“’Yudhishthira answered, “This act, O Krishna, done from wrath, of Vrikodara’s touching the head of the king with his foot, is not agreeable to me, nor am I glad at this extermination of my race!  By guile were we always deceived by the sons of Dhritarashtra!  Many were the cruel words they spoke to us.  We were again exiled into the woods by them.  Great is the grief on account of all those acts that is in Bhimasena’s heart!  Reflecting on all this, O thou of Vrishni’s race, I looked on with indifference!  Having slain the covetous Duryodhana bereft of wisdom and enslaved by his passions, let the son of Pandu gratify his desire, be it righteousness or unrighteousness!”

“Sanjaya continued, ’After Yudhishthira had said this, Vasudeva, that perpetuator of Yadu’s race, said with difficulty, “Let it be so!” Indeed, after Vasudeva had been addressed in those words by Yudhishthira, the former, who, always wished what was agreeable to and beneficial for Bhima, approved all those acts that Bhima had done in battle.  Having struck down thy son in battle, the wrathful Bhimasena, his heart filled with joy, stood with joined hands before Yudhishthira and saluted him in proper form.  With eyes expanded in delight and proud of the victory he had won, Vrikodara of great energy, O king, addressed his eldest brother, saying, “The Earth is today thine, O king, without brawls to disturb her and with all her thorns removed!  Rule over her, O monarch, and observe the duties of thy order!  He who was the cause of these hostilities and who fomented them by means of his guile, that wretched wight fond of deception, lieth, struck down, on the bare ground, O lord of earth!  All these wretches headed by Duhshasana, who used to utter cruel words, as also those other foes of thine, the son of Radha, and Shakuni, have been slain!  Teeming with all kinds of gems, the Earth, with her forests and mountains, O monarch, once more cometh to thee that hast no foes alive!”

“’Yudhishthira said, “Hostilities have come to an end!  King Suyodhana hath been struck down!  The earth hath been conquered (by us), ourselves having acted according to the counsels of Krishna!  By good luck, thou hast paid off thy debt to thy mother and to thy wrath!  By good luck, thou hast been victorious, O invincible hero, and by good luck, thy foe hath been slain!"’”

61

“Dhritarashtra said, ’Beholding Duryodhana struck down in battle by Bhimasena, what, O Sanjaya, did the Pandavas and the Srinjayas do?’

“Sanjaya said, ’Beholding Duryodhana slain by Bhimasena in battle, O king, like a wild elephant slain by a lion, the Pandavas with Krishna became filled with delight.  The Pancalas and the Srinjayas also, upon the fall of the Kuru king, waved their upper garments (in the air) and uttered leonine roars.  The very Earth seemed to be unable to bear those rejoicing warriors.  Some stretched their bows; others drew their bowstrings.  Some blew their huge conchs;