08.003
vaiśampāyana uvāca॥
Vaishampayana said:
etacchrutvā mahārāja dhṛtarāṣṭro'mbikāsutaḥ। śokasyāntamapaśyanvai hataṃ matvā suyodhanam ॥ vihvalaḥ patito bhūmau naṣṭacetā iva dvipaḥ ॥8-3-1॥
Upon hearing this, King Dhritarashtra, the son of Ambika, overwhelmed with grief and thinking that Suyodhana was killed, fell to the ground unconscious, like a stricken elephant.
tasminnipatite bhūmau vihvale rājasattame। ārtanādo mahānāsītstrīṇāṃ bharatasattama ॥8-3-2॥
When the best of kings fell to the ground in distress, there arose a great cry from the women, O best of the Bharatas.
sa śabdaḥ pṛthivīṃ sarvāṃ pūrayāmāsa sarvaśaḥ। śokārṇave mahāghore nimagnā bharatastriyaḥ ॥8-3-3॥
The sound reverberated throughout the entire earth, and the women of Bharata were engulfed in a profound and terrible ocean of grief.
rājānaṃ ca samāsādya gāndhārī bharatarṣabha। niḥsañjñā patitā bhūmau sarvāṇyantaḥpurāṇi ca ॥8-3-4॥
Gandhari, upon approaching the king, fell unconscious to the ground, and all the women of the inner chambers followed suit, O best of the Bharatas.
tatastāḥ sañjayo rājansamāśvāsayadāturāḥ। muhyamānāḥ subahuśo muñcantyo vāri netrajam ॥8-3-5॥
Then Sanjaya consoled the distressed ones, who were bewildered and shedding tears profusely from their eyes, O King.
samāśvastāḥ striyastāstu vepamānā muhurmuhuḥ। kadalya iva vātena dhūyamānāḥ samantataḥ ॥8-3-6॥
The women, though reassured, were trembling repeatedly, like banana trees swaying in the wind from all sides.
rājānaṃ viduraścāpi prajñācakṣuṣamīśvaram। āśvāsayāmāsa tadā siñcaṃstoyena kauravam ॥8-3-7॥
Vidura, recognizing the wisdom and authority of the king, consoled him by sprinkling water, a gesture of comfort and respect, upon the Kaurava.
sa labdhvā śanakaiḥ sañjñāṃ tāśca dṛṣṭvā striyo nṛpa। unmatta iva rājā sa sthitastūṣṇīṃ viśāṃ pate ॥8-3-8॥
Having slowly regained his senses and seeing the women, the king stood silently, appearing as if mad, O lord of the people.
tato dhyātvā ciraṃ kālaṃ niḥśvasaṃśca punaḥ punaḥ। svānputrāngarhayāmāsa bahu mene ca pāṇḍavān ॥8-3-9॥
After meditating for a long time and repeatedly sighing, he criticized his own sons and held the Pandavas in high regard.
garhayi tvātmano buddhiṁ śakuneḥ saubalasya ca। dhyātvā ca suciraṁ kālaṁ vepamāno muhurmuhuḥ ॥8-3-10॥
He censured his own intelligence and that of Śakuni, the son of Subala, and after contemplating for a long time, he trembled repeatedly.
saṁstabhya ca mano bhūyo rājā dhairyasamanvitaḥ। punargāvalgaṇiṁ sūtaṁ paryapṛcchata sañjayam ॥8-3-11॥
The king, having once more steadied his mind and filled with patience, questioned his charioteer, Gāvalgaṇi, who is Sañjaya.
yattvayā kathitaṃ vākyaṃ śrutaṃ sañjaya tanmayā। kaccidduryodhanaḥ sūta na gato vai yamakṣayam ॥ brūhi sañjaya tattvena punaruktāṃ kathāmimām ॥8-3-12॥
Sanjaya, the words you spoke were heard by me. Has Duryodhana, the charioteer, not gone to the abode of Yama? Please tell me the truth about this repeated story, Sanjaya.
evamukto'bravītsūto rājānaṃ janamejaya। hato vaikartano rājansaha putrairmahārathaiḥ ॥ bhrātṛbhiśca maheṣvāsaiḥ sūtaputraistanutyajaiḥ ॥8-3-13॥
Upon hearing this, the charioteer informed King Janamejaya that Karna, along with his sons and the great warriors, had been slain by the brothers, who were great archers, the sons of the charioteer, and those who had sacrificed their lives.
duḥśāsanaśca nihataḥ pāṇḍavena yaśasvinā। pītaṃ ca rudhiraṃ kopādbhīmasenena saṃyuge ॥8-3-14॥
Duhshasana was killed by the illustrious Pandava, and in his wrath, Bhimasena drank his blood during the battle.
