Gadayuddha Parva — The three surviving Kaurava warriors' arrival at the battlefield. Ashvatthaman's lamentation at the sight of the fallen monarch and his reply. Ashvatthaman's vow and…

Sanjaya said “Having heard of Duryodhana's fall from the messengers, those powerful car-warriors, the remnant of the Kaurava arıny greatly wounded with keen arrows and maces and lances and darts-those three, viz.. Ashvathaman and Kripa and Kritavarman of the Satwata race, riding at breakneck pace on their swift chargers came to the field of battle. They saw there the high-souled son of Dhritarashtra lying low on the ground, like a gigantic Shala tree laid low in the forest by a storm. They saw him suffering on the mother Earth and covered with blood like a powerful elephant in the forest laid low by a hunter. They saw him suffering and bleeding profusely.

Indeed, they saw him lying on the ground like the Sun dropped on the Earth or like the Occan dried by a mighty wind, or like the Full Moon in the sky with his disc covered with fog. Like an elephant in prowess and possessing long arms, the king lay on the Earth, covered with dust.

Around hiin were many terrible creatures and carnivorous animals, like satellites sceking wealth around a king in state.

His forehead was contracted into furrows of rage and his eyes were rolling in anger. They saw the king, that foremost of men, full of rage, like a tiger struck down (by hunters).

Seeing the king laid low on the Earth, those great bow-inen, viz., Kripa and others became stupefied.

Getting down from their cars, they ran towards the king. Seeing Duryodhana, all of them sat on the Earth around him.

Then Drona's son, O king, with eyes full of tears and sighting like a snake, said these words to that chief of Bharata's race, that foremost of all the kings on Earth.

Forsooth, there is nothing permanent in the world of men, since you, O foremost of men, lic on the mother Earth covered with dust.

You were a king who had issued your commands to all the world! Why then, O foremost of kings, do you lie alone on the bare ground?

I do not see Dussasana by you, nor the great car-warrior Karna, nor those hundreds of your friends. What is this, O foremost of men?

Forsooth, it is difficult to learn the ways of Yama, since you, O lord of all the world, thus lie on the bare ground covered with dust.

Alas, this destroyer of foes used to trample at the head of all Kshatriyas that had their locks sprinkled with holy water at the time of coronation. Alas, he now eats the dust. Witness the reverses of fortune that time brings.

Where is that pure white umbrella of yours? Where is that fanning yak-tail also, O king? Where is that vast army of yours now gone, O best of kings?

The course of events is, forsooth, a mystery, since you, who were the master of the world, have been reduced to this state.

Forsooth, the prosperity of all mortals is very unstable, since you, who were equal unto Shakra himself, have now been reduced to such a miserable condition.'

Hearing these words of Ashvatthaman your son answered himn in words that were suited to the occasion.

He wiped his eyes with his hands and shed tears of grief again. The king then addressed all those heroes headed by Kripa and said *Subjection to death has been ordained by the Creator himself. Death comes to all in course of Time.

That death has now come to me, before you all. I, who governed the whole Earth, I have now been reduced to this miserable state.

By good luck, I never turned back from battle, whatever misfortunes over-took me. By good luck, I have been killed by those sinful men, by the help of deceptive means.

By good luck, while engaged in hostilities, I always showed courage and perseverance. By good luck, I am killed in battle, along with all my relatives and friends.

By good luck, I see you escaped alive from this great destruction, and are safe and sound! This is highly pleasing to me!

Do not, from love grieve for me death! If the Vedas are in any way authoritative, I have certainly acquired many eternal regions!

I am not ignorant of the glory of Krishna. He had not made me disregard the Kshatriya duties!

I have obtained him! No one should grieve for me. You have done what persons like you should do. You have always tried for my success. Destiny, however, is incapable of being defeated.'-Having said all this the king, with eyes bathed in tears, became silent, O king, agitated as he was with pain.

Seeing the king in tear and grief, Drona's son burned in anger like the fire at the universal dissolution.

Beside himself with anger he squeezed his hands, and addressing the king in a voice choked with tears, he said-'My father was killed by those wretches with a cruel contrivance. That act, however, do not pain me so keenly as this condition to which you have been reduced, O king, Listen to these words of mine which I swear by truth itself, O lord, and by all my acts of piety all my gifts, my religion and the religious merits I have won.

I shall to-day, in the very presence of Vasudeva, dispatch all the Panchalas, by all means in my power, to the abode of Yama. You should O king, grant me permission.'-Hearing these words of Drona's son, that were highly pleasant, the Kuru king addressed Kripa, saying-'O preceptor, bring me soon a pot full of water.' — At these words of the king, that foremost of Brahmanas, soon brought a vessel full of water.

Your son then, O king, said to Kripa-'Let the son of Drona, O foremost of Brahmanas, blessed by you, if you wish to do me good, be, at my command, appointed as generalissimo.

At the command of the king, even the Brahmana may fight, especially one who leads the life of Kshatriya. Those learned in the scriptures say this.'

Hearing these words of the king Kripa, the son of Sharadvat, installed Drona's son as generalissimo, at the mandate of the king.

After the ceremony, O King, Ashvathaman embraced that best of kings and left the place, having resounded the ten cardinal points with his war-cry.

That best of kings, viz., Duryodhana, bathed in blood, began to pass there that night so dreadful to all creatures.

Leaving quickly the field of battle, O king, those horses, with hearts shaken by grief, began to think anxiously and earnestly.