Janamejaya said, “After Duryodhana had fallen and after all the warriors also had fallen, what, O sage, did king Dhritarashtra do on receipt of the intelligence?  What also did the high-souled Kuru king Yudhishthira, the son of Dharma, do?  What did the three survivors (of the Kuru army) viz.  Kripa and the others do?  I have heard everything about the feats of Ashvatthama.  Tell me what happened after that mutual denunciation of curses.  Tell me all that Sanjaya said unto the blind old king.”

Vaishampayana said, “After he had lost his century of sons, king Dhritarashtra, afflicted with grief on that account, cheerless, and looking like a tree shorn of its branches, became overwhelmed with anxiety and lost his power of speech.  Possessed of great wisdom, Sanjaya, approaching the monarch, addressed him, saying, Why dost thou grieve, O monarch?  Grief does not serve any purpose.  Eight and ten Akshauhinis of combatants, O king, have been slain!  The earth hath become desolate, and is almost empty now!  Kings of diverse realms, hailing from diverse quarters, united with thy son (for aiding him in battle) have all laid down their lives.  Let now the obsequial rites of thy sires and sons and grandsons and kinsmen and friends and preceptors be performed in due order.”

Vaishampayana continued, “Destitute of sons and counsellors and all his friends, king Dhritarashtra of great energy suddenly fell down on the earth like a tree uprooted by the wind.

“Dhritarashtra said, Destitute as I am of sons and counsellors and all my friends, I shall, without doubt have to wander in sorrow over the earth.  What need have I now of life itself, left as I am of kinsmen and friends and resembling as I do a bird shorn of its wings and afflicted with decrepitude?  Shorn of kingdom, deprived of kinsmen, and destitute of eyes, I cannot, O thou of great wisdom, shine any longer on earth like a luminary shorn of its splendours!  I did not follow the counsels of friends of Jamadagnis son, of the celestial rishi Narada, and of island-born Krishna, while they offered me counsel.  In the midst of the assembly, Krishna told me what was for my good, saying, “A truce (tense) to hostilities, O king!  Let thy son take the whole kingdom!  Give but five villages to the Pandavas!” Fool that I was, for not following that advice, I am now obliged to repent so poignantly!  I did not listen to the righteous counsels of Bhishma.  Alas, having heard of the slaughter of Duryodhana whose roars were as deep as those of a bull, having heard also of the death of Duhshasana and the extinction of Karna and the setting of the Drona-sun, my heart does not break into pieces.  I do not, O Sanjaya, remember any evil act committed by me in former days, whose consequences, fool that I am, I am suffering today.  Without doubt, I committed great sins in my former lives, for which the Supreme Ordainer has set me to endure such a measure of grief.  This destruction of all my kinsmen, this extermination of all my well-wishers and friends, at this old age, has come upon me through the force of Destiny.  What other man is there on earth who is more afflicted than my wretched self?  Since it is so, let the Pandavas behold me this very day firmly resolved to betake myself to the long way that leads to the regions of Brahman!”