श्रीभगवानुवाच उत्तिष्ठोत्तिष्ठ गान्धारि मा च शोके मनः कृथाः। तवैव ह्यपराधेन कुरवो निधनं गताः॥
Krishna said "Arise, arise, O Gandhari, do not grieve. Through your fault, this huge destruction has taken place.
यत् त्वं पुत्रं दुरात्मानमीघुमत्यन्तमानिनम्। दुर्योधनं पुरस्कृत्य दुष्कृतं साधु मन्यसे॥
Your son Duryodhana, was wicked, envious,. and exceedingly arrogant. Praising his wicked acts, you thought them to be good.
निष्ठुरं वैरपुरुषं वृद्धानां शासनातिगम्। कथमात्मकृतं दोषं मय्याधातुमिहेच्छसि॥
Highly ruthless, he was the embodiment of hostilities, and disobedient to the commands of the old. Why do you then attribute your own faults to me?
मृतं वा यदि वा नष्टं योऽतीतमनुशोचति। दुःखेन लभते दुःखं द्वावनौँ प्रपद्यते॥
Dead or lost, the person who grieves for what has already taken place, and suffers great grief. By grieving one increases it twofold.
तपोर्थीयं ब्राह्मणी धत्त गर्भ गौर्वोढारं धावितारं तुरङ्गी। शूद्रा दासं पशुपालं च वैश्या वधार्थीयं त्वद्विधा राजपुत्री॥
A saintly woman bears children for the practice of austerities; the cow brings forth offspring for bearing burden; the mare brings forth her young for acquiring speed of motion; the Shudra woman bears a child for increasing the number of keepers of cattle. A princes, however, like you, brings forth soon for being killed.
वैशम्पायन उवाच तच्छ्रुत्वा वासुदेवस्य पुनरुक्तं वचोऽप्रियम्। तूष्णीं बभूव गान्धारी शोकव्याकुललोचना॥
Vaishampayana said Hearing these words of Vasudeva that were unpleasant to her, Gandhari, with heart stricken greatly with grief, remained silent.
धृतराष्ट्रस्तु राजर्षिर्निगृह्याबुद्धिजं तमः। पर्यपृच्छत धर्मज्ञो धर्मराज युधिष्ठिरम्॥ जीवतां परिमाणज्ञः सैन्यानामसि पाण्डव। हतानां यदि जानीषे परिमाणं वदस्व मे॥
Restraining the grief that originates from folly, the royal sage Dhritarashtra, enquired of Yudhishthira the just, saying,-'If, O son of Pandu, you know it, tell me the number of those that have been killed in this battle, as also of those that have escaped alive.'
युधिष्ठिर उवाच दशायुतानामयुतं सहस्राणि च विंशतिः। कोट्यः षष्टिश्च षट् चैव ह्यस्मिन् राजन् मृधे हताः॥९
Yudhishthira answered One billion six hundred and sixty millions and twenty thousand men have been killed in this battle:
अलक्षितानां वीराणां सहस्राणि चतुर्दशा दश चान्यानि राजेन्द्र शतं षष्टिश्च पञ्च च॥
The number is twenty-four thousand one hundred and sixty five heroes that have escaped.'
धृतराष्ट्र उवाच युधिष्ठिर गतिं कां ते गताः पुरुषसत्तम। आचक्ष्व मे महाबाहो सर्वज्ञो ह्यसि मे मतः॥
Dhritarashtra said Tell me, O mighty-armed one, for you know everything, what ends those foremost of men have attained to.'
युधिष्ठिर उवाच यैर्हतानि शरीराणि हृष्टैः परमसंयुगे। देवराजसमाल्लोकान् गतास्ते सत्यविक्रमः॥
Yudhishthira said Those truly powerful warriors that have cheerfully met with death in fierce battle, have all attained to regions like those of Indra.
ये त्वहृष्टेन मनसा मर्तव्यमिति भारत। युध्यमाना हता: संख्ये गन्धर्वैः सह संगताः॥
Knowing death to be certain, they that have met it cheerlessly, have attained to the region of the Gandharvas.
ये च संग्रामभूमिष्ठा याचमानाः पराङ्मुखाः। शस्त्रेण निधनं प्राप्ता गतास्ते गुह्यकान् प्रति॥
Those warriors that have been killed by weapons, while turning away from the field of begging for quarter, have reached the region of the Guhyakas.
पात्यमानाः परैर्ये तु हीयमाना निरायुधाः। ह्रीनिषेवा महात्मानः परानभिमुखा रणे॥ छिद्यमानाः शितैः शस्त्रैः क्षत्रधर्मपरायणाः। गतास्ते ब्रह्मसदनं न मेऽत्रास्ति विचारणा॥
Those great warriors who, observing the duties of Kshatriyas and regarding flight from battle to be disgraceful, have fallen, wounded with keen weapons, while advancing unarmed against fighting foes, have all assumed bring forms and reached the regions of Brahman!
ये त्वत्र निहता राजन्नन्तरायोधनं प्रति। यथाकथंचित् पुरुषास्ते गतास्तूत्तरान् कुरून्॥
The remaining warriors, that have anyhow been killed on the field of battle, have attained to the region of the Uttara Kuru.'
धृतराष्ट्र उवाच केन ज्ञानबलेनैवं पुत्र पश्यसि सिद्धवत्। तन्मे वद महाबाहो श्रोतव्यं यदि वै मया॥
Dhritarashtra said By what knowledge, O son, you see these things like one crowned with ascetic success? Tell me this, O mighty-armed one, if you think that I can listen to it properly!'
युधिष्ठिर उवाच निदेशाद् भवतः पूर्वं वने विचरता मया। तीर्थयात्राप्रसङ्गेन सम्प्राप्तोऽयमनुग्रहः॥
Yudhishthira said While at your behest I wandered in the foremost, I obtained this boon at the time of sojourning to the sacred places!
देवर्षिर्लोमशो दृष्टस्ततः प्राप्तोऽस्म्यनुस्मृतिम्। दिव्यं चक्षुरपि प्राप्तं ज्ञानयोगेन वै पुरा॥
I met with the celestial Rishi Lomasha and acquired from him the boon of spiritual vision. Again on another occasion I obtained second sight through the power of knowledge!
धृतराष्ट्र उवाच अनाथानां जनानां च सनाथानां च भारत। कचित् तेषां शरीराणि धक्ष्यसे विधिपूर्वकम्॥
Dhritarashtra said It is necessary that our people should burn duly the dead bodies of both who have friends and who have not?
न येषामस्ति संस्कर्ता न च येऽत्राहिताग्नयः। वयं च कस्य कुर्याम बहुत्वात् तात कर्मणाम्॥
What shall we do with those that have none to look after them and that have no sacred fires? We have many duties to perform. Who are those whose (funeral) rites we should perform?
यान् सुपर्णाश्च गृध्राश्च विकर्षन्ति यतस्ततः। तेषां तु कर्मणा लोका भविष्यन्ति युधिष्ठिर॥
O Yudhishthira, will they obtain blissful regions by the merit of their deeds, they whose bodies are now being torn and dragged by vultures and other birds?'
वैशम्पायन उवाच एवमुक्तो महाराज कुन्तीपुत्रो युधिष्ठिरः। आदिदेश सुधर्माणं धौम्यं सूतं च संजयम्॥ विदुरं च महाबुद्धिं युयुत्सुं चैव कौरवम्। इन्द्रसेनमुखांश्चैव भृत्यान् सूतांश्च सर्वशः॥ भवन्तः कारयन्त्वेषां प्रेतकार्याण्यशेषतः। यथा चानाथवत् किंचिच्छरीरं न विनश्यति॥
Vaishampayana said Thus addressed, Kunti's son the highly wise Yudhisthira commanded Sudharman (the priest of the Kauravas), Dhaumya, Sanjaya of the Suta order, Vidura of great wisdom, and Yuyutsu of Kuru's race, and all his servants headed by Indrasena, and all the other Sutas that were with him, saying,—'Cause the funeral rites of the killed, numbering by thousands, to be duly performed, so that so body may die for want of men to take care of them!
शासनाद् धर्मराजस्य क्षत्ता सूतश्च संजयः। सुधर्मा धौम्यसहित इन्द्रसेनादयस्तथा॥ चन्दनागुरुकाष्ठानि तथा कालीयकान्युत। घृतं तैलं च गन्धांश्च क्षौमाणि वसनानि च॥ समाहृत्य महार्हाणि दारूणां चैव संजयान्। रथांश्च मृदितांस्तत्र नानाप्रहरणानि च॥ चिताः कृत्वा प्रयत्नेन यथामुख्यान् नराधिपान्। दाहयामासुरव्यग्राः शास्त्रदृष्टेन कर्मणा॥
Vaishampayana said Thus commanded by king Yudhishthira the just, Vidura, Sanjaya, Sudharman, Dhaumya and Indrasena and others, procuring sandal and other kinds of wood used on such occasions, as also clarified butter and oil and perfumes and rich silken robes and other kinds of cloth, and large heaps of dry wood, and broken car and various kinds of weapons, caused funeral pyres to be duly made and lighted and then without delay burnt duly, the dead bodies of the kings.
दुर्योधनं च राजानं भ्रातृ॑श्चास्य महारथान्। शल्यं शलं च राजानं भूरिश्रवसमेव च॥ जयद्रथं च राजानमभिमन्युं च भारत। दौःशासनि लक्ष्मणं च धृष्टकेतुं च पार्थिवम्॥ बृहन्तं सोमदत्तं च संजयांश्च शताधिकान्। राजानं क्षेमधन्वानं विराटद्रुपदौ तथा॥ शिखण्डिनं च पाञ्चाल्यं धृष्टद्युम्नं च पार्षतम्। युधामन्युं च विक्रान्तमुत्तमौजसमेव च॥ कौसल्यं द्रौपदेयांश्च शकुनि चापि सौबलम्। अचलं वृषकं चैव भगदत्तं च पार्थिवम्॥ कर्णं वैकर्तनं चैव सहपुत्रममर्षणम्। केकयांश्च महेष्वासांस्त्रिगर्ताश्च महारथान्॥ घटोत्कचं राक्षसेन्द्रं बकभ्रातरमेव च। अलम्बुषं राक्षसेन्द्रं जलसन्धं च पार्थिवम्॥ एतांश्चान्यांश्च सुबहून् पार्थिवांश्च सहस्रशः। धृतधाराहुतैर्दीप्तैः पावकैः समदाहयन्॥
They properly burnt upon those fires burning with libations of clarified butter poured in torrents over them, the bodies of Duryodhana and his hundred brothers, of Shalya, and Shala, and king Bhruishravas; of king Jayadratha and Abhimanyu, O Bharata; of Dussasana's son and Lakshmana and king Dhrishtaketu; of Vrihanta and Somadatta and the hundreds of Srinjayas; of king Khemadhanvan and Virata and Drupada; of Shikhandin the prince of Panchalas, and Dhirishtadyumna of Prisata's race; of the valiant Yudhamanyu and Uttamaujas; of the ruler of the Kosalas, the sons of Draupadi, and Shakuni the son of Subala; of Achala and Vrisaka, and king Bhagadatta; of Karna and his son of great wrath; of those great bowmen, viz., the Kekaya princes, and those mighty carwarriors, viz., the Trigartas; of Ghatotkacha the prince of Rakshasas, and the brother of Vaka; of Alamvusha, that best of Rakshasas, and king Jalasandha; and of hundreds and thousands of others kings.
पितृमेधाश्च केषांचित् प्रावर्तन्त महात्मनाम्। सामभिश्चाप्यगायन्त तेऽन्वशोचन्त चापरैः॥
The Pitri-medha rites in honor of some of the great persons who were dead were performed there, while some sang Samans, and some cried for the dead.
साम्नामृचां च नादेन स्त्रीणां च रुदितस्वनैः। कश्मलं सर्वभूतानां निशायां समपद्यत॥
With the loud sound of Samans and Richs, and the cries of the women, all creatures became stupefied that night.
ते विधूमाः प्रदीप्ताश्च दीप्यमानाश्च पावकाः। नभसीवान्वदृश्यन्त ग्रहास्तन्वभ्रसंवृताः॥
The funeral fires, smokeless and burning brightly looked like shining planets in the sky enveloped by clouds.
ये चाप्यनाथास्तत्रासन् नानादेशसमागताः। तांश्च सर्वान् समानाय्य राशीन् कृत्वा सहस्रशः॥४२ चित्वा दारुभिरव्यप्रैः प्रभूतैः स्नेहपाचितैः। दाहयामास तान् सर्वान् विदुरो राजशासनात्॥
Those among the dead that had hailed from various kingdoms and had no friends, were collected together in thousands of heaps and, at the command of Yudhishthira, were caused to be burnt by Vidura with the help a large number of persons acting coolly out of goodwill and affection, on pyres made of dry wood.
कारयित्वा ऋियास्तेषां कुरुराजो युधिष्ठिरः। धृतराष्ट्र पुरस्कृत्य गङ्गामभिमुखोऽगमत्॥
Having performed their last rites, the Kuru king Yudhishthira, placing Dhritarashtra at his head, proceeded towards the river Ganga.