heir
own tents in the evening, their hearts plunged into grief and thinking of
what they had seen.

"Then at the proper time, the mighty Madhava, approaching the Pandavas,
those mighty car-warriors cheerfully seated together and filled with joy
at the fall of Bhishma, said unto Dharma's son Yudhishthira these
words,--'By good luck victory hath been thine, O thou of Kuru's rare! By
good luck hath Bhishma been overthrown, who is unslayable by men, and is
a mighty car-warrior of aim incapable of being baffled! Or, perhaps, as
destiny would have it, that warrior who was master of every weapon,
having obtained thee for a foe that canst slay with thy eyes alone, hath
been consumed by thy wrathful eye!'--Thus addressed by Krishna, king
Yudhishthira the just, replied unto Janardana, saying,--'Through Thy grace
is Victory, through Thy wrath is Defeat! Thou art dispeller of the fears
of those that are devoted to thee. Thou art our refuge! It is not
wonderful that they should have victory whom Thou always protectest in
battle, and in whose welfare Thou art always engaged, O Kesava! Having
got Thee for our refuge, I do not regard anything as wonderful!' Thus
addressed by him, Janardana answered with a smile,--'O best of kings,
these words can come from thee alone!'"

SECTION CXXIII

Sanjaya said,--"After the night had passed away, O monarch, all the
kings, the Pandavas and the Dhartarashtras, repaired to the grandsire.
Those Kshatriyas then saluted that bull of their order, that foremost one
among the Kurus, that hero lying on a hero's bed, and stood in his
presence. Maidens by thousands, having repaired to that place, gently
showered over Santanu's son powdered sandal wood and fried paddy, and
garlands of flowers. And women and old men and children, and ordinary
spectators, all approached Santanu's son like creatures of the world
desirous of beholding the Sun. And trumpets by hundreds and thousands,
and actors, and mimes, and skilled mechanics also came to the aged Kuru
grandsire. And ceasing to fight, putting aside their coats of mail, and
lying aside their weapons, the Kurus and the Pandavas, united together,
came to the invincible Devavrata, that chastiser of foes. And they were
assembled together as in days of old, and cheerfully addressed one
another according to their respective ages. And that conclave full of
Bharata kings by hundreds and adorned with Bhishma, looked beautiful and
blazing like a conclave of the gods