O thou of Vrishni's race, I looked on with
indifference! Having slain the covetous Duryodhana bereft of wisdom and
enslaved by his passions, let the son of Pandu gratify his desire, be it
righteousness or unrighteousness!"'

"Sanjaya continued, 'After Yudhishthira had said this, Vasudeva, that
perpetuator of Yadu's race, said with difficulty, "Let it be so!" Indeed,
after Vasudeva had been addressed in those words by Yudhishthira, the
former, who always wished what was agreeable to and beneficial for
Bhima, approved all those acts that Bhima had done in battle. Having
struck down thy son in battle, the wrathful Bhimasena, his heart filled
with joy, stood with joined hands before Yudhishthira and saluted him in
proper form. With eyes expanded in delight and proud of the victory he
had won, Vrikodara of great energy, O king, addressed his eldest brother,
saying, "The Earth is today thine, O king, without brawls to disturb her
and with all her thorns removed! Rule over her, O monarch, and observe
the duties of thy order! He who was the cause of these hostilities and
who fomented them by means of his guile, that wretched wight fond of
deception, lieth, struck down, on the bare ground, O lord of earth! All
these wretches headed by Duhshasana, who used to utter cruel words, as
also those other foes of thine, the son of Radha, and Shakuni, have been
slain! Teeming with all kinds of gems, the Earth, with her forests and
mountains, O monarch, once more cometh to thee that hast no foes alive!"

"'Yudhishthira said, "Hostilities have come to an end! King Suyodhana
hath been struck down! The earth hath been conquered (by us), ourselves
having acted according to the counsels of Krishna! By good luck, thou
hast paid off thy debt to thy mother and to thy wrath! By good luck, thou
hast been victorious, O invincible hero, and by good luck, thy foe hath
been slain!"'"

61

"Dhritarashtra said, 'Beholding Duryodhana struck down in battle by
Bhimasena, what, O Sanjaya, did the Pandavas and the Srinjayas do?'

"Sanjaya said, 'Beholding Duryodhana slain by Bhimasena in battle, O
king, like a wild elephant slain by a lion, the Pandavas with Krishna
became filled with delight. The Pancalas and the Srinjayas also, upon the
fall of the Kuru king, waved their upper garments (in the air) and
uttered leonine roars. The very Earth seemed to be unable to bear those
rejoicing warriors. Some stretched their bows; others drew their
bowstrings.