proceeded to where her husband lay on the Earth and addressing him, said, ’Rise, O dear lord, thou occupiest the foremost place in the affections of the Kuru king (Yudhishthira).  Here is that steed of thine.  It has been set free by me.  Verily, O puissant one, this sacrificial steed of king Yudhishthira the just, should be followed by thee.  Why then dost thou lie still on the Earth?  My life-breaths depend on thee, O delighter of the Kurus.  How is it that he who is the giver of other people’s life-breaths casts off his own life-breaths today?  Behold, O Ulupi, this goodly sight of thy husband lying prostrate on the ground.  How is it that thou dost not grieve, having caused him to be slain through my son when thou didst excite with thy words?  It is fit that this boy should succumb to the power of death and lie thus on the ground beside his own sire.  Oh, let Vijaya, let him that is called Gudakesa, let this hero with reddish eyes, come back O life.  O blessed lady, polygamy is not fault with men.  Women only incur fault by taking more than one husband.  Do not, therefore, harbour such thoughts (of vengeance).[196] This relationship was ordained by the Supreme ordainer himself.  It is, besides, an eternal and unchangeable one.  Do thou attend to that relationship.  Let thy union (with Dhananjaya) be made true.  If, having slain thy husband through my son, thou dost not revive him today before my eyes, I shall then cast off my life-breaths.  Without doubt, O reverend lady, afflicted as I am with grief and deprived as I am of both husband and son, I shall sit here today in Praya in thy very sight!’ Having said so unto the daughter of the snake chief, who was a co-wife with her to Arjuna, the princess Chaitravahini sat in Praya, O king, restraining speech.’[197]

“Vaisampayana continued, ’Ceasing to lament, the cheerless queen, taking upon her lap the feet of her husband, sat there, sighing heavily and wishing also the restoration of her son to life.  King Vabhruvahana then, regaining consciousness, saw his mother seated in that guise on the field of battle.  Addressing her he said, ’What can be more painful than the sight of my mother, who has been brought up in luxury, lying on the bare ground beside her heroic husband stretched thereon?  Alas, this slayer of all foes, this foremost of all wielders of weapons, hath been slain by me in battle, It is evident that men do not die till their hour comes.[198] Oh, the heart of this princess seems to be very hard since it does not break even at the sight of her mighty-armed and broad-chested husband lying dead on the ground.  It is evident that one does not die till one’s hour comes, since neither myself, nor my mother is deprived of life (at even such a sight).  Alas, alas, the golden coat of mail of this foremost hero of Kuru’s race, slain by me, his son, knowingly, is lying on the ground, cut off from his body.  Alas, ye Brahmanas, behold my heroic sire lying prostrate on the Earth, on a hero’s bed, slain by his son.