Kripa said, “There is nothing too difficult for destiny to bring about, since even this king Duryodhana who was the lord of eleven akshauhinis of troops sleepeth on the bare ground, struck down by the foes and covered with blood!  Behold, fond he was of the mace, and that mace decked with pure gold still lieth by the side of the king whose splendour still resembles that of pure gold!  In no battle did that mace abandon this hero!  Even now, when he is about to ascend to heaven, that weapon leaveth not this illustrious warrior.  Behold, that weapon, adorned with pure gold, still lieth by the side of this hero like a loving wife by the side of her lord stretched on his bed in his chamber of sleep.  Behold the reverses brought about by Time!  This scorcher of foes that used to walk at the head of all crowned kings, now eateth the dust struck down (by the foe)!  He who had formerly struck down many foes and caused them to lie on the bare ground, alas, that king of the Kurus lieth today on the bare ground, struck down by foes.  He to whom hundreds of kings used to bow down in fear, lieth today on the field of battle, surrounded by beasts of prey.  The brahmanas formerly used to wait upon this lord for wealth.  Alas, beasts of prey wait upon him today for feeding upon his body!”

Sanjaya continued, “Beholding that chief of Kuru’s race lying on the ground, Ashvatthama, O best of the Bharatas, uttered these piteous lamentations:  “O tiger among kings, all people indicated thee as the foremost of all bowmen!  People also said that (in encounters with the mace) thou, a disciple of Sankarshana, wert like the Lord of treasures (Kuvera), himself!  How then, O sinless one, could Bhima notice any lapses in thee!  Thou wert ever mighty and possessed of skill!  He, on the other hand, O king, is a wicked-souled wight!  Without doubt, O monarch, Time in this world is mightier than everything else, for we behold even thee struck down by Bhimasena in battle!  Alas, how could the wretched and mean Vrikodara unrighteously strike thee down, thee that wert conversant with every rule of righteousness!  Without doubt, Time is irresistible.  Alas, having summoned thee to a fair fight, Bhimasena, putting forth his might, fractured thy thighs.  Fie on that wretched Yudhishthira who tolerated the head of one unrighteously struck down in battle to be touched with the foot!  In all battles warriors will certainly reprove Vrikodara as long as the world will last.  Without doubt, thou hast been struck down unrighteously!

The valiant Rama of Yadu’s race, O king, always used to say that there is no one equal to Duryodhana in encounters with the mace.  He of the Vrishni race, O Bharata, used to boast of thee, O lord, in every assembly, saying, Duryodhana of Kurus race is a worthy disciple of mine!’ Thou hast obtained that end which great rishis have declared to be the high reward of a kshatriya slain in battle with his face towards the foe.  I do not, O bull among