Duryodhana, all of them sat on the earth around him.  Then Drona’s son, O monarch, with tearful eyes and breathing like a snake, said these words unto that chief of Bharata’s race, that foremost of all the kings on earth, “Truly, there is nothing stable in the world of men, since thou, O tiger among men, liest on the bare earth, stained with dust!  Thou wert a king who had laid thy commands on the whole Earth!  Why then, O foremost of monarchs, dost thou lie alone on the bare ground in such a lonely wilderness?  I do not see Duhshasana beside thee, nor the great car-warrior Karna, nor those friends of thine numbering in hundreds!  What is this, O bull among men?  Without doubt, it is difficult to learn the ways of Yama, since thou, O lord of all the worlds, thus liest on the bare ground, stained with dust!  Alas, this scorcher of foes used to walk at the head of all Kshatriyas that had their locks sprinkled with holy water at ceremonies of coronation!  Alas, he now eateth the dust!  Behold the reverses that Time bringeth on its course!  Where is that pure white umbrella of thine?  Where is that fanning yak-tail also, O king?  Where hath that vast army of thine now gone, O best of monarchs?  The course of events is certainly a mystery when causes other than those relied upon are at book, since even thou that wert the master of the world hast been reduced to this plight!  Without doubt, the prosperity of all mortals is very unstable, since thou that wert equal unto Shakra himself hast now been reduced to such a sorry plight!” Hearing these words of the sorrowing Ashvatthama, thy son answered him in these words that were suited to the occasion.  He wiped his eyes with his hands and shed tears of grief anew.  The king then addressed all those heroes headed by Kripa and said, “This liability to death (of all living creatures) is said to have been ordained by the Creator himself.  Death comes to all beings in course of time.  That death hath now come to me, before the eyes of you all!  I who reigned over the whole earth have now been reduced to this plight!  By good luck, I never turned back from battle whatever calamities overtook me.  By good luck, I have been slain by those sinful men, by the aid particularly of deception.  By good luck, while engaged in hostilities, I always displayed courage and perseverance.  By good luck, I am slain in battle, along with all my kinsmen and friends.  By good luck, I behold you escaped with life from this great slaughter, and safe and sound.  This is highly agreeable to me.  Do not, from affection, grieve for my death.  If the Vedas are any authority, I have certainly acquired many eternal regions!  I am not ignorant of the glory of Krishna of immeasurable energy.  He hath not caused me to fall off from the proper observance of Kshatriya duties.  I have obtained him.  On no account should anybody grieve from me.  Ye have done what persons like ye should do.  Ye have always striven for my success.  Destiny, however, is incapable of being frustrated.”