hearing of the death in battle of her unretreating son, will, afflicted with sorrow, cast away her life.  What will Subhadra missing Abhimanyu, say unto me?  What also will Draupadi say unto me?  Afflicted with grief as they are, what also shall I say unto them?  Without doubt, my heart is made of the essence of the thunder, since it breaketh not in a thousand fragments at the sight of my weeping daughter-in-law, pierced with grief.  The leonine shouts of the Dhritarashtras swelling with pride did, indeed, enter my ears.  Krishna also heard Yuyutsu, censuring the heroes (of the Dhritarashtra army in these words):  ’Ye mighty car-warriors, having been unable to vanquish Vibhatsu, and having slain only a child, why do ye rejoice?  Why, having done what is disagreeable to those two, viz., Kesava and Arjuna, in battle, why do you in joy roar like lions, when truly the hour for sorrow is come?  The fruits of this sinful deed of Yours will soon overtake you.  Heinous is the crime perpetrated by you.  How long will it not bear its fruits?’ Rebuking them in these words, the high-souled son of Dhritarashtra by his Vaisya wife, went away, casting off his weapons afflicted with rage and grief.  O Krishna, why did you not tell me all this during the battle?  I would then have consumed all those car-warriors of cruel hearts.’

“Sanjaya continued, ’Then Vasudeva, consoling Partha who was afflicted with grief on account of his son, who was exceedingly anxious, whose eyes were bathed in tears, and who was, in fact, overwhelmed with this sorrow caused by the slaughter of his child, said unto him, ’Do not yield so to grief.  This is the way of all brave, unretreating heroes, especially of Kshatriyas, whose profession is battle.  O foremost of intelligent men, even this is the goal ordained by the authors of our scriptures for unretreating heroes engaged in battle.  Death is certain for heroes that do not retreat.  There is no doubt that Abhimanyu hath ascended to those regions that are reserved for persons of righteous acts.  O bull of Bharata’s race, even this is coveted by all that are brave, viz., that they may die in battle, facing their foes.  As regards Abhimanyu, he having slain in battle many heroic and mighty princes, hath met with that death in the face of battle which is coveted by heroes.  Do not grieve, O tiger among men I The legislators of old have declared this to be the eternal merit of the Kshatriyas, viz., their death in battle.  O best of the Bharatas, these brothers of thine are all exceedingly cheerless, as also the king, and these thy friends, seeing thee plunged in grief.  O giver of honours, comfort them in consoling words.  That which should be is known to thee.  It behoveth thee not to grieve.’  Thus comforted by Krishna of wonderful deeds, Partha then said these words unto all his brothers, with voice choked with sorrow:  ’O lord of the earth, I desire to hear how the mighty-armed Abhimanyu, how that hero of large eyes, resembling lotus-petals,