Chapter 50
“Sanjaya said, ‘While Kunti’s son, Yudhishthira, was indulging in suchlamentations, the great Rishi Krishna Dwaipayana came to him.
“Sanjaya said, ‘While Kunti’s son, Yudhishthira, was indulging in suchlamentations, the great Rishi Krishna Dwaipayana came to him.
“Sthanu said, ‘O lord, thou hadst taken great care for creating diversecreatures. Indeed, creatures of diverse kinds were created and reared bythee. Those very creatures, again, are now being consumed through thyfire. Seeing this, I am filled with compassion. O illustrious lord, beinclined to grace.’
“Narada said, ‘The helpless lady, suppressing her arrow within her ownself, addressed, with joined hands, the Lord of the creation, bendingwith humility like a creeper.
“Sanjaya said, ‘Hearing of the origin of Death and her strange acts, kingYudhishthira, humbly addressing Vyasa, once more said these words untohim.’
“Narada said, ‘King Suhotra also, O Srinjaya, we hear, fell a prey todeath. He was the foremost of heroes, and invincible in battle. The verygods used to come for seeing him.
“Narada said, ‘The heroic king Paurava also, O Srinjaya, we hear, fell aprey to death. That king gave away a thousand times thousand horses thatwere all white in hue.
“Narada said, Usinara’s son, Sivi also, O Srinjaya, we hear, fell a preyto death. That king had, as it were, put a leathern girdle around theearth, making the earth with her mountains and islands and seas andforests resound with the clatter of his car.
“Narada said, ‘Rama, the son of Dasaratha, O Srinjaya, we hear, fell aprey to death. His subjects were as much delighted with him, as a sire isdelighted with the children of his loins.
“Narada said, ‘Even king Bhagiratha, O Srinjaya, we hear, was dead. Hecaused the shores of Ganga, called after his name Bhagirath to be coveredwith flights of steps made of gold.[99]
“Narada said, ‘Dilipa, the son of Havila, too, O Srinjaya, we hear, fella prey to death. Brahmanas, vested in knowledge of Truth, devoted to theperformance of sacrifices, blessed with children and children’s childrenand numbering myriads upon myriads, were present at his hundreds ofsacrifices.