Section LXXVIII

"Sanjaya said,

'Hearing these words of the high-souled Kesava, Subhadra, afflicted with grief on account of the death of her son, began to indulge in these piteous lamentations: 'Oh, son of my wretched self, O you that wast in prowess equal to your father, O child, how couldst you perish, going to battle! Alas, how does that face of thine which resembles the blue lotus and is graced with beautiful teeth and excellent eyes, now seem, now that, O child, it is covered with battle’s dust! Without doubt, you so brave and unreturning, you fallen on the field, with beautiful head and neck and arms, with broad chest, low belly, your limbs decked with ornaments, you that art endued with beautiful eyes, you that art mangled with weapon wounds, you all creatures are, without doubt, beholding as the rising moon! Alas, you whose bed used to be overlaid with the whitest and costliest sheets, alas, deserving as you are of every luxury, how dost you sleep today on the bare earth, your body pierced with arrows? That hero of mighty arms who used of old to be waited upon by the foremost of beautiful women, alas, how can he, fallen on the field of battle, pass his time now in the company of jackals! He who of old was praised with hymns by singers and bards and panegyrists, alas, he is today greeted by fierce and yelling cannibals and beasts of prey.

By whom, alas, hast you been helplessly slain when you had the Pandavas, O lord, and all the Pancalas, for your protectors? Oh son, O sinless one, I am not yet gratified with looking at you. Wretched as I am, it is evident that I shall have to go to Yama’s abode.

When again shall I cast my eyes on that face of thine, adorned, with large eyes and beautiful locks that smooth face without pimples, from which sweet words and exquisite fragrance constantly issued? Fie on the strength of Bhimasena, on the bowmanship of Partha, on the prowess of the Vrishni heroes, and the might of the Pancalas! Fie on the Kaikeyas, the Chedis, the Matsyas, and the Srinjayas, they that could not protect you, O hero, while engaged in battle! I behold the earth today to be vacant and cheerless. Without seeing my Abhimanyu, my eyes are troubled with affliction. You wast the sister’s son of Vasudeva, the son of the wielder of Gandiva, and thyself, a hero and an Atiratha. Alas, how shall I behold the slain! Alas, O hero, you have been to me like a treasure in a dream that is seen and lost. Oh, every thing human is as transitory as a bubble of water. This your young wife is overwhelmed with grief on account of the evil that has befallen you.

Alas, how shall I comfort her who is even like a cow without her calf! Alas, O son, you have prematurely fled from me at a time when you wast about to bear fruit of greatness, although I am longing for a sight of you. Without, doubt, the conduct of the Destroyer cannot be understood even by the wise, since although you have Kesava for your protector, you wast yet slain, as if you wast perfectly helpless. O son, let that end be thine which is theirs that perform sacrifices and theirs that are Brahmanas of purified soul, and theirs that have practised Brahmacarya, and theirs that have bathed in sacred waters, and theirs that are grateful and charitable and devoted to the service of their preceptors, and theirs that have made sacrificial presents in profusion. That end which is theirs that are brave and unretreating while engaged in battle, or theirs that have fallen in battle, having slain their foes, let that end be thine.

That auspicious end which is theirs that have given away a thousand kine, or theirs that have given away in sacrifices, or theirs that give away houses and mansions agreeable to the recipients, that end which is theirs that give away gems and jewels to deserving Brahmanas, or theirs that are punishers of crime, O, let that end be thine. That end which is attained by Munis of rigid vows by Brahmacarya, or that which is attained by those women that adhere to but one husband, O son, let that end be thine.

That eternal end which is attained by kings by means of good behaviour, or by those persons that have cleansed themselves by leading, one after another, all the four modes of life, and through due observance of their duties, that end which is theirs that are compassionate to the poor and the distressed, or theirs that equitably divide sweets amongst themselves and their dependants, or theirs that are never addicted to deceit and wickedness, O son, let that end be thine! That end which is theirs that are observant of vows, or theirs that are virtuous, or theirs that are devoted to the service of preceptors, or theirs that have never sent away a guest unentertained, O son, let that end be thine.

That end which is theirs that succeed in distress and the most difficult straits in preserving the equanimity of their souls, however much scorched they might be by the fire of grief, O son, let that end be thine. O son, let that end be thine which is theirs that are always devoted to the service of their fathers and mothers, or theirs that are devoted to their own wives only. O son, let that end be thine which is attained by those wise men who, restraining themselves from the wives of others, seek the companionship of only their own wives in season. O son, let that end be thine which is theirs that look upon all creatures with an eye of peace, or theirs that never give pain to others, or theirs that always forgive. O son, let that end be thine which is theirs that abstain from honey, meat, wine, pride and untruth, or theirs that have refrained from giving pain to others. Let that goal be thine which they attain that are modest, acquainted with all the scriptures, content with knowledge, and have their passions under control.'

"And while cheerless Subhadra, afflicted with grief, was indulging in such lamentations, the princess of Pancala (Draupadi), accompanied by Virata’s daughter (Uttara), came to her. All of them, in great grief, wept copiously and indulged in heart-rending lamentations. And like persons reft of reason by sorrow, they fainted away and fell down on the earth.

Then Krishna, who stood, ready with water, deeply afflicted, sprinkled it over his weeping, unconscious and trembling sister, pierced in her very heart, and comforting her, said what should be said on such an occasion. And the lotus-eyed one said, 'Grieve not, O Subhadra! O Pancali, console Uttara! Abhimanyu, that bull among Kshatriyas, has obtained the most laudable goal. O you of beautiful face, let all the other men yet alive in our race obtain that goal which Abhimanyu of great fame has obtained. Ourselves with all our friends, wish to achieve, in this battle, that feat, the like of which, O lady, your son, that mighty car-warrior, has achieved without any assistance.' Having consoled his sister and Draupadi and Uttara thus, that chastiser of foes, viz., the mighty-armed (Krishna), returned to Partha’s side. Then Krishna, saluting the kings, friends and Arjuna, entered the inner apartments of the (latter’s) tent while those kings also repaired to respective abodes.'"