Jalapradanika Parva — .-Cont. The same subject continued

Gandhari said Behold that irresistible king of Kambojas, that bull-necked hero lying in the dust, O Madhava, though worthy of sleeping comfortable on Kamboja blankets.

Stricken with great sorrow, his wife is weeping bitterly at sight of his arms covered with blood, which, however, formerly used to be smeared with sandal-paste.

Indeed, the beautiful lady exclaims,-Even now adorned with beautiful palms and fingers, these two arins of yours resemble a couple of spiked maces, entering into whose clasp joy never felt me for a moment.

How shall I fare, O king, when I am deprived of you.-Possessing a sweet voice, the Kamvoja queen is weeping helplessly and trembling with emotion.

Look at that bevy of fair ladies there. Although tired with toil and worn out with heat, yet beauty does not leave them like the beauty of the garlands worn by the celestials although exposed to the Sun.

Behold, O destroyer of Madhu, the heroic king of the Kalingas lying there on the ground, with his mighty arms bedecked with a couple of Angadas.

Behold, O Janarddana, those Magadha ladies crying and standing around Jayastsena the king of the Magadhas.

The charming and sweet cries of those large-eyed and sweet-voiced damsels, O Krishna, are stupefying my heart greatly.

Having all their ornaments displaced, crying, and stricken with sorrow, alas, those ladies of Magadha, worthy of sleeping on costly beds, are now lying down on the naked earth.

Surrounding their lord, the king of the Kosalas, viz., prince Vrihadvala, those other ladies are crying aloud.

Engaged in taking out from his person the with which it was pierced by Abhimanyu with the full force of his arms, those ladies are again and again losing their consciousness.

The faces of those beautiful damsels, O Madhava, exhausted with toil and scorched by thc rays of the Sun, are appearing like faded lotuses.

arrows There, the brave sons of Dhrishtadyurnna, young in age, and bedecked with garlands of gold and beautiful Angadas, are lying, killed by Drona.

Like insects on a burning fire, they have all been consumed by falling upon Drona whose car was the chamber of fire, having the bow for its flames and arrows and darts and maces for its fuel.

Likewise, the five brave Kekaya brothers, adorned with beautiful Angadas, are lying on effort killed by Drona and with their faces turned towards that hero.

Their coats of mail, stinging like molten gold, and their tall standards and cars and garlands all made of gold, are shedding a bright lustre on the Earth like so many burning fires.

Look, O Madhava, at king Drupada overthrown in battle by Drona, like mighty elephant in the forest killed by a huge lion.

The bright and white umbrella, of the king of the Panchalas, shines, O lotus-eyed one, like the moon in the autumnal sky.

Having burnt his body on the funeral pyre, the daughter-in-law and the wives of the old king, stricken with sorrow, are proceeding, keeping the pyre to their right.

There, those ladies, beside themselves with sorrow, are removing the brave and great bowman, viz., Dhrishtaketu, that foremost of the Chedis, killed by Drona.

Having counteracted many weapons of Drona, this destroyer of foes, O slayer of Madhu, this great bowman lies there, dead, like a tree uprooted by the wind.

After having slain thousands of enemies, that brave king of the Chedis, that mighty carwarrior, viz., Dhrishtaketu lies, himself deprived of life.

There, O Hrishikesha, the wives of the king of the Chedis are sitting around his body still decked with beautiful hairs and ear-rings, though torn by carnivorous birds.

Placing upon their laps and prostrate form of the heroic Dhrishtaketu of Dasharha race, those foremost of ladies, are crying in sorrow.

Behold, O Hrishikesha, the son of that Dhrishtaketu, having fair locks and excellent car-rings, cut in battle by Drona with his arrows.

He never deserted his father while the latter fought with his enemies. Mark, O destroyer of Madhu, he does not, even in death, leave the side of that heroic father.

Thus. also, my grandson, that slayer of hostile heroes, viz., the mighty-armed Lakshmana, has followed his father Duryodhana.

Look, O Keshava, at the two brothers of Avanti, viz., Vinda and Anuvinda, lying their on the fled, like two blossoming Shala trees in the spring uprooted by the wind.

Clad in golden armour and bedecked with golden Angadas, they are still armed with swords and bows. Having eyes like those of a bull, and decked with shining garlands, both of them are lying on the field.

The Pandavas, O Krishna, as well as yourself, are surely unslayable, since they are you have escaped from Drona, Bhishma, Karna the son of Vikartana, Kripa, Duryodhana, the of son Drona, the mighty car-warrior Jayadratha, Somadatta, Vikarna, and from the brave Kritavarman.

Mark the reverses created by Time. Those leading warriors who could slay the very celestials by force of their arms have themselves been killed.

forsooth, O Madhava, there is nothing difficult for destiny to bring about, since these leading men, these heroes, have been killed by Kshatriya warriors!

I considered by energetic sons as slain even then, O Krishna, when you came back unsuccessful to Upaplavya!

Shantanu's son and wise Vidura told me then, — withdraw your love for your children.

The interviews of those persons could never be useless. Soon, O Janarddana, have my sons been reduced to ashes!'

Vaishampayana said “Having said so, Gandhari, beside herself with grief, dropped down on the Earth. Losing her fortitude, she became overwhelmed with grief.

Filled with anger and sorrow at the death of her sons, Gandhari, with agitated heart, attributed every fault to Keshava.

Gandhari said The Pandavas and the Dhartarashtra, O Krishna, have both been consumed. Whilst they were thus being rotted out, O Janarddana, why were you indifferent to them.

You could prevent the slaughter, for you have a large following and a vast army. You had eloquence, and you had the power of making peace.

Since deliberately, O slayer of Madhu, you were indifferent to this universal destruction therefore, O mighty-armed one, you should feel the consequences of this act.

By the little merit I have acquired by serving dutifully by husband, by that merit so, difficult to attain, I shall curse you, O holder of the discus and the race.

Since you were indifferent to the Kurus and the Pandavas whilst they killed each other, therefore, O Govinda, you will be the destroyer of your own kinsmen.

On the thirty-sixty year froin this, O destroyer of Madhu, you will, after bringing about the death of your kinsmen and friends and sons, perish by disgustful means within the forest.

The ladies of your family, deprived of sons, kinsmen, and friends, shall weep and cry even as these ladies of the Bharata family.

Vaishampayana continued Hearing these words, the great Krishna, addressing the worshipful Gandhari, said to her these words, smilingly,-'There is none in the world, save myself, who can exterminate the Vrishnis. I know this well. I am trying to bring it about. In imprecating this curse, O you of excellent vows, you have helped me in the accomplishment of that work.

The Vrishnis and incapable of being killed by others, whether human beings or gods or Danavas. The Yadavas, therefore, shall be killed by one another.

After the Dasharha hero had said so, the Pandavas became stupefied. Stricken, with anxiety, all of them became hopeless of life.” After the Dasharha hero had said so, the Pandavas became stupefied. Stricken, with anxiety, all of them became hopeless of life.”