस्य विशेषतः। उवाच राजन् पुत्रस्ते प्राप्तकालमिदं वचः॥
Hearing these words of Ashvatthaman your son answered himn in words that were suited to the occasion.
विमृज्य नेत्रे पाणिभ्यां शोकजं वाष्पमुत्सृजन्। कृपादीन् स तदा वीरान् सर्वानेव नराधिपः॥ ईदृशो लोकधर्मोऽयं धात्रा निर्दिष्ट उच्यते। विनाशः सर्वभूतानां कालपर्यायमागतः॥
He wiped his eyes with his hands and shed tears of grief again. The king then addressed all those heroes headed by Kripa and said *Subjection to death has been ordained by the Creator himself. Death comes to all in course of Time.
सोऽयं मां समनुप्राप्तः प्रत्यक्षं भवतां हि यः। पृथिवीं पालयित्वाऽहमेतां निष्ठामुपागतः॥
That death has now come to me, before you all. I, who governed the whole Earth, I have now been reduced to this miserable state.
दिष्ट्या नाहं परावृत्तो युद्धे कस्यांचिदापदि। दिष्ट्याहं निहतः पापैश्छलनैव विशेषतः॥
By good luck, I never turned back from battle, whatever misfortunes over-took me. By good luck, I have been killed by those sinful men, by the help of deceptive means.
उत्साहश्च कृतो नित्यं मया दिष्ट्या युयुत्सता। दिष्ट्या चास्मिन् हतो युद्धे निहतज्ञातिबान्धवः॥
By good luck, while engaged in hostilities, I always showed courage and perseverance. By good luck, I am killed in battle, along with all my relatives and friends.
दिष्ट्या च वोऽहं पश्यामि मुक्तानस्माजनक्षयात्। स्वस्तियुक्तांश्च कल्यांश्च तन्मे प्रियमनुत्तमम्॥
By good luck, I see you escaped alive from this great destruction, and are safe and sound! This is highly pleasing to me!
मा भवन्तो तप्यन्तां सौहृदानिधनेन मे। यदि वेदाः प्रमाणं वो जिता लोका मयाक्षयाः॥
Do not, from love grieve for me death! If the Vedas are in any way authoritative, I have certainly acquired many eternal regions!
मन्यमानः प्रभावं च कृष्णस्यामिततेजसः। तेन न च्यावितश्चाहं क्षत्रधर्मात् स्वनुष्ठितात्॥
I am not ignorant of the glory of Krishna. He had not made me disregard the Kshatriya duties!
स मया समनुप्राप्तो नास्मि शोच्यः कथंचन। कृतं भवद्भिः सदृशमनुरूपमिवात्मनः॥ यतितं विजये नित्यं दैवं तु दुरतिक्रमम्। एतावदुक्त्वा वचनं वाष्पव्याकुललोचनः॥
I have obtained him! No one should grieve for me. You have done what persons like you should do. You have always tried for my success. Destiny, however, is incapable of being defeated.'-Having said all this the king, with eyes bathed in tears, became silent, O king, agitated as he was with pain.
तूष्णीं बभूव राजेन्द्र रुजासौ विह्वलो भृशम्। तथा दृष्ट्वा तु राजानं बाष्पशोकसमन्वितम्॥ द्रौणिः क्रोधेन जज्वाल यथा वह्निर्जगत्क्षये।
Seeing the king in tear and grief, Drona's son burned in anger like the fire at the universal dissolution.
सच क्रोधसमाविष्टः पाणौ पाणिं निपीड्य च॥ बाष्पविह्वलया वाचा राजानमिदमब्रवीत्। पिता मे निहतः क्षुद्रैः सुनृशंसेन कर्मणा॥ न तथा तेन तप्यामि यथा राजंस्त्वयाऽद्य वै। शृणु चेदं वचो मह्यं सत्येन वदतः प्रभो॥ इष्टापूर्तेन दानेन धर्मेण सुकृतेन च।
Beside himself with anger he squeezed his hands, and addressing the king in a voice choked with tears, he said-'My father was killed by those wretches with a cruel contrivance. That act, however, do not pain me so keenly as this condition to which you have been reduced, O king, Listen to these words of mine which I swear by truth itself, O lord, and by all my acts of piety all my gifts, my religion and the religious merits I have won.
अद्याहं सर्वपञ्चालान् वासुदेवस्य. पश्यतः॥ सर्वोपायैर्हि नेष्यामि प्रेतराजनिवेशनम्। अनुज्ञां तु महाराज भवान् मे दातुमर्हति॥ इति श्रुत्वा तु वचनं द्रोणपुत्रस्य कौरवः। मनसः प्रीतिजननं कृपं वचनमब्रवीत्॥ आचार्य शीघ्रं कलशं जलपूर्ण समानय। स तद् वचनमाज्ञाय राज्ञो ब्राह्मणसत्तमः॥ कलशं पूर्णमादाय राज्ञोऽन्तिकमुपागमत्।
I shall to-day, in the very presence of Vasudeva, dispatch all the Panchalas, by all means in my power, to the abode of Yama. You should O king, grant me permission.'-Hearing these words of Drona's son, that were highly pleasant, the Kuru king addressed Kripa, saying-'O preceptor, bring me soon a pot full of water.' — At these words of the king, that foremost of Brahmanas, soon brought a vessel full of water.
तमब्रवीन्महाराज पुत्रस्तव विशाम्पते॥ ममाज्ञया द्विजश्रेष्ठ द्रोणपुत्रोऽभिषिच्यताम्। सैनापत्येन भद्रं ते मम चेदिच्छसि प्रियम्॥
Your son then, O king, said to Kripa-'Let the son of Drona, O foremost of Brahmanas, blessed by you, if you wish to do me good, be, at my command, appointed as generalissimo.
राज्ञो नियोगाद् योद्धव्यं ब्राह्मणेन विशेषतः। वर्तता क्षत्रधर्मेण ह्येवं धर्मविदो विदुः॥
At the command of the king, even the Brahmana may fight, especially one who leads the life of Kshatriya. Those learned in the scriptures say this.'
राज्ञस्तु वचनं श्रुत्वा कृपः शारद्वतस्तथा। द्रौणि राज्ञो नियोगेन सैनापत्येऽभ्यषेचयत्॥
Hearing these words of the king Kripa, the son of Sharadvat, installed Drona's son as generalissimo, at the mandate of the king.
सोऽभिषिक्तो महाराज परिष्वज्य नृपोत्तमम्। प्रययौ सिंहनादेन दिशः सर्वा विनादयन्॥
After the ceremony, O King, Ashvathaman embraced that best of kings and left the place, having resounded the ten cardinal points with his war-cry.
दुर्योधनोऽपि राजेन्द्र शोणितेन परिप्लुतः। तां निशां प्रतिपेदेऽथ सर्वभूतभयावहाम्॥
That best of kings, viz., Duryodhana, bathed in blood, began to pass there that night so dreadful to all creatures.
अपक्रम्य तु ते तूर्णं तस्मादायोधनानृप। शोकसंविग्नमनसश्चिन्ताध्यानपराऽभवन्॥
Leaving quickly the field of battle, O king, those horses, with hearts shaken by grief, began to think anxiously and earnestly.