Karna Parva — The speech of Dhritarashtra

Janamejaya said O foremost of regenerate persons, being consoled a little, what did the lord of kings say, when he heard of the death of Karna, as well as the fall of his sons?

He (the monarch) attained exceedingly great uneasiness in the mind) arising from the fault of his sons. Relate to me, as I ask you, what did he say at that time.

Vaishampayana said Having heard of the death of Karna, which, being extraordinary, was incredible, which stupefied the senses of all creatures, which was most dreadful and which was like the downfall of the mountain of Meru.

And which (the fall of Karna), was as impossible as the dullness of the intellect of highly energetic Bhargava and which, again, was like the defeat of Indra of formidable deeds at the hands of the enemies.

And which (the fall of Karna), also, was like the falling of the highly blazing Sun upon the earth from the heaven and which was as incomprehensible as the drying up of the ocean, whose waters are never exhausted.

And which (the fall of Karna), again, was as extraordinary as the total destruction of the earth, the firmament, the different points of the horizon and the waters and also as the fruitlessness of both virtuous and vicious acts.

And then having meditated most skillfully in the mind upon the slaying of Karna in battle in the similar manner and also having deeply thought upon this viz. that his army was no more.

And also having argued that the other creatures would be of the similar fate, Dhritarashtra, the lord of men, was burnt by the fire of grief and looked like a burning serpent.

With paralysed limbs, sighing long, looking helpless, uttering-woe and alas and highly oppressed with with sorrow, the great king Dhritarashtra, the son of Ambika, became to weep most bitterly.

Dhritarashtra said O Sanjaya, the war-like son of Adhiratha was possessed of the strength of a lion or an elephant; and his neck was like that of a bull; and his eyes, speed and voice were also like those of a bull.

That young man of limbs as strong as the thunderbolt never desisted from battle even with so great an enemy as Indra himself, even as a bull never desists from battle with another bull.

At the sound of whose bowstring and at the roaring of whose arrowy showers, the men and horses (ihe infantry and the cavalry), the cars and elephants could not stand in the field of battle.

Having taken refuge under the mighty arms of that imperishable slayer of innumerable foes, Duryodhana made enemies of the sons of Pandu, those great car-warriors.

How could Karna, that foremost of carwarriors, that powerful hero, that one of mighty prowess, was slain in battle by force by the son of Pritha?

Placing confidence upon the strength of his own arms, he (Karna) always indeed did care neither for Achyuta, nor for Dhananjaya, nor for the whole of the Vrishni race nor for the other enemies.

'In the field of battle, alone I shall hurl down at once both the wielder of Gandiva bow, who are unconquerable and are united together, from their celestial cars.'

This (the above saying) he always uttered to Duryodhana, who was bad, darkened by avarice, foolish and desirous of kingdom and also who was highly afflicted.

That hero (Karna) had subdued the unusually powerful and invincible enemies namely the Gandharvas, the Madrakas, the Matsyas, the Trigartas, the Tanganas the Shashas.

And the Panchalas, the Videhas, the Kulindas, the Kashi-Kosalas, the Suhmas, the Angas, the Bangas, the Nishadhas, the Pundras, the Kichakas.

And the Vatsyas, the Kalingas, the Taralas, the Ashmakas and the Rishikas. In the days of yore, he subjugated these (above-mentioned) heroes in battle and made then pay tribute (to us).

By means of his sharpened and keen arrows, that were adorned with the Kanka feathers for the sake of Duryodhana's aggrandisement. That one (Karna) was still waiting in the field for winning victory (for Duryodhana). How was that protector of armies (on my side), that one well-versed in the use of weapons, viz. Vaikartana Karna was slain in battle by the foes, the heroic sons of Pandu, who were possessed of immense strength?

Indra is the foremost of the celestials even as Karna is the best amongst men. In this world we have not heard of a third one, who was the most exalted like them.

Uchchaishravas is the best of all horses, Vaishravana is the best of the Yakshas; and Indra is the foremost of the celestials; so also Karna is the best of all smiters.

Having been unsubdued by the heroic and mightest monarchs of immense prowess, he then subjugated the entire earth for the aggrandisement of Duryodhana.

Having obtained his (Karna's) alliance, by means of conciliating terms, by paying honours and wealth to him and also by speaking gloriously of him, the king of Magadha and opposed all the Kshatriyas of the world excepting the Kauravas and the Yadavas.

Having heard of the slaughter of that Karna by Savyasachin in a single combat I am plunged deep in the ocean of grief, even as a ship-wrecked one (is plunged) in the vast sea.

Having heard of the fall of that best of men, that foremost of car-warriors, in a single combat, I am lunged in the ocean of grief, even as a person without a boat (is plunged) in the sea.

O Sanjaya, when having been afflicted with such a grief as this, I do not die, I suppose that my heart is harder than the thunderbolt and most impenetrable.

O Suta, having heard of this utter defeat of kinsmen, relatives and friends, what other person in this world except myself would not give up his life?

I desire (to swallow) poison, (to be burnt in) fire and the fall from the summit of a mountain; for I am indeed unable, O Sanjaya, to bear the grief and pain.