riyas that had
their locks sprinkled with holy water at ceremonies of coronation! Alas,
he now eateth the dust! Behold the reverses that Time bringeth on its
course! Where is that pure white umbrella of thine? Where is that fanning
yak-tail also, O king? Where hath that vast army of thine now gone, O
best of monarchs? The course of events is certainly a mystery when causes
other than those relied upon are at book, since even thou that wert the
master of the world hast been reduced to this plight! Without doubt, the
prosperity of all mortals is very unstable, since thou that wert equal
unto Shakra himself hast now been reduced to such a sorry plight!"
Hearing these words of the sorrowing Ashvatthama, thy son answered him in
these words that were suited to the occasion. He wiped his eyes with his
hands and shed tears of grief anew. The king then addressed all those
heroes headed by Kripa and said, "This liability to death (of all living
creatures) is said to have been ordained by the Creator himself. Death
comes to all beings in course of time. That death hath now come to me,
before the eyes of you all! I who reigned over the whole earth have now
been reduced to this plight! By good luck, I never turned back from
battle whatever calamities overtook me. By good luck, I have been slain
by those sinful men, by the aid particularly of deception. By good luck,
while engaged in hostilities, I always displayed courage and
perseverance. By good luck, I am slain in battle, along with all my
kinsmen and friends. By good luck, I behold you escaped with life from
this great slaughter, and safe and sound. This is highly agreeable to me.
Do not, from affection, grieve for my death. If the Vedas are any
authority, I have certainly acquired many eternal regions! I am not
ignorant of the glory of Krishna of immeasurable energy. He hath not
caused me to fall off from the proper observance of Kshatriya duties. I
have obtained him. On no account should anybody grieve from me. Ye have
done what persons like ye should do. Ye have always striven for my
success. Destiny, however, is incapable of being frustrated." Having said
this much, the king, with eyes laved with tears, became silent, O
monarch, agitated as he was with agony. Beholding the king in tears and
grief, Drona's son flamed up in anger like the fire that is seen at the
universal destruction. Overwhelmed with rage, he squeezed his hand and
addressing the king in a voice hoarse with tea