The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa, Volume 3: Books 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12
General
The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa, Volume 3: Books 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12
Epic literature, Sanskrit
Janamejaya said, "After Karna had thus been slain in battle by Savyasaci,
what did the small (unslaughtered) remnant of the Kauravas do, O
regenerate one? Beholding the army of the Pandavas swelling with might
and energy, what behaviour did the Kuru prince Suyodhana adopt towards
the Pandavas, thinking it suitable to the hour? I desire to hear all
this. Tell me, O foremost of regenerate ones, I am never satiated with
listening to the grand feats of my ancestors."
Vaishampayana said, "After the fall of Karna, O king, Dhritarashtra's son
Suyodhana was plunged deep into an ocean of grief and saw despair on
every side. Indulging in incessant lamentations, saying, 'Alas, oh Karna!
Alas, oh Karna!' he proceeded with great difficulty to his camp,
accompanied by the unslaughtered remnant of the kings on his side.
Thinking of the slaughter of the Suta's son, he could not obtain peace of
mind, though comforted by those kings with excellent reasons inculcated
by the scriptures. Regarding destiny and necessity to be all-powerful,
the Kuru king firmly resolved on battle. Having duly made Shalya the
generalissimo of his forces, that bull among kings, O monarch, proceeded
for battle, accompanied by that unslaughtered remnant of his forces.
Then, O chief of Bharata's race, a terrible battle took place between the
troops of the Kurus and those of the Pandavas, resembling that between
the gods and the Asuras. Then Shalya, O monarch, having made a great
carnage in battle at last lost a large number of his troops and was slain
by Yudhishthira at midday. Then king Duryodhana, having lost all his
friends and kinsmen, fled away from the field of battle and penetrated
into the depths of a terrible lake from fear of his enemies. On the
afternoon of that day, Bhimasena, causing the lake to be encompassed by
many mighty car-warriors, summoned Duryodhana and having obliged him to
come out, slew him speedily, putting forth his strength. After
Duryodhana's slaughter, the three car-warriors (of the Kuru side) that
were still unslain (Ashvatthama and Kripa and Kritavarma), filled with
rage, O monarch, slaughtered the Pancala troops in the night. On the next
morning Sanjaya, having set out from the camp, entered the city (the Kuru
capital), cheerless and filled with grief and sorrow. Having entered the
city, the Suta Sanjaya, raising his arms in grief, and with limbs
trembling, entered the palace of the king. Filled with grief, O tiger
among men, he wept aloud, saying, 'Alas, O king! Alas, all of us are
ruined by the slaughter of that high-souled monarch. Alas, Time is
all-powerful, and crooked in his course, since all our allies, endued
with might equal to that of Shakra himself, have been slain by the
Pandavas.' Seeing Sanjaya come back to the city, O king, in that
distressful plight, all the people, O best of kings, filled with great
anxiety, wept loudly, saying, 'Alas, O king! The whole city, O tiger
among men, including the very children, hearing of Duryodhana's death,
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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