Janamejaya said, “Having heard of the fall of Bhishma and that other mighty car-warrior, Drona, the old king Dhritarashtra the son of Ambika had been afflicted with great grief.  How, O foremost of brahmanas, could he, plunged into grief, support his life having heard of the death of Karna, that well-wisher of Duryodhana?  How indeed, could that descendant of Kuru support his life when he, upon whom that monarch had rested the hope of his sons’ victory, had fallen?  When the king did not lay down his life even after hearing of Karna’s death, I think that it is very difficult for men to yield up life even under circumstances of great grief!  O brahmana, when the king did not yield up his life after hearing of the fall of the venerable son of Shantanu, of Bahlika and Drona and Somadatta and Bhurishrava, as also other friends and his sons and grandsons, I think, O regenerate one, that the act of yielding up one’s life is exceedingly difficult!  Tell me all these in detail and as they actually happened!  I am not satiated with hearing the high achievements of my ancestors!”

2

Vaishampayana said, “Upon the fall of Karna, O monarch, the son of Gavalgana, with a cheerless heart, set out that night for Nagapura, on steeds that rivalled the wind in speed.  Arrived at Hastinapura, with a heart filled with deep anxiety, he proceeded to Dhritarashtra’s abode which no longer teemed with kinsmen and friends.  Beholding the king deprived of all energy by grief, joining his hands he worshipped, with a bend of his head, the monarch’s feet.  Having duly worshipped king Dhritarashtra, he uttered an exclamation of woe and then began, ’I am Sanjaya, O lord of Earth!  Art thou not happy?  I hope thou art not stupefied, having through thy own faults fallen into such distress?  Counsels for thy good had been uttered by Vidura and Ganga’s son and Keshava.  I hope thou feelest no pain now, remembering thy rejection of those counsels?  Counsels for thy good had also been uttered in the assembly by Rama and Narada and Kanwa and others.  I hope thou feelest no pain now, remembering their rejection by thee?  I hope thou feelest no pain, remembering the slaughter in battle, by the foe, of Bhishma and Drona and others, those friends that were ever engaged in thy good?’ Unto the Suta’s son who with joined hands was telling him so, the monarch afflicted with grief and drawing a long and hot breath, said these words.

“Dhritarashtra said, ’Hearing, O Sanjaya, of the fall of the heroic son of Ganga, that warrior of all celestial weapons, as also of the fall of that foremost of all bowmen, Drona, my heart feeleth great pain!  That hero endued with great energy and born of the Vasus themselves, who slew every day 10,000 car-warriors clad in mail, that high-souled one unto whom Bhrigu’s son had given the highest weapons, that warrior who in his childhood had been trained in the science of the bow by Rama, alas, even he hath been slain by Yajnasena’s son Shikhandi protected