Chapter 27
“Dhritarashtra said, ‘Filled with rage, what did Partha, the son ofPandu, do to Bhagadatta? What also did the king of the Pragjyotishas doto Partha? Tell me all this, O Sanjaya!’
“Dhritarashtra said, ‘Filled with rage, what did Partha, the son ofPandu, do to Bhagadatta? What also did the king of the Pragjyotishas doto Partha? Tell me all this, O Sanjaya!’
“Vyasa said, ‘O excellent son, asked by thee, I have told thee truly whatthe answer to thy question should be according to the doctrine ofknowledge as expounded in the Sankhya system.
Sanjaya said, “The Pandavas were incapable of even looking at Bhishmaexcited with rage in battle and scorching every side like the Sun himselfshedding scorching heat.
“Sauti said, ‘Hearing this story of the re-appearance and departure ofhis forefathers, king Janamejaya of great intelligence became highlypleased.
‘Sauti continued, ‘The ministers said, ‘That king of kings then, spentwith hunger and exertion, and having placed the snake upon the shouldersof that Muni, came back to his capital.
Janamejaya said, ‘After having delivered Duryodhana, what did the mightysons of Pandu do in that forest? It behoveth thee to tell me this.’
“Sanjaya said, Having slain Bhagadatta who was ever the favourite and Ifriend of Indra and who was possessed of great energy, Parthacircumambulated him.
“Suka said, ‘The declarations of the Vedas are twofold. They once Jaydown the command, ‘Do all acts.’ They also indicate (the reverse,saying), ‘Give up acts.’
Dhritarashtra said, “Beholding my sons, so many in number, O Sanjaya,slain by a single person, what did Bhishma and Drona and Kripa do inbattle?[432] Day after day, O Sanjaya, my sons are being slain.
“Vaisampayana said, ‘King Dhritarashtra had never beheld his own sons.Obtaining eye-sight through the grace of the Rishi, he beheld, for thefirst time, O perpetuator of Kuru’s race, those children of his that werevery like his own self.