Janamejaya said After the holy Vyasa had gone away, what, O Rishi, did king Dhritarashtra do? You should tell me this.

What also did the Kuru king, the great son of Dharma, do? And what did those three, viz., Kripa and others do?

I have heard of the wonderful deeds of Ashvatthaman and the exchange of curses. Tell me what took place next, and what Sanjaya next said to the old king."

Vaishampayana said "After Duryodhana and all his soldiers had been killed, Sanjaya, deprived of spiritual sight, returned to Dhritarashtra.

Sanjaya said The kings of various races, that came from various kingdoms, have all, O king, gone to the abode of Death along with your sons.

Your son, O king, who had constantly been requested (for peace) but who always desired to terminate his hostility after killing the Pandavas has caused the Earth exterminated.

Do you, O king, cause the obsequia rites of your sons and grandsons and fathers to be duly performed.

Vaishampayana said Hearing these dreadful words of Sanjaya, the king dropped down on the Earth and lay unconscious like one deprived of life.

Approaching the king, who was lying prostrate on the Earth, Vidura, conversant with all forms of duty, said: 'Rise, O king, why do you lie down thus? Do not grieve, O foremost of Bharata's! This O king, is the final end of all creatures.

In the beginning creatures are non-existent. In the middle, O Bharata, they become existent. At the end, they once more become non-existent. What is there to be sorry for in all this.

By grieving one cannot get back the dead. By indulging in grief, one cannot die himself. When such is the course of the world, why do you grieve?

One may die without fighting in battle. One also escapes alive after having engaged in battle. When one's appointed Time comes, O king, he cannot escape.

Time drags all creatures. There is none dear or loathsome to Time, O Kuru's chief.

As the wind tears off the ends of all blades of grass, so all creatures, O Bharata chief, are subjected by Time under its influence.

All creatures are like members of the same caravan bound for one destination. What is there to be sorry for if Time meets with one a little earlier than with another.

Those again, O king, that have fallen in battle and for whom you bewail, are not really objects of your grief, since all those illustrious persons to heaven.

By celebrating sacrifices with enough presents, by practising ascetic austerities, and by knowledge, people cannot so easily go to heaven as heroes by displaying courage in battle.

All those heroes were conversant with the Vedas; all of them were observant of vows: all of them have died, fighting the foe in battle. What is there to be sorry for then.

have gone They poured their libations of arrows upon the bodies of their brave enemies as upon a fire. Great as they were, they bore in return the libations of arrows poured upon themselves.

I tell you. O king, that these is no superior way to heaven for a Kshatriya to one thought battle.

All of them were great Kshatriya, all of them were heroes and ornaments of assemblies. They have attained to a highly blessed state. One should not grieve for them.

Do you comfort your oneself. Do not grieve, O foremost of men. You should not allow yourself to be overwhelmed with so row and give up all work.