curses on him which the latter returned.  Pandava then deprived the mighty warrior-in-chariot Aswatthaman, of the jewel on his head, and became exceedingly glad, and, boastful of their success, made a present of it to the sorrowing Draupadi.  Thus the tenth Parva, called Sauptika, is recited.  The great Vyasa hath composed this in eighteen sections.  The number of slokas also composed (in this) by the great reciter of sacred truths is eight hundred and seventy.  In this Parva has been put together by the great Rishi the two Parvas called Sauptika and Aishika.

“After this hath been recited the highly pathetic Parva called Stri, Dhritarashtra of prophetic eye, afflicted at the death of his children, and moved by enmity towards Bhima, broke into pieces a statue of hard iron deftly placed before him by Krishna (as substitute of Bhima).  Then Vidura, removing the distressed Dhritarashtra’s affection for worldly things by reasons pointing to final release, consoled that wise monarch.  Then hath been described the wending of the distressed Dhritarashtra accompanied by the ladies of his house to the field of battle of the Kauravas.  Here follow the pathetic wailings of the wives of the slain heroes.  Then the wrath of Gandhari and Dhritarashtra and their loss of consciousness.  Then the Kshatriya ladies saw those heroes,—­their unreturning sons, brothers, and fathers,—­lying dead on the field.  Then the pacification by Krishna of the wrath of Gandhari distressed at the death of her sons and grandsons.  Then the cremation of the bodies of the deceased Rajas with due rites by that monarch (Yudhishthira) of great wisdom and the foremost also of all virtuous men.  Then upon the presentation of water of the manes of the deceased princes having commenced, the story of Kunti’s acknowledgment of Karna as her son born in secret.  Those have all been described by the great Rishi Vyasa in the highly pathetic eleventh Parva.  Its perusal moveth every feeling heart with sorrow and even draweth tears from the eyes.  The number of sections composed is twenty-seven.  The number of slokas is seven hundred and seventy-five.

“Twelfth in number cometh the Santi Parva, which increaseth the understanding and in which is related the despondency of Yudhishthira on his having slain his fathers, brothers, sons, maternal uncles and matrimonial relations.  In this Parva is described how from his bed of arrows Bhishma expounded various systems of duties worth the study of kings desirous of knowledge; this Parva expounded the duties relative to emergencies, with full indications of time and reasons.  By understanding these, a person attaineth to consummate knowledge.  The mysteries also of final emancipation have been expatiated upon.  This is the twelfth Parva the favourite of the wise.  It consists of three hundred and thirty-nine sections, and contains fourteen thousand, seven hundred and thirty-two slokas.