of all my wishes.  I have listened to Vedic recitations.  I have walked upon the heads of my foes.  My servants have all been wellcherished by me.  I have relieved people in distress.  I dare not, O foremost of regenerate ones, address such humble words to the Pandavas.  I have conquered foreign kingdoms.  I have properly governed my own kingdom.  I have enjoyed diverse kinds of enjoyable articles.  Religion and profit and pleasure I have pursued.  I have paid off my debt to the Pitris and to Kshatriya duty.  Certainly, there is no happiness here.  What becomes of kingdom, and what of good name?  Fame is all that one should acquire here.  That fame can be obtained by battle, and by no other means.  The death that a Kshatriya meets with at home is censurable.  Death on one’s bed at home is highly sinful.  The man who casts away his body in the woods or in battle after having performed sacrifices, obtains great glory.  He is no man who dies miserably weeping in pain, afflicted by disease and decay, in the midst of crying kinsmen.  Abandoning diverse objects of enjoyment, I shall now, by righteous battle, proceed to the regions of Shakra, obtaining the companionship of those that have attained to the highest end.  Without doubt, the habitation of heroes of righteous behaviour, who never retreat from battle, who are gifted with intelligence and devoted to truth, who are performers of sacrifices, and who have been sanctified in the sacrifice of weapons, is in heaven.  The diverse tribes of Apsaras, without doubt, joyfully gaze at such heroes when engaged in battle.  Without doubt, the Pitris behold them worshipped in the assembly of the gods and rejoicing in heaven, in the company of Apsaras.  We will now ascend the path that is trod by the celestials and by heroes unreturning from battle, that path which has been taken by our venerable grandsire, by the preceptor endued with great intelligence, by Jayadratha, by Karna, and by Duhshasana.  Many brave kings, who had exerted themselves vigorously for my sake in this battle, have been slain.  Mangled with arrows and their limbs bathed in blood, they lie now on the bare Earth.  Possessed of great courage and conversant with excellent weapons, those kings, who had, again, performed sacrifices as ordained in the scriptures, having cast off their life breaths in the discharge of their duties, have now become the denizens of Indra’s abode.  They have paved the way (to that blessed region).  That road will once more be difficult in consequence of the crowds of heroes that will hurry along it for reaching that blessed goal.  Remembering with gratitude the feats of those heroes that have died for me, I desire to pay off the debt I owe them, instead of fixing my heart upon kingdom.  If, having caused my friends and brothers and grandsires to be slain, I save my own life, the world will without doubt, censure me.  What kind of sovereignty will that be which I will enjoy, destitute of kinsmen and friends and well-wishers,