11.010
Pancharatra-Ext and Core: Kripa, Ashwatthama and Kritaverma meet Dhritarashtra and Gandhari on their way, inform about the massacre, and they depart fearing the Pandavas, each parting ways.
वैशम्पायन उवाच॥
Vaiśampāyana said:
क्रोशमात्रं ततो गत्वा ददृशुस्तान्महारथान्। शारद्वतं कृपं द्रौणिं कृतवर्माणमेव च ॥११-१०-१॥
After traveling about a krosha from there, they saw the great chariot-warriors: Kripa, the son of Śaradvat; Ashvatthama, the son of Drona; and Kritavarma.
ते तु दृष्ट्वैव राजानं प्रज्ञाचक्षुषमीश्वरम्। अश्रुकण्ठा विनिःश्वस्य रुदन्तमिदमब्रुवन् ॥११-१०-२॥
But when they saw the king, the lord endowed with the eye of wisdom, their throats choked with tears; sighing deeply and weeping, they said this.
पुत्रस्तव महाराज कृत्वा कर्म सुदुष्करम्। गतः सानुचरो राजञ्शक्रलोकं महीपतिः ॥११-१०-३॥
O great king, your son, after accomplishing a most difficult task, has departed with his followers to Indra's realm.
दुर्योधनबलान्मुक्ता वयमेव त्रयो रथाः। सर्वमन्यत्परिक्षीणं सैन्यं ते भरतर्षभ ॥११-१०-४॥
O best of the Bharatas, only we three chariot-warriors have escaped from Duryodhana's force; all the rest of your army has been destroyed.
इत्येवमुक्त्वा राजानं कृपः शारद्वतस्तदा। गान्धारीं पुत्रशोकार्तामिदं वचनमब्रवीत् ॥११-१०-५॥
Having thus addressed the king, Kṛpa, the son of Śaradvat, then spoke these words to Gāndhārī, who was overwhelmed with grief for her son.
अभीता युध्यमानास्ते घ्नन्तः शत्रुगणान्बहून्। वीरकर्माणि कुर्वाणाः पुत्रास्ते निधनं गताः ॥११-१०-६॥
Your sons, fearless and fighting, slew many hosts of enemies and, performing heroic deeds, met their death.
ध्रुवं सम्प्राप्य लोकांस्ते निर्मलाञ्शस्त्रनिर्जितान्। भास्वरं देहमास्थाय विहरन्त्यमरा इव ॥११-१०-७॥
Having reached the eternal, pure worlds won by valor, they move about in radiant bodies, like the immortals.
न हि कश्चिद्धि शूराणां युध्यमानः पराङ्मुखः। शस्त्रेण निधनं प्राप्तो न च कश्चित्कृताञ्जलिः ॥११-१०-८॥
Indeed, none of the heroes who fought and turned away from battle has ever met death by weapon, nor has anyone with folded hands (in supplication) done so.
एतां तां क्षत्रियस्याहुः पुराणां परमां गतिम्। शस्त्रेण निधनं सङ्ख्ये तान्न शोचितुमर्हसि ॥११-१०-९॥
This is said to be the ancient and supreme path of a kṣatriya: death in battle by weapons. You ought not to grieve for them.
न चापि शत्रवस्तेषामृध्यन्ते राज्ञि पाण्डवाः। शृणु यत्कृतमस्माभिरश्वत्थामपुरोगमैः ॥११-१०-१०॥
O queen, the Pāṇḍavas, who are their enemies, do not prosper. Listen to what we have done with Aśvatthāma as our leader.
अधर्मेण हतं श्रुत्वा भीमसेनेन ते सुतम्। सुप्तं शिबिरमाविश्य पाण्डूनां कदनं कृतम् ॥११-१०-११॥
Hearing that your son was killed unrighteously by Bhimasena, he entered the camp at night while they slept and carried out the massacre of the Pandavas.
पाञ्चाला निहताः सर्वे धृष्टद्युम्नपुरोगमाः। द्रुपदस्यात्मजाश्चैव द्रौपदेयाश्च पातिताः ॥११-१०-१२॥
All the Pāñcālas, led by Dhṛṣṭadyumna, have been slain; the sons of Drupada and the sons of Draupadī too have fallen.
तथा विशसनं कृत्वा पुत्रशत्रुगणस्य ते। प्राद्रवाम रणे स्थातुं न हि शक्यामहे त्रयः ॥११-१०-१३॥
Thus, after slaying the host of your son's enemies, the three of us were unable to stand our ground in battle and fled.
ते हि शूरा महेष्वासाः क्षिप्रमेष्यन्ति पाण्डवाः। अमर्षवशमापन्ना वैरं प्रतिजिहीर्षवः ॥११-१०-१४॥
Indeed, those heroic and mighty-armed Pāṇḍavas, overcome by anger and eager to retaliate the enmity, will soon arrive.
निहतानात्मजाञ्श्रुत्वा प्रमत्तान्पुरुषर्षभाः। निनीषन्तः पदं शूराः क्षिप्रमेव यशस्विनि ॥११-१०-१५॥
O illustrious one, when the heroes, the foremost among men, heard that their sons had been slain due to carelessness, they quickly resolved to go to the place.
पाण्डूनां किल्बिषं कृत्वा संस्थातुं नोत्सहामहे। अनुजानीहि नो राज्ञि मा च शोके मनः कृथाः ॥११-१०-१६॥
We are unable to stay here after committing a sin against the Pāṇḍavas. Please allow us to go, O queen, and do not let your mind be troubled by grief.
राजंस्त्वमनुजानीहि धैर्यमातिष्ठ चोत्तमम्। निष्ठान्तं पश्य चापि त्वं क्षत्रधर्मं च केवलम् ॥११-१०-१७॥
O king, permit it and hold on to supreme courage. Also, see that your final duty is only the duty of a warrior.
इत्येवमुक्त्वा राजानं कृत्वा चाभिप्रदक्षिणम्। कृपश्च कृतवर्मा च द्रोणपुत्रश्च भारत ॥११-१०-१८॥
O Bhārata, after saying this to the king and circumambulating him, Kṛpa, Kṛtavarmā, and the son of Droṇa acted accordingly.
अवेक्षमाणा राजानं धृतराष्ट्रं मनीषिणम्। गङ्गामनु महात्मानस्तूर्णमश्वानचोदयन् ॥११-१०-१९॥
Looking at King Dhritarashtra, the wise one, the great souls quickly urged their horses after the Ganga.
अपक्रम्य तु ते राजन्सर्व एव महारथाः। आमन्त्र्यान्योन्यमुद्विग्नास्त्रिधा ते प्रययुस्ततः ॥११-१०-२०॥
But having withdrawn, O king, all those great chariot-warriors, after addressing each other in distress, departed in three groups.
जगाम हास्तिनपुरं कृपः शारद्वतस्तदा। स्वमेव राष्ट्रं हार्दिक्यो द्रौणिर्व्यासाश्रमं ययौ ॥११-१०-२१॥
At that time, Kṛpa, the son of Śaradvat, went to Hastinapura; Hārdikya returned to his own kingdom; and Drauṇi went to the hermitage of Vyāsa.
एवं ते प्रययुर्वीरा वीक्षमाणाः परस्परम्। भयार्ताः पाण्डुपुत्राणामागस्कृत्वा महात्मनाम् ॥११-१०-२२॥
Thus, the heroes departed, glancing at each other in fear, having wronged the noble sons of Pandu.
समेत्य वीरा राजानं तदा त्वनुदिते रवौ। विप्रजग्मुर्महाराज यथेच्छकमरिंदमाः ॥११-१०-२३॥
O great king, when the sun had not yet risen, the heroes gathered before the king and then departed as they pleased, O subduer of enemies.
