Dhritarashtra said, “Why is it that that mighty car-warrior, the son of Drona, did not achieve such a feat before although he had resolutely exerted himself for bestowing victory upon Duryodhana?  For what reason did that great bowman do this after the slaughter of the wretched Duryodhana?  It behoveth thee to tell me this!”

Sanjaya said, “Through fear of the Parthas, O son of Kuru’s race, Ashvatthama could not achieve such a feat then.  It was owing to the absence of the Parthas and the intelligent Keshava as also of Satyaki, that Drona’s son could accomplish it.  Who is there, the lord Indra unexcepted, that is competent to slay them in the presence of these heroes?  Besides, O king, Ashvatthama succeeded in accomplishing the feat only because the men were all asleep.  Having caused that vast slaughter of the Pandava forces, those three great car-warriors (Ashvatthama, Kripa and Kritavarma), meeting together, exclaimed, “Good luck!” His two companions congratulated Ashvatthama, and the latter was also embraced by them.  In great joy the latter uttered these words:  “All the Pancalas have been slain, as also all the sons of Draupadi!  All the Somakas also, as well as all that remained of the Matsyas, have been slaughtered by me!  Crowned with success, let us without delay go there where the king is!  If the king be still alive, we will give him this joyful intelligence!”

9

Sanjaya said, “Having slain all the Pancalas and the sons of Draupadi, the three Kuru heroes together came to that spot where Duryodhana lay, struck down by the foe.  Arrived there, they beheld that life had not been wholly extinct in the king.  Jumping down from their cars, they surrounded thy son.  The Kuru king, O monarch, was lying there with broken thighs.  Almost senseless, his life was about to ebb away.  He was vomiting blood at intervals, with downcast eyes.  He was then surrounded by a large number of carnivorous animals of terrible forms, and by wolves and hyenas, that awaited at no great distance for feeding upon his body.  With great difficulty the king was keeping off those beasts of prey that stood in expectation of feasting upon him.  He was writhing on the earth in great agony.  Beholding him thus lying on the earth, bathed in his own blood, the three heroes who were the sole survivors of his army, Ashvatthama and Kripa and Kritavarma, became afflicted with grief and sat surrounding him.  Encompassed by those three mighty car-warriors who were covered with blood and who breathed hot sighs, the Kuru king looked like a sacrificial altar surrounded by three fires.  Beholding the king lying in that highly undeserving plight, the three heroes wept in unendurable sorrow.  Wiping the blood from off his face with their hands, they uttered these piteous lamentations in the hearing of the king lying on the field of battle.