“Sanjaya said, ‘Upon the fall, O king, of the ruler of the Sindhus, thy
son Suyodhana, his face bedewed with tears, and himself filled with grief
and breathing hot sighs like a snake whose fangs have been broken, that
offender against the whole world, viz., thy son, experienced bitter
affliction. Beholding that great terrible slaughter of his troops caused
by Jishnu and Bhimasena and Satwata in battle, he became pale, dejected
and melancholy, and his eyes became filled with tears. And he came to
think no warrior existed on the earth that could be compared with Arjuna.
Neither Drona, nor the son of Radha, nor Aswatthaman, nor Kripa, O sire,
is competent to stand before Arjuna when the latter is excited with
wrath. And Suyodhana, said unto himself, “Having vanquished in battle all
the mighty car-warriors of my army, Partha slew the ruler of the Sindhus.
None could resist him. This my vast host hath almost been exterminated by
the Pandavas. I think, there is no one that can protect my army, no, not
even Purandara himself. He, relying upon whom I have been engaged in this
passage-at-arms in battle, alas, that Karna hath been defeated in battle
and Jayadratha slain. That Karna relying upon whose energy I regarded
Krishna as straw who came to sue me for peace, alas, that Karna hath been
vanquished in battle.” Grieving so within his heart, that offender
against the whole world, O king, went to Drona, O bull of Bharata’s race,
for seeing him. Repairing unto him, he informed Drona of that immense
slaughter of the Kurus, the victory of his foes, and the dire calamity of
the Dhartarashtras.[180] And Suyodhana said, “Behold, O preceptor, this
immense slaughter of kings.[181] I came to battle, placing that grandsire
of mine, viz., the heroic Bhishma, at our head. Having slain him,
Sikhandin, his aspiration fulfilled, stayeth at the very van of all the
troops, surrounded by all the Panchalas, covetous of another
triumph.[182] Another disciple of thine, viz., the invincible
Savyasachin, having slain seven Akshauhinis of troops hath despatched
king Jayadratha to Yama’s abode. How, O preceptor, shall I be freed from
the debt I owe to those allies of mine who, desirous of victory to me and
ever engaged in my good, have gone to Yama’s abode? Those lords of earth
who had desired the sovereignty of the earth, are now lying on the earth,
abandoning all their earthly prosperity. Truly, I am a coward. Having
caused such a slaughter of friends, I dare not think that I shall be
sanctified by performing even a hundred horse-sacrifices. I am covetous
and sinful and a transgressor against righteousness. Through my acts
alone, these lords of earth, in their desire for victory, have gone to
Yama’s abode. Why, in presence of those kings, does not the earth yield
me a hole (through which to sink), since I am so sinful in behaviour and
such a fomenter of internecine dissensions![183] Alas, what will the
grandsire with blood-red eyes, that invincible hero who hath conquered
the other world, tell me in the midst of the kings when he meets me?[184]
Behold that mighty bowman, Jalasandha, slain by Satyaki. That great
car-warrior, that hero, came proudly to battle for my sake, prepared to
lay down his life. Beholding the ruler of the Kamvojas slain, as also
Alamvusha and many other allies of mine, what object can I have for
preserving my life? Those unretreating heroes who, fighting for my sake
and struggling to the utmost of their powers to vanquish my foes, have
laid down their lives. I shall today, O scorcher of foes, exerting the
utmost measure of my might, free myself from the debt that I owe them and
gratify them with oblations of water by repairing to the Yamuna. O
foremost of all bearers of arms, I tell thee truly and swear by the good
acts I have performed, by the prowess I possess and by my sons, that
slaying all the Panchalas with the Pandavas, I shall obtain peace of
mind, or slain by them in battle I shall repair to those regions whither
those allies of mine have gone. I shall certainly proceed thither whither
those bulls among men, slain, while engaged in battle for my sake, by
Arjuna have gone! Our allies, seeing that they are not well-protected by
us, no longer desire to stand by us. O thou of mighty arms, they now
regard the Pandavas to be preferable to ourselves. Thyself, of sure aim,
hast ordained our extermination in battle, for thou treatest Arjuna
leniently, since he is thy disciple. It is for this that all those have
been slain who had endeavoured to secure victory to us. It seems that
only Karna now wishes us victory. The man of weak understanding who
without duly examining another, accepteth him for a friend and engageth
him in concerns that require friends for their accomplishment, is certain
to suffer injury, even so hath this affair of mine been managed by my best
friend![185] I am exceedingly covetous, sinful, crooked-hearted, and
characterised by avarice! Alas, king Jayadratha hath been slain, and
Somadatta’s son also of great energy, and the Abhishahas, the Surasenas,
the Sivis, and the Vasatis! I shall go thither today whither those bulls
among men, slain, while engaged in battle for my sake, by Arjuna, have
gone. In the absence of those bulls among men, I have no need for life. O
preceptor of the sons of Pandu, let me have thy permission in this.”’”