Chapter 29

“Sanjaya said, ‘After this, the followers of Subala’s son, O monarch,became filled with rage. Prepared to lay down their lives in thatdreadful battle, they began to resist the Pandavas. Resolved to aidSahadeva in his victory, Arjuna, as also Bhimasena possessed of greatenergy and resembling an angry snake of virulent poison in aspect,received those warriors. With his Gandiva, Dhananjaya baffled the purposeof those warriors, who, armed with darts and swords and lances, desiredto slay Sahadeva. Vibhatsu, with his broad-headed arrows, cut off thesteeds, the heads, and the arms, with weapons in grasp of those rushingcombatants. The steeds of those foremost of heroes endued with activity,struck by Savyasaci, fell down on the earth, deprived of their lives.King Duryodhana, beholding that carnage of his own troops, O lord, becamefilled with rage. Assembling together the remnant of his cars which stillnumbered many hundreds, as also his elephants and horse and foot, Oscorcher of foes, thy son said these words unto those warriors,”Encountering all the Pandavas with their friends and allies, in thisbattle, and the prince of Pancala also with his own troops, and slayingthem quickly, turn back from the fight!” Respectfully accepting thatcommand of his, those warriors, difficult of defeat in battle, proceededonce more against the Parthas in that battle, at the behest of thy son.The Pandavas, however, covered with their arrows resembling snakes ofvirulent poison, all those warriors, forming the remnant of the Kauravaarmy, that thus rushed quickly against them in that dreadful battle. Thatarmy, O chief of the Bharatas, as it came to battle, was in a momentexterminated by those high-souled warriors, for it failed to obtain aprotector. In consequence of the (Kaurava) steeds running hither andthither that were all covered with the dust raised by the army, thecardinal and the subsidiary points of the compass could not bedistinguished. Many warriors, issuing out of the Pandava array, OBharata, slew thy troops in a moment in that battle. Eleven Akshauhinis,O Bharata, of troops had been assembled for thy son! All those, O lord,were slain by the Pandus and the Srinjayas! Amongst those thousands uponthousands of high-souled kings on thy side, only Duryodhana now, Omonarch, exceedingly wounded, was seen to be alive, casting his eyes onall sides, and seeing the earth empty, himself destitute of all histroops while the Pandavas, filled with joy in that battle, were roaringaloud in consequence of the accomplishment of all their objects.Duryodhana, O monarch, unable to endure the whiz of the shafts shot bythose high-souled heroes, became stupefied! Destitute of troops andanimals, he set his heart on retreat from the field.’

“Dhritarashtra said, ‘When my troops were slain and our camp madeentirely empty, what was the strength, O Suta, of the troops that stillremained to the Pandavas? I desire to know this. Therefore, tell me, OSanjaya, for thou art skilled (in narration). Tell me also, O Sanjaya,that which was done by my son, the wicked Duryodhana, that lord of theearth, the sole survivor of so many men, when he saw his armyexterminated.’

“Sanjaya continued, ‘2,000 cars, 700 elephants, 5,000 horse, and 10,000foot, this was the remnant, O monarch, of the mighty host of thePandavas. Taking care of this force, Dhrishtadyumna waited in thatbattle. Meanwhile, O chief of the Bharatas, king Duryodhana, thatforemost of car-warriors, saw not in that battle a single warrior on hisside. Beholding his enemies roaring aloud and witnessing theextermination of his own army, that lord of the earth, Duryodhana,without a companion, abandoned his slain steed, and fled from the fieldwith face turned eastwards. That lord of eleven Akshauhinis, thy sonDuryodhana, of great energy, taking up his mace, fled on foot towards alake. Before he had proceeded far on foot, the king recalled the words ofthe intelligent and virtuous Vidura. Without doubt, this had beenforeseen by Vidura of great wisdom, this great carnage of Kshatriyas andof ourselves in battle. Reflecting on this, the king, with heart burningin grief at having witnessed the extermination of his army, desired topenetrate into the depths of that lake. The Pandavas, O monarch, withDhrishtadyumna at their head, filled with rage, rushed against (the smallremnant of) thy army. With his Gandiva, Dhananjaya baffled the purpose ofthe (Kaurava) troops, who, armed with darts and swords and lances, wereuttering loud roars. Having with his sharp shafts slain those troops withtheir allies and kinsmen, Arjuna, as he stood on his car having whitesteeds yoked unto it, looked exceedingly beautiful. Upon the fall ofSubala’s son along with horse, cars and elephants, thy army looked like alarge forest laid low (by the wind). In Duryodhana’s army then, Omonarch, which had numbered many hundred thousands of warriors, notanother great car-warrior was seen to be alive, save the heroic son ofDrona, and Kritavarma, and Kripa the son of Gotama, O monarch, and thatlord of the earth, thy son! Dhrishtadyumna, seeing me, laughinglyaddressed Satyaki, saying, ‘What is the use of seizing this one? Nothingwill be gained by keeping him alive.’ Hearing these words ofDhrishtadyumna, the grandson of Sini, that great car-warrior, upliftinghis sharp sword, prepared to slay me. Just at that juncture, theIsland-born Krishna of great wisdom (Vyasa), coming there, said, “LetSanjaya be dismissed alive! By no means should he be slain!” Hearingthese words of the Island-born, the grandson of Sini, joined his hands,and then, setting me free said unto me, “Peace to thee, O Sanjaya, thoumayest go hence!” Permitted by him, I myself then, putting off my armourand making over my weapons, set out on the evening on the road leading tothe city, my limbs bathed in blood. After I had come about two miles, Omonarch, I beheld Duryodhana, standing alone, mace in hand, andexceedingly mangled. His eyes were full of tears and therefore he couldnot see me. I stood cheerlessly before him. He looked accordingly at mewithout recognising me. Beholding him standing alone on the field andindulging in grief, I also, overwhelmed with sorrow, succeeded not for alittle while to speak a single word. Then I said unto him everythingabout my own capture and my release through the grace of the Island-born.Having reflected for a moment, and regained his senses, he enquired of meabout his brothers and his troops. I had seen everything with my eyes andtherefore told him everything, that his brothers had all been slain andthat all his troops had been exterminated. I told the king that we had atthat time only three car-warriors left alive, for the Island-born hadsaid so unto me when I set out (from the place where the Pandavas were).Drawing deep breaths and looking repeatedly at me, thy son touched mewith his hand and said, “Except thee, O Sanjaya, there is none else thatliveth, amongst those engaged in this battle! I do not see another (on myside), while the Pandavas have their allies living! Say, O Sanjaya, untothat lord, the blind king Dhritarashtra, that his son Duryodhana hathentered the depths of a lake! Destitute of friends such as those (Ilately had), deprived of sons and brothers, and seeing his kingdom takenby the Pandavas, who is there like me that would desire to live? Say allthis unto the king and tell him further that I have escaped with lifefrom that dreadful battle, and that, alive, though exceedingly wounded, Ishall rest within the depths of this lake.” Having said these words untome, O monarch, the king entered that lake. That ruler of men, by hispower of illusion, then charmed the waters of that lake, making a spacefor him within them. After he had entered that lake, I myself, withoutanybody on my side, saw those three car-warriors (of our army) comingtogether to that spot with their tired animals. They were Kripa, the sonof Saradwat, and the heroic Ashvatthama, that foremost of car-warriors,and Kritavarma of Bhoja’s race. Mangled with shafts, all of them cametogether to that spot. Beholding me, they all urged their steeds togreater speed and coming up to me, said, “By good luck, O Sanjaya, thoulivest yet!” All of them then enquired after thy son, that ruler of men,saying, ‘Is our king Duryodhana still alive, O Sanjaya?’ I then told themthat the king was well in body. I also told them everything thatDuryodhana had said unto me. I also pointed out to them the lake that theking had entered. Then Ashvatthama, O king, having heard those words fromme, cast his eyes on that extensive lake and began to wail in grief,saying, “Alas, alas, the king knows not that we are still alive! With himamongst us, we are still quite able to fight with our foes!” Those mightycar-warriors, having wept there for a long time, fled away at sight ofthe sons of Pandu. Those three car-warriors that formed the remnant ofour army took me up on the well-adorned car of Kripa, and then proceededto the Kuru camp. The sun had set a little before. The troops forming theoutposts of the camp, learning that all thy sons had been slain, weptaloud. Then, O monarch, the old men that had been appointed to look afterthe ladies of the royal household proceeded towards the city, taking theprincesses after them. Loud were the wails uttered by those weepingladies when they heard of the destruction of the whole army. The women, Oking, crying ceaselessly, caused the earth to resound with their voiceslike a flight of she-ospreys. They tore their bodies with nails andstruck their heads with their hands, and untied their braids, indulgingall the while in loud cries. Filling the air with sounds such as “Oh!”and “Alas!” and beating their breasts, they cried aloud and wept anduttered loud shrieks, O monarch! Then the friends of Duryodhana, deeplyafflicted and made voiceless by their tears, set out for the city, takingthe ladies of the royal household with them. The camp-guards quickly fledtowards the city, taking with them many white beds overlaid with costlycoverlets. Others, placing their wives on cars drawn by mules, proceededtowards the city. Those ladies, O monarch, who, while in their housescould not be seen by the very sun, were now, as they proceeded towardsthe city, exposed to the gaze of the common people. Those women, O chiefof the Bharata’s race, who were very delicate, now proceeded with speedtowards the city, having lost their near ones and kinsmen. The verycow-herds and shepherds and common men, filled with panic and afflictedwith the fear of Bhimasena, fled towards the city. Even these were filledwith a great fear of the Parthas. Looking at one another, all of themfled towards the city. During the progress of that general flightattended with such circumstances of fear, Yuyutsu, deprived of his sensesby grief, thought upon what he should do in view of the emergency thathad come. “Duryodhana hath been vanquished in battle by the Pandavas ofterrible prowess! He had eleven Akshauhinis of troops under him! All hisbrothers have been slain! All the Kauravas, headed by Bhishma and Drona,have perished! Through the influence of Destiny, only I have been saved!All those that were in the Kuru camp have fled! Alas, they are flying onall sides, deprived of energy and destitute of protectors! Such a sighthad never been seen before! Afflicted with sorrow, with eyes anxious infear, they are flying away on all sides like a herd of deer, looking atone another! Those amongst the counsellors of Duryodhana that are yetalive have fled towards the city, taking with them the ladies of theroyal household! I think, O lord, that the time hath come when I alsoshould enter the city with them, after taking the permission ofYudhishthira and Vasudeva!” For this purpose that mighty-armed princepresented himself before both those heroes. King Yudhishthira, who isalways compassionate, became highly pleased with him. The mighty-armedPandava embraced that child of a Vaisya mother and dismissed himaffectionately. Riding upon his own car, he urged his steeds to greatspeed. He then supervised the removal of the ladies of the royalhousehold to the city. The sun was setting. With those ladies, Yuyutsuentered the city of Hastinapura, with tearful eyes and with voice chokedin grief. He then saw Vidura of great wisdom, sitting with tearful eyes.He had come away from Dhritarashtra, his heart having been afflicted withgreat sorrow. Bowing down unto Vidura, he stood before him. Devoted totruth, Vidura addressed him, saying, “By good luck, O son, thou livestamid this general destruction of the Kurus! Why, however, hast thou comewithout king Duryodhana in thy company? Tell me in detail the cause ofthis!” Yuyutsu then said, “After the fall of Shakuni, O sire, with allhis kinsmen and friends, king Duryodhana abandoning the steed he rode,fled away, in fear towards the east. After the king had fled away, allthe people in the (Kaurava) encampment, agitated with fear, fled towardsthe city. Then the protectors of the ladies, placing the wives of theking, as also those of his brothers, on vehicles, fled away in fear.Obtaining the permission of king Yudhishthira and Keshava, I set out forHastinapura, for protecting the people thus flying away!’ Hearing thesewords spoken by the son of Dhritarashtra’s Vaisya wife, Vidura ofimmeasurable soul, conversant with every usage and feeling that wasproper at that hour, applauded the eloquent Yuyutsu. And he said, ‘Thouhast acted properly, having regard for what has come, in view of thisdestruction of all the Bharatas of which thou art speaking! Thou hastalso, from compassion, maintained the honour of thy race! By good luck,we behold thee come back with life from this terrible battle that is sodestructive of heroes, like creatures beholding the sun possessed ofblazing glory! Thou, O son, are now in every way the sole staff of theblind monarch, bereft of foresight, afflicted with calamity, struck byDestiny, and who, though repeatedly dissuaded, could not abstain frompursuing his evil policy. Take rest here for this day! Tomorrow thoumayst return to Yudhishthira!” Having said these words, Vidura, withtearful eyes, took leave of Yuyutsu and entered the abode of the king,which resounded with cries of “Oh!” and “Alas!” uttered by citizens andvillagers afflicted with woe. The cheerless mansion seemed to have lostall its beauty; comfort and happiness seemed to have deserted it. It wasall empty and pervaded by disorder. Already filled with sorrow, Vidura’sgrief increased at that sight. Conversant with every duty, Vidura, with asorrowful heart, entered the palace, drawing deep breaths. As regardsYuyutsu, he passed that night in his own abode. Afflicted with woe, hefailed to obtain any joy at the panegyrics with which he was greeted. Hepassed the time, thinking of the terrible destruction of the Bharatas atone another’s hands.'”