कौरव-सेना के तीन शेष वीर दक्षिण दिशा को जाते हैं; एक विशाल वटवृक्ष के नीचे सोते हैं; कृपाचार्य और कृतवर्मा सो जाते हैं, अश्वत्थामा उन्हें जगाकर पाण्डवों के वध की अपनी योजना बताते हैं

Having saluted Narayana, and Nara the foremost of all male beings, as also the goddess of learning Sarasvati, let us cry success.

Sanjaya said “Those heroes then in a body went towards the south. At sunset they reached a spot near the (Kuru) encampment.

Letting loose their animals, they became very much frightened. Reaching then a forest, they secretly entered it.

They took up their quarters there near the encampment. Wounded with many keen weapons, they breathed and sighted heavily, thinking of the Pandavas.

Hearing the loud noise set up by the victorious Pandavas, they feared a pursuit and therefore fled towards the east. were

Having gone for sometime, their animals became tired and they themselves stricken with thirst. Beside themselves with anger and vindictiveness, those great bowmen could not bear what had taken place, burning as they did with grief at the slaughter of the king. They, however, rested for a while.”

Dhritarashtra said "The feat, O Sanjaya, that Bhima performed seems to be incredible, since my son who was struck down as endued with the strength of ten thousand elephants.

In the prime of life and having an adamantine body, he was not capable of being slain by any creatures. Alas, even such a son of mine was struck down by the Pandavas in battle. Forsooth, O Sanjaya, my heart is made of adamant, because it does not break into a thousand pieces even after hearing of the death of my hundred sons. Alas, what will be the condition of myself and my wife, an old couple, deprive of all children. I dare, not dwell in the kingdom of Pandu's son.

Having been the father of a king and a king myself, O Sanjaya, how shall I pass my days as a slave obeying he commands of Pandu's son.

Having commanded once the entire Earth and having trampled over the heads of all, O Sanjaya, how shall I live now as a wretched slave.

How shall I be able, O Sanjaya, to endure the words of Bhima who has alone killed a full hundred sons of mine?

The words of the great Vidura are now realised. Alas, my son, O Sanjaya, did not listen to those words.

What, however, did Kritavarman and Kripa and Drona's son do after my son Duryodhana had been unfairly killed.”

Sanjaya said "They had not proceeded far, O king, when they stopped, On seeing a dense forest covered with trees and creepers.

Having rested for a little while, they entered that great forest, proceeding on their cars drawn by their excellent horses whose thirst had been satisfied.

That forest abounded with various kings of species of birds. And it was covered with many trees and creepers and was filled with numerous carnivorous creatures.

It was covered with many pools of water, adorned with various kinds of flowers, and lakes overgrown with blue lotuses.

Having entered that dense forest they looked about saw a gigantic banian tree with thousands of branches.

Repairing to the shade of that banian, those great car-warriors, O king, those foremost of men, founded that to be the biggest tree in those forest.

Getting down from their cars, and letting loose their animals, they washed themselves and said their evening prayers.

The Sun then reached the setting hill, and Night, the mother of the universe, came. The sky, be spangled with planets and stars, shone alike an ornamented piece of brocade and presented a beautiful sight.

Creators, ranging in the night, began to howl and utter their cries at will, while they that range in the day began to sleep.

The night-ranging animals set up a dreadful noise. The carnivorous creatures were full of joy, and the night, as it advanced, became awful.

At that time filled with grief and sorrow, Kritavarman and Kripa and Drona's son all sat down together.

Seated under that banian, they began to express their sorrow regarding the destruction that had taken place of both the Kurus and the Pandavas.

Feeling asleep they laid themselves down on the bare Earth. They had been greatly wounded with arrows.

The two great car-warriors, Kripa and Kritavarman, began to sleep. They ever deserving of happiness and undeserving of misery, slept on the bare ground.

Indeed, O king, they, who had always slept on costly beds, not slept, like helpless persons, on the bare ground, worn out with fatigue and gricf.

Subject to wrath and revenge, Drona's son, however, O Bharata, could not sleep, but continued to breathe like a snake.

Burning with rage he could not sleep. That mighty hero looked on all sides of that terrible forest.

As he surveyed that forest filled with various kinds of creatures, the great warrior beheld large banian tree covered with crows.

On that banian thousands of crows roosted in the night. Each perching separately from its neighbour, those crows slept easily, O Kuru Chief.

As, however, those birds were sleeping in security on every side, Ashvatthaman beheld a terrible owl suddenly appeared there.

Of frightful cries an huge body, with green eyes and tawny plumage, its nose and its talons were very large. And its speed was like that of Garuda.

Crying softly that winged creature O Bharata, secretly approached the branches of that banian tree.

That sky-ranger, that slayer of crows, alighting on one of the branches of the banian, killed a large number of his sleeping enemies.

He tore the wings of some and cut off the heads of others with his sharp talons and broke the legs of many. Highly strong as he was, he killed many that fell down before his eyes. was

With the limbs and bodies, O king, of the slain crows, the ground covered by the spreading branches of the banian, overspread on all sides.

Having killed those crows, the owl became overjoyed like a slayer of foes after having dealt with his foes according to his pleasure.

Witnessing that deed perpetrated in the night by the owl, Drona's son began to reflect on it, desirous of guiding his own conduct after that example.

He said to him, "This owl teaches me a lesson in battle. Bent as I am upon the destruction of the enemy, the time for action is come.

The victorious Pandavas are incapable of being killed by me! They are possessed of power and perseverance, sure of aim, and skilled in smiting.

In the presence, however, of the king I have promised to destroy them. I have thus promised to perform a deed that would bring on my own destruction like an insect trying to rush into a burning fire.

If I were to fight fairly with them. I shall, forsooth, have to lay down my life! By deceitful act, however, I may yet get success and a great destruction may overtake my enemies.

People generally, as also those well-read in the scriptures, always prefer means which are certain to those which are uncertain. Censure and bad name, which soever this act may engender, ought to be incurred by a person who leads the life of a Kshatriya. The sinful Pandavas have, at every step, perpetrated very ugly, censurable and deceitful acts.

Regarding this matter, certain ancient verses, full of truth, are heard, sung by truthseeing and righteous persons.

They are:-The enemy's force, even which fatigued, or wounded, or while eating, or when retiring, or when resting within their camp, should be beaten.

They shouid be equally treated when sleeping at dead of night, or when reft of commanders, or when routed, or when labouring under an error.'-Having thought thus, the valiant son of Drona formed the resolution of killing during the night the sleeping Pandavas and the Panchalas,

Having formed this wicked resolution and promised to execute it, he awoke both his maternal uncle and the chief of the Bhojas. a

Awakened from sleep, those two illustrious and powerful persons, viz., Kripa and the Bhoja chief, heard Ashvatthaman's scheme, Filled with shame, both of them could not give a suitable reply.

Having reflected for short time Ashvatthaman said with tearful eyes,-King Duryodhana, they only hero of great might, for whose sake we were fighting with the Pandavas, has been killed. Deserted and alone through he was, the master of eleven Akshauhinis of soldiers that hero of unsullied prowess has been struck down by Bhimasena in battle.

Another wicked act has been perpetrated by the mean Vrikodara for the latter has touched with his foot the head of a crowned person.

The Panchalas are sending up loud roars and cries and loud bursts of laughter. Overjoyed, they are blowing their conchs and beating their drums.

The loud sound of their instruments, mingled with the blare of conchs, is fearful to the ear, and carried by the winds, is filling all the points of the horizon.

Loud also is the neighing of their steeds and the grunting of their elephants and the roaring of their warriors.

That defending noise made by the rejoicing warriors as they are going to their quarters, as also the clatter of their car-wheels, comes to us from the east.

So great has been the havoc made by the Pandavas on the Dhartarashtras that we three are the only survivors.

Some were gifted with the strength of a hundred elephants and some were masters of all weapons. Yet they have been killed by the son of Pandu. I consider this to be an instance of the reverses caused by Destiny.

Truly, this is the end of which such acts leads. Although the Pandavas have achieved such difficult feats, yet this should be the result of those feats.

If you have not lost your wisdom out of stupefaction, then say what is proper for us to do under these circumstances.