ve? His beauty was unrivalled, rare even among the celestials.
Without casting my eyes on that form, what peace can my heart have?
Accomplished in saluting (his superiors) with reverence, and always
obedient to the behests of his sires, alas, if I do not behold him, what
peace can my heart have? Brave in battle, accustomed to every luxury,
deserving of the softest bed, alas, he sleepeth today on the bare earth,
as if there is none to take care of him, although he is foremost of those
that have protectors to look after them. He on whom, while on his bed,
the foremost of beautiful women used to attend, alas, he mangled with
shafts, will have inauspicious jackals, prowling over the field, to
attend upon him today. He who was formerly roused from his slumbers by
singers and bards and panegyrists, alas, he will today be surely awakened
by discordant beasts of prey. That beautiful face of his eminently
deserved to be shaded by the umbrella, alas, the dust of battle-field
will surely befoul today. O child, unfortunate that I am, death forcibly
takes thee away from me, who was never satiated with looking at thee.
Without doubt, that abode of Yama, which is always the goal of persons of
righteous deeds, that delightful mansion, illuminated today by thy own
splendours, is rendered exceedingly beautiful by thee. Without doubt,
Yama and Varuna and Satakratu and Kuvera, obtaining thee as a favourite
guest, are making much of thy heroic self." Thus indulging in diverse
lamentations, like a merchant whose vessel has been sunken, Arjuna,
afflicted with great grief, asked Yudhishthira, saying, "O, thou of
Kuru's race, hath he ascended to heaven, having caused a great slaughter
among the enemy and contended with the foremost warriors in the face of
battle? Without doubt, while contending single-handed with foremost of
warriors, countless in number, and fighting with vigour and resolution,
his heart turned towards me from a desire of help. While afflicted by
Karna and Drona and Kripa and others with sharp shafts of diverse kinds
and bright points, my son of little strength, must have repeatedly
thought, 'My father will in this press be my rescuer.' I think, while
indulging in such lamentations, he was felled on the ground by cruel
warriors. Or, perhaps, when he was begotten by me, when he was the nephew
of Madhva, when he was born in Subhadra he could not have uttered such
lamentations. Without doubt, my heart, hard as it is, is made of the