“Dhritarashtra said, ’Hearing, O Sanjaya, of the slaughter of the son (Abhimanyu), yet in his minority, of that lion among men, (viz., Arjuna), my heart seems to break into pieces.  Cruel, indeed, are the duties of Kshatriyas as laid down by the legislators, in as much as brave men, desirous of sovereignty scrupled not to shoot their weapons at even a child.  O son of Gavalgana, tell me how so many warriors, accomplished in arms, slew that child who, though brought up in luxury, yet careered over the field so fearlessly.  Tell me, O Sanjaya, how our warriors behaved in battle with Subhadra’s son immeasurable energy who had penetrated into our car-array.’

“Sanjaya said, ’That which thou askest me, O king, viz., the slaughter of Subhadra’s son, I will describe to thee in detail.  Listen, O monarch, with attention.  I shall relate to thee how that youth, having penetrated into our ranks, played with his weapons, and how the irresistible heroes of thy army, all inspired by hope of victory, were afflicted by him.  Like the denizens of a forest abounding with plants and herbs and trees, when surrounded on all sides by a forest conflagration, the warriors of thy army were all filled with fear.’”

SECTION XXXII

“Sanjaya said, ’Of fierce deeds in battle and above all fatigue, as proved by their feats, five sons of Pandu, with Krishna, are incapable of being resisted by the very gods.  In righteousness, in deeds, in lineage, in intelligence, in achievements, in fame, in prosperity, there never was, and there never will be, another man so endued as Yudhishthira.  Devoted to truth and righteousness, and with passions under control, king Yudhishthira, in consequence of his worship of the Brahmans and, diverse other virtues of similar nature, is always in the enjoyment of Heaven.  The Destroyer himself at the end of the Yuga, Jamadagni’s valiant son (Rama), and Bhimasena on his car,—­these three, O king, are spoken of as equal.  Of Partha, the wielder of Gandiva, who always achieveth his vows in battle, I do not see a proper parallel on earth.  Reverence for superiors, keeping counsels, humility, self-restraint, beauty of person, and bravery—­these six—­are ever present in Nakula.  In knowledge of scriptures, gravity, sweetness of temper, righteousness and prowess, the heroic Sahadeva is equal to the Aswins themselves.  All those noble qualities that are in Krishna, all those that are in the Pandavas, all that assemblage of qualities was to be found in Abhimanyu alone.  In firmness, he was equal to Yudhishthira, and in conduct to Krishna; in feats, he was the equal to Bhimasena of terrible deeds, in beauty of person, in prowess, and in knowledge of scriptures he was the equal to Dhananjaya.  In humility, he was equal to Sahadeva and Nakula.’

“Dhritarashtra said, ’I desire, O Suta, to hear in detail, how the invincible Abhimanyu, the son of Subhadra, hath been slain on the field of battle.’