Chapter 32

“Vaisampayana said, ‘When night came, all those persons, having finishedtheir evening rites, approached Vyasa. Dhritarashtra of righteous soul,with purified body and with mind solely directed towards it, sat therewith the Pandavas and the Rishis in his company. The ladies of the royalhousehold sat with Gandhari in a secluded spot. All the citizens and theinhabitants of the provinces ranged themselves according to their years.Then the great ascetic, Vyasa, of mighty energy, bathing in the sacredwaters of the Bhagirathi, summoned all the deceased warriors, viz., thosethat had fought on the side of the Pandavas, those that had fought forthe Kauravas, including highly blessed kings belonging to diverse realms.At this, O Janamejaya, a deafening uproar was heard to arise from withinthe waters, resembling that which had formerly been heard of the forcesof the Kurus and the Pandavas. Then those kings, headed by Bhishma andDrona, with all their troops, arose by thousands from the waters of theBhagirathi. There were Virata and Drupada, with their sons and forces.There were the sons of Draupadi and the son of Subhadra, and the RakshasaGhatotkacha. There were Karna and Duryodhana, and the mighty car-warriorSakuni, and the other children, endued with great strength, ofDhritarashtra, headed by Dussasana. There were the son of Jarasandha, andBhagadatta, and Jalasandha of great energy, and Bhurisravas, and Sala,and Salya, and Vrishasena with his younger brother. There were princeLakshmana (the son of Duryodhana), and the son of Dhrishtadyumna, and allthe children of Sikhandin, and Dhrishtaketu, with his younger brother.There were Achala and Vrishaka, and the Rakshasa Alayudha, and Valhika,and Somadatta, and king Chekitana. These and many others, who for theirnumber cannot be conveniently named, appeared on that occasion. All ofthem rose from the waters of the Bhagirathi, with resplendent bodies.Those kings appeared, each clad in that dress and equipt with thatstandard and that vehicle which he had while fighting on the field. Allof them were now robed in celestial vestments and all had brilliantear-rings. They were free from all animosity and pride, and divested ofwrath and jealousy. Gandharvas sang their praises, and bards waited onthem, chanting their deeds. Robed in celestial vestments and wearingcelestial garlands, each of them was waited upon by bands of Apsaras. Atthat time, through the puissance of his penances, the great ascetic, theson of Satyavati, gratified with Dhritarashtra, gave him celestialvision. Endued with celestial knowledge and strength, Gandhari of greatfame saw all her children as also all that had been slain in battle. Allpersons assembled there beheld with steadfast gaze and hearts filled withwonder that amazing and inconceivable phenomenon which made the hair ontheir bodies stand on its end. It looked like a high carnival ofgladdened men and women. That wondrous scene looked like a picturepainted on the canvas. Dhritarashtra, beholding all those heroes, withhis celestial vision obtained through the grace of that sage, became fullof joy, O chief of Bharata’s race.”‘