and knowing that what is ordained is inevitable, as also from kindness to the Pandavas, continue to bear thy life, O Bharata!  If thou livest thus, thy fame will spread in the world.  Thou shalt then be able to acquire a knowledge of all duties and find many years for obtaining ascetic merit.  This grief for the death of thy sons that has arisen in thy heart, like a blazing fire, should always be extinguished, O king, by the water of wisdom!"”

Vaishampayana continued, “Hearing these words of Vyasa of immeasurable energy and reflecting upon them for a little while, Dhritarashtra said, O best of regenerate ones, I am exceedingly afflicted by a heavy load of grief.  My senses are repeatedly forsaking me and I am unable to bear up my own self.  Hearing, however, these words of thine about what had been ordained by the gods, I shall not think of casting off my life-breath and shall live and act without indulging in grief!  Hearing these words of Dhritarashtra, O monarch, Satyavatis son, Vyasa, disappeared then and there.”

9

Janamejaya said, “After the holy Vyasa had departed, what, O regenerate sage, did king Dhritarashtra, do?  It behoveth thee to tell me this.  What also did the Kuru king, the high-souled son of Dharma, do?  And how did those three, Kripa and others, do?  I have heard of the feats of Ashvatthama and the mutual denouncement of curses.  Tell me what happened next and what Sanjaya next said (unto the old king).”

Vaishampayana said, “After Duryodhana had been slain and all the troops slaughtered, Sanjaya, deprived of his spiritual sight, came back to Dhritarashtra.

“Sanjaya said, The kings of diverse peoples, that came from diverse realms, have all, O king, gone to the regions of the dead, along with thy sons.  Thy son, O king, who had constantlybeen implored (for peace) but who always wished to terminate his hostility (with the Pandavas by slaughtering them) has caused the earth to be exterminated.  Do thou, O king, cause the obsequial rites of thy sons and grandsons and sires to be performed according to due order!”

Vaishampayana continued, “Hearing these terrible words of Sanjaya, the king fell down on the Earth and lay motionless like one deprived of life.  Approaching the monarch who was lying prostrate on the Earth, Vidura, conversant with every duty, said these words:  Rise, O king, why dost thou lie down thus?  Do not grieve, O bull of Bharatas race!  Even this, O lord of Earth, is the final end of all creatures.  At first creatures are non-existent.  In the interim, O Bharata, they become existent.  At the end, they once more become non-existent.  What cause of sorrow is there in all this?  By indulging in grief, one cannot get back the dead.  By indulging in grief, one cannot die himself.  When such is the course of the world, why dost thou indulge in grief?  One may die without having been engaged in battle.  One also escapes with life after being engaged in battle.  When ones