shna, the daughter of
Drupada, hath lost all her kinsmen and children. For this, she who is the
dearest of my daughters-in-law grieves exceedingly. The sister of
Krishna, viz., Subhadra of sweet speech, burning with the loss of her
son, grieves as deeply. This lady that is respected by all, that is the
wife of Bhurisravas, afflicted with grief on account of the fate that has
overtaken her husband, always indulges in heart-rending lamentations. Her
father-in-law was the intelligent Valhika of Kuru's race. Alas, Somadatta
also was slain, along with his sire, in the great battle![47] Alas, a
century of sons, heroes that never retreated from battle, belonging to
this son of thine, this king of great intelligence and great prosperity,
has been slain in battle. The hundred wives of those sons are all
grieving and repeatedly enhancing the grief of both the king and myself.
O great ascetic, stricken by that great slaughter, they have gathered
round me. Alas, those high-souled heroes, those great car warriors, my
fathers-in-law, Somadatta and others,--alas, what end has been theirs, O
puissant one? Through thy grace, O holy one, that will happen in
consequence of which this lord of Earth, myself, and this daughter-in-law
of thine, viz., Kunti, shall all become freed from our grief." After
Gandhari had said so, Kunti, whose face had become wasted through
observance of many hard vows, began to think of her secret-born son
endued with solar effulgence. The boon-giving Rishi Vyasa, capable of
both beholding and hearing what happened at a remote distance, saw that
the royal mother of Arjuna was afflicted with grief. Unto her Vyasa
said,--"Tell me, O blessed one, what is in thy mind. Tell me what thou
wishest to say." At this, Kunti, bending her head unto her father-in-law,
and overcome with bashfulness, said these words unto him, relating to the
occurrences of the past.'"

SECTION XXX

"'Kunti said, "O holy one, thou art my father-in-law and therefore, my
deity of deities. Verily, thou art my god of gods. Hear my words of
truth. An ascetic named Durvasas, who is of the regenerate order and who
is full of wrath, came to my father's house for eleemosynary charity. I
succeeded in gratifying him by the purity of my external behaviour and of
my mind, as also by refusing to notice the many wrongs he did. I did not
give way to wrath although there was much in his behaviour quite capable
of exciting that passion. Served with care, the g