as incapable of being defeated by the
gods and the Danavas, actually slain in battle, even then I knew that
this Bharata host is doomed. Upon the fall of him whom of all persons in
the three worlds, we had regarded to be the very foremost of heroes, who
else is there upon whom we are to rely? Those dice, O sire, with which
Sakuni formerly played in the Kuru assembly, were not dice but keen
arrows capable of slaying foes. Even those arrows, O sire, sped by Jaya,
are now slaying us. Though Vidura characterised them to be such, thou
didst not yet understand them to be so. Those words, again, that the wise
and high-souled Vidura, with tears in his eyes had then said unto thee,
those auspicious words recommending peace, thou didst not then hear. That
calamity which foretold hath now come. That frightful carnage, O
Duryodhana, hath now come as the result of that disobedience by thee of
Vidura's words. That man of foolish understanding who, disregarding the
salutary words of trusted friends, followeth his own opinion, soon falls
into a pitiable plight. O son of Gandhari, this great evil, viz., that
dragging in our very sight to the Kuru assembly of Krishna who never
deserved such treatment, who hath been born in a noble race, and who
practiseth every virtue. Know that all this is but little, for in the
next world dire consequences yet will be thine. Vanquishing the Pandavas
at dice by deceit, thou hadst sent them, into the woods, attired in
deer-skins. What other Brahmana, except myself, in this world, would seek
to injure those princes that are ever engaged in the practice of virtue
and that are to me even as my own sons. With the approval of
Dhritarashtra, in the midst of the Kuru assembly, thou hadst, with Sakuni
as thy help-mate, provoked the ire of the Pandavas. United with
Duhsasana, Karna then fanned that wrath. Disregarding the words of
Vidura, thou hast repeatedly fanned it thyself. With resolute care, all
of you had surrounded Arjuna, resolved to stand by the ruler of the
Sindhus. Why then have all of you been vanquished and why also has
Jayadratha been slain? Why, when thou art alive, and Karna, and Kripa,
and Salya, and Aswatthaman, O Kauravya, hath the ruler of the Sindhus
been slain? For rescuing the ruler of the Sindhus, the kings (on thy
side) had put forth all their fierce energy. Why, then, hath Jayadratha
been slain in their midst? Relying upon me, king Jayadratha had expected
his rescue from the hands of Arju