Chapter 43

“Vaisampayana said, ‘After this king Yudhishthira of magnanimous soulcaused the Sraddha rites to be performed of every one of his kinsmenslain in battle. King Dhritarashtra also of great fame, gave away, forthe good of his sons in the other world, excellent food, and kine, andmuch wealth, and many beautiful and costly gems (unto the Brahmanas).Yudhishthira accompanied by Draupadi, gave much wealth for the sake ofDrona and the high-souled Karna, of Dhrishtadyumna and Abhimanyu, of theRakshasa Ghatotkacha, the son of Hidimva, and of Virata, and his otherwell-wishers that had served him loyally, and of Drupada and the fivesons of Draupadi. For the sake of each of these, the king gratifiedthousands of Brahmanas with gifts of wealth and gems, and kine andclothes. The king performed the Sraddha rite for the good in the nextworld, of every one of those kings also who had fallen in the battlewithout leaving kinsmen or friends behind. And the king also, for thegood of the souls of all his friends, caused houses to be founded for thedistribution of food, and places for the distribution of water, and tanksto be excavated in their names. Thus paying off the debt he owed to themand avoiding the chance of censure in the world,[126] the king becamehappy and continued to protect his subjects religiously. He showed duehonour, as before, unto Dhritarashtra, and Gandhari, and Vidura, and untoall the superior Kauravas and unto all the officers. Full of kindness,the Kuru king honoured and protected all those ladies also who had, inconsequence of the battle, been deprived of their heroic husbands andsons. The puissant king, with great compassion, extended his favours tothe destitute and the blind and the helpless by giving them food, clothesand shelter. Freed from foes and having conquered the whole Earth, kingYudhishthira began to enjoy great happiness.'”